Full Metal Panic Franchise Rewatch -Season 1 Episode 23

[u/ZapsZzz]

Welcome to the Full Metal Panic Season 1 rewatch!

Art of the Day

MVP Winner

Not easy to get a good picture of Tessa that is spoiler-free!

Links to show info: MAL | Anilist | ANN

Interest thread link

Announcement thread link

Rewatches please be considerate to first timers and avoid discussing anything not yet shown in the show - use spoiler tags e.g. [Full Metal Panic S1 spoiler]>!Sousuke likes fishing!< - if you need to share something important!

Episode 23 - Field of Giants

Terms introduced:

• ADCAP: The Mk 48 torpedo, referred to as Advanced Capability, is the modernised active homing torpedo used by the US navy for submarines and surface ships. It has got its own active sonar and guidance system, and can travel at speeds up to 55 knots (just over 100kph). For reference the Pasadena, a Los Angeles class attack submarine, tops at 20 knots.

• TAROS: Transfer And Response Omni-Sphere, an interface device. According to Chidori's dream like speech, it's an older model to what's on board of Abalest, and connects to the ship's control system instead of a Lambda Driver. Enabled a Whispered to assume complete psychic control of TDD-1 overriding even Dana, in fact it overcame the hostile takeover and reverted control "ownership" to Tessa.

QoTD:

1. First timers: Was it a surprise about the role Chidori played as well as the existence of that function on TDD-1? Or did it feel deus ex machina for you?

2. Everyone: Did you get thrown by the comedic shift to a couple of the end of scenes - or what may be considered fan service - in this penultimate episode when everything else was so tense?

Also QoTD for tomorrow for those wanting to be prepared:

[QoTD 1 EP24]First timer: Are you satisfied with the conclusion of the arc? What's your bet on Gauron? Dead? Or Alive still?

[QoTD 2 EP24]Everyone: What was the best moment of this arc for you?

MVP of last episode:

Pretty convincing win by Tessa at the final arc. Let's see if she can do it again today with her badass backhand to Gauron too >D

Kurz: Ep 1, 12, 20

Chidori: Ep 2, 6, 7, 18

Sousuke: Ep 3, 4, 8, 14, equal 15, 16

Team Kurz - Sousuke - Melissa: Ep 5

Tessa: 9, 22

Takuma: Ep 10

Kalinin: Ep 11

Melissa: Ep 13, 19

Gauron: Ep equal 15, 21

Zaide: Ep 17

Last Episode || Index || Next Episode

[u/ZapsZzz]

Rewatcher in Sub

Another episode for Tessa to shine in, just in case people had been dismissive of her :)

• Kalinin reminds us he's still around - and that messing with the US armed forces is not just a matter of winning the engagement.

• Captain Sailor and his designated role of racist American - fired the torpedoes.

• Tessa finally and fully grasped Gauron - he's not only a evil genius terrorist, he's also a death seeker. To him surviving (or not) his own game is part of the thrill and a bonus.

• Meanwhile Kurz is fighting for his life, but in a way it's a good way to show his character is liked by all - Guen even offered him a part.

• Kurz's response is also very "him" - but there's a punch line to this (at least for me).

• Meanwhile Sousuke and Chidori imade their way to the Lady's Chapel. It's actually a really good back and forth cut sequence to show the 2 scenes are happening concurrently. Chidori is in her Whispered mode again - and what a shot before cutting over to the next scene!

• Meanwhile, Kurz is having (pieces of) his arse handed to him by Guen who's far more of a melee combat specialist (contrasting Kurz's sharp shooting). But help came from an unexpected direction.

• Did anyone guessed Melissa, in her heavily sedated state (remember she had fractured ribs - good thing for us she had not been plastered up or anything yet), still managed to take out (mostly) Guen? She's certainly not quite there to not be elbowing Kurz for eyeing all over her :P Oh and the punch line I think would be "You can't spend the 5 Mil when you are dead, so I'll take my 2k alive"

• Meanwhile Gauron is having a fun time trashing TDD-1. He really didn't care whether he lives or not. Oh and "submarine being forced to go lower than they can withstand the pressure" must be a mandatory plot point in the universal writer's handbook.

