“I learned that just by calling any random old chore a quest, you can make life a LOT more fun.”

This idea is central to Jack’s positive outlook on life. While Jack doesn’t have control over a lot of things going on around him, he can control how he sees things. In this way, he is able to maintain a positive attitude, even when the world around him is literally ending.

“Suddenly, I’m punched in the face by sadness. I’m thinking about how many amazing video games were being designed when the Monster Apocalypse happened. And now they’ll never be released! I’ll never get to play them!”

Jack’s comment is farcical given the relative unimportance of video games compared with the monumental loss of people. However, his realization highlights that the tragedy of the Monster Apocalypse is not just what has already been lost, but all the potential things that will now never be. These are not just material things, but memories, experiences, and relationships.

“I see all sorts of little kiosks that sell T-shirts and fancy cell phone cases and other crud that’s really dumb but I also totally really kind of want.”

This quote illustrates the satirical space that The Last Kids on Earth Series occupies. On the one hand, the narrative recognizes that commercialism and materialism have some very negative consequences. On the other, it doesn’t pretend that lots of essentially meaningless and empty material things are nonetheless fun and enjoyable.