In a book full of reversals, chapter 6 is the pivotal point at which the fortunes of the Jews (in the person of Mordecai) take a sudden turn for the better, while the enemy of the Jews (in the person of Haman) begin to fall. The end of the previous chapter sees Haman in a cheerful mood, seemingly honored by the king and queen, and building a set of gallows to hang Mordecai. By the end of this chapter, Haman is humiliated and escorted away to Esther’s second banquet, a dead man walking.