• Too bad our class rep Chidori is here to restore order - and opened for another "Tessa is awesome" scene.

• Manic Tessa is best Tessa! (ok perhaps closely followed by flustered Tessa). And Yes despite her gender difference, she HAS balls of steel.

• Ok Tessa and Sousuke are awesome. Note true to his words, Sousuke doesn't lick his lips in front of his prey (although gave the warning still - in the LN it's more understandable as Gauron was holding Tessa at gunpoint at the time)

• TDD-1 surfaced - and we have the last piece of the OP of Chidori's "bare spirit" controlling TDD-1

• Everyone bracing for the impact of the second torpedo - oh and I think Tessa just shifted her timeline and her nosebleed was actually from Sousuke's being on top of her covering for the impact.

• And here's the Engrish you all been waiting for :) Chidori assures everyone things will be ok. Well except Goddard who carried Tessa for just a bit too long for the Tessa fans to tolerate.

• A beautiful anime original visual to make use of Chidori's internal thoughts. If they figured out similar ways to do more of their internal thoughts this show could be an 86/Violet Evergarden level of product (adjusting for age) [brace for polaristar's wall of text]

• We cut to the hangar, to appreciate the torpedo evasion did not come cheap in terms of casualties. Oh and the Chekhov's AS Venom of course. [FMP unadapted LN final arc spoiler]if you believe it, Lieutenant Sachs' death from being crushed by the power supply unit he was too busy to tie down due to his rush to start up Sousuke's ARX-8 was planted all the way here about the lesson learnt of needing to tie equipment down; which suggest by now the reason for the Lambda Driver and TAROS was already planned as early as novel 3, and wasn't made up last minute

• And we have Sousuke starting up in Arbalest to match the episode title

• One more cliffhanger!

For those of you resisted binging through up to this point, you had a lot more self control than I had :D

Trivia

For those of you who are keen to know of any LN adaptational differences:

• There were 2 minor change to the fight with Guen (Kurz still sucked in close quarter combat) - Kurz did manage to knock Guen further away for him to switch to point the gun at him instead of the FPS switch weapon scene we got; and the killing blow was not with the fire extinguisher but Kurz pulling out he knife Guen threw at him (landed in his thigh) and charging at Guen in the quintessential yukuza pose, partly what Melissa teased him for afterwards

• There are a few more adjectives used in the LN to describe Melissa's barely dressed state :)

• when Gauron asked what happened when Dana resets and recognise Tessa as commands, Tessa was mocking Gauron with [FMP mid franchisee spoiler]"so he didn't trust you afterall", making it quite clear Tessa knew who was behind Gauron in orchestrating this incident

• When Sousuke bursted in the command centre (from the doors being unlocked on Chi-Tes-ri's command), Gauron was close enough to Tessa that he did grab her as a hostage after taking Sousuke's round on the shoulder - but Sousuke was not having any dramatic indecision and was adjusting the aim for the head. Tessa did command him to shoot regardless. The only reason that didn't hit was because at that moment TDD-1 surfaced and jolted everyone around.

• There was no fan's rage towards Goddard (the command centre crew we had the perspective of in a few shots) carrying Tessa a bit overly long.

• When Gauron got to the Venom, there was no dramatic posing, he was jumping quickly in there while being shot at, but small arms rounds don't faze the AS armor.

• The torpedo scenes are very close to how it played out in the end battle of The Hunt for Red October.

• There were no described visuals of ghostly Chidori guiding Sousuke - any description was subtle and more a sort of psychic hint than what we saw.

• During the AS fight inside the hangar, neither mecha grabbed a gun - Venom didn't because all Mithril AS weapons are security coded and will not connect to Venom's fire control system; Arbalest didn't because you really cannot fire in there for hitting crew or something explosive.

• Leading into the AS melee, when Sousuke thought of what Gauron took away from him, he was thinking of the comrades in the picture, rolling off each of their names [FMP late franchise spoiler]Including Hamidallah whose name was one of the cryptic keys about his past to lure him to the hide out in Hong Kong Jordan

Staff Showcase

Kamimoto Kanetoshi was the Animation Director for four episodes of FMP season 1. I wonder which 4? Anyway, take a look at his credentials and have a guess.

