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Kamen Rider Gaim watch

The Overlord Saga

Episode 26: Baron's Genesis Transformation!

Written by: Gen Urobuchi/Jin Haganeya, Directed by: Satoshi Morota

The episode continues right from the cliffhanger of previous one with Mai questioning Kouta. As Mai notes Kouta's been acting weird and keeping secrets, likely due to feeling unworthy to be together with the dance team (as he later says), but he tried to leave, excusing Akira's curry getting cold. Mai didn't budge to guess it's about Yuuya. Still, it didn't take much for Kouta to open up as he explains the effects of Helheim Fruit and what happened to Hase and Yuuya for that, along with how he unknowingly killed Yuuya. As Mai asks where he found it out, Kouta explains that he finds out by venturing to Helheim. This did get Mai in tears and dropping to her knees, but she instead understands how heavy the burden Kouta's carrying alone, and hugs him to comfort him, both shedding tears. I like it for Kouta to not follow Micchy's instructions, others knowing the truth is better in the long run, and this is the most heartwarming route that they take regarding this situation, where there are no accusations or dispute, and it's all support and understanding. For continuation regarding Mai's worry about Kouta's hero complex before (the ep. 24 one), which he uses Yuuya's death to further aiming bigger, the appropriate action for Mai, especially for the more serious situation right now is to help Kouta herself, prevent him going through this alone.

As Takatora reports that the mass production of Sengoku Drivers is near completion, he feels that there's no turning back for now, that they should move into culling the population as per Project Ark, despite the loss of Scalar System. Well, actually there is, apart from other atrocities Yggdrasill has commited, the murder part is the one that would have no return for how irreversible those are unlike producing more belts. In a similar vein as Mai above, Micchy also claims that the current situation is hard for Takatora, which is refuted by him, in his own form of 'with great power comes responsibility', which he refers as noblesse oblige refering to the Kureshimas who had , but in darker take than Kouta's that he thinks they had to stain their hands, like what Sid claims for being an "adult", only that Sid's doing it as an excuse to be a dick.

At Team Gaim's garage Mai informs the others about the world ending due to Helheim, but Yggdrasill hides it. So I'd guess Kouta further told her more offscreen after confessing about Yuuya's fate? While Micchy, as expected, is pissed about Kouta not obeying him, complete with eerie expression, Zack notices that Micchy knows about this too, which he lied a bit as another one to hear that from Kouta, but openly states that he can't tell others about it (which is his agenda for this long). Zack seems to be insightful to realize this about Micchy, he'd likely understand Kouta's worry more and put aside his optimistic view to 'merely' take care of the Inves. As people haven't gotten the info yet, Mai decides to be the one to spread the news into the whole city, with Zack agreeing and Micchy secretly planning to act against that. So with Kouta out of the way (as in ep. 9), Mai and Zack are the one to rally people into contributing for others. As per what Bando said before, secrets can be a great source of power, with it being able to manipulate those who don't know. But like what he said about how power depends on how people use it, this part's an implementation of power being used for good, in form of Mai getting the secret and using it to help others be aware of the problem, giving her more options than just dancing. It's an extension of Mai's comfort to Kouta before that she doesn't want others to bear problems by themselves, including hers now by knowing the truth of the fruit, by telling them what's going on. However, I'd say they aren't making full use of their partnership; the Beat Riders had no rank anymore right? That'd mean no stage restrictions and they can use any stages? They should ask for the whole other team's help other than the ones in garage (dunno if they try or not, but likely they'll be more accepting), and make use of multiple stages to inform people in even more areas.

As the Beat Riders are gathering people, Chucky calls Kouta to come to the stage as she feels uneasy. Kouta is at Drupers and is outwardly in good mood, which got asked by Bando over this, as well as Iyo repeating it (and thinking Kouta as creepy for this... ironic coming from a closed-off dissonant employee). As Mai begins her announcement, with others handing out flyers, Micchy thinks to himself that he only wants for Mai to smile, and begins summoning Inves to wreak havoc and cause panic, with the Beat Riders getting the blame again, with Peko grieving that they came in worst possible time. Micchy keeps himself in their good graces by "saving" Mai, followed by Zack's henshin into Knuckle and leading the people away and Gaim aiding the fight. After the fight ends, there are no one left in the stage, and Micchy openly goes apeshit into Kouta, screaming and shoving him around, blaming him for "making Mai sad" and thus has no right to act like a hero. Say for yourself, Micchy's the one made Mai sad here by ruining her plan to spread the news, and someone sending monsters to attack people and picking favorites being the one to call out others for 'acting like a hero' (his thoughts are very literal 'wanted to see Mai smile'... only her, others be damned)? Micchy always had narcissistic arrogance and control freak tendencies, and it reaches the peak here to openly show it in front of everyone to blame everything on Kouta while ignoring that his actions are the one causing trouble. From his reaction here, his words to 'keep the joy' at ep. 18 is full-on literal as well, Micchy doesn't see his "friends" as people, his "friendship" with them is only done for his own emotional satisfaction, seeing them more as extensions of himself. He doesn't actually care about them or their wishes, including Mai, controlling her like puppet to keep him sane as long as he can look at her having fun. For this, the scene happens; Mai slapping Micchy to snap him out. However, this only adds fuel to the fire, as outwardly to others before Micchy seems to be a genuine friend, but without knowing his twisted nature, the slap deteriorated his sanity. This shows that slapping sense to others should be applied with extreme caution, as smacking someone when you don't know what's wrong with them can easily do more harm than good, with Kouta scolding Mai for this too. Though that aside, I wonder how much info will Mai tell to the public, I'd say it's good to tell certain infos like something that can be avoided such as the crack or the fruit's effects, but it won't be good to tell infos that people can do nothing about like the world ending part, unless she'd add up the Armored Rider's activities to prevent that.

