Unfortunately, I believe that Boris will carry out the threat of a no deal if necessary. Barnier does not believe that he will go through with it and is ruling out the Canada style deal which is the only sensible starting point. He is of course on the moral high ground because the WAB suggests a closer arrangement.
The revised Political Declaration says no such thing:
“The Parties will retain their autonomy and the ability to regulate economic activity according to the levels of protection each deems appropriate...
The Parties envisage having an ambitious trading relationship on goods on the basis of a Free Trade Agreement, with a view to facilitating the ease of legitimate trade...
These arrangements will take account of the fact that following the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the Union, the Parties will form separate markets and distinct legal orders...
The economic partnership should through a Free Trade Agreement ensure no tariffs, fees, charges or quantitative restrictions across all sectors...
The Parties should conclude ambitious, comprehensive and balanced arrangements on trade in services and investment in services and non-services sectors, respecting each Party's right to regulate.”
etc...
Should the European Commission choose to flex its protectionist muscles and renege on these principles, I believe it will be a diplomatic mistake of quite historic proportions. Turning what should be the EU’s most dependable ally in the world into a politically distant if not outwardly hostile actor.
The Johnson government is totally dominant in the domestic political landscape and is making the argument for global free trade.
Membership of TTP by the end of 2021 looks quite possible. And if as currently looks likely Trump wins re-election, a series of sector by sector trade agreement with the US will follow. Further, a subset of Commonwealth countries is highly likely to sign a free trade agreement with the Uk, a small step to repairing the damage done to their economies when the UK delegated it’s trade policy to Brussels in the 1970s.
I think for now your fear remains an unlikely outcome. But who knows, we are certainly living in times where the benefits of international trade are being drowned out by the voices of protectionism. What is for sure is that the Johnson/Gove liberal interpretation of Brexit most categorically does not fit this stereotype, though it remains to be seen which narrative will be followed by the new European Commission.