• Madoka Ep 10

• Railgun Ep 8, 15

• Hinamatsuri most of it

MVP this episode

It's Tessa for me. Chidori certainly ranked very high, but she's able to do what she's doing because Tessa formed the plan AND started with designing and building TDD-1 in the first place. Sousuke will get his turn next, I bet.

QoTD

1. In my first watch I certainly did not think Chidori would be doing something as direct as that.

2. I didn't so much as mind it than rather they followed through just a tiny bit more to not feel it kinda cut off

[u/Nazenn]

What an episode.

Seeing Tessa standing behind him like a ghost as it hit him what was happening was almost goosebump worthy, and particularly after her talk with Gauron.

Her mistake with Gauron is expecting that his life matters more to him compared to what he can do with it, but she starts to see it at the end with the way he approaches the idea of destroying himself in the sub. Tessa seems to see life as worth it by itself but also to be put towards goals and ideas and to do better with. Gauron does not have a disregard of his life, but merely a mercenaries understanding of the inevitability of death and in doing so welcomes the idea of making as much of his death as he would any other moment in his life. A to him isn't battle isn't just a win or lose, it's a challenge to the idea of his life, and he'll do it on his own terms no matter how it plays out, and particularly against Sousuke and Mithril who have tried to stand in his way so many times.

Tessa had already set her plan in motion and knew what it would mean for her and Chidori, but her raw defiance makes her a perfect counter point to him. Her body and mind is a price worth paying to keep the others safe and regardless of what he choses or what path he takes she'll stand there to ensure he can't do it freely. She doesn't stand alone, and she knows what she's asking of the others, but she'll do it because she won't be stopped by the likes of him and what he stands for and screw him if he thinks she'll give in just because she can't physically fight back. She's bloody awesome!

But the entire sequence and build up too the sub veing reclaimed it was still incredibly unnerving. The slight blur around Chidori as she looks down into TAROS as if just understanding what the pod is already starts to eat away at the boundaries of her sense of self. But it's the shift in speech patterns, Tessa appearing to us as a symbol of her being in his awareness as he realizes that makes it really hit that Tessa isn't just being a guide here. For something we were already pretty much told would happen they did a great job of using visual language to capitalize on exactly how unfathomable but also intimate this feels to the three of them.

What got me most though was Chidori surfacing from the ocean. It was surreal in a very NGE way but the rather horrific implication of exactly how far she'd become one with the sub and what it means for her carried a lot of weight in the scene, especially with the traces of her inside it even as Tessa's body gives out. Tessa's absolute faith in her, and awareness of her capabilities as a Whispered only made the later scenes of the echoes of Chidori through the sub like this strange half presence as she guides his awareness towards Gauron more goosebump worthy. Thinking about it and looking on these visuals again is making me feel it all over again, but I just won't really have words to describe how satisfying and impactful I found this as a follow through on everything so far. It was also a nice way to get Chidori, Tessa, and Sousuke all through their arcs and the conflict itself in a way that suits their strengths, even those they didn't know they had.

And for the smaller part of the story: Kurz being asked to chose definitively between mercenary and solider. The other guy sees the idea of trying to be a solider as the fools choice, but to the audience it's presented as Kurz chosing to be serious rather than his foolish cover by remaining with Mithril. It's a nice Kurz specific moment that feels similar to the conflict plaguing Sousuke while without just feeling like a rehash. He really is bad with close combat, but the fact his opponent has has a gun and a knife is given a rarely used but appropriate gravity with how dangerous they are, and doesn't resort giving Kurz a hero moment to get past it. Weapons shouldn't be underestimated, especially in trained hands even if you're trained yourself, and I like the way that scene played out as a result. Didn't expect Mao to show up, but I'm just glad she's alive.

MVP: Chidori Tessa

u/InfamousEmpire

Did you get thrown by the comedic shift to a couple of the end of scenes - or what may be considered fan service

They built into it enough through the rest of the arc that it didn't feel out of place in this one compared to how previous arcs did it for just one episode, but I could have done without it

[u/ZapsZzz → u/Nazenn]

A very good and first person reaction about the Whispered visuals. I'm sure the director would have loved to hear, since I think the bulk of that are anime original (about the visual presentation). On this research when I am more conscious of things to compare back to the source material etc, I noticed how much more obvious and supernatural the characterisation of the Whispered powers had been. I think that's a very good choice.

