How about:
RotT is nothing but a bad dream, caused by Jim's unresolved trauma.
Nomura's death in the sun symbolizes his guilt over the loss of all those he wasn't able to save.
Strickler's death signifies the unresolved tension between them, as well as lingering feelings of loss from when he and Barbara were abandoned by James Sr./Strickler turned out to be an enemy.
Nari's death is a reminder of every single time his friends had to make sacrifices because Jim wasn't strong enough to shoulder the burden alone. (Or so he thinks.)
The "thing-that-shall-not-be-named" that happened to Steve is Jim trying to come to terms with the fact that there are countless babies living in his childhood home now. His own room has been turned into a nursery, and he might have finally returned home, but it's not the home he once knew.
Toby's death is his guilt over leaving his best friend behind again and again. He passes the amulet on to Toby to finally do right by him (But also because Jim STILL has self doubts about bearing that burden himself.)
Feel free to add more! 🙃
I accept this as canon. The one time I will take “it was all a dream” over “time-travel magic fix-it” because let’s face it, nothing was fixed by RotT.
