I can't respond for this other than a new info ok, for how people work like when they're in trauma...the avoiding things related to trauma part? (from many, many types of reactions). And I guess the viewers that are frustrated didn't really specify which one except for "miscommunications", so I was confused for reading your "sweep all these changes under the rug", though they would meant keep piling up problems by constantly avoiding them and not bringing them up and solve it?

It's celebration! But it has to be ruined by the Lucky bastard Clovers.

With it all being processed offscreen.... the "price" was Takumi revealing publicly that he's an Orphnoch. For it being too plot-driven, so you don't like plot-driven stuff (no, world-building is not mutually a plot-driven stuff)? But now let's discuss about the answer for a mystery long ago, the Takumi being "chosen one" you discussed early part while Mari and Keitaro aren't, is because, well, he's an Orphnoch. In Kamen Rider Faiz, Riders and MOTW are mutual because, only Orphnochs can transform into Riders. The series where Riders and monsters are one! Also f**k yeah for Yuji figuring it out that Kusaka is a schemer and liar! So I guess he sides with Keitaro more (that informs Takumi feels he's at fault for Mari's death because he wasn't able to protect her instead of directly attacking her)? Also Takumi/Kusaka never really do a lot to me in any scenes (against the shipping!) because Kusaka's a two-faced bastard which would mean all the talk is fake. But you're right that for all the hard time Takumi gives to others, he's too lenient on Kusaka (unlike him lashing out at Kageyama, a moment where I also went "f**k yeah!").

It's Takumi's decision to fight as Faiz or as Wolf Orphnoch, but I dunno what pressures Takumi to use his Orphnoch form here. Also for "no one telling Mari that Takumi is an Orphnoch" being your least favorite trope, that kind is actually the viewers' frustration for the series you discuss before, only it's not merely about not telling her, but about the entire cast never telling/discussing anyone anything. Now I wonder, which differentiates between tolerable or not to you, and the criteria for tolerable or not in all those "misunderstanding" tropes?

With you discussing the viewers frustrations in this viewers, this doesn't cross your mind, about Mihara constantly running away for them?

I would be over the moon if every Delta fight going forward was an exquisitely-crafted battle for the ages, and they all end with Delta's heroic motto: "Can I go home now?"

It really is! Except it's only a celebration if they ignore the horrible costs of that victory, so...

If there's a misstep in this episode for me, this is it. I've got to squint really hard to see how Takumi could trust his future in the group to someone like Kusaka. Like, Takumi's asking that guy to be fair to him. Kusaka. I buy it in the moment, because Takumi doesn't think a whole lot of himself right then, but it's still a tough pill to swallow.

Well, Takumi loses the belt in the middle of the fight, so his only option was to use his Orphnoch form.

No One Can Tell The Lady About What's Going On is a very specific flavor of people hiding things, and I have next to no patience for it. It has less to do with misunderstandings and character-based miscommunications, and more to do with depressing gender expectations and not-so-subtle infantilizing. A lot of the stuff that happens here, with people not knowing how to open up with one another, it can be chalked up to broken people doing the best they can with the emotional tools they've got. Not telling Mari, it's like, but Keitaro is okay to know?

Do... do people get frustrated by Mihara wanting to quit?! That's the best part of the show!

I, typically, can't stop thinking about dumb Delta things that'd make me incredibly happy:

-Figuarts Zero Mihara, molded in Giving Away Delta Belt pose.

-Playable Delta in Climax Fighters, but he Ring Outs as soon as the match starts.

-CSM Delta Gear "Mihara Edition", where all of the belt noises are him begging not to participate.

Not only that, but it's plot relevant. It's the only reason he can use it without the usual addictive side effects. The blet can't make his desire to use it and fight compulsive, because he doesn't have any in the first place!

Like it would be a huge plot hole if he suddenly really wanted to fight.

Whoa, I hadn't considered that! Good point!

The Delta Driver's innate coolness and badassery is cancelled out by Mihara's simple earthly desire to go home and watch the lastest chapter of his sitcoms.

Honestly as much as I like watching Faiz, this is probably the Rider with plot I would least want to actually participate in.

I think while I was watching, I was wondering why the characters (and the show as a whole) kept trying to make this plain guy who just wants to go home into a rider. I know it's a common cliche to get an unwilling hero into action but like, there's not only no reason why it specifically has to be him, but you're also not currently lacking for options!

The most askance I've ever looked at Kusaka is when he was screaming at Mihara that he can't go home, that they have to fight, that they won't have a home until they defeat the Orphnochs.

And I'm just like, no? It doesn't seem like the Ryusei School alumni (at this point in the story, because I'm sure Secrets Abound) are getting picked off by Orphnochs. It seems like they're throwing themselves into dangerous situations and then getting murdered. Like, it definitely feels like Mihara could work some office job, get a drink on the weekend, rewatch Parks and Rec, and do all of that without fearing for his life.

When Kusaka's berating him for not embracing a life of mortal combat, it felt like Kusaka was in the throes of whatever brain fever keeps the other Ryusei students from having a goddamn ounce of self-preservation. I don't think all of Smart Brain is desperate to end the life of some dude who just wants to get through the new season of Westworld! I mean, it's not a great season, but they probably won't kill him for watching it.

Like you wouldn't want to actually be a Rider in Faiz? I definitely get that. I wouldn't want to be one in Blade either, or Ryuki actually. Hell, I wouldn't want to be a Rider in a lot of Rider shows honestly. I think "carrying the weight" of being a Rider in a lot of these stories is pretty dang heavy.

Kusaka doesn't want him to go home because it might let him think about stuff for more than five seconds and go "Wait a minute, maybe Kusaka's toying with us. I better tell the others... right after I scroll through twitter for an hour."