[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

REVICE LEGACY: KAMEN RIDER VAIL - EPISODE 4

It’s a lot of plot business in this one, trying to lay out the bizarre NOAH-related cause and effect of Genta’s backstory, and it sort of mostly works? I always got the impression that his death and resurrection was what lead to his memory loss, but somehow he retained those memories enough to know who his parents were, which is why NOAH had them murdered by Vail: to give Genta a thing to avenge. It’s just… it’s a little weird, timing-wise. If Genta lost his memories before/during his experimentation, which makes the most sense, why would he even know his parents enough to understand who was being murdered in front of him? And if he lost his memories afterwards… what does he only remember just enough details from his Narratively Convenient Amnesia to be traumatized by his parents’ murder? And why does he lose his memories at all? It’s a very, very weird plot point, and I don’t think this episode completely squares that circle.

Yukimi displays more of her considerate trait here, other than staying to look after Genta which means she's not "stuck" there, to not only thank Irabu for his help but also be concerned of his newfound fugitive status. And she here still acknowledged the other NOAH soldiers as still human, in an attempt to prevent Genta becoming similar to a devil. And ong ago that she took a stray dog, of which the dog was named Genta and it was where the name came from. Which as Junpei noted, Yukimi basically saw Junpei as a stray dog. I wonder if Yukimi had done more of taking in living beings like this, there'd be an army of Genta (but more importantly, the gender of the living beings she helped). The "busybody" part of her staying to look after Genta also shows that it's not only the fighter that looks after others despite that they're the one that can save others due to their power.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

What it does do, however, is reveal that Vail was the killer in question, and that part is really well done. It’s not surprising, but it doesn’t really have to be. It just needs to both expose Genta’s addiction to using vengeance as a way of excusing his propensity for violence, and it needs to give Genta nowhere to hide from his monstrous nature. Vail acts as a more malevolent Vice; there’s a sense of both companionship and liberation in his cruelty, and he genuinely seems to want to give Genta the life he secretly desires. Vail’s the thing in Genta that fears domestication, and longs for the self-obliteration of life as Kamen Rider Vail. It’s ugly, but it definitely comes from someplace in Genta.

So at this point, it's 'siding with the angel or the devil' scenario for Genta, obviously with Yukimi for the former and a literal case with Vail for the latter. Yukimi trying to not let Genta succumb to his inner darkness, and Vail convincing Genta to give in into his vengeance. Both sides have plenty of temptation, of how both cater to Genta's wants, Genta wants to have more fulfilling life and Yukimi already showed he can have it, but Genta also wants to take revenge against his family's murderers and that hasn't been resolved, and Vail revealed himself and what NOAH, particularly Agariyama were doing, purposely instilling hatred in Genta to use him as their executioner. Now Agariyama clearly has nihilistic outlook to think only hatred can make someone kill devils, and thus ruining someone's life for that, when someone who cares about others could fit the bill, they'd want to use Riders' power for good by killing devils for protecting others by themselves alone. But for now, Vail is the winner, taking over Genta's body, and it's expected as now Genta knows the real culprit and thus can directly exact his revenge right now after tirelessly seeking for it. Genta does want a fulfilling life, but that hasn't knocked his vengeance of his top priority yet, and Vail just made it easier now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The Vail stuff, along with the cute Genta/Yukimi scene, really worked for me this time out. NOAH, meanwhile, continues to be the perfect prequel organization for Revice: just the most relentlessly incompetent sociopaths, assuming that myriad failures – ranging from homicide to genocide – will eventually result in something that will validate their jobs. (Also, “Nest Of Anti-Human”? YIKES. Terrible!) All these mysterious organizations of nebulous authority are such a drag, but the character-based storytelling continues to impress. Excited for the finale!

There's already obvious speculation before of the NOAH Captain being younger Buu-san, and now the series officially introduced him as one. So he's already called that in his younger days too. Usually even without being Riders or scientists, people who have militaristic job are usually more competent and capable than average person, and thus is more 'useful', and in the main series, Buu-san was apparently just a regular at Happy Spa that got close to the Igarashis, but has excellent information gathering skills. A previous case of information gatherer in Build for Sawa was partly about how she was a child soldier of Namba (a part of her temporary betrayal too). And turns out Irabu too, was a former soldier, thus explaining how he got those skills from. And he got close to the Igarashis not from regularly visiting Happy Spa, but as said before in the series, already did before the Igarashi siblings even born, by helping Genta escape as per his resistance job.

About Vail's slaughter of the NOAH soldiers which actually shocked Yukimi, as well as Yukimi pleading Genta to stop beating up a soldier to death... so that'd mean Genta as Vail didn't actually kill the soldiers in Part 3 before? Despite the soldiers being thrown like a ragdoll from a Rider's blows. And then again Buu-san already shot several soldiers before to protect the main couple, so soldiers being killed aren't a new thing, unless it's not meant to show a similar outcome, but Vail's bloodthirsty nature instead. Actually I do have some questions about how Buu-san can actually contradict himself in his job as a spy in NOAH. Like, if it's a named major character like Masumi, Buu-san gives him a chance to remind him to redeem himself, but other nameless soldiers who are probably doing less damage than Masumi, they're killed without reasoning, but I mean talking them out first outside combat like Masumi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Right, Ikki shouldn't let Olteca have his way. Ending someone's suffering only works if it doesn't bring suffering to others. If he tries and fails to help him see the error of his ways, then ultimately he should defeat him to prevent him from committing further crimes, although preferably without bringing unnecessary hatred in to it, as heroes are still supposed to be examples of the morals they preach. Pay evil unto evil isn't good enough.

Yeah true, not advocating pay evil unto evil either; it'd be not a noble thing if there are another villain who finishes off Olteca (or vice-versa), they just happen to pick a victim who had it coming. In past I thought that it'd be confusing when someone hellbent on revenge on a threat learns to let go of that, of which if it'd mean letting them have their way, thinking that them still going after that threat will make it redundant, but there's a difference between “giving up my claim for personal revenge and retribution” to “stopping them from causing further harm” or “let justice be done on those villains for their wrongdoing” even if the result may be similar at first glance (which'd be why many people advocate this kind of revenge.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Well I already admitted my mistake of forgetting about the Heaven and Hell game victims, so it's not that I've forgotten Olteca's victims either. However, I think there's an important difference between justice and self-indulgence. Ikki having limits is probably another flaw manifesting from his egotism, that he calls himself the Ultimate Busybody, but he can't live up to that title, compared to Takeru who actually surpasses him in compassion.

Yeah, Takeru does surpass him in this regard (and perhaps Takeru's a golden standard among main Riders by this, likely the reason for him to be disliked and seen as bland, or that it's because the writing only focuses on making Takeru compassionate but neglect another aspect of his character). Though perhaps the calling himself ultimate busybody part, I can feel like it's part self-depreciation, given how it's something people complaint about him and that he has to reduce that later...