"So, I don't see the need for a 7 minute wait after crystal destruction is complete. The script seems to imply only 1 minute is sufficient (if I'm understanding its workings correctly). "
Did you even read what I said? I said this exact same thing. It either should run through the entire thing at once, or it should stop at each, depending on if it checked initially or if it had to wait. I waited past the one minute limit, and it did not work. Implying that the other possibility, that of it having to wait each time, was the likely option, which matched what multiple tests had shown. You are very welcome to try it yourself.

And there's nothing confusing about b_ex_p1_has_started...