In "Ancillary Mercy," Ann Leckie reflects on the nature of endings in entertainment, highlighting how they often conclude with clear outcomes, either triumph or tragic defeat. However, she suggests that life continues beyond these climactic moments, with new days bringing changes, gains, and losses. Each ending is just a pause in an ongoing journey, where every resolution opens up new possibilities for the future.

The author emphasizes that while personal endings may seem significant, they are ultimately small in the grand scheme of existence. Life carries on for everyone else, and the universe remains unaffected by individual conclusions. Thus, every ending can be reconsidered as merely a transition rather than a definitive closure, reinforcing the idea that in the larger narrative, many stories continue without interruption.