Status Updates From The Neverending Story

The second half with Bastian taking over the lead is a moral journey. The amulet Auryn is akin to the ring in LOTR. It lets Bastian forget his life outside Phantasién, corrupting him morally. Not Gollum-like corruption level but a YA version of it.
I'm now sure that I only saw the movie and never read the book before even though I'm sure that I loaned it from a library in my youth.

The thought about the connection between Phantasién and the "real world" is surprisingly complex for a YA novel when you think it through. And surprisingly topical even though Ende couldn't have foreseen fake news.
Just began the second half when the story shifts from Atreju to Bastian who just began his power dream as creator.