On my most recent playthrough i'd just entered hardmode and ended up on a bunch of errands, getting stuff underground, fighting goblins, e.t.c., so much so that i forgot about the crimson spread and how long i'd been. By the time i'd realised, the world was in despair. Two towns were dead, nearly another, and half the jungle. It basically turned into how fast could i defeat a mechanical boss just for a clentaminator. (No i couldn't use purification powder, the desert and ocean were compromised, and it was even out of bounds.)
Anyway, the catch is: The steampunker was called Hope.