Ryoma and Yoko talk about the Overlord data they've gathered, but Ryoma ditches Kaito as he doesn't make the cut. I wonder if this is about Ryoma's shared social darwinist traits, that Kaito got the short stick of it coming from others, and/or if it's standard mad scientist aspect to see others as tools. Yoko however convinces Ryoma otherwise by talking about her interest with him, which doesn't seem to be like her for Ryoma to concern herself with others; in different approach to Ryoma, Yoko's social darwinist traits however serve to make herself bond with Kaito for shared interests. Micchy enters the room, and gets a leer from Ryoma. However he claims he hasn't told Takatora yet which puts Ryoma at ease, and he had extended his control freak aspect to the Yggdrasill members as well, to force them to follow his plan. Yoko approaches Kaito, trying to wipe the blood in his face seductively, which Kaito brushes off. For Kaito being in the weak in this fight, other than using it to learn from mistakes before, he acknowledges that to gain power he had to face the risks, another showing of him being sincere in his belief and not being hypocrite. Yoko gives him a Genesis Driver, as a 'gift' from Ryoma. Zack watches this and asks him about the lady. The conversation gets lengthened when Kaito mentions Yggdrasill, which Zack points out as the company hiding Helheim from public, but Kaito reveals that he knew better than Zack by mentioning Yggdrasill's plan. Zack calls out Kaito for still working on them while knowing about that; so Zack didn't know anything about Kaito where he hates Yggdrasill with passion and this is the exact reason he quit team Baron. Kaito explains about how he doesn't care about right or wrong, only demeaning weaklings like usual. Zack stops him to remind him about being used by them, but Kaito's doing that as well to strike them from behind, and urges Zack to win his own future. This misunderstanding would be cleared if Zack knows Kaito's backstory... but Zack seems stunned by Kaito's social darwinism here now, does he aware for him following that principle in Beat Riders when Kaito leads them?

In Helheim Forest, Kouta apologizes to Micchy about Mai, with Micchy still acting cordial in front of his friends to just forget it and continue for the search of Overlords. Between this and Kouta scolding Mai while defending Micchy, I'm afraid of Kouta finally treating Micchy as right and go along with him. Kouta henshins into Gaim Jimber Peach to look for Overlords, while Micchy secretly stays still to inform Yggdrasill about. Ryoma did plan to keep Micchy connected to Beat Riders as his 'spy', and this is the realization of it, using up Kouta, who has mutual current goal with them. Yoko informs Kaito about the location, and fights Gaim as Marika as per Ryugen's orders, letting himself get shot by Marika to incite the fight. Even at Jimber Lemon Arms, Marika is stunned by Gaim's newfound strength, which he claims as Yggdrasill forcing him to toughen up, which is true to some extent like Sid hardening Kouta's resolve despite trying to break it, but doesn't mean that the villains' acts can be justified by "it's just toughening up the heroes to take on the greater threats". But Marika is doomed to lose as Gaim had Kachidoki Arms, so the fight will be decided by how long will it take for Gaim to use it.

Kaito henshins with Genesis Driver, allowing him to use Baron Lemon Energy Arms, the mid season upgrade of the secondary Rider here. Baron keeps up with the red Overlord now, either in melee or ranged, which he lampshades itself that Genesis Driver is leagues above Sengoku Driver. Despite the Overlord's mist ability, he managed to shoot away the Overlord sneaking from behind. When both use their ranged attack, Baron shrugged it off better than the Overlord, which had the bow embedded in him, enraging the Overlord for being beaten by an 'ape' (in human language, he had learned). Gaim arrives to break the fight up, insisting to talk it out, with neither wanting to listen, while noticing that Baron got Genesis Driver. The stupidity here isn't about breaking the fight, but why did Gaim degrade from Kachidoki to base form before? (not a character decision, but common franchise decision) You have the power surprassing both, utilize it to break off the fight (not by the one to attack, but he would restrain them successfully likely)! When the red Overlord got called away by another one, Gaim blames Baron again for making him angry, I have to say Gaim's a bit biased here to always pin the blame to questionable humans he knew. Baron responds with usual apathy to humanity or right/wrong and finally resorts to fight Gaim for being a thorn to his side. Gaim tries to use Kachidoki, but is shot from the back by Ryugen as he's in Ride Wear form, knocking him out of the transformation. While Ryugen shows further of his treachery, that Yoko thought he's changed, still this is the consequence for degrading to base form.