 |
 |
 |
If next week was the final episode, this one’s ending would have me worried. As is, not so much.
The engaging if somewhat scattershot Captain Earth continues to steamroll towards the end, with the big players all showing their hands except for one, who’s keeping them very close to the vest. I find the dynamic is breaking down between forces whose goals are straightforward and those whose goals are murky. The Planetary Gears want to devour the Earth in the Jungian sense, and the Intercept Faction wants to save it – nothing complicated there. But the Arkists and especially Puck are a much different matter.
Puck is a complete cipher. The growing sense I get is that it’s more concerned with having fun than anything else – there’s a very childlike tone to its conversations with itself now, and its possession of Kube has the feel of a kid turned loose in a candy shop. The response to Westvillage’s question (the asking of which is itself a bit of a puzzle) reflects this almost whimsical worldview – Puck is clearly enjoying both the contemplation and messing with Westvillage’s head. But that doesn’t tell us what Puck’s endgame is, and for now we see only that it’s watching the drama between the other three corners play itself out with a big grin on Kube’s face.
The Kivotos people are a little easier to figure out, and I think the most telling moment here is Canis’ angered reaction as the Midsummers Knights head off to destroy the Oberon. “Why are you getting in the way of our plan to save humanity, you meddling kids?!” This reveals the truth of it – the Ark Faction isn’t interested in saving humanity from the Planetary Gears, but from itself – from its impurities and perceived inadequacies. I asked last week if they’d willingly accept an endgame where the Intercept side defeated the P.G.s, and I think we have our answer – no, they wouldn’t. That’s not a humanity they deem worth saving, and the entire threat of the P.G.s is important mainly as a pretext for them to remake humanity to their own liking (though, as others have pointed out, it’s a bit of a mystery of how they plan to do that with a ship full only of boys. Will they name their new planet Ikebukuro?).
In the interest of pretext, the Arkists can always point out that their attack on Operation Summer was necessary because they need the Blume and Hana in order to execute the final stages of their own plan. Thus, they send the giant Garm out to intercept the Interceptors – who’re in a mad dash against time because mass comas are happening all over Japan, and GLOBE has determined that it’s 99.8% likely that every Kiltgang is going to attack Earth simultaneously. Salty Dog has a gift for timing if nothing else – they always seem to get in the way at the worst possible moment.
I’m still not convinced that the P.G.s are going to follow through on their plan, as their group seems more and more divided – that Setsuna and Baku are hesitating is no surprise, but now even Moko is waxing sentimental about the planet they’re about to destroy. Be that as it may the center of the action for the moment is the battle between the two human factions, and with Hana focused on locating the Oberon and launching the Entangle Link the weapons of the Blume are off-limits. That leaves Daichi outside in the Earth Engine trying to fight off the Garm and Cerberus, which is where he still is when Hana locates the target and the Entangle Link kicks in. Daichi grabs the Blume and holds on for dear life, but a head-on collision with the Garm is unavoidable – and what happens next is anyone’s guess.
I know some folks are going to flip out over the use of the word “dream” here, but I’m going to chill and see what happens (I’m calling Chekov’s Gun on that “Planter” device on the moon). It’s obvious they aren’t truly going to play the “this was all a dream” card with 3 eps left, and this sort of development has been a staple of BONES (and not just BONES) sci-fi since before most of today’s audience was watching anime (and before some of them were born). This is Daichi’s main character moment – Captain Earth’s way of reeling everything back in to focus where it started after having 20 episodes of near-constant expansion. Now it’s going inside Daichi’s psyche, and that’s a perfectly valid approach at this point – therefore I take no issue with this in principle. It’s the way in which it’s executed that’s going to tell the tale.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Roger
August 31, 2014 at 1:28 pmHuh? So Moco is showing signs that she might be having a change of heart (and potentially switching sides).
Still, even though I liked some threads here, that doesn't change my perception of the series. It is still very much a lackluster mess to me. They did have many interesting storylines, but the show just couldn't tie everything properly. That change in Moco could have been really good, but we barely got to know anything about her (or the other PG's for that matter) over the entire run of the series.
And I just find it downright silly how Globe is supposed to be a large paramilitary organization, yet they can't even provide a single support crew for the kids on the Kivotos. The adults here are just so useless. and it's as if they went "Meh, we'll just let them kids handle it."
