It is a constant theme of heroic literature that the hero should suffer, often by losing or giving up something important to him or her. If Blair gives up his academic career, this does not mean that it is unimportant, but just the opposite.

If one goes back to the very beginning, in "Switchman", Jim and Blair state certain wishes for themselves. Jim wants to lose the Sentinel powers. He asks Blair, "How can I stop this?" This desire to be "normal" is a recurring theme throughout the show. Jim repressed his powers as a child, and even forgot he had them. The same thing happened after Peru. He loses his powers in "Flight", until he makes a decision to accept them. This happens again in Warriors. In TS by BS, Jim again wants to forget the whole "Sentinel thing", and go back to the way it was before. Clearly, for Jim, being a Sentinel is his Sacrifice.

Blair's wish was to study a real live Sentinel, and to write his dissertation about him or her. That was his original purpose for helping Jim. Jim is his Holy Grail. But the thing about the Holy Grail was that one had to earn it by suffering and sacrifice. Thus it makes perfect sense that Blair should now suffer humiliation in the eyes of the world for the possession of his Grail. The Grail is not about power, wealth, and fame. Blair must give these up as well as his dissertation, so that he can prove himself worthy of the Grail. That is the reason for all those scenes of people offering him more and more money. "The Temptation of Blair Sandburg!"

In a sense, Blair has not sacrificed his dissertation for Jim so much as for his real desire -- The Sentinel, The Holy Grail. Yes, he has sacrificed for his friend Jim as well, but that's only part of the story. Blair has now proven himself a true Hero.

Jim will have to struggle throughout his life with his desire to be a normal person. He will have to go on sacrificing himself to be a Hero. But now he will have another Hero beside him, in whatever capacity. This person doesn't regard him as a freak, but as his greatest treasure, his Brass Ring, his Grail.

Blair may never get his Ph.D. He may have tarnished his own reputation in the eyes of the world forever. But in the eyes of one person he is a Hero, a Sir Galahad.