We’ve just finished making Episode 30 (Out Monday July 27th!), which marks the end of the Tenth Valley and the Circle of Fraud! And as the Middle of Circle 8 in many ways describes the Heart of Fraud, swarming with Demons, the End of Circle 8 describes the logical end point of the forces of Fraud, which is disease, mental illness and insanity.
At the same time, this is the point in the Journey where the Pilgrim discovers regret, repentance and the source of Forgiveness. He is first too interested in the destructive forces of Fraud, and after Virgil gets irritated, he strongly wishes he would find the words to ask or beg for forgiveness – thereby discovering that the inner wish and sincerity in itself is the true threshold of starting the process of redemption, renewal and a change in the deep.
Virgil grants the wish immediately, saying the regret the Pilgrim feels is way more than sufficient for such a minor wrong-doing in this case. And thus Dante the Writer is also pointing us towards the second book and the bigger process of brighter renewal and rebirth, on the Island of Mount Purgatory!