[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER OOO EPISODE 48 - “MEDALS FOR TOMORROW, UNDERWEAR, AND ARMS TO REACH OUT WITH”

(Those imperfect parts: I don’t think the Uva/Maki/ApOOOcalypse stuff has any fun moves on it, that’s the main one. It’s a very Might As Well ending for both of them, but it does exactly what you need it do for the main story and Maki’s arc, so it’s not really a big complaint. Also, the attack of the Pseudo-Yummies on the city is fine to give the Births and Satonaka something to do, but it’s really just giving them something to do. Could’ve cut all that without losing much of anything.)

Right, the part where it's debated between which is OOO's final form, PuToTyra or TaJaDor. I mean, would people claim Lv. 2 forms of the Ex-Aid Riders are final forms because they're what finished off the final boss? PuToTyra is the one used for most of the big threats in the final portion of the series, just like the final forms in the other Rider series. Some of the other Rider series uses back to base form trope against the final boss, though OOO is more back to mid-season upgrade instead to have TaJaDor being the one that beat Maki, with OOO also using actual base TaToBa, dual wielding Medajalibur and Medagabryu (the bonus character in Climax Heroes Fourze) against Uva after he kicked PuToTyra's ass before. Maybe the actual power up is, obviously, Eiji absorbing the King's medals due to desiring for power this time, guess similar to the "godhood" of some Riders, like Touma and Ace at the end of their series, making him the true OOO. And using TaJaDor with Purple Medals in Taja Spinner is about Eiji and Ankh's collaboration.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It’s a very sweet and sad ending for Ankh, which is what needed to happen for this finale to work. It’d be hard to argue that this isn’t a season about Ankh, first and foremost; even Eiji’s story here is about how Ankh has helped him change and grow. Letting Ankh sacrifice the life that he was after to help his friend, because it only became that life through his friendship, that’s as poignant and poetic an ending as you can get, even before we start talking about hands reaching out and all that. Ankh–

So Ankh ended up dying in the series, and it was due to a sacrifice. Sacrifice is something that often made a handful of people put them on pedestal and see them as a saint, excusing anything they do before due to said sacrifice (and complaining if a character which was unlikable to them is given this ending), and dunno if this'd happen to Ankh too. The thing is, the likes of Parado, who was a human murderer, also sacrificed his life, after his redemption. Though both cases of this are them primarily helping the main Rider they made peace with, rather than being a general do-gooder like Eiji. Ankh is also given a redemption equals death end.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It’s just, like, the perfect ending; the end, whole though, full review. Talking about why it works as an ending is just: see the write-ups for the previous 47 episodes. Nothing here is a huge shock or a startling turn. Ankh’s motivation, while rarely stated by him in ways that aren’t moody and antagonistic, is still pretty goddamn clear. Eiji’s series-long inability to accept help and let others share his burden is another huge story point over a half-dozen individual stories, if not the background noise of the entire series. Those arcs conclude here in smart ways, but also in the only ways they could end – the precision of this series wouldn’t allow for, like, the Neo-Greeed of 2032 to show up as a stinger. Ankh has to give up the life he wanted, and in doing so have finally lived a life; Eiji has to let his friends reach out to him, and in doing so have the strength to reach back. That’s it. That’s the only ending possible. The mechanics of that can be fun and even thrilling (Eiji’s scheme with the Cell Medals is very clever!), but that sort of stuff is the final dab of paint on a canvas that’s been drying for the last two episodes. It’s a nice addition, but the story was already locked in.

Would the Births and Satonaka attacking Pseudo-Yummies also a part of Eiji's friends reaching out to him? Where obviously they're helping Eiji by distracting them so Eiji and Ankh can focus on the vessel, and as Birth, Goto also helps Eiji land safely. Otherwise, feels that, with the episode also still commenting on Eiji being reckless to absorb this much power, what's solved for Eiji isn't about him lacking desire, but about his self-destructive tendencies, where yes, he now shares his burden with others, or it can just feel that the others obviously would go to help Eiji by themselves, with Eiji still telling Date and Goto to get to safety as if they're civilians at early episode. Self-destructive traits are bad, but not having something you want for yourself is still the better way. Though as Eiji ending up living, at the cost of Ankh's sacrifice, probably still won't convince those who think one should sacrifice themselves to achieve an ultimate good, not like Eiji wouldn't do it if it's what's needed, like Kenzaki to save both the world and Hajime.