YMMV / Down to Dust

• Alternate Character Interpretation:
  • The ending leaves itself open for interpretation. Is it a happy ending because Ernesto abandoned his suicidal ideas, reconciles with Héctor and has learned to care and love for Cheque? Or is he just a hollow shell who keeps marching on because he isn't even strong enough to give himself the Final Death? The author says the latter is closer to what she intended.
  • Ernesto being awkward and abrasive towards Héctor in the epilogue. Does he act like this because he still can't come to terms with his newfound guilt for Héctor's murder? Or is it him feeling upset that Héctor forgives him even after all he's done?
  • Are Hector and Ernesto 'rekindling their friendship' in the end? Or is Hector just being an adult and setting aside his negative feelings toward Ernesto for Cheque's sake, while Ernesto can really only respond with jovial sarcasm out of habit? In one bonus ficbit written by Pengy, Cheque wants Hector to help Ernesto out of a jam and Hector, tired and annoyed, points out that Ernesto murdered him, tried to murder Miguel, and that both Cheque and Ernesto tend to conveniently forget that little fact when they need Hector's help. In the end, Hector reasons that no, he does not owe Ernesto any help whatsoever, and any help he does give is for Cheque's sake, and Cheque's alone.
• Base-Breaking Character: Ernesto. You'll either feel pity for his situation and rejoice at his redemption in the end, or enjoy all the bad things that happened to him as an appropiate retribution.
• Catharsis Factor: Yes, Ernesto gets to redeem himself by learning to care and love Cheque....but he also gets his just-desserts for all he's done. Admit it, you laughed at his misery.
• Cry for the Devil: After reading the epilogue, you'll feel deeply sorry for Ernesto, who's largely responsible for all the bad things that happened in the story. Either that, or you'll reach Catharsis Factor for all the bad things that happen to him during the course of the story.
• Moment of Awesome: Héctor's epic "The Reason You Suck" Speech to Ernesto in Chapter 11, finally calling him out on his selfish behavior and how he ruined his life just so he could be famous.
• Tear Jerker: The ending, especially Ernesto's belated apology.
• The Woobie: Given the nature of the work, there are many characters that you will end up pitying, like Socorro (her best friend dies, she blames herself for it and ends up trapped in the Land of the Death), Cheque (dies in a car accident, believes his best friend doesn't care about him anymore, was separated from his drug-addicted mother when he was young and wants to become close to Ernesto, the only one close to a relative), Héctor (still can't come to terms with the fact he was killed by his best friend and blames himself for not telling the rest of the Riveras that he saw Ernesto on the run.).

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