diff --git a/PROGRESS.md b/PROGRESS.md
index b3b4b19..4218297 100644
--- a/PROGRESS.md
+++ b/PROGRESS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,36 @@
 # MOCAPGOD progress ledger
 
+## SESSION 8 (2026-07-25) — review + `--merge` hook. Three silent bugs found and fixed.
+Re-verified the repo against its own claims instead of trusting the ledger. Review #2's "SHIPPED"
+was right about the machinery but **three defects had passed sign-off**, all of the same species:
+the *log said green, the artifact was wrong*. Each is now fixed and verified at the artifact level.
+
+1. **FBX take name was still `Armature|Scene`** — the previous "fix" renamed the baked *action*, but
+   the exporter builds the AnimStack from **`scene.name`**. Caught on a clip built *after* that fix
+   commit. Now sets `scene.name`; verified `Armature|wan_dig_t3` on import + 6 `strings` hits.
+2. **Every FBX carried Blender's factory 1..250 scene range** (`bake_anim` exports the *scene* range,
+   and retarget only set it inside `qc_render`, which runs *after* export). Short clips gained a frozen
+   tail (98f → 250f); **long clips were truncated — the 317f gymnasts clip lost 67 frames / 2.2s**, and
+   that is the very clip Review #2 signed off as "317f green". Now pinned to the trimmed range.
+3. **The bank merge silently resampled 30fps → 24fps** (factory scene fps; both importers convert
+   timing through it). Durations stayed right (glTF stores seconds) so nothing looked broken, but
+   every rebuild shaved ~20% temporal resolution off *all* clips, base bank included. Fixed in
+   `character_kit/scripts/merge_anims.py` (cross-repo — affects 90sDJsim/OPSHOPGAME/NPCFACTORY too).
+
+**`--merge` SHIPPED** (`./mocap … --merge`) → `clips_out/<character>_bank.glb`. Verified from the
+exported glTF JSON, not Blender (which resamples on read): **27 animations, no dupe names, all
+30.0 keys/sec**, 317-frame clip keeps 317 keys over 10.567s, our clips drive Δ48–184u. That is the
+"lands in 90sDJsim" step — point the game at that GLB.
+
+**Lesson for future reviews:** every one of these hid behind a green log line. Check the *artifact*
+(import the FBX, parse the glTF), never the console output.
+
+⚠️ **Lane B is currently un-runnable on ultra:** `uv` pruned its managed CPython 3.10, so
+`.engine/HSMR/.venv/bin/python` is a dangling symlink. Not caused by these changes. Fix:
+`./setup_hsmr.sh` (re-runnable; SKEL + weights survive). Retarget/merge stages are unaffected.
+**Still open:** John's real footage (quality verdict), the MPI Path-A email, `--to-unreal`,
+foot-contact IK, male rig.
+
 ## FABLE REVIEW #2 (2026-07-17, post lanes B–D) — VERDICT: SHIPPED, one bug, one cross-repo action
 
 Independently verified (not trusted): fresh end-to-end `./mocap` run on a renamed demo clip →
diff --git a/docs/RUNBOOK.md b/docs/RUNBOOK.md
index eaa9809..e27ff68 100644
--- a/docs/RUNBOOK.md
+++ b/docs/RUNBOOK.md
@@ -39,17 +39,31 @@ Timing: pose engine dominates (~1.6× realtime on ultra/MPS); a 10s clip ≈ a c
 - Male rig (`--character male` → `hum_character.glb`) is **unverified** until a male clip is run;
   female (`female_game.glb`) is the proven path.
 
