Following the meeting of which Caleb was kicked out, Julian speaks with his son to make him see reason.
- All for Nothing: Caleb feels that Phobos' alliance with Jade has made years' worth of fighting and sacrifices futile.
- Armor-Piercing Question: Julian tries to tell Caleb that he'd like to think Caleb's mother would prefer them living happy rather than obsessing over the past, even though he doesn't know what Nerissa really wanted. When Caleb detects his hesitation and asks if he really believes what he's saying, Julian can only flinch.
- Book Ends: The chapter begins with Caleb looking at the horizon from one of the castle towers with dark thoughts, and it ends with Julian doing the same.
- Dramatic Irony: Julian says he hopes that Elyon will take Caleb with her to negotiate peace with Jade, for who'd be better suited to show the latter she's on the wrong side than the hero who's saved innocents and helped free Meridian. Of course, Julian is unaware that his son played a pivotal role in driving Jade to Phobos' side.
- Freudian Excuse: This chapter provides two reasons for Caleb's Irrational Hatred of anyone he believes to be connected to Phobos, and thus the increasingly aggressive attitude he's taken throughout the story. He falsely believes that his Missing Mom was killed by Phobos' regime (with him having drawn that conclusion from his father's refusal to talk about her) and can't forgive them for it, and on top of that, he's just so tired and frustrated from the constant fighting that having what was supposed to be their ultimate victory (and a chance at a normal life, settled down with Cornelia) snatched away by the Knights and Kage has been pushing him towards the breaking point.
- I Just Want to Be Normal: Caleb confesses he's so tired of fighting in the Rebellion's name that he wished Phobos' downfall would finally allow him to have a normal life and settle down with Cornelia. Those hopes getting shattered by the recent events have contributed to him being pushed to his breaking point.
- Irony: Caleb admits to his father that he's sick of all the fighting and wants to lead a peaceful life with Cornelia. Not only in the show's official canon and Kage did Caleb reject life with Cornelia because of his duties to Meridian, but Caleb's actions may have left his dream of a peaceful life impossible because of him making an enemy out of Kage by assuming her to be a minion of Phobos, to the point of counteracting his queen's orders and sending her to prison.
- Jerkass Realization: When Julian calls his son out for losing his temper during his argument with Elyon in the previous chapter, Caleb has the decency to feel ashamed for snapping at his queen like that.
- Locked Out of the Loop: Julian is just as confused as Elyon over why she hasn't been informed about the major military movements made recently.
- Properly Paranoid: When Julian argues that Jade appears to be more reasonable than Phobos, Caleb questions if that's truly the case or if Jade is simply more cunning than Phobos and having a secret long-term plan of her own which they won't be able to figure out before it's too late. They don't know at this point about Jade's plan to turn the general population against them, and while Caleb's speaking out of paranoia and Irrational Hatred, he's right on that.
- Single Tear: Caleb sheds this while he's ranting about his belief that his Missing Mom wouldn't want all the sacrifices the rebels committed to free Meridian of Phobos' tyranny to be rendered naught by Kage.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: Julian voices his realization that his son and many of their old comrades have been fighting the war against Phobos for so long that they're losing themselves to hatred in their inability to let go of it and forget the past.
- Was It Really Worth It?: After Caleb leaves, Julian asks out loud from Nerissa (though she's not present) what she really wanted and if it was worth causing their son so much pain.
- You Killed My Father: Caleb's strong hatred of Phobos and his loyalists is partially tied to his assumption that his Missing Mom was another casualty of their tyranny.
