[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER W EPISODE 47 - “THE REMAINING U - PHILIP’S CASE”



Wow, that was substantially better than I remembered it being.

I definitely didn’t care much for Foundation X the first time around. Where the Museum was baked into the premise of W generally – and Philip specifically – Foundation X was just a bunch of outsiders that bet on a bunch of different doomsday scenarios, of which Gaia Impact happened to be the most promising. They hadn’t sacrificed their family on the altar of some insane dream, or persevered through a tumultuous childhood, or longed for the approval of a demanding parent, or searched for a way to prove themself to their in-laws, or craved the power to never be weak again – they’re just gamblers, betting on every horse. There’s no commitment to them, just the laziness of limitless capital.

Now, though, I sort of think that’s their strength in the narrative?

One of the first things I wrote in this thread was that W is really the story of Fuuto. While this two-parter is way more about Shotaro and Philip than anything else (like a hilariously masked Santa, ‘cause the actual actor definitely wasn’t at that party), the idea of Foundation X being outsider investors, with no feelings whatsoever for Fuuto, is pretty great to have at the end of this show. They don’t belong here, and that’s the biggest reason to fight them. They exist to profit off of their myriad strategies, but they don’t care which one is the most profitable. Where the Museum was woven into the fabric of Fuuto, and represented an aspect of it that Double couldn’t easily excise, Foundation X is here to be the slick, gentrifying outsiders that don’t care about the spirit of Fuuto, or the core identity of the superhero show it’s based in. They’re completely Not Wanted, so they make for appealing foes.

But, again, it’d be hard to say that’s a big part of this episode. (It’s honestly just something that made me less bored by Foundation X as a concept.) This one’s all about Philip’s Last Days, and it’s an incredibly strong episode for that emphasis.

Like, what else could you do for a final W story than have Philip accept his imminent demise with grace and heroism, while Shotaro rages against both the cruelty of fate and the seeming-tranquility of Philip’s acceptance? A story where forming Double to save Wakana, Philip’s fondest wish, is the very thing that might kill Philip off for good? C’mon, that’s a hell of a hook for the last ride Shotaro may take with the devil.

It makes for a lovely middle section – Shotaro screaming through the woods and Philip giving the supporting cast presents – and an absolutely jaw-dropping cliffhanger, with an immolated Terui watching as Shotaro refuses to form Double alongside an anguished and helpless Philip. It’s the strength of their partnership turned in on itself, since Shotaro’s dedication to Philip means he can’t possibly help pull the trigger on Philip by henshining, even as Philip needs Shotaro’s help to save Wakana and avert an apocalypse. It’s an impossible choice, and a terrific cliffhanger.

This whole thing… man, so much better than I remembered it. I love how heavy this one is with Team Double, and I honestly dug Kazu’s whole Nothing Personal take on corporatized armageddons. There’s always a chance that the conclusion lets me down, but this is off to a stellar start.

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DIE-A MEMORIES



-While I’ve come around on Foundation X, it’s for sure in a So Bad It’s Good sort of way. I 100% do not think that Foundation X is here to represent the ways real estate investment groups hollow out the character of towns and cities, but at least it’s a hook that helps me care about their presence. They’re just a bland group that’s funding a bunch of projects without caring too much about any of them, which is maybe not the tone you want for your villains across multiple series? The Indifference Of Capital? It’s okay if the show can support it thematically (Geats, Zero-One, Ex-Aid… the stuff Takahashi likes to talk about, is what I’m saying), but W doesn’t really spend a ton of time on the soul of Fuuto, outside of Kirihiko’s storyline. And, shit, they’re already moving on to Medals, so that does not add a ton of heat to this Gaia Impact story!

-Favorite touch, though, is that Kazu’s Henshin for the Utopia Dopant is him butterfingersing his Memory out of his hand, like he does with everything. Cute!

-Seriously, we can all see the full face mask on Santa, right? It’s a different guy!