If there was going to be an “in space” story there were going to be space pirates, god dammit. It does bring Pumpkinseed back into the fold, but this whole arc it would seem is about cleaning house, anyway.
I had forgotten that it was Mitch and Ryan who provided us with a literal loophole to reset the story. It even calls back to the “accurate depiction of lasers” that Ryan gave us earlier. So, one big bow tie to wrap all of Flatliner up.
But wait, there’s more! It’s a whole other chapter! And also another installment of this giving us all the aforementioned Evangelion mess ending before this chapter is brought to its screeching halt.