Iɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴᴛᴀᴍᴇᴅ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴛ, ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ sᴄᴏʀᴄʜɪɴɢ sᴜɴ ᴘᴀɪɴᴛs ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀɴᴅsᴄᴀᴘᴇ ɪɴ ʜᴜᴇs ᴏꜰ ɢᴏʟᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀɪᴅ ᴡɪɴᴅ ᴡʜɪsᴘᴇʀs sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛs ᴏꜰ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ, ᴀ sᴘᴇᴄᴛᴀᴄᴜʟᴀʀ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴇᴀʀsᴏᴍᴇ ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴇxɪsᴛᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴜɴꜰᴏʟᴅs ᴅᴀɪʟʏ. Tʜɪs ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢ sᴀɢᴀ ᴏꜰ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ ᴘɪᴛs ᴛʜᴇ ʙʀᴀᴠᴇ ᴀɴᴅ sᴇᴇᴍɪɴɢʟʏ ɪɴᴠɪɴᴄɪʙʟᴇ Gɪʟᴀ ᴍᴏɴsᴛᴇʀ ʟɪᴢᴀʀᴅ ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ ᴏɴᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴠᴇɴᴏᴍᴏᴜs ᴀᴅᴠᴇʀsᴀʀɪᴇs ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ ʜᴀs ᴛᴏ ᴏꜰꜰᴇʀ: ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴀᴛᴛʟᴇsɴᴀᴋᴇ.

Aᴍɪᴅsᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴜɢɢᴇᴅ ᴛᴇʀʀᴀɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴꜰᴏʀɢɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴄᴏɴᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴs, ᴛʜᴇ Gɪʟᴀ ᴍᴏɴsᴛᴇʀ, ᴀ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ ʀᴇɴᴏᴡɴᴇᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ɪᴛs ᴛᴏᴜɢʜ ᴅᴇᴍᴇᴀɴᴏʀ ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴇɢᴇɴᴅᴀʀʏ ᴛᴇɴᴀᴄɪᴛʏ, ᴇᴍᴇʀɢᴇs ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀʀ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪs ᴇɴᴛʜʀᴀʟʟɪɴɢ ᴛᴀʟᴇ. Eǫᴜɪᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀʀᴍᴏʀᴇᴅ sᴄᴀʟᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴠᴇɴᴏᴍᴏᴜs ʙɪᴛᴇ ᴏꜰ ɪᴛs ᴏᴡɴ, ᴛʜɪs ʟɪᴢᴀʀᴅ ᴇᴍʙᴏᴅɪᴇs ᴛʜᴇ sᴘɪʀɪᴛ ᴏꜰ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ. Iᴛs ᴍᴇɴᴀᴄɪɴɢ ᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴᴡᴀᴠᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴅᴇᴛᴇʀᴍɪɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴇᴀʀɴᴇᴅ ɪᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇsᴘᴇᴄᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴘᴜᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴛ ᴡᴀʀʀɪᴏʀ.

Tʜᴇ ʀᴀᴛᴛʟᴇsɴᴀᴋᴇ, ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ʜᴀɴᴅ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ɪᴛs ᴠᴇɴᴏᴍᴏᴜs ꜰᴀɴɢs ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʜɪʟʟɪɴɢ ʀᴀᴛᴛʟᴇ, sᴛᴀɴᴅs ᴀs ᴀ ꜰᴏʀᴍɪᴅᴀʙʟᴇ ᴏᴘᴘᴏɴᴇɴᴛ. Iᴛs ᴍᴇʀᴇ ᴘʀᴇsᴇɴᴄᴇ sᴛʀɪᴋᴇs ꜰᴇᴀʀ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛs ᴏꜰ ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇs ᴛʜᴀᴛ sʜᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜɪs ʜᴀʀsʜ ᴇᴄᴏsʏsᴛᴇᴍ. Yᴇᴛ, ᴛʜᴇ Gɪʟᴀ ᴍᴏɴsᴛᴇʀ ᴅᴀʀᴇs ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇꜰʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴅᴅs ᴀɴᴅ ᴇɴɢᴀɢᴇ ɪɴ ᴀ ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴇᴘɪᴄ ᴘʀᴏᴘᴏʀᴛɪᴏɴs. Iᴛs ᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇᴛᴇᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sᴄᴇɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴀᴛᴛʟᴇsɴᴀᴋᴇ’s ʟᴀɪʀ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛs ᴄᴜɴɴɪɴɢ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴏᴀᴄʜ ᴛᴏ sᴛᴇᴀʟᴛʜɪʟʏ ᴄʟᴏsɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴏɴ ɪᴛs ᴘʀᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ sʜᴏʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴀᴡᴇ-ɪɴsᴘɪʀɪɴɢ.

