[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Last episode, everything changed. Mari died. Takumi was revealed to be an Orphnoch. The entire premise of the show was cracked open, irrevocably altered. Nothing would ever be the same again.

What this episode asks is, Why Not?

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?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It’s a good episode, though. Not what I was expecting at all, but I really do like the choice to try and act like nothing changed.

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

This is, unfortunately, a weirdly tough episode for me to dig into! A lot of stuff happened, plot-wise, but it mostly feels like moving pieces around, or creating consequences for other episodes.

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!").

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

My favorite, favorite thing about Team Faiz trying to go back to business as usual (including no one telling Mari that Takumi is an Orphnoch, my least favorite Kamen Rider trope) is that it all blows up in their faces in the first goddamn episode. Their attempt at a status quo does not even last an episode. Fantastic.

It’s like, I’ll give them the realism of these kids hoping that nothing has to change, but only for a minute. After that, yes, Lucky Clover wants what they’re owed. Mari has to find out that Takumi is Wolfeyes, the (probably) same Orphnoch WHO WAS AT THE RYUSEI SCHOOL REUNION. They tried running from this. I get why they’d try, and it’s important to show it, but it can’t work. Everything’s changed forever.

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?

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Plus, running away is 100% Mihara’s thing, and I still love it.

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