Struggling to boot up

[tsago]

edit-2: Issue resolved by reflashing an image onto eMMC outside of the PBP, via a usb-to-eMMC adapter. So it was a human error after all. 

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I'm trying to boot via SD card, as the current bootability status of the eMMC is unclear. 
Here's a log of my woes:

etcher 1.5.59, Win 10
pinebookpro-debian-desktop-mrfixit-190905.img.xz

older SD -  sandisk 8GB

boot #1:
waited 2 mins after "Starting kernel", nothing.
screen was black, power led on

boot #2:
same issue

boot #3:
same issue

=============
new SD - sandisk 16G (A)

boot #4:
screen on
stuck -> [  OK  ] Started Boot and Home Patition Mount Service.

boot #5:
screen on
stuck Starting kernel ...

boot #6:
screen on
stuck -> [    0.653905] pwm-backlight edp-backlight: using lookup tables for GPIO lookup

boot #7:
screen on
stuck -> Starting kernel ...

==> emmc switch DOWN (I'm assuming "down", towards the mousepad is "off")

boot #8:
screen OFF
stuck -> Starting kernel ...

==> emmc switch UP
boot #9:
screen ON
stuck -> Starting kernel ...

==> emmc REMOVED
boot #10:
screen ON, "open sesame", ON(black), power led OFF
stuck -> "Starting Daily apt download activities..."


boot #11:
kernel panic, reboot, reboot, LOGIN SCREEN reached
-> login, do nothing for a bit
-> shut down (power button -> click shut down)

boot #12:
screen ON
stuck -> "Starting udev Coldplug all Devices..."

Any ideas? I'm about to jump off a cliff... Serial console logs of all boot attempts attached.


edit: turns out I failed to attach the boot logs. Attached now.