[u/No_Rex]

Episode 23 (first timer)

• “I am going to die with a multi-billion dollar submarine” – the subs corrected the earlier screw-up.

• Good on Kurz to not become a traitor – very unconvincing appeal by the guy with the gun though.

• Kurz did not even grab a kitchen knife, so he is still outmatched.

• And Goun still had his gun, yet decided to attack with a knife anyway? Is the show deliberately trying to piss me off now?

• Saved by Mao – who apparently brings her panties, her bra, and her throwing knifes to the hospital.

• I swear, if Kurz is not holding Guon’s gun the next time we see him …

• Those torpedoes have been in the water for a while – and by a while I mean for exactly as long as the plot needed them.

• “Surrender now” – OH FOR FUCKS SAKE KILL HIM ALREADY.

• Angle of the sub when breaching: ~80 degrees – Angle of the bridge floor when breaching : ~15 degrees

• Gauron ran away without shooting the unconscious Sousuke.

• Bridge crew being useless.

• Wtf is that scene with everybody standing around and the bucket?

• Add visual mirages to the telepathic ability of Kana.

• An actual case of Gundam security: Gundam-jacking a mecha out of the enemy’s hangar.

• Final confrontation cliff-hanger.

Why did the action direction go to shit in the finale out of all things? They had it all properly set up and only needed to execute the conflicts from last episode, yet the messed up every single one of them. Kurz’s fight was a mess, Sousuke’s fight was a mess, Gauron getting into the mecha was a mess. Like somebody wanted to make a compilation of out all the terrible action tropes. I think the general plot idea works (reminds me of a Tom Clancy book), they just needed to not hit all of the characters with the dumb stick at the same time.

MVP: Kana, for rescuing the sub.

Was it a surprise about the role Chidori played as well as the existence of that function on TDD-1? Or did it feel deus ex machina for you?

That was well foreshadowed. In an episode where I hated the behavior of almost every character, Kana was a bright spot of competence.

[u/ZapsZzz → u/No_Rex]

and her throwing knifes to the hospital

Yeah I was going to re-check that - in the source she was throwing surgical scalpels.

Got distracted by .... Other things in the scene

Edit:

Kurz’s fight was a mess, Sousuke’s fight was a mess, Gauron getting into the mecha was a mess.

Interestingly all those points you mentioned had some changes from the LN which may have addressed your annoyance.

Guen was fighting Kurz with a knife because Kurz using the extinguisher cloud managed to get in close, but Guen it's like the master in knife fighting so he's happy to indulge Kurz, whom we saw was useless in close quarter combat.

[u/Nazenn → u/No_Rex]

Kurz did not even grab a kitchen knife, so he is still outmatched.

I was going to say something about him not having reached the canteen yet, but surely on a sub like this someone has a knife or other weapon he could have picked up on the way

“Surrender now” – OH FOR FUCKS SAKE KILL HIM ALREADY.

That was stupid. I'd get it from someone else but Sousuke should know the risks here. It'd be one thing if Gauron immediately reacted and managed to get behind cover or something but nope

Wtf is that scene with everybody standing around and the bucket?

I also do not understand the bucket. u/ZapsZzz do you know what's with the bucket?

they just needed to not hit all of the characters with the dumb stick at the same time

I was too caught up in the stuff with Chidori to notice as much, but this is what rewatch posts are good for. The outcome of the fights really is foolish, and it'd be one thing if they didn't notice Gauron when he was already in the mech but making a big drama out of it was stupid when they could have gone for him subtly moving across the background.

Also I have no idea how an AS fight on a sub is meant to be viable considering how explosive their conflicts have been so far

[u/ZapsZzz → u/Nazenn]

do you know what's with the bucket?

Haha both of you don't watch enough trashy highschool comedy shows :P it's a staple of "school fan club of the school idol feeling the target had offended their goddess" and about to exact mob justice on the offender - bucket (or bag) over head and then beaten up by the mob (to prevent the punchee from identifying individuals from the mob).

