Xebek\’s Blog

Kyo and everyone learn of Shima’s Final Plan strategy to defeat the Gards-Orm and become resurrected in the real world. However he learns of others pinions, about how being resurrected may not be the best thing.

Summary:

• We see a dream of Shima’s, as he is talking to himself talking about the resurrection of mankind. He talks with Shizuno about the dream and is eventually called to the bridge by Minato who still seems jealous.
• Shima goes to the bridge and tells everyone about how soon they will begin their Final Plan against the Gards-Orm. He says how they are going to attack the base of the Gards-Orm at the North Pole. After teat they will travel to the moon and will be able to become resurrected.
• Kuroshio, one of the people who works on the bridge says he doesn’t want to become resurrected, much to everyone’s surprises. Eventually Kyo gets to talking with Kuroshio and he tells Kyo how he thinks being an apparition is better then being resurrected. That as a human you can die, and its all over, unlike if you are an apparition you can live forever.
• Kyo and Ryoko talk with each other, about the future. Ryoko asks Kyo if he still loves Shizuno and Kyo kind of evades the question saying he doesn’t hate her. Ryoko says some things about how she doesn’t want to be the cause of Kyo’s unhappiness. She begs Kyo to stop taking all the burden of people.
• We see Shima in his room, half of his face glowing and flaking off. Shizuno comes in and Shima’s face returns to normal after Shizuno sees it, and has no reaction. Shima says he has decided, and goes to the bridge. He tells everyone how he has decided they will go on with the final plan. After going to the moon you can decide if you want to be resurrected or stay in the server.
• Kuroshio says he will pick the third choice, surrender to the Gards-Orm. He says he wants to become a Restored just like Sin and Abyss. Because they are prefect humans, who have physical bodies and if they die they come back.
• Shima yells how the Restored are not human beings. Kuroshio asks how he knows and Shima just says that’s what Naaga wants them to be, using evolution to make monsters, he knows because he…
• All of a sudden there is a small burst and Shima falls forward, a hole of data in his back streaming out as he falls to the floor.

Impressions:

Wow, I’m impressed with this episode. I was amazed how they actually gave another view about the whole resurrection thing. I mean, who says that apparitions are not a good thing? Who says that living in an endless loop is better then dieing? Although I don’t’ necessarily agree with Kuroshio’s views, I was pleasantly surprised on how they showed them in the first place. It was also interesting to hear Kuroshio say how they had another option of becoming The Restored. I mean, from the outside I agree with Kuroshio. On paper The Restored are the perfect humans. They have a physical body, they have emotions, and if they die they can just come back.

The thing that really had me shaking my head not wanting to believe it was the whole interaction that Ryoko and Kyo had. It really really made me think that a Kyo x Ryoko ending was less and less likely to happen. I desperately want them to end up together, but I fear they won’t. The thing is Ryoko showed she is one of those types who is all” Oh, I love you but I know you KIND OF love this other person, so because I love you so much I’m going to do what’s best for your happiness and let you be with some other person” Damnit Ryoko, be selfish! Her and Yakumo, I sear… Although I got a little hope form the preview with some A.I. voice asking Ryoko if she really thinks Kyo will be happier with Shizuno.

They certainly layered on the mystery about who Shima is. We still don’t’ know exactly what Shima is, but it seems like him and Shizuno are the same. We were about to find out before Shima’s back kind of splattered all over the A.I. Although it could be just a coincidence that that happened right before he told them what he was, it could have been some kind of response because he wasn’t supposed to tell them. Not a strong possibility right now, as it is probably just a coincidence. For a bit though, Shima seemed almost like a bad guy. Lu Sheng was saying how despicable he was; since he can’t make everyone think the way he does he is using force. That really struck me as interesting, as Naaga’s whole point in making the apparitions and the Gards-Orm was to make people think like he does, so could there be some connection between Shima and Naaga?

One thing that I really wondered about concerning Shima’s plan is first of all what exactly it is. Why do they need to go to the moon to complete the Final Plan, and does it have something to do with Naaga? The other is more of a just odd thing, that if they go to the moon they will be bringing battle there…but that’s where the server is. Basically they are bringing a battle next to an important device that stores their existence, which seems a bit odd.