The protagonist in "The Rhinemann Exchange" comes to terms with the fact that Berlin has a significant awareness of his actions. He sees this acknowledgment not as a weakness but as a means of protection that gives him a strategic advantage. While he has faced setbacks and challenges, his established reputation means that he would not be easily replaced if he were to be eliminated.

This idea of being a "known commodity" speaks to the complexities of espionage, where familiarity breeds a certain level of security. The enemy's need to start over in tracking and understanding a new individual provides him with a rare form of leverage, reinforcing the notion that sometimes, embracing a precarious situation can be beneficial in the high-stakes game of intelligence.