The emperor will always believe he's wearing clothes.
I think secretly deep inside he knows he ISN'T wearing any. He's deeply insecure because somewhere in his reptile brain he knows he's a fake. That's what makes him so dangerous. He'll do anything to keep the charade going, and that includes throwing anybody over the edge.
Of course, the external pomposity is meant to make it look like he's Mr. Alpha-male Forever. If that means he gets to throw anybody and everybody else over, it's fine with him. The result is the same. But I think deep inside he'll never be satisfied because he'll never be convinced he's permanently dominant.
Perpetually imbalanced, as in off-balance and ready to tip over at any moment, in any direction; the opposite of stable, secure, and trustworthy.
