Clarification on the Gatewalkers' "Condition" (SPOILERS!)

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Been wondering about something regarding "The Missing Moment."

Gatewalkers SPOILERS!:

Is the connection between the Gatewalkers and the Blackfrost Whale "weakened" somehow with their return from the Missing Moment, which is why they regained their free will compared to others like Ritalson? I know throughout the mid-to-late storyline it's in their heads giving them dreams to try and tempt them back into its service, but how much "leverage" does it actually have at this stage?

I ask because back when this first came out someone once asked about the viability of the Blackfrost Whale as a Patron for a Witch Gatewalker, which while possible could be difficult as the presumed ending where the PCs abandon their Deviant powers would result in the Witch losing their class features, but War of Immortals' new Seneschal class archetype makes me wonder if that changes the calculus. Would the "distance" from the Blackfrost Whale at the start of the AP be enough that a hypothetical Witch could become a Seneschal and effectively begin stealing the entity's power to use against it?

Of course this is an "ask your GM question," but since Gatewalkers was written before Seneschal introduced options for new dynamics between patron and witch, I'd like to pick other players' and GMs' brains as to whether this Class Archetype is appropriate.