In $Re\; B\; (A\; Child)\; (Care\; Proceedings:\; Appeal)$ [2013] UKSC 33 the Supreme Court President emphasised that ‘adoption of a child against her parents’ wishes should only be contemplated as a last resort – when all else fails’ because of adoption’s draconian nature. $Re\; B$ has been cited dozens of times by the lower courts in the short time since it was decided. The aim of this article is to assess whether the influence of $Re\; B$ is a matter of substance or mere rhetoric.