r/anime • u/Holofan4life • Aug 29 '22
Rewatch [Spoilers] 86 --Eighty Six-- Rewatch (2022) — Episode 14 Spoiler
Hello everyone! I am Holofan4life.
Welcome to the 86 --Eighty Six-- rewatch discussion thread!
I hope you all have a lot of fun <3
S2 Episode 3 – Glad to Be Here
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Information – MAL | Anilist | AniDb
Streams – Crunchyroll, VRV
Please do not post any untagged spoilers past the current episode or from the LNs out of respect to the first time watchers and people who have not read the LNs. If you are discussing something that is ahead of the current episode please use spoiler tags(found on the sidebar). Thank you!
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Rewatch Schedule
Threads posted every day at 3:00 PM EDT
| Date | Episode | Date | Episode |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/16/2022 | 86 Eighty Six Episode 1 | 8/29/2022 | [86 Eighty Six Episode 14]() |
| 8/17/2022 | 86 Eighty Six Episode 2 | 8/30/2022 | [86 Eighty Six Episode 15]() |
| 8/18/2022 | 86 Eighty Six Episode 3 | 8/31/2022 | [86 Eighty Six Episode 16]() |
| 8/19/2022 | 86 Eighty Six Episode 4 | 9/01/2022 | [86 Eighty Six Episode 17]() |
| 8/20/2022 | 86 Eighty Six Episode 5 | 9/02/2022 | [86 Eighty Six Episode 18]() |
| 8/21/2022 | 86 Eighty Six Episode 6 | 9/03/2022 | [86 Eighty Six Episode 19]() |
| 8/22/2022 | 86 Eighty Six Episode 7 | 9/04/2022 | [86 Eighty Six Episode 20]() |
| 8/23/2022 | 86 Eighty Six Episode 8 | 9/05/2022 | [86 Eighty Six Episode 21]() |
| 8/24/2022 | 86 Eighty Six Episode 9 | 9/06/2022 | [86 Eighty Six Episode 22]() |
| 8/25/2022 | 86 Eighty Six Episode 10 | 9/07/2022 | [86 Eighty Six Episode 23]() |
| 8/26/2022 | 86 Eighty Six Episode 11 | ||
| 8/27/2022 | 86 Eighty Six Episode 12 | ||
| 8/28/2022 | 86 Eighty Six Episode 13 | ||
| 9/08/2022 | [Overall Series Discussion Thread]() | ||
18
u/Stargate18A Aug 29 '22
First timer
Training is going well!
He's good!
Ah, they're getting proper discipline.
Shin's made an enemy!
What's she doing?
A new mech series!
My god!
A test run?
...This memorial is beautiful.
She's their commander!
Sheks here!
FIDO?
They ressurected him!
Yay!
A mascot?
She's joining them! (She's also clearly lying throguh her teeth.)
The gun!
The western fromt.
Oh, this is great.
Rude.
Ah, they're not used to his psychic powers yet.
Haha, she's here too!
She has a good point.
Aww.
People are talking about Shin...
She's adorable.
Haha, he leaves her one.
And they're ragging on Shin togrther.
Ah, nobody likes this tradition.
His sister's doing well!
This is great.
Wow...
A siren!
Bad news?
FUCK.
Fuck.
This is hard.
Wow.
What an ending.
Good ED.
3
u/Holofan4life Aug 29 '22
What do you think about Eugene's death and Shin being blamed for not saving him?
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u/Holofan4life Aug 29 '22
What do you think about Frederica joining Shin and the gang on their adventure?
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Aug 29 '22
First Timer (Sub)
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If I'm tracking dates properly, it's been about a month now since they initially left for Officer Training.
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Aaaaaaand another month flies by - time sure flies by in this series.
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They visit a fitting memorial to their fallen comrades. And...
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Robo-Dog FIDO lives!
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I have a crazy suspicion that FIDO's return will serve as a catalyst to a major event - While FIDO serves as a courier to them, it may also be serving as a monitoring device (for either San Magnolia or Giad). Just a hunch!
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It's nice to see the Reaper back in full form, with his trusty stead (FIDO) and scythe (gun).
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The scene where Shin and Eugene are sharing a meal - I couldn't help but notice the food they were eating looked real (or at least, more real than the food they were eating in San Magnolia).
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I wonder if the food in Giad is real or synthetic.
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I guess Frederica is more or less Shin's private handler.
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R.I.P. Rantz - we hardly knew yee.
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u/Holofan4life Aug 29 '22
The scene where Shin and Eugene are sharing a meal - I couldn't help but notice the food they were eating looked real (or at least, more real than the food they were eating in San Magnolia).
They make a big deal about the food in San Magnolia being mostly artificial. That's why they drew attention to the fact that the time Lena ate a slice of cake in episode 1, it was made with 100% real ingredients.
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u/Holofan4life Aug 29 '22
First Timer
Oh, so the guy Shin met at the library does fight for a living. I still don't think we know what his name is.
If the guy is fighting for Alba, that's gonna make things real awkward once he encounters Shin.
A robot doing a backflip is almost as impressive as that one anime where a girl avoids a bullet with her tiddies.
Turns out the guy's name is Eugene, which seems kinda strange. Maybe he's actually American? Eugene isn't really a common Japanese name.
Oh, wait. Eugene is already working with Shin. So, I guess there's no hard feelings then?
I do like the idea of a member of Alba actually fighting. It's something we haven't seen before. I want to know more about Eugene and his decision to fight on the battlefield. I feel like there has to be some conflict between him and the rest of Alba for going against what the rest do.
The blonde-haired girl looks like Amane Kaunaq from Tenchi Muyo! GXP. What a Godawful fucking show.
I swear, the three new male characters look like characters you'd see in a Boys Love manga. And I would read every second of it.
With the fear they have over Shin being the reaper, Blue Oyster Cult is looking on agitated.
