diff --git a/src/systems/generation/parser.js b/src/systems/generation/parser.js
index e11e2b9..2472ffc 100644
--- a/src/systems/generation/parser.js
+++ b/src/systems/generation/parser.js
@@ -46,6 +46,31 @@ function separateEmojiFromText(str) {
     return { emoji: '', text: str };
 }
 
+/**
+ * Helper to strip enclosing brackets from text
+ * Removes [], {}, and () from the entire text if it's wrapped
+ * @param {string} text - Text that may be wrapped in brackets
+ * @returns {string} Text with brackets removed
+ */
+function stripBrackets(text) {
+    if (!text) return text;
+
+    // Remove leading and trailing whitespace first
+    text = text.trim();
+
+    // Check if the entire text is wrapped in brackets and remove them
+    // This handles cases where models wrap entire sections in brackets
+    while (
+        (text.startsWith('[') && text.endsWith(']')) ||
+        (text.startsWith('{') && text.endsWith('}')) ||
+        (text.startsWith('(') && text.endsWith(')'))
+    ) {
+        text = text.substring(1, text.length - 1).trim();
+    }
+
+    return text;
+}
+
 /**
  * Helper to log to both console and debug logs array
  */
@@ -76,9 +101,15 @@ export function parseResponse(responseText) {
     debugLog('[RPG Parser] Response length:', responseText.length + ' chars');
     debugLog('[RPG Parser] First 500 chars:', responseText.substring(0, 500));
 
+    // Remove content inside thinking tags first (model's internal reasoning)
+    // This prevents parsing code blocks from the model's thinking process
+    let cleanedResponse = responseText.replace(/<think>[\s\S]*?<\/think>/gi, '');
+    cleanedResponse = cleanedResponse.replace(/<thinking>[\s\S]*?<\/thinking>/gi, '');
+    debugLog('[RPG Parser] Removed thinking tags, new length:', cleanedResponse.length + ' chars');
+
     // Extract code blocks
     const codeBlockRegex = /```([^`]+)```/g;
-    const matches = [...responseText.matchAll(codeBlockRegex)];
+    const matches = [...cleanedResponse.matchAll(codeBlockRegex)];
 
     debugLog('[RPG Parser] Found', matches.length + ' code blocks');
 
@@ -102,21 +133,21 @@ export function parseResponse(responseText) {
             // Extract User Stats section
             const statsMatch = content.match(/(User )?Stats\s*\n\s*---[\s\S]*?(?=\n\s*\n\s*(Info Box|Present Characters)|$)/i);
             if (statsMatch && !result.userStats) {
-                result.userStats = statsMatch[0].trim();
+                result.userStats = stripBrackets(statsMatch[0].trim());
                 debugLog('[RPG Parser] ✓ Extracted Stats from combined block');
             }
 
             // Extract Info Box section
             const infoBoxMatch = content.match(/Info Box\s*\n\s*---[\s\S]*?(?=\n\s*\n\s*Present Characters|$)/i);
             if (infoBoxMatch && !result.infoBox) {
-                result.infoBox = infoBoxMatch[0].trim();
+                result.infoBox = stripBrackets(infoBoxMatch[0].trim());
                 debugLog('[RPG Parser] ✓ Extracted Info Box from combined block');
             }
 
             // Extract Present Characters section
             const charactersMatch = content.match(/Present Characters\s*\n\s*---[\s\S]*$/i);
             if (charactersMatch && !result.characterThoughts) {
-                result.characterThoughts = charactersMatch[0].trim();
+                result.characterThoughts = stripBrackets(charactersMatch[0].trim());
                 debugLog('[RPG Parser] ✓ Extracted Present Characters from combined block');
             }
         } else {
@@ -146,13 +177,13 @@ export function parseResponse(responseText) {
                 (content.includes(" | ") && (content.includes("Thoughts") || content.includes("💭")));
 
