[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER ZI-O EPISODE 15 - ?BACK TO 2068?

Sougo?s optimism was always going to be his Achilles heel.

His entire goal ? to be a Good Despot ? is one that?s laughably disconnected from the grim history of mankind. Civilization was built by people, and people aren?t always great. Very few countries (if any) have flourished without regrettable-to-inhumane actions, and very few of those countries? rulers are seen as beacons of morality. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, no matter the amount of caring friends you surround yourself with, or the good intentions you might have. (In fact, there?s another expression, about which path is paved with good intentions?)

Hmm... it's not that optimism is bad (not me though), but Sougo displays one of the most disastrous depiction of optimism, he's the type of optimist that due to how he always views things as always going well, and looking only at the good side, it's means he completely overlooks what's bad to look at the good side, thus making himself oblivious to the surroundings and the bad things that surrounds them (unless when it's undeniable like Another Rider attack or the people's suffering in the future in front of his eyes, but then again he did try to think they're still alive). By this Sougo can even appear insensitive at times despite wanting the best for others, like him not recognizing other's anger at him such as Geiz screaming him off. Yeah, likely his optimism is the one that made him, for example, not notice the feelings of people surrounding him. Though actually Sougo had faith in Geiz and Tsukuyomi that, if Sougo strays from his path, they'd stop him.

Even his rule as Ohma Zi-O can be also attributed at his optimism - obliviousness, he thought he had become kind overlord even when he wiped out half of humanity and rules the rest with an oppressive iron fist. A̶n̶o̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶c̶h̶a̶r̶a̶c̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶I̶ ̶k̶n̶o̶w̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶a̶l̶s̶o̶ ̶h̶a̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶t̶y̶p̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶o̶p̶t̶i̶m̶i̶s̶m̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶S̶p̶o̶n̶g̶e̶B̶o̶b̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶b̶a̶s̶i̶c̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶s̶e̶q̶u̶e̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶o̶.̶ Otherwise, those civilizations aren't built to better whole mankind, but it can be done to fuel tribalism or only benefit their own groups (even for survival), so the inhumane actions or not being beacons of morality is kinda expected, if those aren't fighting for general good at the first place.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Because he doesn?t see that he?s got a problem. Oma Zi-O?s a bad guy, and Sougo just won?t become a bad guy. Sougo believes he?ll find a way to gain all the power and abilities of Oma Zi-O, just as he?s destined to, but he just Won?t Be Evil Somehow. The end. What?s for breakfast?

The stakes of the series can?t ever increase until Sougo directly confronts the claims of the Time Orphans, so we are on a soul-crushing trip to the orange-tinged Misery Fields of 2068, where Sougo can scream at Oma Zi-O, and Oma Zi-O can humiliate Sougo.

Though power can corrupt, likely it's plausible to assume that if Sougo would be a bad guy, he likely would be someone that did dirty things if pushed to accomplish what he wants, not someone who rules over the world in a totalitarian dictatorship, not a hyper-drastic turn in someone with Kamen Rider sensibility becomes someone with a morality (or lack of) of Evolt, that's going from an absolute one end of a moral spectrum to the absolute another end of a moral spectrum. Even becoming a mere bad guy would still mostly have them far from being as evil as Evolt, still had to go long way. As Ohma Zi-O is also an opposite to Evolt in some ways, that Evolt controls space, wants to destroy Earth for fun, and is a primordial alien. But Ohma Zi-O controls time, wants to rule Earth as an overlord, and is a human from future.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Beyond that, though, it?s a little one-note? It?s Sougo just screaming No at things a lot, which is both the point of the episode (Sougo?s constant self-deception is making his worst future more likely), and kind of a drag. Sougo needs to hit rock-bottom, emotionally, but he?s starting so so high above that, which means it?s going to take a lot longer than we?d maybe like for him to be in a place to deal with his future.

I think there are more than screaming no, there are actually some good build up (other than Sougo and Tsukasa's fight), though there's exposure involved, with how it starts with Dai Mazines attacking the city of which it's informed as Ohma Zi-O's mechas, then if Dai Mazines are mere killer robots, there's a more sentient underling in Kasshiin, who'd want to help Ohma Zi-O by eliminating resistance, which is Geiz and Tsukuyomi for now, as well as clearly 'protecting' present Sougo from them. The nice part was especially about how present Sougo did act to try to stop Kasshiin, but it denies present Sougo's order with the claim of he himself ordering the execution, of which this'd be something further up regarding Sougo, more of the contradicting reality of him exposed. There's a clear reason on why Sougo is denial like would not ordering to destroy world or assassinating Geiz. It's even more in the future when more proof is exposed on Sougo with the monument of his first henshin, the shock of seeing people's suffering, making it harder to deny Tsukuyomi's exposition now.

After all of that Sougo finally had a mental breakdown of realizing all of his denials claims before are real truth and even shoves Tsukuyomi away, he's moping over how his hopes and dreams have just come crashing down around him, the only thing he can do is lash out at his own reflection. Obviously, a total opposite of the 2 Sougos reunion in ep. 11-12 before where both are the most supportive to each other (albeit Ohma Zi-O is technically 'supportive' of urging Sougo to become like him). Regarding what I said above, I'd think Sougo recognizing what his future self did as evil is really important to counteract his optimism - obliviousness. Though for the fight between Sougos, I'd think Ohma Zi-O's showing here isn't terribly impressive, like using finisher still to deal with present Sougo's attacks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The part of the episode I liked the best is the recurring entreaty ? by friend and foe alike ? for Sougo to stop Oma Zi-O once and for all by abandoning his Driver. Just, quit. Beyond being a nicely archetypal Can You Use An Evil Power To Do Good thematic note (real top-line Kamen Rider stuff), I like how obviously wrong it is. Sougo can?t avoid the future by refusing to go there; literally, in this episode. It?s no victory to lay down his sword. Time keeps moving onward, even into a future we don?t particularly look forward to. The solution can?t ever be to deny it exists, nor can it be to stay in the past.

It'd be understandably hard, but Geiz is likely learning something new here, to try to reason with what you think is a threat first in asking for Sougo to throw away his belt, instead of instantly resorting into murder or annihilation. Geiz also now tried to kill Sougo out of desperation here instead of being purely fueled by hate and vengeance as Sougo still won't quit being Kamen Rider and the situation is more dire. But actually, the reason that abandoning Driver is hard is more than what you're talking about here, and it lies on one of the major casts, but it'd be shown soon so not now. Tsukasa being a wild card is even more affecting here that other than the Time Jackers, Geiz (Time Jacker's enemy) also tried to ask for Tsukasa's help to eliminate Ohma Zi-O, as well as Woz thinking that Tsukasa would help him by sending Sougo to the future to give his reality check, of which Woz had fatalist view of Sougo (well, full faith of his boss, but utilized in bad way) that Sougo would become evil by that thus fulfills Woz's goals.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER ZI-O COMPLEMENTATION PROJECT EPISODE 15.5 - ?BE FOREVER COMPLEMENTATION PROJECT (PART ONE)?

I would watch both of those proposed spin-offs, honestly. I know Geiz gets a movie after the show, and I?ve heard enough people on the Figuarts thread mention ?Kamen Rider Tsukuyomi? to say that neither option presented here wouldn?t work. These are all fun actors, and I like all of their characters. You wanna hand the show over to Tsukuyomi or Geiz? Be my guest!

Though Geiz is already a Rider, there's also a moment where Tsukuyomi slides into Kasshiin to save Geiz.