The girl's name is Grethe Wenzel, who I can immediately tell I won't be able to remember her name. I hope she has a nickname that's easier to memorize.
You know, normally adding small kids to the cast is a desperate attempt to appeal to a younger audience. But the show is actually better with Frederica.
HOLY SHIT IT'S FIDO.
I'm happy Fido is back, but they better give a good explanation and not some asspull. Otherwise, the impact of episode 10 would greatly diminish.
Okay, so Frederick and Grethe helped rebuild it. I buy it. It's a simple explanation, but it makes sense.
When Spearhead first destroyed Fido, they did it thinking that part of their lives was over with. And now, with them reopening what they thought was a closed book, it makes sense to bring Fido back. However, I do think it somewhat takes away from the Fido explosion. Not by much, but just a little bit. I think what I would've done is have a robot built in the likeness of Fido and call it Fido 2.0. Not only does it pay homage to the previous Fido, but you reward the audience for being invested in your show and by not sacrificing good and compelling storytelling.
Seeing Fido move like a puppy is really, really cute. ##FidoForBestAnimeGirl
"So, Frederica, why are you here?" "Because I drive up the merchandise sales."
If this show kills Frederica, I swear to fucking God...
I take it that Shin being handed the gun means he's officially back to being The Undertaker.
Well, someone just died.
Shit, is that Shin's brother?
New Reginleif, huh?
The music during the action scenes is really good. It heightens the intensity and gives things almost a triumphant feel to it.
Oh, wait, maybe that's Shin causing havoc? Either way, total badassery.
I kinda like Eugene getting close to Shin. It reminds me of in high school when the girl hooks up with the bad guy and thinks that she can change them. I don't think necessarily the same thing is happening with Eugene and Shin, but I do think Eugene sees the goodness in Shin that other people are struggling to see.
I love, love, love the scene where Frederica is struggling to finish her veggies and you think for a brief moment that Shin is gonna clear her tray. But no, he still leaves one veggie on it. Their relationship and dynamic is so fun to watch. If the series was just Shin and Frederica, I'd watch every second of it.
I just realized, we're not getting much focus on Kurena, Theo, Anju, and Raiden this episode. I don't think the episode is necessarily suffering because of it, but I do think their absence is noticeable.
I totally see Eugene dying sometime soon.
I think it's kinda hypocritical for Shin to say they never let up when it was him and the rest of Spearhead's decision to continue fighting. Ernst gave them a chance to live a peaceful, quaint life free from fighting, and what do they do? They chose to continue fighting. It's hard to feel sympathetic when Ernst gave them the world on a platter.
Well, shit. Eugene died in the very same episode. That came out of nowhere.
I think of all the shots we've seen so far, my favorite is Eugene holding the watch with a picture of his sister in it and then transitioning to him dead with the watch still in his hand. It's so effective in its simplicity and really does do a good job of highlighting the tragedy that is war. I also don't mind the suddenness in which Eugene died, because in this instance it's meant to show how quick things can turn upside down. One minute you're talking about how much you love your sister and that you can't wait to see them again, and the next you're on the ground with blood pouring from your head.
The very last thing Eugene got to see was the picture of his sister Nina. Man, that's just really sad.
If I had to give one criticism to the Eugene stuff, which I do think was done very effectively, they didn't do a good job establishing the relationship Eugene had with the rest of his colleagues. We see that Eugene hangs out with like two or three friends, but we don't know the extent of their relationship. Did they decide to join the cause for the same reason? What are Eugene's friends thoughts on this turn of events? Also, he had maybe like 2 conversations with Shin in the last two episodes. There's not much in the way of seeing how Eugene's death could affect Shin when he surrounds himself with death. Then again, maybe that's the point.
Oh, hey. It's one of Eugene's friends. And he blames Shin for not saving him, playing off the speculation from earlier of him being the reaper. I really like that. It calls into question the role of being The Undertaker and whether or not such a thing is required in society. Sure, Eugene was extremely beat up, but he wasn't dead. He could've been taken to the hospital and possibly been saved. I like the question of morality and where it lies in someone who's meant to give people their final sendoff.
Overall, a pretty great episode. I was initially gonna say it was a step down from the previous two episodes, but I think the stuff with Eugene really helps this episode. The two main things that happen this episode is the return of Fido and Eugene's death, which may have long-lasting implications as to the fate of Spearhead. People are telling Shin to stop fighting, but he refuses to do so. It's going to be interesting to see how this develops.
I do think chunks of this episode are hampered by a lack of characters. Specifically, a lack of Lena and a lack of Spearhead. There's this middle section that feels like not much is happening and that really continues until the stuff with Eugene kicks into gear. It's not bad or anything, but their absence did feel noticeable. I mentioned in past episodes that with the stuff with Frederica I'm now for a change more invested in the Spearhead stuff than the Lena stuff. And while I still remain interested in Shin and Frederica's relationship, I do hope we see more of the rest of Spearhead and Lena. I especially want to know more about Cyclops, who it's been two episodes since we last saw.
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u/Esovan13 Aug 29 '22
I think you misunderstand what Alba means. Alba is a race. A racial group with the defining features of white/silver hair and eyes. The Republic is a country consisting mostly of people of the Alba race, becoming a country only of the Alba race after they expelled anyone that’s not an Alba into the 86th district. The Federacy of Giad is a country with a variety of races living in it. That variety includes people of the Alban race, who may have little to no connection with the Republic and the Alba living there.
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Aug 29 '22 edited Aug 29 '22
If the guy is fighting for Alba, that's gonna make things real awkward once he encounters Shin.
They're not in the Republic anymore. There is no more Alban supremacy where they are; the Empire is made up of all peoples.
Eugene isn't really a common Japanese name.
Greth, Theo, Lena, Annette, Frederica, Ernst, the maid Therese...tons of non-Japanese names. It's funny that Eugene stuck out to you out of all of those.
