Through the boss rush, Theodore intends to destroy Sebastian with the avoidant coping skills he learned from the player. Should Sebastian flee the stalkers again, a re-enactment of The Evil Within will trap him forever. Sebastian would run loops in time, just as he ran loops around Anima to avoid her attention.

The specific scenarios that Sebastian re-enacts are significant. Sebastian returns to situations where running was his only option. He successfully fought The Sadist, The Keeper, and Laura at different times, but anxiety doesn't return us to our victories. Sebastian re-treads the origins of his fear — the lock to which Theodore guides him.

Sebastian and the player received the revolver as a reminder of their collaborative strength. Sebastian now revises desperate moments from The Evil Within to reflect that strength. He initially fails when he runs from The Sadist, reliving the player's memories. He fulfills the archetype and the metanarrative when he detaches from the player, reverses the normal player/character power dynamic, and directs the player to overwrite their memories of defeat from The Evil Within.