Oh, and I am guessing whole "It's just a dream" thing in the preview is just the effect of the whole Entangle Link thing on Daichi.
maverickmann84
September 1, 2014 at 12:51 amI love this show, but I can't argue with you on the ridiculousness of Globe's level of incompetence from everyone who isn't a MK. How does Salty Dog have all of those weapons and yet Globe has nothing to counter that or equal that in any way? I admit I've let that slide do to my interest level in other aspects, but Salty Dog has been the one part of the show I've never enjoyed (and not in a youre supposed to hate the villains way) If Salty Dog wasn't around there would've been a lot of extra time to devote to the PGs and Puck.
I also was a little shocked by the preview of the next ep. I'm hoping it isn't a whole ep devoted to Daichi finding his resolve (seeing as he already has his resolve to fight), and I can't think of any other reason to have a "other reality" dream sequence aside from having a character face their past and find their resolve to fight.
With 3 eps left I hope to see that dream sequence only last 5-10 mins max. Then maybe have the battle with the PG's spill over into 24 and 25 finishing that fight and the subsequent Puck interference (I think that's what's coming). That should leave a good half of an episode of time to have an afterwards. It is Bones so there's always the possibility that much is left open. I loved AO and even the ending, but I thought it was hurt by the lack of a decent afterwards. Hopefully it comes together conclusively one way or another. I can see why you haven't been a fan of CE, but for me the entertainment value has outweighed the negatives and I've enjoyed the majority of the show.
Roger
September 1, 2014 at 1:47 amBelieve me. I was really excited for the series and was still very much into it until the DC arc. But that is really where everything just fekk apart for me (i really loved Baku's storyline. too bad we never got anything more out of it). An I would really have loved seeing more of Moco's story to give ground to her "Living on earth wasn't bad after all" switch. And, hey, whatever happened to Eiji Arashi? That is one interesting plot thread they unceremoniously dropped.
About Salty Dog, that's another gripe about the series. They never really did anything except be the obligatory popup villain whenever the plot needs one. You could take them out and the story flow would have been the same. And I really can't imagine what kind of idiots would let their organization be overseen by the opposing faction.
Wait, I thought the series would run for only 24 eps?
maverickmann84
September 1, 2014 at 2:05 amMAL has it at 25, but I don't know how accurate that is.
Salty Dog was indeed a waste, as was the DC arc. Well you needed to introduce the DCs, but maybe it could've done without at least 2 of motorcycle girl, casino guy, and Ai-chan. Salty dog and puck just overcrowded the villain group count. Puck could pan out nicely, but Salty dog + too many DC eps + too much time transforming = a lot of wasted air time that could've been devoted to making the story more in depth. At the end of it though I still really like the show. It's nothing to talk about years later as one of Bones' best, but I've been into every ep before/after the DC arc. Baku aside, his was great.
maverickmann84
September 1, 2014 at 2:08 amMoco's "change of heart" def needed a bit more backstory, especially seeing how she mocked Baku and anyone else who had "ties" to their human life. It seems a bit out of character, but not so unbelievable that it ruins anything for me. I'll equate it to the feeling of nostalgia you get on your graduation day when all before that you couldn't wait to get the hell out of school.
Roger
September 1, 2014 at 2:43 amPuck really could have been a lot more interesting villain
Moco's "change of heart" def needed a bit more backstory, especially seeing how she mocked Baku and anyone else who had "ties" to their human life. It seems a bit out of character, but not so unbelievable that it ruins anything for me.
Not that unbelievable to me either. It fact, I really find it interesting, cause it could tie in well with that of Teppei's. All I am asking was some more story about her. But sadly, I wasn't given even a single thing.
maverickmann84
September 1, 2014 at 9:38 pmYeah there were some obvious things that went wrong, and maybe most annoying is the contrast between what was good and what wasn't, (and how obvious the way to fix that is) but for some reason I really like the show. I can't put up a legitimate argument to those who have their complaints, or even explain why it is I like CE, but I find I'm able to ignore the problems enough to get into the story. Though I'll admit that with a few cuts and additions it could have been a Bones classic.
Helen
August 31, 2014 at 1:39 pmIsn't the next episode also called Acperience Lite? Since those were always the craziest episodes of Eureka 7 so playing with the whole "it was just a dream" would be par for the course with that title….