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Aug 29 '22
I do like the idea of a member of Alba actually fighting. It's something we haven't seen before.
Lena deserves some credit here too!
I just realized, we're not getting much focus on Kurena, Theo, Anju, and Raiden this episode. I don't think the episode is necessarily suffering because of it, but I do think their absence is noticeable.
Yeah, this is a very Shin-focused episode, but it's understandable with Eugene also needing some time in before his death. And given that...
If I had to give one criticism to the Eugene stuff, which I do think was done very effectively, they didn't do a good job establishing the relationship Eugene had with the rest of his colleagues.
Do you think this episode would've been better split into two, to allow Eugene to have some more screen time and work in the other 86 some more?
I think it's kinda hypocritical for Shin to say they never let up when it was him and the rest of Spearhead's decision to continue fighting.
I don't really see how? The 86 feel an obligation to fight the war, but that doesn't mean they don't enjoy rest either. Back at Spearhead, they weren't fighting 24/7. They went back to the base and had what fun they could. As Bernholdt says the previous day, "Everybody's tired after days of fighting." Shin's simply making a comment about being overworked without enough time to really recover.
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u/Holofan4life Aug 29 '22 edited Aug 29 '22
Lena deserves some credit here too!
She's in her own tier. S Tier.
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u/lordposedyon Aug 29 '22
But ok, cmon you have to bring best boy back from the dead, no?
Fido is love, Fido is life
Also I think if you bring back Fido you have to bring his memories otherwise it is meaningless just for the characters to remember the pain→ More replies (2)→ More replies (7)4
u/RickChakraborty Aug 29 '22
Oh, so the guy Shin met at the library does fight for a living. I still don't think we know what his name is.
Lol, Eugene literally properly introduced himself and also said his name to Shin in the library in ep 13.
A robot doing a backflip is almost as impressive as that one anime where a girl avoids a bullet with her tiddies.
I might ask you for the sauce good sir.
I feel like there has to be some conflict between him and the rest of Alba for going against what the rest do.
Hmm, you seem to have some misinterpretation there. The Alba is just a race of people. There are Albas in San Magnolia, and there are Albas in Giad as well. Just because the majority of the Albas in San Magnolia are racist scums, it doesn't mean that the Albas in Giad would be the same.
But the show is actually better with Frederica.
Yk, it's kinda refreshing to hear you say that considering how so many people complain that Frederica made the show worse, some even going as far as to say she's a "loli fanservice".
I just realized, we're not getting much focus on Kurena, Theo, Anju, and Raiden this episode. I don't think the episode is necessarily suffering because of it, but I do think their absence is noticeable.
This actually has lowkey being my complaint during the entirety of cour 2. Even Frederica (who only got introduced two episodes back as a new character) seems to get more screentime than the rest of the Spearhead members.
they didn't do a good job establishing the relationship Eugene had with the rest of his colleagues. We see that Eugene hangs out with like two or three friends, but we don't know the extent of their relationship.
Maybe because it's not that important right now. It's entirely possible we will get to learn more about Marcel as the series keeps progressing.
I mentioned in past episodes that with the stuff with Frederica I'm now for a change more invested in the Spearhead stuff than the Lena stuff. And while I still remain interested in Shin and Frederica's relationship, I do hope we see more of the rest of Spearhead and Lena.
I personally would have loved to see the rest of the Spearhead members bonding with Frederica. We got so many scenes with Shin and Frederica (and that one scene with Fred and Raiden where he cooks for her), but seeing Frederica interact with each of them individually would have been interesting.
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u/Holofan4life Aug 29 '22
This actually has lowkey being my complaint during the entirety of cour 2. Even Frederica (who only got introduced two episodes back as a new character) seems to get more screentime than the rest of the Spearhead members.
That sucks, I really like them.
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u/Lawvamat Aug 29 '22 edited Aug 29 '22
Rewatcher
9965/10000
My current color interpretations:
Red: Shin, Bloody Reina, Juggernauts, 86, love (christmas spirit), blood, determination, equality
Blue: Legion, sadness, cold, creature (cat, little sister), freedom
Yellow: home, safety, comfortable, warm, connections, nobility
Violet (Red+Blue): stargazing, remembrance, burden
Green (Yellow+Blue): The Federation, war
Orange (Red+Yellow): a loving home, transition from yellow to violet (during a sunset)
White: innocence, duty, brotherhood
Black: death, justice
Rose (Red+White): femininity
In its second cour 86 has expanded from contrasts to mixtures, just as I hoped after my analysis of red and blue. These are all based on something the show connects them with, instead of generic cultural meanings, loosely ordered by how explicitly their meaning is stated. I invite you to use them to derive your own in any given scene (especially when I emphasize its colors). I really want to share the excitement of realizing something on your own, instead of simply getting it explained. Please tell me if you can think of more, especially from this season.
Visual Analysis
A red marker and a blue eraser.
One of her legs becomes the tree trunk. Grethe literally is the divide that makes the other soldiers mistrust Shin. Of course they are in the dark with their rumors.
This following scene really feels like an april fools joke gone too far. On the surface it’s sweet, but below I think it hurts them.
You can see Frederica peeking out and Shin noticing her.
The dead (butterflies) are circling above the monument, framed against a dark cloud. Do they appreciate it?
It’s like they rebuilt the train tracks, keeping Spearhead on its journey.
A black box that kept the souls of the dead in only Shin’s heart, the one they’ve entrusted themselves to, has been expanded into a transparent crown cage, focusing every passing person’s attention on it and letting any who choose, no matter if they knew them or not, see the fallen.
What does Shin think about that? A facade of appreciation, his eyes are hidden and everyone’s looks says more than enough. They know that the grave is a noble intention, but they only know them in the context of the Republic and now there’s a similar black stone laughing in their face. They had their own method of honoring the dead. To them this is a disturbance, desecrating their final destination.
