I love the art for this so much. I think it is one of the most gorgeous fan art pieces I've every seen. I was privileged to write something to match it.

it almost feels like hope

Well, it sort of is: the hope for revenge, the hope for closure, to at least find out the truth. And some people did get away. There's hope he could find them or they him. I deliberately didn't close down the possibilities. He doesn't know at the end. He can still hope.