-## Deferred hooks — build these when real footage lands (not faked in the CLI)
-Each is off by default and needs a real clip to verify, so none ship as dead flags today.
-1. **Clip-bank GLB merge** (`--merge`, → 90sDJsim / three.js games). Games load GLB, so this is the
-   "lands in-game" step. Needs a small merge script first: `character_kit/scripts/merge_anims.py`
-   has **no CLI and is pre-Baklava** — it must add the Blender-5 slot-bind
-   (`animation_data.action_slot = act.slots[0]`, verified in Lane C) or the merged GLB won't animate.
-   Then merge `clips_out/<name>.fbx` onto the character's bank GLB and export.
-2. **`--to-unreal`** — import via the A_3D_STORE deferred-import pattern (memory:
+## `--merge` — the clip-bank GLB (BUILT + verified 2026-07-25)
+```
+./mocap capture/inbox/move.mp4 --name dj_scratch_01 --merge
+```
+Folds **every** `clips_out/*.fbx` onto the character's bank GLB via
+`character_kit/scripts/merge_anims.py` → `clips_out/<character>_bank.glb`. Games load GLB, so this
+is the "lands in 90sDJsim" step: point the game at that file.
+
+- Rebuilt from scratch each run (base rig + current `clips_out/` contents) — **idempotent, no
+  compounding**. Prune `clips_out/` to control what ships.
+- Verified from the exported glTF JSON: female bank = **27 animations** (24 base + 3 ours), no
+  duplicate names, all **30.0 keys/sec**, our clips drive real bone motion (Δ 48–184u).
+- Needs the Blender-5 slot-bind and the 30fps pin — both now **in** `merge_anims.py`. Without the
+  slot-bind the GLB animates nothing; without the fps pin every rebuild resampled 30→24fps.
+
+## Deferred hooks — build when real footage lands (not faked in the CLI)
+1. **`--to-unreal`** — import via the A_3D_STORE deferred-import pattern (memory:
    `unreal-asset-convergence` — slate post-tick, NOT a direct AssetImportTask through the bridge).
 3. **`--publish-3god`** — depot pattern from procity `publish.py`.
 
+## Environment gotcha (bit us 2026-07-25)
+`uv` pruned its managed **CPython 3.10**, leaving `.engine/HSMR/.venv/bin/python` a *dangling
+symlink* — so Lane B dies and `Path.exists()` reports the venv "missing". `mocap` now says so
+explicitly. Rebuild with **`./setup_hsmr.sh`** (re-runnable; SKEL files + weights survive).
+
 ## John's homework (blocks the real quality verdict)
 Film **walk / dance / pick-up-object** per `docs/CAPTURE.md`, drop in `capture/inbox/`, run `mocap`.
 Until then the pipeline is proven on the HSMR `gymnasts` demo only — machinery works; the honest
diff --git a/mocap b/mocap
index 50b0862..b284383 100755
--- a/mocap
+++ b/mocap
@@ -12,9 +12,11 @@ Chains the three proven stages, all on ultra:
 Result: clips_out/<name>.fbx (anim-only, Mixamo "Without Skin") + <name>_qc.mp4 turntable.
 House rule: eyeball the QC mp4 before the clip enters a bank.
 
-Deferred hooks (off by default — built when John's real footage lands; see docs/RUNBOOK.md):
-  clip-bank GLB merge, --to-unreal, --publish-3god. merge_anims.py needs a CLI + the Blender-5
-  slot-bind first, and none of them are verifiable without a real clip, so they're not faked here.
+--merge additionally folds clips_out/*.fbx onto the character's bank GLB (games load GLB, so
+this is the "lands in 90sDJsim" step) via character_kit/scripts/merge_anims.py.
+
+Deferred hooks (off by default — see docs/RUNBOOK.md): --to-unreal, --publish-3god. Neither is
+verifiable without a real clip in the target project, so they're not faked here.
 """
 import argparse, datetime, re, subprocess, sys
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -26,6 +28,7 @@ CLIPS   = REPO / "clips_out"
 VENV_PY = REPO / ".engine/HSMR/.venv/bin/python"          # Lane B lives in its own env
 BLENDER = Path("/Applications/Blender.app/Contents/MacOS/Blender")
 KIT     = Path.home() / "Documents/character_kit"
+MERGE   = KIT / "scripts/merge_anims.py"                  # CLI: -- BASE CLIP_DIR OUT (Blender-5 slot-bind inside)
 RIGS = {                                                  # --character → (pose gender, retarget rig)
     "female": ("female", KIT / "female/female_game.glb"),  # v1 proven path
     "male":   ("male",   KIT / "hum_character.glb"),        # ponytail: male rig unverified until a male clip exists
@@ -59,7 +62,10 @@ def selfcheck():
     assert slug("DJ Scratch #1!") == "DJ_Scratch_1", slug("DJ Scratch #1!")
     for c in RIGS.values():
         assert c[0] in ("male", "female")
-    print("selfcheck OK — name threads inbox→queue→out→clips, final clip name stays clean")
+    # --merge writes one bank per character, and must not glob its own output back in
+    for ch in RIGS:
+        assert (CLIPS / f"{ch}_bank.glb").suffix == ".glb", ch
+    print("selfcheck OK — name threads inbox→queue→out→clips→bank, final clip name stays clean")
     return 0
 
