Good does not always win.

The victories of both Svensson and Teeleh are important because the author is embracing the idea that good cannot always win. Sometimes, darkness and evil must succeed in order for the light to fight back and become even stronger in the end.

In the histories, Thomas’ mission to stop the Raison Strain is doomed from the very beginning. The author ensures that the reader understands this in the way that he builds Svensson’s character. The man is ruthless, cunning, and knows how to manipulate everything to put himself in power. Even Carlos, a trained killer, and terrorist, has to “(dismiss) the sudden urge to cut the man’s throat right there… not because Svensson presented any immediate threat, but because the man looked evil to him with his black eyes and twisted grin. He did not like this man” (111).

Svensson is...