diff --git a/src/init_analysis.cpp b/src/init_analysis.cpp
index 5ec6866..7f6dec1 100644
--- a/src/init_analysis.cpp
+++ b/src/init_analysis.cpp
@@ -481,31 +481,23 @@ Result Analyzer::analyzeFor(NodeIdx idx, NameMap state) {
 
 Result Analyzer::analyzeMatch(NodeIdx idx, NameMap state) {
 	// MatchNode: d.lhs = NodeIdx (scrutinee), d.rhs = ExtraIdx →
-	//   [armCount, elseBodyCount, elseBody...,
+	//   [armCount,
 	//    arm0_patIdx, arm0_bodyCount, arm0_body...,
 	//    arm1_patIdx, arm1_bodyCount, arm1_body..., ...]
+	// Catch-all is the wildcard pattern `_`; there is no `else` arm.
 	const AstNode &n = nodes_.get(idx);
 	auto r = analyze(n.lhs, std::move(state));
 	if (r.terminated) return r;
 
 	ExtraIdx extra = n.rhs;
 	uint32_t armCount = nodes_.getExtra(extra + 0);
-	uint32_t elseBodyCount = nodes_.getExtra(extra + 1);
 
 	NameMap stateBefore = r.state;
 
-	// Else-arm body (catch-all).
-	Result mergedR{NameMap{}, true};  // start as "no arm taken yet"
-	if (elseBodyCount > 0) {
-		mergedR = Result{stateBefore, false};
-		for (uint32_t i = 0; i < elseBodyCount; i++) {
-			if (mergedR.terminated) break;
-			NodeIdx s = nodes_.getExtra(extra + 2 + i);
-			mergedR = analyze(s, std::move(mergedR.state));
-		}
-	}
+	// Start as "no arm taken yet"; merge each arm's outcome below.
+	Result mergedR{NameMap{}, true};
 
