The immediate effect of exposing fresh particle surfaces to the electrolyte does not result in significant O2 loss or rock-salt layer (RSL) formation, or indeed significant capacity fade in the early cycles. Instead, degradation mechanisms are known to develop gradually over multiple cycles, contingent upon factors such as depth of discharge and upper cut-off voltage. As cycling progresses, primary particles can become electrochemically isolated within the electrode, leading to capacity loss over extended periods. While significant cracking is observed during the first cycle, the cell does not exhibit capacity fade attributed to degradation until much later in its cycling history. This apparent early resilience, despite the presence of extensive cracking, can be explained by two primary mechanisms.