[DreadBringer]

Kamen Rider Gaim watch

The Helheim Saga

Episode 21: Yggdrasill's Secret

Written by: Gen Urobuchi, Directed by: Hidenori Ishida

As Kouta processes the information he got from Takatora, Micchy approaches him, pretending to be concerned about their plan by asking Kaito, who got separated with Kouta. Kouta reports to Micchy that he had talked with Zangetsu, with Micchy acting surprised, but Kouta didn't get his name, and told him about the horrific information he had received in place of finding out about Yuuya. After that, Kouta notices that Micchy is not that surprised, which he excuses as processing the information, but the audience would know that Micchy is being secretive even to Kouta. Micchy also directly reveals his end justifies the means belief to Kouta that he feels what Yggdrasill is doing is justified if it's meant to save humanity. Kouta objects about using horrible methods, but Micchy again tries to manipulate Kouta into agreeing with him, pointing out about how by keeping secrets, Mai is still smiling until now, using their close friend to get to Kouta's appeal, but Kouta's someone who cares about the strangers too, not only certain person like Micchy is. He further puts a front about how they have to keep protecting the city if people are blind to the danger, but he justifies his secret keeping as he thinks people need little peace in their heart. Well, this will actually bite back anyone involved in worse way, considering that he joined Yggdrasill to protect its secrets.

Like Kouta above for being open, Mai reports to the others in Team Gaim hangout placefor the smaller information she has got, that the cracks were the source of the coming Inves. Being open about the information proves to have potential benefit here as Peko plans to show the crack to Oren as a real proof of the real source of the Inves attacks, especially that the Inves attack has been worse and Oren keeps spreading the misinformation. Zack is being optimistic that he points out he's not the only Armored Rider, there's also Micchy and Kouta (and for some reason he puts his faith on Micchy more to help...starting with "I'm sure" before pointing out Kouta), with Peko also adding up Kaito who he misses. But overall, Zack seems like a totally different person after Kaito left the team, he became one of the only Rider with little to no negative traits just like Kouta, though I can feel that his change feels sudden that he's instantly this after Kaito left the team, albeit probably it started earlier when he stops cheating after Kaito reprimands him.

Micchy confronts Takatora about how he spills a part of Yggdrasill's secrets to Kouta. This is already the first step of the irony regarding the reason of Micchy joining Yggdrasill, only for Takatora to reveal them to Kouta, for now, the ruins part. This also shows the opposite of Micchy and Takatora, as while Micchy tries to influence Kouta in a bad way for his own benefits (which he proclaims as the benefit for), Takatora is actually moved by Kouta for his anger towards evil, albeit Takatora puts a front in Micchy that he's kidding and assures him that he won't tell outsider about his other projects like System Scalar and Project Ark. But it's undeniable that Kouta really did make an impact to him, as he makes him contemplating his choices, and he claims to Sid he told him those information to break him, so Takatora would not have doubts anymore about what he's doing. The capability to stop for a second and watch the consequences of your actions midway is a step towards redemption, and to improve yourself or others, but as for now Takatora still believes in ruthless efficiency to get the job done, but tries to shake off Kouta's influence to him.

Kaito explores the ruins like Kouta and Takatora did before to find a clue about something he holds in his hand, which seems to be a piece of paper. He got interrupted by Inves midway and henshins to Baron to fight them. Ryoma and Yoko notes Kaito's activities, which means he considers their offer to him, and Ryoma is using this as a scheme against Takatora, that their options are limited with him watching, indicating a plan to overthrow him. Sid's patience with Kouta has reached its limits, and he asks for Ryoma's permission to finish him off. Sid finally gets what he wants as Ryoma suggests pushing the Genesis Core to its limits will give more data, complete with a sinister smile from Sid. Later on, Yoko approaches Kaito, who confirms that they successfully convinced Kaito to explore with the piece of paper they gave him, with Yoko further claiming he'll get what he wants after his task. Yoko also had taken an interest to Kaito to touch his face seductively, claiming that her type is people with power and ambitious one, wanting to see how far they can go. This shows Yoko's similar social darwinist persona like Kaito, but apparently this part is what people dislike about how Yoko only pulling a bodyguard duty to others, well this is just established, will talk about it when in unravels more.

