At what point did said 40+ characters join Serge...? Now, correlate that to the point when Serge realized that he was going to save the world...Oh? That would be the last 15 minutes (stretching it, really) of the game?? Dang, looks like they just pointlessly joined him after all...
"I'm bored, I'll join you!" -Miki <-Case in point (sadly, it's not the exception that proves the rule, either).