I’m the first to admit I don’t know nearly as much about this mythology as some folk do. My exposure is limited to the TV adaptations, and at that I only managed about three episodes of “Railgun” before I couldn’t take any more. So I’m more or less content to figure out as I go, reading the posts at AS when I need a clarification, and enjoy the series more or less at face value. But from what those posters are saying, it appears we’re about to enter a pretty epic part of the story.

“Index” is nothing if not a bewildering array of characters and convoluted storylines. It’s hard to keep them all straight, so I’ll freely admit I don’t recall whether Vassilisa and Sasha even appeared in the TV version before their pre-credit vignette this week. It was an amusing prelude to a violent, dark and serious episode – as grim and stone-faced as last week’s was humorous and relaxed. It was all about Accelerator – still struggling with his anger issues and the protective feelings he has for Last Order. Try as he might he can’t force himself not to care, so it’s rather shocking to see a touching run to the Lawson’s for band-aids turn into a bloody beating at the hands of his childhood tormentor Kihara. He’s a right bastard, this one – he and his Hound Dogs have big plans for Last Order but mauling Accelerator seems to be strictly a joy-riding distraction for him.

It was jarring to see Accelerator, battered and defeated, lying in a pool of blood and praying for someone else to come along and save Last Order. In a last act of bravery he manages to blow her away from her captors using his tornado-like winds, but that’s all he has to offer – and just when it seems he’s doomed who should show up to save him but Index, trying to return his tissues? This looks like an obvious mismatch but Touma and his Falcon punch are out there searching for her, having no idea that her benefactor was Accelerator. What’s going to happen when those two meet face to face?

Finally, the “Right Seat of God”, Vento, shows up full of promises to destroy pretty much everyone and everything the scriptwriters of this show hold dear. Next week promises to be a real humdinger, with Touma meeting Accelerator and the battle for Academy City about to be joined in a big way. The Hound Dogs are hatching a plot involving Last Order and Hyouka, Vento has total annihilation for Academy City in mind, and I’m sure Railgun herself is going to be worked into the stew.