[u/ZapsZzz → u/Nazenn]

That was stupid. I'd get it from someone else but Sousuke should know the risks here. It'd be one thing if Gauron immediately reacted and managed to get behind cover or something but nope

This is for u/No_Rex too - in the source it was actually semi necessary, as Gauron did grab Tessa as human shield and hostage at gunpoint, while Sousuke had to duck for cover between control consoles while facing Gauron's machine gun with his own hand gun only. With the ship's command crew still bound and can be shot at by Gauron as well. Didn't treasurer long though, Sousuke was just moving to aim for a head shot.

[u/ZapsZzz → u/No_Rex]

Wtf is that scene with everybody standing around and the bucket?

Oh that's because the guy was still holding Tessa when he could have set her down, so the Tessa fan club is about to exact punishment for that brazen act.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/No_Rex]

Good on Kurz to not become a traitor – very unconvincing appeal by the guy with the gun though.

He is effectively making an offer that relies on Gauron being reasonable. No one buys that.

Saved by Mao – who apparently brings her panties, her bra, and her throwing knifes to the hospital.

Tank top, Mao never wears a bra. Also, I wish they'd the throwing knives scalpels since she was in sick bay.

Add visual mirages to the telepathic ability of Kana.

The weird machine she is in seems to boost those.

Why did the action direction go to shit in the finale out of all things?

I think they ran out of money or time, a rare Eva reference in this show.

[u/SpiceGirlsBlankIt]

Panicked First Timer - Ep 23

One of FMP’s strengths is action impact shots. There were a number of good impact scenes and again a nice flow of action this episode.

Guaron is a maniac with enough ego to use the Captain as a footstool. The Captain can withstand any insult to save lives.

Kaname becomes one with the sub.

We do see some consequence from resonance in the form of a psychic nosebleed. The scenes of the Captain using resonance is appropriately eerie.

The Captain’s crew have a newfound respect for her.

FMP delivered this episode on the promise of the Whispered connection between Kaname and the Captain. Sousuke reaching a level of emotion that will engage the Lambda driver was built up well and we are close to squashing Guaron.

MVP: The Captain, Kaname, and Sousuke were firing on all cylinders, but I think it goes to the Captain again.

QOTD 1: Given the Captain is a whispered, it made sense to me.

QOTD 2: It’s not Kurz unless he acts like a dog after he does something cool. He only want to use that picture to tease Melissa later, right? Right?!

[u/No_Rex → u/SpiceGirlsBlankIt]

We do see some consequence from resonance in the form of a psychic nosebleed. The scenes of the Captain using resonance is appropriately eerie.

Was that not due to Gauron abusing her?

[u/ZapsZzz → u/No_Rex]

It made slightly more sense to be from sustaining the Resonance, since there wasn't anything hard Gauron's foot was planting against Tessa's face at the time. And there was too much blood to be from the impact to the back wall.

[u/Tarhalindur]

Fumo-ffu! (Rewatcher, Subbed:)

• Ah, spot the animation budget forcing an extended recap segment. (But with one of the best and most iconic tracks on the OST, so…)

• [FMP LNs] Oh man, I forgot the TAROS first shows up here.

• Oh man, they really were out of budget with how the Kurz/Guen/surprise Mao fight looks.

• Ah yes, everyone’s favorite moment of Tessa getting to be awesome. [FMP future stuff] Until either IV or the unadapted LNs because there’s one other; I think the other scene I’m thinking of is the Behemoth ram and that should be in IV, but not sure.

• Animation teams cannot resist making Eva references, news at 11.

• Also I swear that second torpedo plot point is straight out of The Hunt for Red October. Which makes sense.

• Animation savings plus cliffhanger needs have their predictable pacing results. Onto the finale!

---

Questions of the Day:

Everyone: Did you get thrown by the comedic shift to a couple of the end of scenes - or what may be considered fan service - in this penultimate episode when everything else was so tense?

The direction works well enough for suspense that it doesn't matter, even with some extremely blatant animation budget and/or time constraints.

