Welcome back to The Rise of Endymion where everything is made up and the plot doesn’t matter. This week, Sam regales Danielle, and Filip of Mind Duck Books, with the penultimate episode of the Hyperion saga by greatest troll of the sci-fi world, Dan Simmons. Filip is still reeling from the last episode where he settled soundly in the anger stage of grief and unfortunately for Sam’s unwilling co-hosts, they realize that acceptance is a long way off. After Professor Filip gives a Programming History 101 lesson, we meet our trusty heroes who have managed to throw off Nemes who is out shaking down eight-year-old Buddhists to find them. Meanwhile, Raul, who unfortunately did not die in his hang-gliding accident, and his trusty sidekick Aenea, make their way to the jade temple, where, wouldn’t you know it, Nemes is doing her shakedown. No worries though, Raul is ready and willing to fight the murder monster and even though the man can’t find his way out of a paper bag, he manages to outmaneuver Nemes with his kick-butt chess skillz. And somehow, against all odds, Simmons’ chapter long side note about rock climbing comes back into play. Raul and Aenea celebrate the win by having zero g sex, as one does, and then nothing else matters because…the Yggdrasil is back! And to quote Sam, “All aboard, baby! Tree of pain. Toot! Toot!” If you like retconning, answers to questions you didn’t know you had, and questions to answers you thought you had, then, huzzah! This is the episode for you!