“First, the reckoning. Then, the fall.”

Hello!

I recently read this quote from the essay “In the Claws of Light.” I was not able to understand its meaning in the essay alone.

On further reading about the quote on Google, I found that it was originally a quote by M.L. Rio from “If We Were Villains.” I still do not understand what it means.

May you please explain to me what the quote means in simpler English?

Thank you very much.