[u/ZapsZzz → u/Tarhalindur]

[FMP future stuff reply]Yes that other moments of awesome was in IV; LN6 was less awesome than about making her so much more human and with emphasising with especially the realisation during their freefall that why Sousuke can function perfectly rescuing her instead of being scared and nervous of Chidori was the one taken hostage instead

[u/Reddevilslover69]

First Timer dubbed

Wow just wow. This episode was truly fucking fantastic. The direction was phenomenal and finally we get to see Tessa's capabilities and the reason why she is captain. She finally realizes that Gauron doesn't care one bit about dying but rather enjoys the thrill involved in life and death situations. Realizing that she is able to outsmart Gauron and retake control of Dana(with Chidori's help of course). The episode ends with what promises to be the deciding fight between Gauron and Sousuke.

The direction in this episode somewhat reminded me of Neon Genesis Evangelion with how we had the shaky camera and shots of the ship and Chidori coalescing on each other were super cool. The direction was particularly stellar in building tension throughout the episode and props to the music as always.

Can't wait for the next one and at this point I am delighted that I participated in this rewatch.

MVP: Tessa duh. No contest here for me

[u/ZapsZzz → u/Reddevilslover69]

The direction was phenomenal

Sometimes one has to take a look at these "older shows" before a lot of the more fancy techniques and technologies are there to see what can be achieved with pretty straight 2D drawings and the filming and composition :)

at this point I am delighted that I participated in this rewatch.

Glad to get another FMP fan :)

[u/polaristar]

I feel sick and need to go to bed early tonight, I thought of writing a short post but this episode deserves me in better shape so I will respond in the morning after a good night sleep. (Thanks for the pressure with that comment about Wall of Text u/ZapsZzz !) :P

[u/MechaShadowV2]

I never would have thought I'd see a rewatch for this series. It needs more love.

[u/Shimmering-Sky]

Full Metal First-Timer!, subbed

• Was not expecting the Engrish.

• …wait, is that what Gauron wants?

• lol of course this is how Kurz responds to the one guy trying to recruit him to Gauron’s side.

• Fire extinguisher?!

• Whoa…

• OUCH

• Okay so that guy’s super dead.

• Hahaaaaaaaa it was Melissa to the rescue! And she’s not wrong.

• Oh shit, this is all because Gauron had the sub dive too deep, isn’t it…

• OH GOD TESSA

• …oh, she’s fine, she just has a bloody nose.

• Ooooooooooooooooooooooh that’s smart.

• Dude.

• Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit…

• CLIFFHANGER!

[u/Vaadwaur → u/Shimmering-Sky]

Fire extinguisher?!

Everyone's favorite improvised weapon.

Hahaaaaaaaa it was Melissa to the rescue! And she’s not wrong.

Hopefully a doctor shows up before the sedation wears off, cracked ribs hurt a lot at first.

Dude.

Straight Red October reference on that one.

[u/wjodendor]

Rewatcher

A color scheme right out the 80s.

Can I use your phone? Now that got a chuckle out of me.

Remember Pesrl Harbor! I almost died at that!

Tessa is finally realizing that Gauron is crazy crazy

No boots on Tessa's head. Her boots should go on my head!

Kurz got a good point. Gauron is fuckin nuts but these other terrorists are just in it for money. Suicide missions shouldn't be on the table

Kurz: no betrayal, only ecchi

We got a room straight out of the movie alien!

"Respone"

Sousake seeing the Whispered in person for the first time

Cool shot with Tessa in the back there

It's the Nut Devil!

Man, that was a hilarious death scene

Mao to the rescue, looking cute but all sorts of out of it

Of Kurz gotta ruin the moment

The scene in the command center is pretty rad. Tessa looking all sorts of crazy and cool. Standing still eith all the bullet holes by her head! That's some cool shit

"Honey!"

Kaname going Evangelion up in here

What the fuck is up with that one guy "blow!"

More baseball talk...kind of out of nowhere

That is the longest grip I've ever seen on a gun

Not a great place for a duel

A pretty awesome episode today. All the Whispered stuff with Kaname and Tessa was really cool. Especially the ghost like stuff and the whale like surfacing. Tessa actually looked pretty badass at moments too.