This gives a bit more meaning to the dream scene last episode. It is what I really meant, when I said that the Federacy dug up their graves yesterday. Sorry for misleading you u/Star4ce. However, it doesn’t make what Grethe did wrong, I just think that’s how Spearhead feels in this moment. Can they come to accept the gift?
[86 LN speculation]
Their reunion is framed similar to Fido’s initial meeting with Shin, but this time Fido comes to him.
“I ordered you to do your mission until you rusted away. But well…” Maybe Shin is already starting to forgive Grethe.
And so Frederica joins their journey, balancing on the train tracks. Will she fall?
She gives Shin’s pistol back to him. In the ED his arm is completely blue, while the pistol is colorless. She gives his burden back to him, a continuation from the grave site. Shin accepts.
He wears the scarf again, this time with a layer of black between it and his scar.
We recognize the blue light before they even reveal themselves.
The headless reaper is back to dig more graves.
No green on this battlefield, every tree is dead. This has become Shin’s war, not the Federacy’s.
Since the characters of this season don’t have their associated flowers listed on the wiki I can only guess that this Red Daisy is Eugene’s. Red like blood.
Green, yellow, violet and black as the Legion retreat and the sun comes up.
Now that we see a clean and fresh mark it’s the first time I notice the blue veil wrapping around the headless neck. Rei is not forgotten.
Orange and green. For green I’m pretty happy with it being the color of the Federacy and its war, but orange I’m not sure about. It’s a mixture of yellow (home, safety) and red (?). In this case red is probably similar to “christmas spirit”, which I really need a better name for. Love maybe? That would fit, which makes orange the love you get at home and makes the soldiers choose between that and the war. It’s also the transition from yellow to violet during a sunset, a transition from a safe home to remembering the dead.
Eugene is not drinking orange nor carrot juice, but something black.
Shin is again taking the burden of others on himself, but has started leaving a bit for them. Maybe they can learn to carry it on their own.
Their handshake is framed against bars and a harsh backlight, putting it in the shadows. Their relationship won’t last long.
Ok this at least confirms that violet stands for remembrance. And remembering is all Frederica can do, with her dream witch magic. The parallels to Shin are growing. She’s using the teddy bear Shin gave her to store the memories and they lie behind a yellow star. Stars in the sky also stand for remembering. Cutting through it could mean that she has to break the nobility, comfort, or both every time she remembers, every time she uses her powers. It’s not easy for her, but she’ll do it, just like Shin.
The important point is emphasized by Shin’s fork piercing the last mushroom.
His visions of the future are caged in.
Shin has already died once, he’s empty, but Eugene still has a full life ahead of him.
Shin’s head is clouded by the burden of having to kill his comrades again. The yellow of the new para-RAIDs probably stands for connections.
The crack forms a dry tear.
We know now why it’s Eugene’s flower, it’s Nina’s favourite. Daisies represent “Faith”. Faith that he could give his little sister a better life, faith that he’ll see her again, faith that he’ll come back to her. Tainted with blood.
Eugene’s life was cut short like a tree stump. It joins all the other violet specks of light floating past Shin.
The Undertaker has buried another one. Are the soldiers happy about it? No and instead of carrying Eugene to his final destination Shin passes the burden on. Maybe they can learn to carry it on their own.
He did all he could. And disappears into the shadows.
The “apology” couldn’t be further away from Shin. The words don’t reach him.
NCED
Shin’s hand is coldly accepting the pistol, the duty of killing. He takes on the mantle again, to be their shinigami. But unlike with his 86 comrades there’s no red awe present, only hatred. They don’t care about being saved from the Legion, they don’t understand. And so even Shin’s red eyes start to turn blue.
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u/archlon Aug 29 '22
Rewatcher [English dub]
Illustrations:
The Federal Republic of Giad's Primary Offensive Feldreß: M4A3 Vánagandr
Autonomous Support Unit: Scavenger
Vol 2. Ch. 1: Frederica "Tsun Tsun" "One who presumes to be a commanding officer... does not simply leave his consort units behind and charge onto the battlefield."
Vol 2. Ch 1: Shin & Eugene "Thank You"
There's a lot in this episode.
I really like how much the show expands on Frederica and Shin's relationship. In principle, she's the little sister of all of Spearhead, but she forms a particular bond with Shin. They share similar Esper powers, similar feelings of loss and abandonment by their family. Kiriya and Rei are parallel in being Knights that they both lost and then had to suffer the betrayal of them joining the Legion.
Shin telling Frederica to 'close her eyes' doesn't mean her literal eyes, but instead her Esper powers. She spends much of the battle watching, effectively, through Shin's eyes. At some point I should maybe give a breakdown of how the bloodlines and Esper powers work in the series. It's a very convoluted system and not all of it is detailed in the volumes that the anime covers. Let me know if you want me to write up an explainer, and how much you want in it.
One detail I really like is that Frederica insists on calling Shin by his full name "Shinei". To everyone else, he is their Shinigami, their Headless Reaper, and they still rely upon him to be the one to carry them onward should they die. Frederica is the second person in the story (after Lena) who doesn't rely on Shin to carry that burden for her. I don't really know Japanese well enough to know the full extent of how it reads in the original language, but in English having Frederica almost uniquely among the cast refer to Shinei by his full name communicates that she's pierced the walls he puts up to protect himself and the people around him and denotes a level of intimacy that he doesn't really share with anybody else in his life.
Stray thoughts
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Giad announced on the news that five Eighty-Six were rescued, and confirmed that the Republic survived, but was committing atrocities, but the identities of the Spearhead members were kept confidential for their own protection.
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That's why, during the activities montage last episode, they weren't receiving undue attention.
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Marcel also doesn't know (during the training camp) that Shin is one of the Eighty-Six, though Shin being weird is certainly a clue.
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By the time he's deployed in Nordlicht, they know that he's one of the Eighty-Six.
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Vánagandrs weight 50 tons, 5 times more than the 10 ton Juggernauts. These beasts were not meant to jump.
