diff --git a/client/src/components/FourZero/NoFearShow.tsx b/client/src/components/FourZero/NoFearShow.tsx
index 6bf5605b8..1e1c029e5 100644
--- a/client/src/components/FourZero/NoFearShow.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/FourZero/NoFearShow.tsx
@@ -18,7 +18,9 @@ interface Cue {
   act?: NoFearAct
   line?: LineKey | null
   hard?: boolean
+  soft?: boolean
   impact?: number
+  swell?: boolean
 }
 
 // The script. Times in seconds; the scene ramps below share the same clock.
@@ -28,7 +30,7 @@ const CUES: Cue[] = [
   { at: 12.0, act: 'dread', line: 'fearTool' },
   { at: 18.5, line: 'hateTrade' },
   { at: 26.0, act: 'silence', line: null },
-  { at: 28.5, line: 'butYouTraveled', impact: 0.5 },
+  { at: 28.5, line: 'butYouTraveled', soft: true, swell: true },
   { at: 34.0, act: 'hope', line: 'tables' },
   { at: 42.0, line: 'face' },
   { at: 49.0, line: 'fences' },
@@ -188,6 +190,7 @@ export default function NoFearShow({ onClose }: { onClose: () => void }) {
         const cue = CUES[idx]
         if (cue.act) audioRef.current?.setAct(cue.act)
         if (cue.impact) audioRef.current?.impact(cue.impact)
+        if (cue.swell) audioRef.current?.swell()
         setCueIdx(idx)
         if (t >= ANTHEM_AT) setAnthem(true)
         if (t >= CREDITS_AT) setCredits(true)
@@ -242,7 +245,7 @@ export default function NoFearShow({ onClose }: { onClose: () => void }) {
       {/* The lines. */}
       {!anthem && lineText && flashIdx < 0 && (
         <div className="fz-line-wrap" aria-live="polite">
-          <p key={lineText} className={`fz-line ${hard ? 'fz-line-hard' : ''}`}>{lineText}</p>
+          <p key={lineText} className={`fz-line ${hard ? 'fz-line-hard' : ''} ${cue?.soft ? 'fz-line-soft' : ''}`}>{lineText}</p>
         </div>
       )}
 
diff --git a/client/src/components/FourZero/fourzero.css b/client/src/components/FourZero/fourzero.css
index 03fd0e2d2..1fd617295 100644
--- a/client/src/components/FourZero/fourzero.css
+++ b/client/src/components/FourZero/fourzero.css
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@
   letter-spacing: 0.01em;
 }
 
+/* The pivot line out of the silence breathes in slowly instead of arriving. */
+.fz-line-soft {
+  animation-duration: 3.4s;
+}
+
 @keyframes fzLineIn {
   from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(14px); filter: blur(6px); }
   to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); filter: blur(0); }
diff --git a/client/src/components/FourZero/noFearAudio.ts b/client/src/components/FourZero/noFearAudio.ts
index 906b34cb2..b6f7bf463 100644
--- a/client/src/components/FourZero/noFearAudio.ts
+++ b/client/src/components/FourZero/noFearAudio.ts
@@ -125,6 +125,22 @@ export class NoFearAudio {
     else void this.ctx.resume().catch(() => {})
   }
 
+  /** A soft warm swell out of the silence — the first calm breath, not a hit. */
+  swell(): void {
+    if (!this.ctx || !this.master) return
+    const t = this.ctx.currentTime + 0.05
+    const o = this.ctx.createOscillator()
+    o.type = 'sine'
+    o.frequency.value = 55 // A1 — the root the hope act will grow from
+    const g = this.ctx.createGain()
+    g.gain.setValueAtTime(0.0001, t)
+    g.gain.exponentialRampToValueAtTime(0.22, t + 1.6)
+    g.gain.exponentialRampToValueAtTime(0.0001, t + 5)
+    o.connect(g)
+    this.out(g, 0.6)
+    o.start(t); o.stop(t + 5.2)
+  }
+
   /** A cue-driven cinema hit: sub boom + filtered noise burst, tail blooming in the hall. */
   impact(strength = 1): void {
     if (!this.ctx || !this.master) return
@@ -161,7 +177,9 @@ export class NoFearAudio {
     if (!this.ctx || !this.master || this.act === act) return
     this.act = act
     const t = this.ctx.currentTime
-    this.releaseVoices(act === 'silence' ? 0.1 : 1.6)
+    // Into the silence: a fast pull-away rather than a hard kill — the fear's
+    // hall tail is left ringing out on its own, like a room falling quiet.
+    this.releaseVoices(act === 'silence' ? 0.6 : 1.6)
     this.stopChords()
     switch (act) {
       case 'fear':
@@ -202,6 +220,9 @@ export class NoFearAudio {
     this.heartbeatTimer = null
     this.stopChords()
     this.releaseVoices(0.1)
+    // Pull the master down fast BEFORE the deferred close — closing mid-release
+    // (voices still ~30% hot plus the hall tail) would pop.
+    if (this.master && this.ctx) this.master.gain.setTargetAtTime(0, this.ctx.currentTime, 0.05)
     const ctx = this.ctx
     this.ctx = null
     this.master = null
@@ -303,13 +324,18 @@ export class NoFearAudio {
     const g = this.ctx.createGain()
     g.gain.setValueAtTime(0.0001, t)
     g.gain.exponentialRampToValueAtTime(level, t + 4)
+    // The swell LFO modulates a SERIES tremolo stage, not g itself — an input
+    // on g.gain would ADD to the release automation and the wind could never
+    // be silenced for the hard cut into the silence act.
+    const trem = this.ctx.createGain()
+    trem.gain.value = 0.75
     const lfo = this.ctx.createOscillator()
     lfo.frequency.value = 0.07
     const lfoGain = this.ctx.createGain()
-    lfoGain.gain.value = level * 0.55
-    lfo.connect(lfoGain); lfoGain.connect(g.gain)
+    lfoGain.gain.value = 0.4
+    lfo.connect(lfoGain); lfoGain.connect(trem.gain)
     lfo.start(t)
-    src.connect(bp); bp.connect(g)
+    src.connect(bp); bp.connect(trem); trem.connect(g)
     this.out(g, 0.55)
     src.start(t)
     this.hold(g, [src, lfo])
@@ -490,15 +516,15 @@ export class NoFearAudio {
       const n = this.ctx.createBufferSource()
       n.buffer = this.noiseBuf
       const hp = this.ctx.createBiquadFilter()
-      hp.type = 'lowpass'
-      hp.frequency.value = 340
+      hp.type = 'highpass' // the CLICK of the valve — the sine above is the body
+      hp.frequency.value = 1700
       const ng = this.ctx.createGain()
       ng.gain.setValueAtTime(0.0001, at)
-      ng.gain.exponentialRampToValueAtTime(level * 0.5, at + 0.006)
-      ng.gain.exponentialRampToValueAtTime(0.0001, at + 0.05)
+      ng.gain.exponentialRampToValueAtTime(level * 0.3, at + 0.005)
+      ng.gain.exponentialRampToValueAtTime(0.0001, at + 0.04)
       n.connect(hp); hp.connect(ng); ng.connect(this.master)
       n.start(at)
-      n.stop(at + 0.08)
+      n.stop(at + 0.07)
     }
   }
 }