Central Theme of ''Sunrider 4: The Captain's Return (WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD)
The of the fourth installment features the resurrection of Kayto Shields, the once legendary Captain who stood as the head of resistance, now reduced to a drunken mess. He has lost his ship, has been betrayed by his ex-girlfriend, his reputation is in shambles with his enemies regaling the upper hand and are even stronger than before, and even everyone else seems to have abandoned him, including Sola sent to watch over him. The story marks his eventual comeback from the brink as he picks up what is left regains the integrity and confidence he had. To do so, he overcomes multiple trials in each chapters that involves overcoming his failures of the past that still haunt him.
Chapter 1 & 2: Reunion and Cera
The first two chapters start with Shields being forced to get his team back together. With the existence of Crow Harbor in the present, his first thought is to warn everyone of the impending danger. Apart from getting a new ship and haircut, he unites with old allies and former enemies for the better or worse. Even when he arrives on Cera, he is ultimately interested in rescuing Ava from PACT than remain on the planet.
Chapter 3 & 4: Solar Alliance
The next two chapter feature Shields finding the last of his trusted allies, Kryska Stares of the Solar Alliance. The arc with the Alliance in itself is Shields atoning for his failures with the Alliance, triggering the Liberation Day Massacre and indirectly the Trial of Kryska Stares that results in its downward spiral. His fight with the Hawk Faction is extends from his "I Know You Are in There Somewhere" Fight with Kryska to his final battle against Admiral Storn, who stands as his Shadow Archetype as someone who lost his will to fight PACT or achieve anything else in life. Because the destruction of Machiavelli Actual resulted in the creation of Storn, he is both rescuing a comrade he failed and rectifying his transgressions with a foreign power.
Chapter 5, 6, & 7: Sola’s Past
Chapter 8 & 9: Facing Consequences of One’s Failures
Chapter 10: The Captain’s Return
The final act is a finale of Shields overcoming his depression and failings once and for all. His first dealing is him not relying on the Alliance to deal with PACT like he had in the past, using other methods that involve acting on his own.
The second phase deals with Shields finishing the Huntress, putting the ghost of the ship class he failed to protect to rest, all while Sola overcomes her trauma of her mother to awakens as a true Sharr that surpasses Asaga.
As for the Final Boss, is it Fontana? No, it is Chigara, or rather a Prototype resembling her. As an entry that focuses on putting down the past and overcoming his failures, Chigara stands as the perfect resolution to both for Shields. By eliminating the aberration resembling Chigara, he is finally letting go of the girl he clung onto despite her triggering all of his failures and, with her former friend Asaga, putting her ghost to rest.
The final scene of even Maray arriving to save him signifies the completion of his redemption, with all the ghosts of his past exorcised and his traumas overcome. This, leading to him focusing on what matters to him the most that would lead to the next installment.