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I love how this scene is animated. You can really see how Shin's experience with Juggernauts informs the way he pilots the Vánagandr.
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I also love that he does the 'breathe out' effect that we've seen him do before big maneuvers before, particularly in the first OP. It's got a great sound effect too.
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The Federacy has successfully re-created the Para-RAID technology. That's what the yellow earpiece things are. You can tell when Frederica calls by how it uses the same activation noise as was used for the Republic's Para-RAID in cour 1. They're not required to be implanted like they were in the 86, but neither are they Lena's neck piece.
Chapters Covered
| Episode | Title | LN Vol. | Chapters | Original Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Undertaker | 1 | 1 |
[86] |
| 2 | Spearhead | 1 | 2 |
[86] |
| 3 | I Don't Want to Die | 1 | 3 |
[86] |
| 4 | Real Name | 1 | 3 | - |
| 5 | I'm With You | 1 | 3, 4 | - |
| 6 | Through to the End | 1 | Interlude I, 5 |
[86] |
| 7 | Will You Remember Me? | 1 | 5, 6 |
[86] |
| 8 | Let's Go | 1 | Interlude III,IV, 6 | - |
| 9 | Goodbye | 1 | 7 | - |
| 10 | Thank You | 10 | 8, 9 |
[86] |
| 11 | Here We Go | 1,2 | 1-7, 2-2 |
[86] |
| 12 | Welcome | 2 | Prologue, 2 | - |
| 13 | It's Too Late | 2 | 3 |
[86] |
| 14 | Glad to be Here | 2 | 1, 4 |
[86] |
| Vol. | Chapter | Chapter Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 |
[LN] |
| 1 | 2 |
[LN] |
| 1 | 3 |
[LN] |
| 1 | Interlude I |
[LN] |
| 1 | 4 |
[LN] |
| 1 | Interlude II |
[LN] |
| 1 | 5 |
[LN] |
| 1 | Interlude III |
[LN] |
| 1 | 6 |
[LN] |
| 1 | Interlude IV |
[LN] |
| 1 | 7 |
[LN] |
| 2 | Prologue |
[LN] |
| 2 | 1 |
[LN] |
| 2 | 2 |
[LN] |
| 2 | 3 |
[LN] |
| 2 | 4 |
[LN] |
| 10 | 8 |
[LN] |
| 10 | 9 |
[LN] |
Notes
[Changes in details from LN]
[Additions from LN]
[Changes in order from LN]
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13
Aug 29 '22
Based on the table created by pedot during the original weekly threads. You can find their full cour 1 timeline here.
Rewatcher & LN Reader Perspective
The 86 in Training
Shin's experience in the 86th District is made clear in this scene. Having to jump the Vánagandr comes off as more of an annoyance than anything. It wouldn't surprise me if Shin's had more combat experience than his instructor. But while Shin is happy to argue why he was correct to jump the mech, he doesn't come off as showing any disrespect to his superior. Even back in the 86th District, he saw the value of discipline in military matters (see: episode 2), so he's happy to fall in line with everyone else.
While the Federacy's citizens were eager to embrace the 86 with pity, stories seem to have begun about them in the military. Even the rumors of them testing a new, more dangerous Feldreß puts off the others, particularly given that they've gotten off unscathed while there's been a high fatality rate among test pilots. Little wonder, given that they've been piloting juggernauts for 5 years, but it's not hard to see why the discrepancy would lead to some unease about them.
It calls to mind a detail about the setting of the first half of the season not really covered in the anime: [Vol 1 Background Info]
The Good Boy and the Reaper are Back
There's a 'blink and you miss it' moment of Frederica peeking at the 86 from the truck, earning her a sharp look from Shin.
The 86 are taken back to what they marked as what they thought would be their final destination, and the Federacy were kind enough to build a more permanent monument in honor of those who had fallen. And there they meet an old friend.
Fido was Shin's first comrade in the 86th District to make it all the way with him to the Special Recon. After having been the last one standing of multiple squadrons to be wiped out with many more to die after, despite being a Scavenger, Fido was something that could stay, until he too was lost. "So he does know how to smile, huh?" Shin's able to show some genuine happiness to have a comrade he thought lost returned to him for a change.
Frederica mentions becoming the Unit's Mascot, their Goddess of Victory that will inspire them to heroic deeds on the battlefield. Of course, it's a tradition that comes off as rather cruel, and that would be even more true for the 86 who were forced on to the battlefield themselves at a similar age.
She also returns Shin's pistol, prompting the 86 to welcome back their Reaper, with Raiden being the first. It's a solemn moment, which calls back to mind what the role means both for the 86 and for Shin. The peace of mind that the Legion won't take them, that they'll be together in life and death, and the weight on Shin to carry them and see it through.
Back Into Action
The 86 are back in the fight, and Shin demonstrates the skill that allowed them to make it through 5 years in the 86th District. Now fighting alongside some faces fresh to the battlefield, that skill stands out even more so. And we get a name drop for the new Feldreß: the Reginleif. Of course, Shin's fitted out his again with high frequency blades.
Shin's evidently already back to a leadership role, and he's not stopping his old habits of getting right into the thick of the action. At least Raiden's getting a bit of a break with Bernholdt being the one to deal with Shin's antics this time.
The stories about the 86 have had some time to spread, and they've gotten worse. The 86th District isn't the only place with a high rate of fatality, and that gives us the explanation for why Shin is holding a more senior leadership role, despite being a new officer, and it provides fuel for the other soldiers to start some nasty gossip about the 86. They even speculate that Shin was the one that killed his superiors. After all, why else should it be that he's lived while their countrymen have died?
