Picture this: Bitcoin in 2026 takes a gap year to find itself. Market consolidation drags on, momentum fizzles out, and suddenly the bull thesis doesn't look so bullish anymore. Positions get liquidated (ouch), fundamentals seem shaky, and there's this gnawing sense that the rally might've peaked. By the time BTC tries to bounce back, it's already been knocked around pretty hard. Classic bubble narrative—explosive growth, then reality check, then slow recovery back to where it started. The question is whether we'll actually see a genuine recovery or just sideways grind for months.