[dragonwriter]

> I think this is downvoted because (and I could be wrong) he could have paid a breakup fee instead of buying the business.

No, he couldn't, the widely discussed breakup fee in the contract was a payment if the merger could not be completed for specific reasons outside of Musk’s control.

It wasn’t a choice Musk was able to opt into.

OTOH, IIRC, he technically wasn't forced to because he completed the transaction voluntarily during a pause in the court proceedings after it was widely viewed as clear that he would lose and be forced to complete the deal.