As ᴛʜᴇ sᴜɴ ᴄᴀsᴛs ʟᴏɴɢ sʜᴀᴅᴏᴡs ᴀᴄʀᴏss ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀʀʀᴇɴ ʟᴀɴᴅsᴄᴀᴘᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ ʙᴜɪʟᴅs. Tʜᴇ ᴀɪʀ ɪs ᴛʜɪᴄᴋ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀɴᴛɪᴄɪᴘᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ Gɪʟᴀ ᴍᴏɴsᴛᴇʀ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴏᴀᴄʜᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴀᴛᴛʟᴇsɴᴀᴋᴇ’s ʟᴀɪʀ, ɪᴛs ꜰᴏʀᴋᴇᴅ ᴛᴏɴɢᴜᴇ ꜰʟɪᴄᴋɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ, ᴛᴀsᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜʀʀᴏᴜɴᴅɪɴɢs ꜰᴏʀ ᴀɴʏ ᴛʀᴀᴄᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀ. Wɪᴛʜ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴄᴀᴜᴛɪᴏᴜs sᴛᴇᴘ, ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀɢᴇ ɪs sᴇᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ-ᴘᴏᴜɴᴅɪɴɢ sʜᴏᴡᴅᴏᴡɴ.

Tʜᴇ ʀᴀᴛᴛʟᴇsɴᴀᴋᴇ, ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ᴅᴇᴀᴅʟʏ, ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ɪᴛs ᴏᴡɴ ᴠᴜʟɴᴇʀᴀʙɪʟɪᴛɪᴇs. Tʜᴇ Gɪʟᴀ ᴍᴏɴsᴛᴇʀ, ᴅᴇsᴘɪᴛᴇ ɪᴛs ʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴏꜰ sᴘᴇᴇᴅ, ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴇɴsᴀᴛᴇs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴘᴏᴛᴇɴᴛ ᴅᴇꜰᴇɴsᴇ ᴍᴇᴄʜᴀɴɪsᴍ. Iᴛ ʀᴇʟɪᴇs ᴏɴ ɪᴛs sᴛᴏᴜᴛ ꜰʀᴀᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʀᴍᴏʀᴇᴅ sᴋɪɴ ᴛᴏ ᴡɪᴛʜsᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sɴᴀᴋᴇ’s sᴛʀɪᴋᴇs. Tʜᴇ ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇ ʙᴇɢɪɴs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ sᴇʀɪᴇs ᴏꜰ ʟɪɢʜᴛɴɪɴɢ-ꜰᴀsᴛ ᴍᴏᴠᴇᴍᴇɴᴛs, ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏꜰ ʟɪꜰᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ. Fᴀɴɢs ᴄʟᴀsʜ ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ sᴄᴀʟᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴛ ᴇᴄʜᴏᴇs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛʀᴜɢɢʟᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴅᴏᴍɪɴᴀɴᴄᴇ.