-	uint32_t cursor = 2 + elseBodyCount;
+	uint32_t cursor = 1;
 	for (uint32_t a = 0; a < armCount; a++) {
 		// Arm pattern (index ignored for init analysis — patterns don't
 		// touch existing-binding state in M1).
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_enum.jam b/tests/unit/test_enum.jam
index 4c0d003..5ef4485 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_enum.jam
+++ b/tests/unit/test_enum.jam
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ fn classifyColor(c: Color) u8 {
         Color.Red   { return 100; }
         Color.Green { return 200; }
         Color.Blue  { return 50; }
-        else        { return 0; }
+        _        { return 0; }
     }
     return 99;
 }
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ fn colorAsByte(c: Color) u8 {
         Color.Red   { return 0; }
         Color.Green { return 1; }
         Color.Blue  { return 2; }
-        else        { return 255; }
+        _        { return 255; }
     }
     return 99;
 }
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ fn opposite(d: Direction) Direction {
         Direction.South { return Direction.North; }
         Direction.East  { return Direction.West; }
         Direction.West  { return Direction.East; }
-        else            { return Direction.North; }
+        _            { return Direction.North; }
     }
     return Direction.North;
 }
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ fn isOppositePair(d: Direction) u8 {
         Direction.South { return 2; }
         Direction.East  { return 3; }
         Direction.West  { return 4; }
-        else            { return 99; }
+        _            { return 99; }
     }
     return 0;
 }
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ tfn oppositeOfWest()  { assert(isOppositePair(Direction.West), 3); }  // East
 fn isHorizontal(d: Direction) u8 {
     match (d) {
         Direction.East | Direction.West { return 1; }
-        else                            { return 0; }
+        _                            { return 0; }
     }
     return 0;
 }
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ fn colorEqualsRed() u8 {
     const c: Color = defaultColor();
     match (c) {
         Color.Red { return 1; }
-        else      { return 0; }
+        _      { return 0; }
     }
     return 0;
 }
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ fn step(s: State) State {
         State.Running { return State.Paused; }
         State.Paused  { return State.Running; }
         State.Stopped { return State.Stopped; }
-        else          { return State.Stopped; }
+        _          { return State.Stopped; }
     }
     return State.Stopped;
 }
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ fn stateAsByte(s: State) u8 {
         State.Running { return 1; }
         State.Paused  { return 2; }
         State.Stopped { return 3; }
-        else          { return 99; }
+        _          { return 99; }
     }
     return 0;
 }
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ fn cellsForShape(t: Tetromino) u8 {
         Tetromino.I | Tetromino.O | Tetromino.T |
         Tetromino.S | Tetromino.Z | Tetromino.J |
         Tetromino.L  { return 4; }
-        else         { return 0; }
+        _         { return 0; }
     }
     return 0;
 }
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ fn tetrominoIsBalanced(t: Tetromino) u8 {
     // I and O are symmetric; the others are not.
     match (t) {
         Tetromino.I | Tetromino.O  { return 1; }
-        else                        { return 0; }
+        _                        { return 0; }
     }
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_enum_payload.jam b/tests/unit/test_enum_payload.jam
index 8c48dfc..1429d1a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_enum_payload.jam
+++ b/tests/unit/test_enum_payload.jam
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ fn unwrapOrDefault(o: OneArg, def: u8) u8 {
     match (o) {
         OneArg.Nothing { return def; }
         OneArg.Just(x) { return x; }
-        else           { return 99; }
+        _           { return 99; }
     }
     return 0;
 }
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ fn srcReg(op: Op) u8 {
         Op.LdRR(d, s)   { return s; }
         Op.Imm(v)       { return v; }
         Op.Wide(w)      { return 0xEE; }
-        else            { return 0xCC; }
+        _            { return 0xCC; }
     }
     return 0;
 }
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ fn srcReg(op: Op) u8 {
 fn dstReg(op: Op) u8 {
     match (op) {
         Op.LdRR(d, s)   { return d; }
-        else            { return 0xFF; }
+        _            { return 0xFF; }
     }
     return 0;
 }
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ fn jumpAddr(o: WideOp) u16 {
         WideOp.Jp(addr)   { return addr; }
         WideOp.Call(addr) { return addr; }
         WideOp.Mov(r, a)  { return a; }
-        else              { return 0; }
+        _              { return 0; }
     }
     return 0;
 }
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ fn jumpAddr(o: WideOp) u16 {
 fn movRegister(o: WideOp) u8 {
     match (o) {
         WideOp.Mov(r, a) { return r; }
-        else             { return 0; }
+        _             { return 0; }
     }
     return 0;
 }
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ fn classifyMany(m: Many) u32 {
         Many.E(a, b, c)  { return a + b + c; }
         Many.F           { return 1000; }
         Many.G(big)      { return big; }
-        else             { return 0; }
+        _             { return 0; }
     }
     return 0;
 }
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ fn passThroughGetValue() u8 {
     const o: Op = passThrough(Op.Imm(55));
     match (o) {
         Op.Imm(v) { return v; }
-        else      { return 99; }
+        _      { return 99; }
     }
     return 0;
 }
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ fn isOk(r: Result) u8 {
     match (r) {
         Result.Ok(v) { return 1; }
         Result.Err   { return 0; }
-        else         { return 99; }
+        _         { return 99; }
     }
     return 0;
 }
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ fn isOk(r: Result) u8 {
 fn unwrapOk(r: Result) u32 {
     match (r) {
         Result.Ok(v) { return v; }
-        else         { return 0; }
+        _         { return 0; }
     }
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_match_basic.jam b/tests/unit/test_match_basic.jam
index 1894780..d965bad 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_match_basic.jam
+++ b/tests/unit/test_match_basic.jam
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ fn singleArmExact() u8 {
     var r: u8 = 0;
     match (1) {
         1 { r = 99; }
-        else { r = 0; }
+        _ { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ fn singleArmMisses() u8 {
     var r: u8 = 7;
     match (5) {
         1 { r = 99; }
-        else { r = 0; }
+        _ { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ fn dispatchSmall(x: u8) u8 {
         1 { r = 20; }
         2 { r = 30; }
         3 { r = 40; }
-        else { r = 255; }
+        _ { r = 255; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ fn matchHexLiteral(x: u8) u8 {
         0xCB { r = 1; }
         0xFF { r = 2; }
         0x00 { r = 3; }
-        else { r = 0; }
+        _ { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_match_control.jam b/tests/unit/test_match_control.jam
index 0f63b14..39b38bb 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_match_control.jam
