Another reference is the Greek story of Tantulus, told in the "Stargate SG-1" episode "The Torment of Tantalus". What Tantalus wanted most, fruit and water, was always inches away; but moved out of reach whenever he grabbed for it. Dylan's dream of a new Systems Commonwealth it out of reach until Tri-Lorn reveals his loyalty. However, the revelation comes after Dylan realizes that the Second Systems Commonwealth Civil War has begun.
Dylan says "Stop the universe, I want to get off". This is a variation of the phrase "Stop the World - I Want to Get Off", which was the title of a musical by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse.
The title may be in reference to the Friedrich Nietzsche quote from "Human, All Too Human": "Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torment of man."
On that basis, the loss of hope would, in fact, be a release.