 
@@ -71,6 +77,9 @@ def main():
     ap.add_argument("--gender", choices=["male", "female"], help="override pose gender (default: from --character)")
     ap.add_argument("--travel", action="store_true", help="keep world root translation (default: in-place)")
     ap.add_argument("--no-qc", action="store_true", help="skip the QC turntable render")
+    ap.add_argument("--merge", action="store_true",
+                    help="also merge ALL clips_out/*.fbx onto the character's bank GLB "
+                         "→ clips_out/<character>_bank.glb (the 'lands in-game' step)")
     ap.add_argument("--selfcheck", action="store_true", help="verify the path-threading logic and exit")
     a = ap.parse_args()
 
@@ -79,7 +88,11 @@ def main():
     if not a.video or not a.name:
         ap.error("video and --name are required (or use --selfcheck)")
     if not VENV_PY.exists():
-        sys.exit(f"✗ HSMR venv missing: {VENV_PY} — run .engine/setup_hsmr.sh (Lane B).")
+        # .exists() is False for a DANGLING symlink too — uv pruning its managed CPython 3.10
+        # breaks the venv this way (seen 2026-07-25). Re-running setup rebuilds it.
+        sys.exit(f"✗ HSMR venv missing or broken: {VENV_PY}\n"
+                 f"  (a dangling interpreter symlink counts — check: ls -la {VENV_PY})\n"
+                 f"  rebuild with: ./setup_hsmr.sh")
     if not BLENDER.exists():
         sys.exit(f"✗ Blender not found: {BLENDER} (Lane C needs it).")
 
@@ -111,7 +124,21 @@ def main():
     print(f"\n✅ clip ready: {fbx}")
     if qc.exists():
         print(f"   eyeball before it enters a bank: {qc}")
-    print("   merge-to-GLB / Unreal / 3god hooks are deferred — docs/RUNBOOK.md.")
+
+    bank = CLIPS / f"{a.character}_bank.glb"
+    if a.merge:
+        if not MERGE.exists():
+            sys.exit(f"✗ merge script missing: {MERGE}")
+        # the bank is rebuilt from scratch each time = base rig + EVERY fbx currently in clips_out/
+        # (idempotent, no compounding). Prune clips_out to control what ships.
+        print(f"\n   bank = {rig.name} + all {len(list(CLIPS.glob('*.fbx')))} clip(s) in {CLIPS.name}/")
+        stage("Lane D · merge to clip-bank GLB", [BLENDER, "--background", "--python", MERGE, "--",
+                                                 rig, CLIPS, bank])
+        if not bank.exists():
+            sys.exit(f"✗ no {bank} after merge.")
+        print(f"\n✅ bank ready: {bank}  → load this in 90sDJsim / three.js games")
+    else:
+        print(f"   --merge folds it into {bank.name}; --to-unreal / --publish-3god: docs/RUNBOOK.md.")
     return 0