Initially, it resembles **Obelisk** a lot, but it remains much less multifaceted, overall more one-dimensional and less evolving. **Obelisk** is significantly more complex. Nevertheless, it's a very pleasant and beautiful scent, but in my opinion, it doesn't come close to **Obelisk**.
He doesn't have to at all. But for me, being completely himself is difficult when he resembles another fragrance so much right from the start that he could be seen as a copy. Whether that was intentional is maybe just my assumption. So you're right when you say he might just want to stand on his own. That's why I gave him 8 points :-)
Maybe the scent just wants to be itself and not a reflection of someone else?