[DreadBringer]

Kamen Rider Gaim watch

The Forbidden Fruit Saga

Episode 41: Clash! The Over Lord King

Written by: Gen Urobuchi/Jin Haganeya, Directed by: Hidenori Ishida

A mid-climatic episode, culminating in the end of the Overlords, and Redyue's stint as the antagonist with Roshuo as most powerful mid boss.

So Sagara thinks Kouta can choose to save himself over the world, due to thinking that he can't be too stupid to let himself suffer that much for the sake of others. This, along with Mai acknowledging it being the reason he suffers so much now, seems to paint being good as synonymous as being dumb, though this comes from morally questionable character in Sagara, and continuing trend from moral characters being looked down upon, but Kouta's actually not stupid, he makes accurate deductions, asks the right questions, and thinks things through. Even without going through prolonged suffering like Kouta does, there are those in forces of good who sacrifices their lives for others, although it's only one out of a wide range of good morals, still would instantly ending their lives, regardless of their intelligence. And Micchy dismissing Kouta as an idiot is the reason for his undoings, which is explored from this part below. Though either way Sagara only observes.

As Zangetsu Shin and Baron's fight continues, Zangetsu Shin's rambling about him refusing to see Mai as the (only valuable human) princess with yandere obsession that only he can save is finally shut by Baron pointing out that Mai's strong enough to take care of herself, and while both are reverted into their human form, resuming their fight from there, that Micchy only sees Mai as a doll to play, his "dedication" to Mai is self-serving, like not even taking into account of her feelings for his desires. They're interrupted by Duke announcing that Mai is in Helheim, also warning about Roshuo. After Kouta rushes in and Bravo with Gridon arrives, Kaito also goes, leaving the fight into Bravo and Gridon. When Kouta regroups with Kaito, the previous episode makes Kaito even notice that Kouta has reaffirmed resolve now, likely putting Kouta on the same level as Mai in his view now. Micchy has the upper hand with Zangetsu Shin, but Bravo gains an upper hand with silly yet elaborate tactic by first throwing his Duri Noko at Zangetsu Shin, then returning Gridon to his Ride Wear mode for Bravo to throw at Zangetsu Shin, knocking him down and buying them time to escape. Micchy's narcissistic arrogance is turned on him yet again here, about how he really overestimates his intelligence, that Redyue points out that if Roshuo takes an interest in Mai, he'd ironically protect her from scums like Micchy, along with Takatora hallucination pointing out that no one trusts Micchy anymore due to heinous things he had done, despite his inflated ego to think that others will do what he wants.

Roshuo recounts to Mai about him trying to save Femushinmu like the humans now, but failed, the reason to not give golden fruit to anyone. He acknowledged that his castle is empty, but uses that as a consequences for his foolish attempts to save lives, making him lose everything including his beloved, and projects his cynical and generalizing view to others like thinking his beloved regretted giving the fruit to a fool like him. Knowing more about Roshuo issues, Mai continues about her views against distrust to point out that, trust is exactly the reason why his beloved gave him the fruit, believing she can rely on Roshuo to save his kind. Someone who is distrusted by others won't get assigned to roles like that, moreover noble ones. Roshuo just generalizes the humans in his view (like assuming other friends as the same as Micchy), and the act itself from the Queen contradicts what Roshuo did, not trusting anyone and kept the fruit from anyone. Like Kaito to Demushu, Roshuo to Takatora, and Redyue to Micchy before, this also gives Mai an Overlord counterpart in the Queen, who Roshuo realizes that she said the same thing like Mai does now, and due to that, he views Mai as being worthy to possess the golden fruit, inserting the fruit to her, giving her the same role as the Queen and sending her back into the human world.