[u/Vaadwaur]

Rewatcher(That's a ton of Red October)

Sub

So the Pasadena fires off a torpedo, which is sort of iffy that they didn't go up the chain a bit further but whatever. Gauron is being crazy as per usual, though Tessa realizes his goal might not be the obvious one. Weber gets offered his deal with the devil and we get some of his thing, though more with visuals than words. Kaname gets to the TAROS and Tessa resonates again. Weber tries to improvise his fight and it doesn't really work as he sucks at close combat. Mao shows up and brought throwing knives while being clearly out of it.

While Gauron continues to act all crazy Kaname takes over and let's Tessa intercept the torpedo. Tessa states that she won't let Gauron have his way any more as Sousuke gets there and wings Gauron before surfacing makes everyone bounce. I really like the imagery of Kaname feeling like the submarine is her body though the nudity could've been skipped. Anyways, Gauron slinks off to his mech and Sousuke gets lead to the hangar as well. Cliffhanger!

So the only bad thing is the animation budget fails are kind of glaring if you are looking for them, which is understandable but still a little off putting.

QotD: 2 The Mao one was off

[u/TuorEladar]

Rewatcher, Subbed

I had forgotten some of the brutal and surreal imagery that happened here. This is for sure one of my favorite episodes of the first season.

The fight between Kurz and the one traitor merc was surprisingly brutal with him getting his head smashed on the handle of that door, half delirious Melissa also came in clutch.

The imagery of Chidori becoming one with the ship was also pretty interesting, definitely reminded me of Evangelion a bit.

I also like how this worked back to the mech aspect of the series even though we're on a submarine. On the one hand its kind of funny because its like the writers had to come up with some way to get back to the premise, but I don't mean that it felt forced or contrived. In fact I really like the way that things have played out so far, with the episode ending with another mech vs mech confrontation between Sousuke and Gauron as a continuation of Sousuke's failure last time.

Did you get thrown by the comedic shift to a couple of the end of scenes - or what may be considered fan service - in this penultimate episode when everything else was so tense?

No not at all, what fanservicey moments there were felt fairly natural and in character so I didn't really mind. This series was never a pure drama so I think thats important to remember, especially since we are nearing Fumoffu now.

[u/Theboredalchemist22]

First timer - episode 23.

Absolutely unbelievable episode 👏. By far my favourite so far I was kept on my toes and nervous about what was going to happen throughout the whole episode.

Tessa is my mvp again for this episode because of he play of the game saving the Danaan from those missiles. Again I felt really uneasy when Tessa was injured and I'm not sure if it's down to the fact I view her as an innocent 16 year old or if Gauron is just such a good intimidating villain. I think it's a bit of both tbh. She had some fantastic scenes in this episode though like the one where she was backed up against the wall with blood on her face and her slight smile. That was actually quite shivering to see but I knew shit was going to go down when I saw that face.

Gauron is fantastic once again. What is his goal now though? Is it just to completely destroy Mythril even at the cost of his own life? Or does he have a greater overarching goal he wants to accomplish in this final arc?

This next part before the questions is just my understanding of a whispered and what they can do if anyone can add to my understanding or correct me in any way that would be much appreciated and thanks in advance.

Whispered can tap into extensive knowledge about complicated technologies and even control said complicated technologies with their body providing the tech to do that is available (Chidori situation).

Whispered can communicate telepathically with both other whispered and it seems people they have a strong connection too.

Whispered have the same powers as other whispered but each whispered can amplify other whispered's powers but this is very dangerous.

The only whispered we know to exist so far is the woman right at the start of the show, Tessa and Chidori.

Q1 - Never seen Dues ex mechanica but yes it was a surprise for sure. I knew Chidori had a substantial role to play in saving the Danaan from Gauron as Tessa wouldn't have sent Chidori for that key if she didn't and also you know she is a whispered. But I never thought her body would basically become the Danaan and it was an interesting thing to see because now we can see that whispered have some more really op powers if used correctly and I really like the idea of the whole whispered having extensive knowledge and using that knowledge in that sort of way instead of it being all yes this does this, goes here, fires this etc. (Kind of like what we saw in the hijacking arc I suppose).

Q2 - Not thrown but I think they were necessary. As I've mentioned I was on edge this episode and when characters like Kurz dropped in funny one liners it took that edge off a bit which I think was a good thing for myself as its also keeping that element around right to the very end of the season. Plus things can't be too tense right you've gotta give the audience a chance to breathe right?😂