The story changes to a different truth, isolated from all this.  A woman sitting (trying to ride):  on a “violent (scarlet) beast ( unruly/ undisciplined/ and without respect for life, because it wants to be “the power or strength here”).  This beast is covered with proof, that it has NO RESPECT for GOD or LIFE, as these are cursed daily in one form or another.  As is the evidence of genetic mutilation/ extreme experimentation/ etc.  And has seven head (controls, flatters, tempts, or manipulates the human beliefs, of society, with their own religion: or we are like gods, compared to you)/ with ten horns: each horn is a sign of threat, a reality of potential damage, or death;  IF you upset the beast.  Ten because not only do the heads control one apiece, there are more threats, as in government/ courts/ police. 
The vision moves to the woman herself: dressed in purple was a sign of royalty in this day, scarlet a sign of “life battered, bruised, and bleeding (a hard fought battle)”.  Glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls a demand that the woman owns “valuable possessions”  (someone so described). The golden cup, is generally a religious symbol in this day, filled with abominable things asserts: what she sees in the religions of  that day are NOT good.  The filth of her adulteries, expresses the reality of life, in a journey to get this far, that religion does NOT accept.  Not necessarily bad things;   more likely to be a passage through time influenced greatly by “the prostitute (greed) and beast (insane arrogance) so described”.
This witness then describes, what shows most of all her forehead (speaks of wisdom):   no one can understand how this woman, came to be (that is the mystery).  What shows as well on this woman’s face is: a reference to Babylon the great (a nation called rich).  Then the mother of prostitutes, referring to that nation, and its greed.  And then from the same nation, truth  emits: these have done “many of the abominations (what MUST NEVER be done) on, and against this earth.  The nation is  Clearly America.

Verse 6 changes the vision entirely, by now portraying her as someone who has, or has been given the opportunity to do great damage (bring change/ challenge the status quo) to the religions of the day/ particularly to the Christian religion. The witness cannot hardly believe that these religions could lose their authority, their pride and power to control the people/ after all, they have controlled the people for thousands of years.
Verse 7.  A different angel or truth now enters, to explain why the religions have not been respected.  Why the woman rides “a beast”: is, the intent to control the beast itself/ none exist to help.  The beast is  NOT happy, & wants nothing to do with law.  Therefore to come to this moment in her life; even though hidden inside the beast, there are so many who threaten, and work against her; is simply required.  It is a reality of threats against all life on earth.
Verse 8.  The beast as established in revelation 13, is the universities of this world; america in particular.  They once were their own religion, before this day/ by their own portrayal of gods, made in their own image.  Now is not, refers to a time yet to come, whereby that arrogance and pride is taken away. The beast comes up from the Abyss, because it has been  claimed, and proven, to be “satan on earth”/ the destroyer of life.  And must therefore rise above that, to reclaim any power: but fails.  The people of earth who have believed in the university religion and claims of superiority, are aghast when they do understand: NOT ONLY were these people NOT “gods”/ but they literally worked to exterminate life on earth.  Because of their extreme arrogance and pride/ their selfish determination to rule this world, play god, and collect slaves.

Verse 9.  The vision now changes to the woman herself, and is given this description.  Although the beast who is said to have seven heads, thereby controlling all human thought, by presenting itself as “wise”/ is changed from “heads to hills (simply obstructions) now instead”.  Upon these hills, the woman in this vision sits: which means she is able to control, to overcome them instead; they are no longer called “wise”. The seven kings: are the power players of society,  these are:  the courts/ the police/ the politician/ the military/ business/ media/ and industry.  When the university fails, five of these kings fail with it/ the people lose faith.  The one who remains is media, as these control communication, and are not easily dismissed.  The one who has not yet come to be counted here is a politician, who will bring change: the demand for these powers to return.  His power will be limited and brief.  The beast or university is the eighth king, or power player in society and government.  None stand the test of time.

Verse 12.  Returns to the beast of verse 7, and finishes the description of this beast: as it is now the university that takes over, when the entities of power that are “government” above,  lose their power and pride.  No longer are there “heads to think with (no longer a game)”/ but horns to do damage with, make them fear us.  These individual participants in university power:  science/ geology/ physics/ genetics/ medicine/ nuclear/ engineering/ and more;  are called kings, because they do have power to harm society or life/ make the people obey, make them pay.  As their passion begins to rise, and they declare themselves to be free of interference: to be above, WHAT ANYONE shall tell them to do or not do: they are “gods”.  Reality says:  They intend to continue on, and will, but not for long.  Their purpose is to restore the university “as a god”/ before the people: and to do it they organize together, as if an army. 
Verse 14.  Describes a situation, in contrast, governed by the lack of force or attack (lamb).  Lord or lords is the truth/ king of kings, is the LAW.  The one who leads, with law and truth:  finds an army.
Verse 15.  A different vision/ alternate version:  comes from the same truth.  Its interpretation is: that where the power is, where the prostitute sold his or her own body for possessions, forsaking life and its miracles for pride: there will be “all manner of people, nations, languages; a great mixture of humanity”.   In this place, The university and its army turn away from this nation, because “these have changed”; and no longer worship the university, thereby a different nation.  The university vows, in absolute defiance: that these people shall be greatly punished for turning away from their influence, their power and pride as “superior beings/ as gods/ and slave owners” over them.  They then curse the prostitute called America (sold the body of life for greed)/ because it no longer worships them, the university.  The university pronounces: REVENGE shall come; they can kill, maim, and destroy. But that will backfire/ because now all who claim to be within the army of the university, by their HATE;   are known.  And that means they can be separated out for punishment, or death:  of their own. 
Verse 18 the woman returns to the vision,  as the gatherer of all nations on earth, so that they become as one.  As a mother’s love would do, for all her children.

This is the alternate version of Revelation 13/ and this version, or the other, will rule:   that depends entirely,  upon what you do.  The truth that cannot be avoided, can be either extreme or small in this scenario of revelation 17: but clearly every day counts, as what is being done to life, nature, and planet continues to be destroyed, from the sanctity and reality of what it was, as   GOD designed.   The difference between which version shall prove true is: the reality of your search, and investigation into the facts of this day, as to experiments/ resources/ environment/ politics/ money/ etc.   Or more simply:  DO YOU care enough to protect this world, and do what you can do;   even at this very late date.
As for me, given the extreme “unlikely event” that is a prophecy written thousands of years ago, CAN BE interpreted this closely to who we are today!  The reality of that all by itself, is enough for me to “believe it can and shall prove true” the rest of the way. There are more.  You believe in the utter fantasy of evolution do you not/ how is this harder to believe that people who say, “we went shopping, without a mind, and built ourselves; from parts that magically appeared, and then did what we wanted them to do.”  That, is insane.  This, is a spiritual reality, that has proven to be:   more than you or I could do, from a time when they knew nothing of what we would become.
The prophecy after 17, cannot be avoided.  Unless you choose to act and react according to Revelation 13: in which case, the tragedies that will come, end the rest of time. All prophecy beyond simply abandoned.  But the prophecy of revelation 17, can be modified and lessened: if you make the right choices.  That requires your participation in stopping the destruction of this planet and its life: because you cared enough, to understand, search for the truth, and choose for life first.