diff --git a/scripts/check-dangling-nodes.sh b/scripts/check-dangling-nodes.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..ca8a4ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/check-dangling-nodes.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Checks a Mermaid flowchart for dangling nodes (orphans, dead-ends, undefined references)
+
+usage() {
+    cat <<EOF
+Usage: $0 <file.mmd>
+
+Parses a Mermaid flowchart and reports:
+  - Orphan nodes (no incoming edges, except START)
+  - Dead-end nodes (no outgoing edges, except END)
+  - Undefined references (referenced in edges but never defined)
+EOF
+    exit 1
+}
+
+[[ $# -eq 1 ]] || usage
+FILE="$1"
+
+if [[ ! -f "$FILE" ]]; then
+    echo "Error: File '$FILE' not found" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+awk '
+function trim(s) {
+    gsub(/^[[:space:]]+|[[:space:]]+$/, "", s)
+    return s
+}
+
+# Extract bare node ID (strip any [label] or (label) suffix)
+function node_id(s) {
+    # Find first [ or ( and take everything before it
+    if (match(s, /[[(]/)) {
+        return trim(substr(s, 1, RSTART-1))
+    }
+    return trim(s)
+}
+
+/^[[:space:]]*$/ { next }
+/^[[:space:]]*%%/ { next }
+/^[[:space:]]*(classDef|class)[[:space:]]/ { next }
+/^[[:space:]]*::/ { next }
+/^[[:space:]]*subgraph[[:space:]]/ { next }
+/^[[:space:]]*end[[:space:]]*$/ { next }
+/^[[:space:]]*flowchart[[:space:]]/ { next }
+
+{
+    line = $0
+    gsub(/%.*$/, "", line)
+    
+    # Find node definitions: ID with optional ( before [
+    while (match(line, /(^|[^A-Za-z_])[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*\(?\[/) > 0) {
+        match_start = RSTART
+        
+        # Calculate where the ID actually starts
+        leading_char = ""
+        if (match_start > 1) {
+            leading_char = substr(line, match_start - 1, 1)
+        }
+        
+        id_start = match_start + (leading_char != "" ? 1 : 0)
+        
+        rest_of_line = substr(line, id_start)
+        bracket_pos_in_rest = index(rest_of_line, "[")
+        if (bracket_pos_in_rest == 0) break
+        
+        bracket_pos = id_start + bracket_pos_in_rest - 1
+        
+        node_id_str = substr(line, id_start, bracket_pos_in_rest - 1)
+        node_id_str = trim(node_id_str)
+        sub(/[(\[]+$/, "", node_id_str)
+        
+        if (node_id_str != "") {
+            defined[node_id_str] = 1
+            
+            # Extract label between [" and "]
+            label_rest = substr(line, bracket_pos + 1)
+            if (match(label_rest, /"([^"]+)"/) > 0) {
+                label[node_id_str] = substr(label_rest, RSTART + 1, RLENGTH - 2)
+            }
+        }
+        
+        # Remove this node from line - find the closing ] and remove everything up to and including it
+        after_close = bracket_pos + index(substr(line, bracket_pos + 1), "]")
+        line = substr(line, after_close + 1)
+    }
+}
+
+(/-->|-\.->/) {
+    line = $0
+    gsub(/%.*$/, "", line)
+    
+    arrow = ""
+    if (match(line, /-->/)) {
+        arrow = "-->"
+    } else if (match(line, /-\.->/)) {
+        arrow = "-.->"
+    } else {
+        next
+    }
+    
+    n = split(line, parts, arrow)
+    if (n < 2) next
+    
+    sources_str = parts[1]
+    targets_str = parts[2]
+    
+    # Process sources
+    ns = split(sources_str, srcs, /&/)
+    for (i = 1; i <= ns; i++) {
+        src = node_id(srcs[i])
+        if (src == "") continue
+        outgoing[src]++
+        if (!(src in defined)) {
+            ref_line[src] = FNR
+        }
+    }
+    
+    # Process targets
+    nt = split(targets_str, tgts, /&/)
+    for (i = 1; i <= nt; i++) {
+        tgt = node_id(tgts[i])
+        if (tgt == "") continue
+        incoming[tgt]++
+        if (!(tgt in defined)) {
+            ref_line[tgt] = FNR
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+END {
+    orphan_count = 0
+    for (node in defined) {
+        if (node == "START" || node == "END") continue
+        if (!(node in incoming)) {
+            orphans[++orphan_count] = node
+        }
+    }
+    
+    deadend_count = 0
+    for (node in defined) {
+        if (node == "START" || node == "END") continue
+        if (!(node in outgoing)) {
+            deadends[++deadend_count] = node
+        }
+    }
+    
+    undef_count = 0
+    for (node in ref_line) {
+        if (!(node in defined)) {
+            undefined[++undef_count] = node
+        }
+    }
+    
+    print "=== DANGLING NODE REPORT ==="
+    print "File: " FILENAME
+    print ""
+    
+    total = orphan_count + deadend_count + undef_count
+    if (total == 0) {
+        print "No issues found! Flowchart appears well-formed."
+        exit 0
+    }
+    
+    print "ORPHAN NODES (no incoming edges):"
+    if (orphan_count == 0) {
+        print "  (none)"
+    } else {
+        for (i = 1; i <= orphan_count; i++) {
+            node = orphans[i]
+            if (label[node] != "") {
+                printf "  - %s: %s\n", node, label[node]
+            } else {
+                printf "  - %s\n", node
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    print ""
+    
+    print "DEAD-END NODES (no outgoing edges):"
+    if (deadend_count == 0) {
+        print "  (none)"
+    } else {
+        for (i = 1; i <= deadend_count; i++) {
+            node = deadends[i]
+            if (label[node] != "") {
+                printf "  - %s: %s\n", node, label[node]
+            } else {
+                printf "  - %s\n", node
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    print ""
+    
+    print "UNDEFINED REFERENCES:"
+    if (undef_count == 0) {
+        print "  (none)"
+    } else {
+        for (i = 1; i <= undef_count; i++) {
+            node = undefined[i]
+            printf "  - %s: referenced on line %d but never defined\n", node, ref_line[node]
+        }
+    }
+    print ""
+    
+    print "TOTAL ISSUES: " total
+    
+    exit (total > 0 ? 1 : 0)
+}
+' "$FILE"
diff --git a/src/inspiration/kings-quest-vi-chart.mmd b/src/inspiration/kings-quest-vi-chart.mmd
index 5956788..00576a5 100644
--- a/src/inspiration/kings-quest-vi-chart.mmd
+++ b/src/inspiration/kings-quest-vi-chart.mmd
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ flowchart TD
     A_GET_COAL --> O_RECEIVE_COAL_IOM
 
     O_RECEIVE_COAL_IOM --> A_TRADE_COAL_FOR_EGG
-    O_TRADE_COAL_FOR_EGG -.-> O_RECEIVE_SULFUR_EGG["O: Receive Sulfur Egg"]
+    A_TRADE_COAL_FOR_EGG -.-> O_RECEIVE_SULFUR_EGG["O: Receive Sulfur Egg"]
 
     %% =============================================================================
     %% PHASE 9: Realm of the Dead