Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC) — backed by the United Arab Emirates — has been on a blitz across the remnants of the central government's territory. A quick glance at a Yemeni Civil War map might suggest that a returned South Yemen may be on the cusp of reemergence after three decades within a unified state. But this path to de facto independence, while increasingly viable, is still far from a sure thing — and for the STC to achieve it, the group must balance the pillars of Yemeni geopolitics with a care that suggests a long road still lies ahead. Getting to a South Yemen will require the STC to overcome the historical challenges that have long plagued the governance of Yemen writ large, like tribalism and regionalism.