After defeating the Reminiscence Hydra, Carl and Donut wait for the burning trailer and yard to cool so they can loot the remains before the Iowa area collapses. Carl explains that the hydra heads and powers were deliberately chosen from the dead people represented: Sam’s death ray came from an old nickname, Dick’s water attack came from his fear of drowning, and Tami-Lynn’s poison power matched the memory Carl just relived of her killing his father.

Carl realizes the hydra’s heads were not just copies of people from his past, but likenesses of people who died in the collapse. The thought makes the deaths of Sam, Mr. Roth, Asher, Tami-Lynn, and others feel final, though Carl tries to frame the hydra’s destruction as allowing those likenesses to rest. Zev briefly confirms she is still locked out and says an update is coming, while Carl sees chat reports that other teams are facing similarly traumatic bosses.

While Donut nervously talks through the aftermath, Carl receives a church message from Emberus. His suffering has raised him to Devotee, granting improved heat and lava-environment protection, a dangerous daily Self-Immolation spell that creates a sphere of Sheol Fire around him, and an increased tithe. The spell is powerful but risky because it can harm allies and potentially turn the ground beneath Carl into lava.

Carl asks Donut how she knew Sally, one of the hydra heads, and Donut reveals that Beatrice had access to Carl’s Facebook account. Beatrice blocked Sally after Sally asked Carl out, then manipulated Carl’s boss Dick into firing Sally. Donut also says Beatrice had seen Asher’s picture and talked about Asher with her mother, leading Carl to conclude Beatrice knew about Carl’s half-brother and likely hid Tami-Lynn’s messages from him. This makes Carl truly angry at Beatrice, though Carl tries to resist the emotional manipulation the dungeon is using against him.

Once the fire dies down, Donut and Carl inspect the loot. The hydra’s deck contains several useful cards, including Steal Totem, Cripple snares, utility cards, and four totems: Alpha Carl, King Croissant, Bam-Bam the Belly Acher, and Leveled-Up Frank. Carl warns the group chat that cards resembling dead people are not really those people and urges everyone not to let the bosses break them.

The Champion Pack adds backup totem slots, a trophy, Gatorade, and two Flee cards, with a warning that Flee mechanics will change in the final phase. Carl refuses to keep Frank or Alpha Carl on moral grounds, and Donut discards King Croissant and Bam-Bam. However, Leveled-Up Frank and Alpha Carl add themselves to Donut’s cards automatically and cannot be ripped until the team gets another card, leaving Carl and Donut stuck with them for now.