Not to “eminitize the eschaton” too much, but...
Satan doesn’t “know the day or the hour” any more than you or I do, and therefore must keep his “beast” on deck throughout history.
However, he, Satan, can read the signs and scriptural prophecy as well as anyone, and can see that things are unfolding like the “beginning of birth pains”.
The beast would have to be a brooding, thinking (too much) young man with a chip on his shoulder about Christians, Jews, and humanity in general. He would have to be charismatic, and have the beginnings of a messiah complex, for the Antichrist is not only opposed to Christ, he is “instead of” Christ.
So, this “puppet master” could be a bigger entity than most folks are willing to admit.
I hear you. Imho, it’s been diabolical from the start.
Not to be pedantic, but the word is ‘immanentize’. :)
“imanentize the eschaton”