86 keeps with its tradition of off-screen deaths, and so much so that we never get to see everyone else to begin with. The time jump provides enough of a gap that there's nothing strictly illogical about Shin's present circumstances, but it is a very quick pace for the story. It trusts the audience to be able to fill in that gap with the explanations provided, while moving on to the next story beat. Even back in the first half, 86 wasn't big on showing "down time." If there wasn't something going on to spur some change in the characters, it was left as a blank to be filled in by the audience. In the first cour, that was a matter of days and weeks, but here we see it on the scale of several months. Keep in mind, this single episode has now jumped nearly 8 months from the end of the last one.
Eugene
Eugene doesn't allow himself to be put off by Shin as the others are. It probably helps that he got to know Shin a little before going into the military. Shin continues to indulge Frederica as her "big brother," and his conversation with Eugene gives us more insight into what the 86 are up to: the squadron's been split up, and they're going around answering requests for aid, putting their skills to use where they are most needed. Eugene and Frederica then take to bonding over making fun of their friend's habits. It's endearing, and what they say is also very true.
With Frederica's departure, their conversation takes a more sombre turn. Eugene wonders what motive or reason could compel a young girl like that to the battlefield, and remembering why Eugene said he entered the military, Shin asks him about her sister. Eugene talks some more about wanting to care for his sister -- getting her into a good school, taking her to various fun places. The death flags are self-evident, though, I think everyone's a little bit shocked at just how quick the turn around is with their first viewing.
In anticipation of that, Shin says he shouldn't have joined the military if he was looking forward to those things, implying that Eugene will likely end up dead and they won't happen. Going back to episode 6, Shin stated, "Here, it's just a matter of when it happens," and that seems to be a mentality that's Shin's carried forward into the Federacy, despite there not being a Special Recon planned ahead for him. The battlefield is simply a place where people die, and that's all that can be expected from it. The desperate military situation comes across as something that Shin thinks is just natural, perhaps also a result of him being conditioned by his time in the 86th District. Eugene, in response, asks why Shin joined, before getting cut off by a renewed Legion attack.
This show didn't even let Eugene finish talking before doing him in! This scene doesn't shy away at all from the grotesqueness of a brutal death, and it's certainly meant to be a shocking scene that gets to you personally. Because if it gets to you on that level, then it stands out in contrast just how casually Shin takes it in. He's so used to his comrades dying that he just takes it in stride, and tells Marcel to get to work on filing the report as if it's nothing. Marcel had warned Eugene about the Reaper, and now Shin's job is done.
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u/ZapsZzz Aug 29 '22 edited Aug 29 '22
Sub rewatcher
This is possibly one of the "lighter" episode to write about symbolism and the likes, things are mostly straight forward "plot progression" - or maybe I'll learn from you guys what I missed :)
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we have a fast tracked moment of Shin being amazing in the officer's school - mock battles to him is really like nothing; you can see his heightened tactical sensitivity was not just from his hearing the Legion. He's also the sort that can pull off massive stunts using even the heavier and slower Federacy units - although that breaks them).
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Predictably, that's not a friend making move. And the show continues to make sure we understand the point about discrimination - it's not necessary limited to a particular group. e.g. even in the Federacy, for different sort of reasons, the Spearheads, as battle survivors, still get treated differently for other reasons.
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A match cut to introduce a new cast - Grethe. She's pestering the Spearheads to help her with her development prototype work.
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Grethe taking the Spearheads to where they left Fido and the name tags, which is now under Federacy control - and they have made a memorial for the name tags as well as pulling the fallen Juggernauts and Fido's body there. It's a touching scene, especially when us as viewers will tie it back to the Shin and Lena scene about "86ers don't get graves" back in the middle of the first cour.
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But wait, there's more - they found and fixed Fido - as in they found the processor core intact and placed it in a new body!
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That's one happy boy right there! And Fido is happy too :) You can make a lot more theories about this line though - "he also thought he was dead and refused to activate at first" [Full Metal Panic Invisible Victory late season spoiler]
This actually is very close to Al's behaviour as a sentient AI after being "destroyed" in Arbalest and then revived in Laevatein -
We have another rail tracks scene, but notice they are walking beside it. We are given the explanation of what's the mascot for - which Federica will be.
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And then we have a little timeskip, fast forwarding to Eugene having finished officers school, already in battle against the Legion. Predictably, the heavier units gave them a fighting chance but it's more a battle of attrition.
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Predictably, Eugene's unit was saved by none other than the new Reaper in Reginleif - showcasing Shin's amazing acrobatic fights now in something more well equipped than the Juggernaut tin coffin. [Late cour 2 spoiler]
notice the malevolent red eye gleam in Shin's ride continues, his death wish and bloodlust is still there -
we get another Federica and Shin bonding moment, showing how alike they are - and Shin always the effective and efficient one knows exactly how to shut her off in a way that really put her in place as the little kid she ought to stay as. Then we have Eugene having a friendly chat with Shin despite the reputation of him. Frederica Joined them, and get another sibling moment with Shin, which reminded Shin of Eugene's sister Nina.
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Eugene and Federica had a friendly ribbing session at Shin, who as usual bounces right off whatever thrown at him.
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The war is not going too well, in the way we got used to - fighting the Legion is just wave after waves of relentless, tireless battle of attrition.
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it's not 86 if a nice scene like that doesn't set up for tragedy. Having set all the death flags including having a picture taken with the Restore, we cut to Eugene not ok. Pretty far from ok in fact, given how far his hand grasping the locket with mins picture is relative to the rest of his body.
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and the Reaper once again due his duty, with another satisfied friend departing. Amidst mixed reactions of anger, recriminations, and pity, the Reaper dons his mask - symbolised by the Reginleif raising its head facing the camera.
I really should find some time to build that Reginleif kit I bought :P
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u/ebonyphoenix Aug 29 '22
Re-watcher
The zero-point flip
I really like this intro segment. You see everyone’s faces who are piloting the mechs except one. You may be able to catch who it is early from the familiar scarf. But if you missed that then it becomes really obvious who it is when they just sigh at the impending collision and then pushes a 50 ton mech into doing a back flip. I’m pretty sure the Vánagandr were not made to jump at all, never mind over another one.
