Any analysis of the Searing would be incomplete without exploring the history of magical escalation in conflicts throughout Tyria. Attempting to determine which party was justified in using overwhelming force does not help us predict future catastrophes, but a pattern emerges when we examine who had reason to believe that they were cornered. This belief does not need to be accurate to lead to tragedy, and taking the final step is rarely a sound tactical decision. Once one party has used devastating arcane weapons to claim a decisive victory, the long-term results are more often a chain of reckless last stands and societal collapse.