Excellent analysis, Rose!

Excellent analysis, Rose! Looked at this way with the eight sequence approach, the structure does feel more conventional than when I first read the script. Still, that's an awfully long first act by 'conventional' standards, yet it works.

Also good note about Veronica's Final Struggle with Elizabeth which is also atypical in that Him figures to be the chief Nemesis.

This all goes to show that conventional wisdom is often more about convention than wisdom.

Thanks for this enlightened take on the plot!