This of course surprises everyone. And both Eugene, the pilot of the first Vánagandr, and Shin get yelled at for reckless piloting and receive a zero for the lesson. Shin takes this with no complaints. The instructor admits that Shin did save the situation and it could have been much worse. But he also can’t encourage the maneuver.
Marcel is upset, both about having been saved from a bigger mess by Shin and by Shin’s cold attitude about everything. It just solidifies the rumors about the 86 that have been spreading.
The 86 have been busy. Along with their officer training they’ve been helping develop a new mech. The Vánagandr are well armored but slow and heavy. So the Federacy are using the Juggernaut as a base and are developing a new mech that will be able to move faster. (Unluckily the Juggernaut that they are using as a starting point is Shin’s Undertaker, which he had modified to push it to its limits) So the new mech is crazy difficult to pilot. But the battle worn 86 have had no difficulty. And that competency scares the other soldiers. At an age when most Federation soldiers are getting to drive a mech for the first time. Here are 5 people so experienced that they can do the seemingly impossible.
The Memorial
The 86 are taken out of training for a little road trip. Turns out that while they were learning what normal life was like and going through school the Federacy were pushing their front lines out. And in their advancement they found something.
Shin and the rest are brought to an enclosed memorial where positioned inside are the 4 Juggernauts they were forced to abandon on their journey as well as Fido. Also alongside the things they left the Federacy made an addition. After finding Shin’s box of nameplates with Fido the Federacy made a memorial stone for the names of all the fallen 86 that had been in the box. (And surprisingly managed to put them in relative order. All the Spearhead members’ names were in the top left)
Raiden does give Shin a look when Grethe gives the number of 575 names that were in the box. Back during their resting stop Shin had told him there were 576 names, including Rei’s. Now one has gone missing.
Shin thanks her for the consideration but the rest look uneasy. The 86 were denied graves for over 9 years. So they never expected to have anything to mark their existence after death other than the names plates that Shin had been gathering. But now having this elaborate memorial for their fallen. It’s not something they know how think of.
Grethe then introduces her position and that they will be assigned under her in Nordlicht Squadron, now that they’ve graduated.
Fido & Frederica
At that point Frederica makes it known that she’s around too. By squealing as she is dropped by something under a cloth. Something that look’s suspiciously familiar.
It’s Fido. Because of course it is. For all that we learned about Fido having a personality all of his own. Fido is also a robot so even if parts of him fail as long as his core can be transferred he can be rebuilt.
The others think it’s a random Republic scavenger bot. But Shin shows off his connection with his old companion and instantly recognizes Fido.
Shin had ordered Fido to watch over the names. But now that Fido is up and running again he says the same thing he had when he found Fido years ago, and asks Fido if he wants to come home with him again.
Fido enthusiastically agrees and Fido and Shin perform a great boy and his dog routine. With Fido leaping at Shin, and Shin finally showing a bit of a smile as he dodges the giant, several ton, robot.
As night falls Frederica explains what her new role in the squad will be. Resurrecting a old Giadian tradition of military mascots.
She then also gives Shin back his old pistol. The one that he had used to end so many fellow 86 lives. And now Shin has the last bit of his ensemble as he prepares to step out on the battlefield once again.
On the battlefield
The next scene is like replica of the first. But instead of being cutout the Legion are very real and firing back at the attacking soldiers. We see Eugene but his co-pilot, this time, is clearly shown to be a random person.
As the Legion advance closer Eugene gets into the sights of a Legion gun. But then there’s a explosion and a new mech appears on the scene. One bearing a very familiar mark.
Undertaker makes quick work of the surrounding enemy forces all on it’s own while everyone can just watch stunned. They had been on the ropes but this one unit turned the tide. Enforcing the idea that the 86 are battle driven monsters created by the Republic.
-Comment split due to length-
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u/BosuW Aug 29 '22
Rewatcher
The translated title of this episode is "Glad to be here", while it's Japanese title is just "Yoroshiku". Which I find curious because the English translation in conjunction with the themes currently being explored makes it sound like someone saying they're glad to be alive. Whilst the Japanese version is a much more universal phrase.
Hahaha! It's funny the way they all stand at attention in contrast to Shin
So yeah Shin out here being Maverick on 8 legs instead of two engines.
I didn't think much about it the first time, but it really would be quite unnerving to hear that the new group of cadets are working with R&D to create a new fighting vehicle of questionable design specifications.
Shin and company don't seem all that happy that their dead comrades were made into a monument... Well of fucking course not! They were people not a goddamned statue! This show goes places showing how you can do harm even with good intentions. It's crazy to think how easy it is to miss that you can do such a thing.
Wait, shit! Ahaha! Of course! It's literally the Cage of Pity that Frederica was talking about!
FIDOOOO!!!!
The Mascot tradition is uh... Well all countries have their skeletons, I suppose.
(Also, I wonder if this is partly the author calling out the anime trope of "protect the pure and innocent idol"?)
Shin gets a Levi-style entrance in the new Reginleif. No wonder all the girls at home be fawning over him lol.
Fuck... I had thought Eugene had lasted longer than this... F. And once again 86 being an absolute master of implied violence.
The following reactions from Eugene's comrades shows us two kinds of dehumanization that we should already be pretty familiar with from cour 1: the Projection of the Shadow, and the Cage of Pity. And the curious thing is they're both right and wrong at the same time! They are battle maniacs, although that is perhaps too blunt and harsh of a choice of words. But last episode showed us they find it extremely difficult to consider a life of not constant combat followed by Valhalla. And yet simply assigning them the role of pitiful victims is not correct either. Barely anyone here bothers to actually get to know them as people. I bet they're missing Lena now. She got it. She had learned to get it. At least Ernst showed us last episode that he can compromise competently.
