The Darkness of the Russian Soul

Maybe the Nihilist's attempt to become Pope failed because he wasn't appealing to the proper audience. From a review by Joey Tartakovsky in the Spring 2005 Claremont Review of Books:

In a 1996 poll of political attitudes commissioned by Boris Yeltsin, three categories ended in a tie: democrats, Communist revanchists, and apoliticals. But one category beat them all: nihilists. Historically, Russia is the only country in which nihilism became an actual popular movement, and now, 150 years later, it has returned: Russian ballots feature the option "Against all." In a March presidential poll, it placed second.

Against all? Sounds like a campaign slogan the Nihilist could easily embrace. Tsar Nihilist I? Hmmm...