Iɴ ᴀɴ ᴀsᴛᴏɴɪsʜɪɴɢ ᴅɪsᴘʟᴀʏ ᴏꜰ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ ɪɴsᴛɪɴᴄᴛ, ᴛʜᴇ Gɪʟᴀ ᴍᴏɴsᴛᴇʀ ᴍᴀɴᴇᴜᴠᴇʀs ɪᴛs ᴀᴅᴠᴇʀsᴀʀʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʀᴏᴍɪsɪɴɢ ᴘᴏsɪᴛɪᴏɴ. Tʜᴇ ʀᴀᴛᴛʟᴇsɴᴀᴋᴇ’s sᴛʀɪᴋᴇ ᴍɪssᴇs ɪᴛs ᴍᴀʀᴋ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴄᴀʟᴄᴜʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴇᴄɪsɪᴏɴ, ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴢᴀʀᴅ sɪɴᴋs ɪᴛs ᴠᴇɴᴏᴍᴏᴜs ᴛᴇᴇᴛʜ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇʀᴘᴇɴᴛ’s ʙᴏᴅʏ. Tʜᴇ ᴠᴇɴᴏᴍᴏᴜs ᴄᴏᴄᴋᴛᴀɪʟ ᴛᴀᴋᴇs ᴇꜰꜰᴇᴄᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴀᴛᴛʟᴇsɴᴀᴋᴇ’s sᴛʀᴇɴɢᴛʜ ᴡᴀɴᴇs. Tʜᴇ Gɪʟᴀ ᴍᴏɴsᴛᴇʀ’s ᴠɪᴄᴛᴏʀʏ ɪs ɪɴᴇᴠɪᴛᴀʙʟᴇ.

Wɪᴛʜ ɪᴛs ᴄᴏɴǫᴜᴇsᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ Gɪʟᴀ ᴍᴏɴsᴛᴇʀ ᴅᴇᴠᴏᴜʀs ɪᴛs ᴠᴀɴǫᴜɪsʜᴇᴅ ꜰᴏᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴄʜᴏᴇs ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴛ ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇꜰɪᴇʟᴅ ꜰᴀᴅɪɴɢ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ. Tʜᴇ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇ ɪs ᴀ sᴛᴀʀᴋ ʀᴇᴍɪɴᴅᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇʟᴇɴᴛʟᴇss sᴛʀᴜɢɢʟᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴇxɪsᴛᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴇꜰɪɴᴇs ʟɪꜰᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴꜰᴏʀɢɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴡɪʟᴅᴇʀɴᴇss. Iᴛ ɪs ᴀ ᴛᴇsᴛᴀᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴀᴡ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴏꜰ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴʏɪᴇʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴅᴇᴛᴇʀᴍɪɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴀᴅᴠᴇʀsɪᴛʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴᴡᴀᴠᴇʀɪɴɢ sᴘɪʀɪᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴇᴀʀʟᴇss ʟɪᴢᴀʀᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴀʀᴇs ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏɴꜰʀᴏɴᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏɴǫᴜᴇʀ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴠᴇɴᴏᴍᴏᴜs ᴄʜᴀʟʟᴇɴɢᴇs.

As ᴛʜᴇ sᴜɴ sᴇᴛs ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴛ ʜᴏʀɪᴢᴏɴ, ᴄᴀsᴛɪɴɢ ᴀ ɢᴏʟᴅᴇɴ ɢʟᴏᴡ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠɪᴄᴛᴏʀɪᴏᴜs Gɪʟᴀ ᴍᴏɴsᴛᴇʀ, ᴏɴᴇ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ʜᴇʟᴘ ʙᴜᴛ ᴍᴀʀᴠᴇʟ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴛʀɪᴄᴀᴄɪᴇs ᴏꜰ ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ’s ᴅᴇsɪɢɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʀᴀɢᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇᴍʙᴏᴅɪᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴇssᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀ sᴘᴇᴄᴛᴀᴄᴜʟᴀʀ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ ꜰɪɢʜᴛ.