You've got a point about Staleek not having become a brainwashed follower a la Jasmine near the end of I, but... how about a comparison with what the Nebari do? Mindcleansed Durka was eminently reasonable, too.

Yes, but I would put the Nebari mind-control closer to what Jasmine does, because the cleansed are completely blissed out, are not essentially themselves, and speak in rhetoric about what a life-changing experience the mind-cleansing has been for them. Staleek saw the benefits of peace with under Eidolon influence, but wasn't exactly what you'd call a hippie. ;-)

If the last thing you saw of Rygel was him saying "thank you" to John for taking the baby out, you have some really great stuff left with the little Hynerian.