[DreamSword]

Episode 26

And what a final bout it is! This finale is packed full of fighting, fighting, and more fighting! Infiltrating and managing to take down Grand Gator from the inside and Bima and Azazel's' final fight with Rasputin take up the majority of the episode's' run time, and even features a surprise appearance from the biological parents of Ray and Reza.

It's a very Ultraman-esque finale, with the people of Indonesia all offering their prayers to the Garuda Knights in their last stand. And of course, the world is saved from the Vudo Empire, with the Satria returning home to celebrate their victory. While many a plot thread is left hanging, this final episode leaves off in a very emotionally satisfying way, with every major character arc resolved in a bombastic final battle.

...Is what I would say if not for the very last minute.

Turns out, Iron Mask is alive! And he serves a new leader now who goes by Black Priest. Iron Mask is the one to ultimately kill Rasputin and the metaphorical hand of Black Priest reaches out towards the Earth.

I've said before in my various write-ups on shows that I am generally not a fan of sequel hook endings. And while I get that BIMA-X was likely put into production before this episode was filmed, I'm still not really a fan of it. I much more prefer my endings to be definitive. But hey, maybe whenever I get around to seeing the sequel I'll consider it all worth it, just as I do now with the writer change happening during the second half of BIMA. For now though, it's such a cliffhanger that it doesn't quite sit right with me.

Overall, I do like the finale, I just wish the very last minute were handled a bit differently. Final thoughts post will come tomorrow.