[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I think it's more that he's become a cunning manipulator, not that he always was. We've started a journey with Sougo, and that journey has already helped him feel more confident in pursuing his dream. Previously, he was content to just assume he'd be a king someday, and it's dopey and worrisome. But now that he's fought and struggled and overcome adversity -- thanks to going on Time Missions, a thing he probably would've never done without Geiz and Tsukuyomi showing up in 2018 -- he's a more capable person than he used to be.

Like, I think it's important to acknowledge that Geiz and Tsukuyomi are helping to turn Sougo into (maybe!) Oma Zi-O, which is the nicely ironic twist at the end of Episode 8.

I talked about Sougo being always a cunning manipulator because he keeps his dopey nature normally, his normal demeanor would stay the same as the one on earlier episodes. There are characters who acted stupid but they're actually capable inside when needed and Sougo is like that. Other than that, I just want to know again, what do you think about this part of my reply?

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This is quite a nice reversal of usual stereotype that someone who's em-pathetic and puppy dog like Sougo is usually portrayed as the one that is easily manipulated, and that someone morally questionable like Geiz is portrayed as the one that is more sensible and mature. But for this series, it's not only that Sougo's kindness isn't weakness, but it's Geiz who is the one easily manipulated (by Sougo here) exactly due to his black and white mentality. Being someone fueled by hate and pragmatism can have them being easily manipulated too, not only the one who is empathetic and kind. Unfortunately, this competence of Sougo would convince Geiz more that he's a threat.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER ZI-O EPISODE 9 - ?GENM MASTER 2016?

Much like last episode took the Hero?s Journey part of a Kamen Rider series ? the whole Making Friends and Finding Collectibles part ? and turned it towards an intensely foreboding future, this one starts to look at the downside of boundless enthusiasm and limitless empathy. Sougo can?t conceive of anyone having the power and authority of a king, but not using it to make everyone?s lives better. It literally doesn?t occur to him. The fact that people could be hurt by it, or that the person in charge could choose to hurt people? that?s the most absurd thing in this story to Sougo.

It's not quite insane for But Maybe They Meant Well move, it happened a lot in various media fandoms. It'd be quite 'normal' instead of insane lol. Though for sure Sougo's too sweet to see the bad in people, as he's nice to the likes of Geiz (who wants to kill him) and Woz (who wants to turn him into Ohma Zi-O), but the ones who pull But Maybe They Meant Well isn't necessarily about can't seeing the bad in people, but relating to those characters and project themselves onto them, seeking moral approval for both those toxic chars and themselves, actually should admit both of those are morally imperfect and deserving of criticisms.

Regarding Geiz here, not talking about how, like previously, Geiz continues to be Sougo's bitch? (of course unfortunately, this'd strengthen his feud by just Sougo overwhelming him). Geiz just constantly looks for excuse to kill Sougo of which it'd be strengthened if Sougo wants to join Kuroto. Sougo doesn't just defeat Geiz, he dominates him to the point where he uses one of Geiz's kicks to spin his belt for his transformation rather than bothering to do it himself, knees Geiz in the throat, and lets Geiz pound on him a bit in Build Armor while not reacting to a single punch just to show off how futile his efforts are, staying perfectly calm all the while and if anything only sounding disappointed in Geiz for being such a fool.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Which makes him the perfect person for Sougo to study under. Sougo needs to see what not to do, and Kuroto is the most blatant What Not To Do character in maybe all of Heisei. Working alongside a Bad Despot, even briefly, is a way for Sougo to understand where he might go wrong, where he could lose the empathy that he thinks could be what keeps him from becoming Oma Zi-O.

And in this story, Kuroto killed Masamune, who was the actual main antagonist in Ex-Aid. By the surface there he's more threatening. Otherwise it's good that Kuroto is acknowledged as a What Not To Do character as he's technically the most contributing among the heroes group in Ex-Aid, but that's due to his genius (of which gave him god complex) and that someone's who is a toku scientist can contribute the most in any role they occupy. But Kuroto was a case of a bad guy fighting another bad guy for retribution thus had mutual goals with the heroes. Like how Woz currently occupy that role in Zi-O now albeit Woz is significantly less atrocious. For Sougo's plan, I guess the people being hurt in meantime doesn't necessarily happen, as you said Sougo learns to know what not to do. You aren't automatically being bad or harming others just because you join a less morally sound group or job. Of which this is a mistake to immediately judge a person of certain group as bad merely due to being a member there (their actions are the one that'd count).

Other than Kuroto, the OOO tribute though, it acted as if Eiji returns to his family and becoming politician, but the context is quite ignored that his parents bailed him out of Africa while leaving everyone else to die, as well as his siblings manipulating his story as a tragic figure that escaped by luck (not by money), and exploiting his pain to win sympathy from voters. Without OOO this treats as if Eiji is fine and can return back to his family or helping people using his power (as politician here), ignoring that the one that can made him more happy again, his room to heal and made him use his power to reach out and help people, are the people around him, Ankh, Hina, Date, Goto, Satonaka. Like him being worried and cared about as well as being told to let others help him. It's also not really explained that why Hina designs for Kuroto.