I think we’ve got the answer to the question I posed in last week’s final paragraph.  I wouldn’t say it’s a lock but it sure seems like Mugan and Fugan at the very least are going to be the first cour big bads, not the series as a whole.  There’s just too much happening already for their battle to stretch for 26 episodes, seems like.  Of course Brahe, the one holding their leash, is another matter.  He’s Ouroboros, and presumably Ouroboros will again be the final boss one way or the other.

Having decided taking down a hero in a coma would be rather unfulfilling, Mugan and Fugan instead use Barnaby’s hospital room as a way to freak out their eventual targets with a creepy doll mobile (made by Mugan).  It’s Sky High and Fire Emblem who are the first to go down, and their suit cams make it pretty clear this wasn’t much of a fight.  Fast on the heels of this comes the revelation to the heroes that these sorts of attacks have been happening in other cities, and they’ve been kept a secret to prevent “panic” – including from the heroes.  If I was one of them I’d be pretty pissed about that.

Ouroboros is very much on my mind as I watch this play out, as it’s impossible to ignore the thematic overlap between Tiger & Bunny and Boku no Hero Academia these days.  Superheroes under attack, warping quirks – er, NEXT abilities – decisions often guided by PR rather than the safety of those concerned.  Did T&B influence HeroAca, which in turn influenced T& B 2?  Well, sure – but of course all superhero franchises Japanese and American share some common traits.  And any Japanese takes on American superhero series are likely to have a somewhat similar flavor.

Not content with hanging the heroes out to try by withholding information, the agency also manages to allow a data breach which gives Mugan and Fugan all their personal info.  That means there’s no hiding behind the mask – whether a hero shows his face publicly, there’s no safety in a hidden identity.  It’s Dragon Kid and Origami who’re targeted next, and it’s Thomas who keeps his head under fire and manages to figure out not just where they’ve been taken (an under-construction subway station) but at least one of their abductors’ NEXT ability (Mugan’s warping, which he’s been playing off as invisibility).

What’s becoming clear is that Brahe has formed an emotional attachment to the twins, which will certainly come into play later.  I imagine that’s frowned upon in Ouro, but since he apparently raised them from pups it’s understandable.  He takes considerable umbrage when Rosicky refers to them as “(good) pawns” – and will take even more when she suggests them as guinea pigs for Mattia’s drug.  Even without it they’re proving pretty much unstoppable so far, mostly courtesy of Mugan’s power.

The agency’s orders – hole up in the training room until all this blows over – seem pretty pointless given that ability.  Kotetsu is none too pleased about it and goes to Yuri to plead for a more proactive course of action, but runs into a brick wall (which is rather ironic given the parties involved).  It does get him out of the way when the twins inevitably invade the sanctum and take on the others.  It’s something of a battle royale and ends with Rock Bison pretty much deciding to save the kids (Cat is proving especially useless I have to say, which really makes you wonder about the wisdom of 14 year-old superheroes – but that’t that whole PR thing).

We still don’t know the deal behind the petrification – that’s the big surprise the boys were waiting to reveal until everyone is together.  Fugan’s ability is actually to turn whatever attacks he receives back on the attacker, which is kind of a much more powerful version of Mr. Black’s NEXT ability.  Rock Bison, Blue Rose, and Golden Ryan do manage to get one over on Fugan, but Mugan manages to get to him and warp him to safety just as Bunny is waking up in the hospital, Mattia at this side.  Where is that storyline headed, I wonder?  I thought perhaps Mattia was going to inject Barnaby to try and get him to wake up but that’s obviously not necessary now.