Life is sometimes very sad.
For a man who had found the means to turn a fishing and trading post into a global city, he had placed too much on his own people to 'be perfect', both in intellect and looks ,while his very own didn't turn out to be.
And to have his son 'forced' to follow him under his shadows.
To bend the will of men, he has forsaken the humanity in the heart, only to realise it or not , till the end, that all was never meant to be, as man will forever have their flaws, even with himself.
And when the end draws near, he fights the pulling power, that will bring everyone' over to the other side', as he could not leave the place in complete peace.
The sadness is not so much felt upon his departure rather than for him to leave the place in sadness.