Hearing both of the Kureshima's purpose to keep secrets, Kouta decides to ask Akira in their dinner, pretending that she's in Takatora's proposed situation of the world ending. Akira's someone who would rather to know about the news, as she has full control of her life to face the hardships head on, proving Takatora's generalization wrong. The Inves attack is also clearly public now, and Takatora revealing only some info like it coming from a portal is the same for now won't hurt more compared to using Beat Riders as scapegoats. And as Kouta asks in a pretending way, Akira thought it's him overreacting for not getting a job. At Drupers, Kouta further asks Bando about hiding things. Bando gives what I think is the best insight, as it's not just black-and-white stuff; the situation depends, as you cannot carelessly tell a truth like, a terminally sick patient's time left (something that Ex-Aid would show to cause negative consequence), but Bando also tells about how someone who instruct others to keep secrets are not trustworthy, as secrets hold a lot of power and those who know can make those who don't do whatever they want, especially when using it for evil. What Bando said indirectly refers to Micchy, further clue about how sinister he actually is, and likely Kouta realizes this too with his dejected reaction.

Zack calls Kouta right after that, reporting about how there's an Inves attack but they're doing human criminal action which is stealing money. Zack also notices that those Inves are controlled by Locks. Kouta calls Micchy for further help. The Inves is revealed to be used by actual criminals, who notes that it's easy to commit crimes with Inves on their side, seen as they breeze through the cops that try to stop them. Those 3 come into the criminals' hideout, and despite the criminal's boast, Kouta, Mitsuzane, and Zack kicked the 2 criminal's ass in fight. This is fully expected as Kouta has been able to keep up with the Inves and even Riders for a while in his human form, of course human opponents wouldn't mean squat. The criminals resort to sic their Inves on the Riders, both Micchy and Zack holds the Inves off to let Kouta escape and catch the criminals.

As Sid distracts Kouta in his way, the criminals are actually Sid's plan, to preserve Yggdrasill's reputation and secret by having people keep using Lockseeds. It's shown too that Sid won't care about the mayhem criminals can cause with their new power, giving birth to supervillains, contradicting Yggdrasill's agenda to protect people. As Kouta calls him out, of course someone with no noble traits like Sid clarifies that what they want to protect is the secret itself. He also goes on to boast that Yggdrasill's ring is a Scalar System that can nuke the whole city if needed, complete with a demonstration of its usage creating explosion all over Zawame City (spectacle! but also horror!). Kouta's objections turns him to be someone officially considered Yggdrasill's enemy, as both henshin into Rider. As a New Generation Rider, Sigurd knocks Gaim out of his transformation, but Kouta uses Gaim Jimber Lemon Arms (I don't know why he didn't do it from the beginning though), and with equal power but Gaim's better skills, he can beat Sigurd, also making use of tactics like using oil drum as a cover. Gaim uses Jimber Lemon Arms' Burai Kick, a kick version of his Rider Shooting finisher to revert Sigurd into human form, with priceless look as he legitimately lost to a "kid" despite having killing intent, and also trying to crush Gaim's ideals by blaming him as giving false hope to people. Not only Sid that is pushed to his limits of his animosity to Gaim, Gaim's patience is at limits as well, as he attempts to attack Sid further after that, but Ryugen, after detonating the Inves with Knuckle and found a new partner with him, he bails Sid out by distracting Gaim with in Inves, but keeps himself on Gaim's good graces as he sneaks out to help Gaim, thinking Micchy's being a help. It's also revealed at the end where the paper Kaito is holding is a picture of a red monstrous figure.