Kouta and Kaito arrive at Roshuo's lair, and due to Kouta meeting all of the other bloodthirsty Overlords but him, and gaining little information regarding Mai's situation without much context (from Ryoma's announcement), he assumes Roshuo kidnapping her.. when it's actually Micchy handing her to him for safety. Roshuo assures them that he has sent her back to their world, though this would still give them the impression that Roshuo kidnaps Mai before releasing her. Others like Takatora and Mai have conversed with Roshuo and get into his reasonable, albeit nihilistic side, too bad that Kouta never get to do so before he assumes Roshuo to be the same as others, and this is actually how Kouta's plan to reason with Overlords can seem convincing. Roshuo still challenges both of the Riders to claim the golden fruit, and showcases many of his overwhelming power that puts him at big advantage as the previous Man of the Beginning, like his shockwave to keep the Riders (Gaim Kachidoki Arms, Baron Lemon Energy Arms) from touching him, striking him with electricity and blue fire, teleporting for mobility along with his swordmanship, redirecting attacks like arrows from Baron with force field, and Helheim plant manipulation. Roshuo claims that they can't face him without enough resolve. Roshuo knocks Baron, reverting him into Kaito, who struggles with his injuries, but Gaim saves Kaito from Roshuo's slash by firing it, and resumes his fight with Roshuo. Kachidoki Arms activates Taiken Mode of DJ Gun and slashes Roshuo, but Roshuo also had healing factor for that. Overwhelmed by various use of Roshuo's power, Roshuo points out that it's not Gaim at his best. As Gaim tries to use Kiwami Lockseed, Roshuo points out the difference between him and Kiwami, that Kiwami is merely a fragment of golden fruit and doesn't compare to golden fruit as a whole, like Roshuo himself who already ate it, and warns that he can futilely losing humanity without making actual change. Kaito witnesses another of Roshuo's power display to create lifes, a horde of Inves with the fruit. Like Redyue's illusions before, Roshuo likely makes sure that the ones with golden fruit power has enough resolve to shoulder the power, and is fully commited to the price at that power, as Roshuo's resolve wasn't the strongest, likely being the mistake in his role, his fight is a character test to Gaim and Baron. Gaim'd have no regrets and upgrades into Kiwami Arms, with the nice use of the bunch of Armor Parts shielding Gaim from the plants and destroying all of the Inves army. Roshuo still wins easily, proving the claim of Kiwami Lockseed being merely a fragment of the fruit being true, destroying the Kachidoki Lockseed on his belt, reverting him back to Kouta.

However, Roshuo is backstabbed by Redyue, which sooner or later will happen, due to Redyue's pride of backstabbing the ones who trust her, and that she creates the machine so Roshuo would give her the fruit, acting against him. Backstabbing Roshuo here is just another way for her to get the golden fruit. Roshuo being Takatora's counterpart involves... this betrayal (by Ryoma for Takatora), and before Redyue corrupts Roshuo too by creating war to humans to provoke them using the missiles, convincing Roshuo to end humans quicker. However, Roshuo doesn't have the fruit anymore, and the fruit Redyue took from him is only an empty husk. Redyue finally loses her cool compared to her usual composed self, and beats up Roshuo to death while forcing him to reveal the fruit's location now, but Roshuo accepts this as it's another way that he can reunite with his love, by having him die too, barely reacting to Redyue's rampage. This speaks further about how overwhelmingly strong Roshuo is, him giving away the fruit means he nerfed himself against Gaim Kiwami Arms and Baron Lemon Energy Arms, and still wins rather easily against them, though him giving the fruit away is the reason that he can be killed by Redyue via backstab. This actually enrages Kouta as unlike Sagara before, he earns his power by himself here, by recreating Kachidoki Lockseed to henshin into Kiwami Arms, acknowledging that he gives up his humanity by using Overlord's power to control Helheim's plants to gain upper hand against Redyuem in front of Kaito who realizes what is Kouta's resolve now. It seems that despite the hard beating he received, Gaim probably changes his stance about Roshuo a bit by taking his sword to further weaken Redyue to honor him. He finishes the fight with Orange Charge though. Micchy also watches that Roshuo didn't have the fruit anymore, which means he could've put it on Mai as he rushes to her, as the scene cuts into Mai collapsing and gaining red eyes due to her being an Overlord now. Another irony for Micchy's schemes, he thinks humanity is hopeless against Overlords and pulls cowardly move for that, but he actually caused them to lose, by giving Mai to Roshuo, Roshuo gives the fruit to her after a conversation, which weakens him that he can be killed by backstabbing Redyue, with Redyue being beaten by Gaim. Of course doesn't mean Micchy 'secretly contributes' to others, he did all of those with malicious intentions it's just his plans failing, but inadvertently giving good outcome. Another depressing part of Roshuo's death is that, as Roshuo reunites with his Queen, it's revealed that the Queen's coffin is empty, likely Roshuo's plan to revive her wouldn't have worked too, but it shows that she doesn't seem to regret betting Roshuo with golden fruit like Mai said.