I won't assert that the cabal would somehow have benefited more from having no leaders versus a deadbeat leader.

I guess if you don't have anyone you're even willing to Maran, then things worked out the best they could. I do think giving newer players a shot at leadership roles is a good (and uncommon) thing, however.

Perhaps I just wrongly assumed that since he was the leader, it was implied the people with the authority to make that the case felt he was totally deserving of it. Maybe having a Fort char during that time would have made it more clear (to me) that it was a deadbeat dad or no dad, even though the result was probably the same.

Either way, it sounds like he took more responsibility as a player than I gave him credit for, so Kudos.