1. Aether — Raise the Cost Early

Craig’s push:

Move Aether’s drama forward and intensify it. Possibly kill him.

Ideas:

• Aether gets hurt badly enough that Janus must go to Atlas to save him.
• Show Aether being tortured by Erek / Turner earlier.
• Potentially reveal the torture directly to Janus.

Current gap:

• Janus is currently unaware of Aether’s torture in ep 4.
• Emotional stakes tied to Aether may not be urgent enough.

Underlying note:

Janus needs a visceral inciting wound — not just ideological conflict.

2. Clarify Stakes — “End of Civilization” Isn’t Concrete

Craig seems to feel that “end of civilization” is too abstract.

Janus ultimately sees two futures:

• Omni/Atlas wins → sterile, hyper-controlled, dehumanized society. Nothing new or original ever happens again. Civilization effectively lobotomized.
• Outlanders reboot Omni → technological collapse; humanity reset to sticks, stones, and mud.

Both are apocalyptic in different ways. These can be visually illustrated in visceral ways to Janus and the audience that will resonate.