             if (isStats && !result.userStats) {
-                result.userStats = content;
+                result.userStats = stripBrackets(content);
                 debugLog('[RPG Parser] ✓ Matched: Stats section');
             } else if (isInfoBox && !result.infoBox) {
-                result.infoBox = content;
+                result.infoBox = stripBrackets(content);
                 debugLog('[RPG Parser] ✓ Matched: Info Box section');
             } else if (isCharacters && !result.characterThoughts) {
-                result.characterThoughts = content;
+                result.characterThoughts = stripBrackets(content);
                 debugLog('[RPG Parser] ✓ Matched: Present Characters section');
                 debugLog('[RPG Parser] Full content:', content);
             } else {
diff --git a/src/systems/rendering/infoBox.js b/src/systems/rendering/infoBox.js
index 33bf98e..c42d4c9 100644
--- a/src/systems/rendering/infoBox.js
+++ b/src/systems/rendering/infoBox.js
@@ -64,8 +64,11 @@ export function renderInfoBox() {
         $infoBoxContainer.addClass('rpg-content-updating');
     }
 
+    // Use committedTrackerData as fallback if lastGeneratedData is empty (e.g., after page refresh)
+    const infoBoxData = lastGeneratedData.infoBox || committedTrackerData.infoBox;
+
     // If no data yet, show placeholder
-    if (!lastGeneratedData.infoBox) {
+    if (!infoBoxData) {
         const placeholderHtml = `
             <div class="rpg-dashboard rpg-dashboard-row-1">
                 <div class="rpg-dashboard-widget rpg-placeholder-widget">
@@ -81,10 +84,10 @@ export function renderInfoBox() {
         return;
     }
 
-    // console.log('[RPG Companion] renderInfoBox called with data:', lastGeneratedData.infoBox);
+    // console.log('[RPG Companion] renderInfoBox called with data:', infoBoxData);
 
     // Parse the info box data
-    const lines = lastGeneratedData.infoBox.split('\n');
+    const lines = infoBoxData.split('\n');
     // console.log('[RPG Companion] Info Box split into lines:', lines);
     const data = {
         date: '',
diff --git a/src/systems/rendering/thoughts.js b/src/systems/rendering/thoughts.js
index 02f073c..a4c0d89 100644
--- a/src/systems/rendering/thoughts.js
+++ b/src/systems/rendering/thoughts.js
@@ -76,15 +76,13 @@ export function renderThoughts() {
         $thoughtsContainer.addClass('rpg-content-updating');
     }
 
-    // Initialize if no data yet
-    if (!lastGeneratedData.characterThoughts) {
-        lastGeneratedData.characterThoughts = '';
-    }
+    // Use committedTrackerData as fallback if lastGeneratedData is empty (e.g., after page refresh)
+    const characterThoughtsData = lastGeneratedData.characterThoughts || committedTrackerData.characterThoughts || '';
 
-    debugLog('[RPG Thoughts] Raw characterThoughts data:', lastGeneratedData.characterThoughts);
-    debugLog('[RPG Thoughts] Data length:', lastGeneratedData.characterThoughts.length + ' chars');
+    debugLog('[RPG Thoughts] Raw characterThoughts data:', characterThoughtsData);
+    debugLog('[RPG Thoughts] Data length:', characterThoughtsData.length + ' chars');
 
-    const lines = lastGeneratedData.characterThoughts.split('\n');
+    const lines = characterThoughtsData.split('\n');
     const presentCharacters = [];
 
     debugLog('[RPG Thoughts] Split into lines count:', lines.length);
@@ -378,8 +376,14 @@ export function updateCharacterField(characterName, field, value) {
                 if (emojiMatch) {
                     let emoji = emojiMatch[1].trim();
                     let info = emojiMatch[2].trim();
-                    let relationship = parts[1];
-                    let thoughts = parts[2] || '';
+                    let relationship = parts[1] ? parts[1].trim() : '';
+                    let thoughts = parts[2] ? parts[2].trim() : '';
+
+                    // Handle 4-part format (with demeanor)
+                    if (parts.length >= 4) {
+                        relationship = parts[2] ? parts[2].trim() : '';
+                        thoughts = parts[3] ? parts[3].trim() : '';
+                    }
 
                     const infoParts = info.split(',').map(p => p.trim());
                     let name = infoParts[0];