In exchange for their last remaining bits of entropy, the branches cast evil spells on future genera- tions of processors ... The point is that the branches, those vanquished foes from long ago, would have the last laugh.
It'd be more hilarious if he didn't reference real problems with no obvious solutions short of a painful dismantling of our heavily exploited societal constructs.
https://www.usenix.org/system/files/1309_14-17_mickens.pdf