While I respect your opinion, there are a few facts and personal opinions I need to say.
A.) I've considered it like reading a story. I grew attachments to the characters, but still felt detached enough where, frankly, so long as it wasn't a kid (and as a result would directly cause a bad ending), I didn't care if people died. Even with the Problem Sleuth-like beginning, I knew deep down shit would get real (considering I started reading just before or during Intermission).
B.) Back in my mind I knew characters would die because of evil forces. I accepted this. Hell, I called out Bro's death months in advance (especially after reading the character page of a certain anime).
C.) Sollux states in one page long ago that they were all going to die soon, so it comes to no shocker that all the trolls are now dying. I'm saddened (especially since Tavros is my "patron troll" and I can actually see a shitton of qualities in him that I have), but not raging. Again, knew months in advance, but only because the story said so.
D.) Andrew himself stated that he has planned out a grand story in this universe after finishing Problem Sleuth. Essentially, things would be more serious because events were planned out (though the idea of trolls did come after Homestuck started)
E.) In terms of the trolls as a whole, the fanbase seems to have taken an extreme liking towards them since Act 5 Act 1 (I guess including myself). I can see how some people think they have hijacked the whole story, but their side is very important if we are to understand what is happening on the kids' front, since they have significant direct influence, and that's how Andrew does his storytelling in the first place (generally changing perspectives and in some cases time). It was Vriska after all that helped John read God Tier, even if it did involve him dying a second time.
F.) IDE/Theory: Considering how, in the end, there wasn't any real significant deaths in Problem Sleuth (and admittedly several other, more important factors), I theorize that the same will happen in Homestuck, since the objective of Sburb is to apparently create a universe in which to rule. Considering that the kids reach the good ending with no unresolved issues and the use of double-mobius reacharounds in several instances or the story, the kids end up creating the trolls' universe (or like a troll/human hybrid, though it wouldn't really fit with the reacharound thing), then meet up with them there, possibly. I find this supported by the red/blue bifurcation obsession Sollux has, considering his universe is in his blue lens, and the humans in the red. If there's a troll/human hybrid universe where Sburb no longer exists, then I guess it's the purple universe where everything is unified.
G.) I am probably fandumb at this point.
Essentially, I'm not mad at the events that have happened in the last few weeks. Kinda saw them coming a mile away (though the methods were pretty surprising (And now I'm drawing a Darth Vader/Ben and Eridan/Kanaya parallel wtf) and kinda a sudden thing). I enjoy his method of storytelling, and he is a fairly good writer, achieving both comedy and tragedy in the span of pages (though I guess mood whiplash could apply) and still be moderately believable considering how the characters are developed.
TL;DR: Homestuck =/= Problem Sleuth, even since the beginning, though a happy ending for all the "good guys" (yes, even Vriska and Eridan to my chagrin) like Problem Sleuth isn't exactly busted. Not saying it was wrong to expect Problem Sleuth, but kinda foolish to think the same story mechanics would apply. Essentially the fandom is split at this point. Either you "like" the events (as in don't care, understand why this was done and have accepted it, etc. etc.) or you hate it. Frankly, I think the side who hates it
are overreacting.
And, now that I've seen that page again, I have notice that Homestuck has evolved stylistically since it began almost two years ago. To tl;dr why I'm willing to "hand wave" it: The characters themselves have grown and evolved, and as they make this "quest into adulthood" (oh jeez high school flashbacks), the feel of their universe as a whole changed as well. If John were to have made this discovery now, as his father now calls him "truly an adult man", he probably wouldn't freak out as much. Yes, even in the span of several hours in his perspective, he has changed.
H.) I am totally fandumb at this point. THIS IS STUPID.
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