About halfway through the episode (loving it btw), and something I think a lot of conspiracy theorists struggle with is the idea of who is good and who is bad. I think a study of public choice theory and institutional economics (fancy way of saying how self-interested actors behave under different incentive structures) helps bring some realism and reveal the complexity of this stuff.
For example, is the Illuminati bad or good? What about individual members? What if they intended bad but good results happened? etc.
I think it's helpful to conceive of two seperate 2x2 matrices. One on means, and one on ends. So visualize if you will:
Martrix 1: MEANS (i.eg methods used to bring about a goal)
one axis is Good and Bad
other axis is Believed to be Good, Believed to be Bad (by the person taking the action)
Matrix 2: ENDS (i.e. the outcome sought)
one axis is Good and Bad
one axis is Believed to be Good, Believed to be Bad (by person seeking the outcome)
Every combination of each matrix is in play here, and all occur. This is what makes it tough to breakdown who's "good" or "bad" in a general way.
For example, you may have a secret society like the Illuminati with some members believing themselves to be employing good means for good ends. Sometimes they may actually be employing good means for good ends (e.g. printing books about the value of an individual human life that people read and feel more empowered by). Sometimes they may think their means/ends are good, but one could be bad (e.g. trying to pass a law that forces people to read said book. Means (legal mandate backed by violence) is bad, even if ends (people reading about self empowerment) is good.) The ends can also be believed to be good but actually be bad (e.g. wanting no one to own private property may wrongly be believed to be a wonderful end, but in reality its hell).
Some members may be choosing to knowingly engage in bad means (e.g. making a dark deal with the devil, literally or figuratively) to bring about what they think are good ends (e.g. to end a war). Some may be knowingly engaging in bad means (deal with devil) to bring about knowingly bad ends (the murder of children) bc they know it will bring them personal power and they have fully given themselves over to evil.
I think these societies have individuals across the whole spectrum, and different individuals can change over time as well (e.g. thinking your secret blood sacrifice was for the good but realizing you were wrong).
There are people trying to understand and use extended consciousness realms and spirits/entities in good and bad ways for good and bad ends all the time. There are conspiracies for good and bad, and good ones that end up with bad results, and bad ones that end up with good results.
We all know life is like this in the material plane; within a company you work for, politics, etc. It's no different for those dealing with unseen realms.
Unsatisfying, I know. But helpful to get a sense of the "political economy" of conspiracy theories.