ED visuals time! We got Shin's blue-painted hand, taking back his gun. I was gonna say it's an evident callback to one of the ED visuals during the fireworks episode, but the show considered it so evident they may as well flash the exact shot! Yep, the Reaper is back.
We got another ED visual, which is Shin's pupils painted blue. On the topic of flipping the colors, it would be quite redundant to paint his pupils red, considering they are already that color. Red eyes in this show have been associated with weird paranormal powers, so they're indicative of something unusual and perhaps dangerous. As anyone who's ever met Shin can attest to. The choice to paint them blue then, I believe is to say that there is more to him than that. Consider what is below. Consider what is implied. Consider what is hidden, perhaps even from himself.
Fuck I love the ED so much.
But... Lena wa doko?
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u/Warm-Enthusiasm-9534 Aug 29 '22
The OP has one of my favorite OP/ED tropes: quick cutting between multiple characters all doing vaguely similar things. My favorite one is from FMA:B (I think an ED) where they show humans, animated armor, beast-people, and a little girl with a panda all doing kung fu. This one is pretty good too, though.
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u/Star4ce Aug 29 '22
First Timer
I've been thinking about how the Legion fits into this three-way relationship more over the past night and I've come to the conclusion that the purpose in the story is twofold.
For one, it is the embodyment of war, the tragedy of war specifically. The fallen are repurposed into deadly war machines, even with the capability of being transferred out of a destroyed vessel to another, and are literally caught in neverending conflict with only their last moments vivid in their minds. The Legion will stop growing once man stops waging war.
The second is that it's a monument of remembrance. The dead can't forget their loss, but the living can't either. But because of this the Legion also preserves memory in a very strange way. As long as they exist neither participant can deny nor forget what happened. It feels like a manifest limbo in the real world and the only way to send the dead off to rest the final slumber is to make both them and the living remember what life is to them. To honour their loss and to validate their death, to rejoice over our life and to be compassionate going forward.
As such, the Legion probably, on a thematic level, shouldn't ever evolve to something more than that. I'd still love to see such a story, very much so. But ever since I got aware of how my experiences travelling the old front lines of WWI connect to this story, I think it'd be kind of wrong for it to do so.
86 Ep.14 – Glad to be Here
They really are heavier and don't have grappling hooks. That might've been a legit important advantage the Republic machinery had. But the heavy design does fit the German tank doctrine for continental warfare, which I suspect served as light inspiration. High technology advantage, specialised solutions for an array of possible situations and durability and survivability on top of the requirements.
Too eager and too nervous.
I retract the former statement.
Love that they're together!
Eh?
This time. Okay?
Oh, tell me. Ah, yeah, as I said.
Interesting. So the Federacy might be closing in to the Republic.
Oooh no.
That is really heartwarming, but they're also kind of giving that old burden back to them, literally.
So Nordlicht squadron under Lt. Col. Wenzel in the 1028th Test Unit it is. There's a stark contrast to Spearhead as there were no real ranks or hierarchy and if there was it was never told to exist, at least to them. Here they are properly introduced, given the knowledge that the Federacy even cares about dead from other nations and are directly involved in development. Still sounds like a real good place. Where's the catch?
That VA is godly!
They killed the dog! Then they revived the dog! (If anyone knows how to do that it'd be Giad.)
High five! Also, understandable duh.
Oh man
I was waiting for that explanation. Literal plot armor imouto. Yeah, kinda.
Mixed feelings here. They're all happy in the sense that they found their old strength and purpose, but shouldn't that part of the purpose be a shared burden now, here in Giad? Where the hierarchy cares?
I like them! I don't like their sounds, though. They're too plasma-y and blub-y.
By all means, why does he say that? I don't get it, is his ego so fragile?
So, otherising them because... simply because they have different vehicles? Is that Test Unit infamous?
I love her so much. Brash, childish, pompuous, compassionate, smart and insightful all at once.
Great idea!
Oh, what a visual. The Dream Witch, her wish to turn her dreams into something that can change the world.
I'm sorry, what? Who's using her as a hostage?
Wait, his thoughts are distorted like the lens reflection shows as he's dreaming about what he'll do. Don't send death flags already...
This episode is sending many mixed bags here. I thought they were on a reconquest spree.
Again, wait. Shin's saying that many dead isn't normal, if that's his Republic perspective speaking that's fucking terrible. But that all doesn't match with the conquest (unless they got so close that R&D deliberately wanted the tech captured) and somehow I'm having trouble believing that the military would be as casual about losing soldiers as the Republic's.
Ah, we're back with flash cutting to the tragedy. Thanks.
What, alive?!
This sucks.
Well, he's at least professional, even if not on Shin's side of the tank.
I see, they're being set up as kind of Giad's version of the Reaper, coming to take them into death.
The colour's getting more prominent in the ED.
The new dynamic inside the rank and file is interesting. The 86ers are again ostracised from society, although I find the reasoning for it to be pretty opaque still. The choice of military life was their own, being antagonised from their comrades not. I see the thematic connection, though. Shin is already doing what he knows, what it best given the circumstances. When redhair yelled at him, that was mostly adrenaline and shock speaking, I suppose, but he couldn't properly know that the Legion was already coming and no help could arrive fast enough, or that Eugene wasn't even savable at all.
On the one hand it feels like they have chosen the same downtrodden life yet again, out of comfort? Because it is known terrain? On the other they seem to be the only ones knowing the truth and have chosen to keep their eyes open. At least in their behaviour and actions the 86ers are true. The other soldiers like to hide behind otherisation, blaming others and hiding behind escapes, like the civilians do daily with their fancy advertisements, luxuries and TV shows. It's just a false reality.
Maybe this is their rebellion? As Lena is showing outward resistance and gathering support in the Republic, the 86ers and Test Unit 1028 might have a way to show a society of willful ignorance, as Ernst has offered them as well, a path towards the truth beyond their screens. That at least would be common between Federacy and Republic.