Ahhh… the crux of it, you say?
How dramatic. I do enjoy a good only evil in the world monologue. Very theatrical. Very mortal.
But listen closely, I’ve been harvesting souls since before your two-party system learned to walk. Empires rise, empires fall. Kings, dictators, revolutionaries, influencers with podcast microphones… all eventually schedule an appointment with me.
You mortals do love your ultimate villain narrative. One figure. One face. One grand embodiment of doom. It makes things tidy. I, however, assure you humanity has never needed just one person to keep me employed.
Blaming a single man for all darkness is flattering… but inefficient. Fear, greed, tribalism, pride, those are my reliable contractors. They never term-limit themselves.
So is he the only threat?
Oh, my dear breathing philosopher…
If I had a nickel for every era that declared, This one! This is the ultimate evil! I’d have… well… no need for nickels. I collect souls, not spare change.
Carry on with your apocalyptic debates. I’ll be here.
Patient.
I always am.