+++ b/tests/unit/test_match_control.jam
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ fn matchWithReturn(x: u8) u8 {
     match (x) {
         0          { return 100; }
         1..=9      { return 200; }
-        else       { return 255; }
+        _       { return 255; }
     }
     return 99; // unreachable; every arm returns
 }
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ fn matchSetsThenContinues(x: u8) u8 {
     match (x) {
         1 { r = 10; }
         2 { r = 20; }
-        else { r = 99; }
+        _ { r = 99; }
     }
     return r * 2;
 }
@@ -28,16 +28,16 @@ fn nestedMatch(a: u8, b: u8) u8 {
             match (b) {
                 0 { r = 1; }
                 1 { r = 2; }
-                else { r = 3; }
+                _ { r = 3; }
             }
         }
         1 {
             match (b) {
                 0 { r = 4; }
-                else { r = 5; }
+                _ { r = 5; }
             }
         }
-        else { r = 99; }
+        _ { r = 99; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ fn matchInsideWhile(start: u8) u8 {
     while (i < 5) {
         match (i) {
             0 | 2 | 4 { sum = sum + 1; }   // even: count
-            else      { sum = sum + 10; }  // odd: bigger contribution
+            _      { sum = sum + 10; }  // odd: bigger contribution
         }
         i = i + 1;
     }
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ fn matchInsideFor() u8 {
     for i in 0:10 {
         match (i) {
             0..=4 { sum = sum + 1; }
-            else  { sum = sum + 2; }
+            _  { sum = sum + 2; }
         }
     }
     return sum;
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ fn matchBreak(start: u8) u8 {
     while (i < 100) {
         match (i) {
             42 { break; }
-            else { i = i + 1; }
+            _ { i = i + 1; }
         }
     }
     return i;
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_match_expression.jam b/tests/unit/test_match_expression.jam
index 7acdb4a..4665c61 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_match_expression.jam
+++ b/tests/unit/test_match_expression.jam
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ fn evalWithElse(op: Op) u8 {
     return match (op) {
         Op.Nop      { 0 }
         Op.Add(x)   { x }
-        else        { 99 }
+        _        { 99 }
     };
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_match_or.jam b/tests/unit/test_match_or.jam
index dde1173..a49f544 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_match_or.jam
+++ b/tests/unit/test_match_or.jam
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ fn twoAlternatives(x: u8) u8 {
     var r: u8 = 0;
     match (x) {
         1 | 2 { r = 100; }
-        else { r = 0; }
+        _ { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ fn manyAlternatives(x: u8) u8 {
     match (x) {
         1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9     { r = 1; } // odd 1..9
         2 | 4 | 6 | 8         { r = 2; } // even 2..8
-        else                  { r = 0; }
+        _                  { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ fn orOrderInsensitive(x: u8) u8 {
     var r: u8 = 0;
     match (x) {
         9 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 { r = 42; }
-        else              { r = 0; }
+        _              { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ fn orFirstMatchWins(x: u8) u8 {
     match (x) {
         1 | 2 | 3 { r = 10; }
         2 | 3 | 4 { r = 20; }    // unreachable for x in {2,3} — first arm wins
-        else      { r = 0; }
+        _      { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_match_range.jam b/tests/unit/test_match_range.jam
index 4b667af..31d68e1 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_match_range.jam
+++ b/tests/unit/test_match_range.jam
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ fn smallRange(x: u8) u8 {
     var r: u8 = 0;
     match (x) {
         10..=20 { r = 1; }
-        else    { r = 0; }
+        _    { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ fn boundsCheck(x: u8) u8 {
     var r: u8 = 0;
     match (x) {
         5..=7 { r = 1; }
-        else  { r = 0; }
+        _  { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ fn multipleRanges(x: u8) u8 {
         0x40..=0x47 { r = 1; }
         0x48..=0x4F { r = 2; }
         0x50..=0x57 { r = 3; }
-        else        { r = 0; }
+        _        { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ fn rangeMixedWithLiteral(x: u8) u8 {
         1..=9       { r = 20; }
         10          { r = 30; }
         11..=99     { r = 40; }
-        else        { r = 0; }
+        _        { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ fn rangeOrLiteral(x: u8) u8 {
     var r: u8 = 0;
     match (x) {
         0 | 5..=9 | 100 { r = 1; }
-        else            { r = 0; }
+        _            { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_match_types.jam b/tests/unit/test_match_types.jam
index 129cb61..2cf127c 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_match_types.jam
+++ b/tests/unit/test_match_types.jam
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ fn matchU8(x: u8) u8 {
         0..=127     { r = 1; }
         128..=254   { r = 2; }
         255         { r = 3; }
-        else        { r = 0; }
+        _        { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ fn matchU16(x: u16) u16 {
         0           { r = 1; }
         1..=255     { r = 2; }
         256..=4095  { r = 3; }
-        else        { r = 4; }
+        _        { r = 4; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ fn matchU32(x: u32) u32 {
     match (x) {
         0          { r = 1; }
         1..=1000   { r = 2; }
-        else       { r = 3; }
+        _       { r = 3; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ fn matchI32(x: i32) i32 {
     match (x) {
         0          { r = 100; }
         1..=10     { r = 200; }
-        else       { r = 300; }
+        _       { r = 300; }
     }
     return r;
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_match_wildcard.jam b/tests/unit/test_match_wildcard.jam
index 198f833..686fb83 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_match_wildcard.jam
+++ b/tests/unit/test_match_wildcard.jam
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ fn wildcardInOr(x: u8) u8 {
     var r: u8 = 0;
     match (x) {
         1 | _ { r = 5; }
-        else  { r = 0; }
+        _  { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ fn wildcardThenElse(x: u8) u8 {
     match (x) {
         0 { r = 1; }
         _ { r = 7; }
-        else { r = 99; }
+        _ { r = 99; }
     }
     return r;
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_num_literals.jam b/tests/unit/test_num_literals.jam
index 4ed2ed7..95df6b9 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_num_literals.jam
+++ b/tests/unit/test_num_literals.jam
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ fn classifyMixed(x: u8) u8 {
         0xDE | 0xAD    { r = 2; }
         0o17           { r = 3; }
         0..=9          { r = 4; }
-        else           { r = 0; }
+        _           { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ fn rangeBases(x: u8) u8 {
         0x10..=0x1F        { r = 1; }
         0b0010_0000..=0b0010_1111 { r = 2; }
         0o100..=0o107      { r = 3; }
-        else               { r = 0; }
+        _               { r = 0; }
     }
     return r;
 }