[TF RyuShin]

One of my favorite moments during Die's entire journey on watching the 1st Phase Heisei Riders was when Die was a bit surprised and taken aback by Takumi's revelation as an Orphnoch in Faiz. Kudos for everyone who insisted Die to NOT watch Paradise Lost first so as not to spoil the twist. Die's line : "Takumi , though. I mean, goddamn" in that episode still rings in my head now. That basically, more or less, summarized how my feelings are for this episode.

Die might not know now but during Zero-One's airing, there was so many speculations regarding Ark-One. I still fondly remembered everyone discussed whether it was Horobi, Gai, Azu, or an entirely new character like Williamson, who would become Ark-One. My money would be on the show basically revived the Ark(-Zero) back and upgraded it to Ark One. That would be so lame and inconsequential to last episode but that's basically the most mainstream storyline that we have gotten up to this point in the franchise. Takahashi himself loved to bring back characters here and there in Ex-Aid.

Aruto as Ark-One, though.... Man, goddamn...

I need to disagree a bit with Die on how he viewed most characters suddenly became idiotic in this episode, especially Horobi and Izu. I don't think Horobi and Izu's actions in this instance was idiotic or boring. For Izu, it was easy to argue because she basically had just seen Aruto died again with her own eyes. Of course she wouldn't want to worry and bring Aruto to this mess which could claim the single important person in Izu's life. I hugely criticized the interaction between characters outside their faction a lot. Aruto and Izu, though? They were the two characters with the strongest bond in the series that I would buy Izu didn't consider her own safety and life if it was for Aruto's sake.

For Horobi, remember he's more or less like Jin in the first quarter of the series. Of course Horobi would return back to his daily routine to exterminate humanity. Like it or not, that's the single lesson that was indoctrinated by Ark to Horobi. Even with the Ark gone, it's undeniable that Horobi could only do the same thing because THAT was the single lesson that he kept learning from the get go. I'm sure if Horobi was more earnest like Jin, he would answer that he attacked humans because that's the ONLY way he knew to ensure Humagears' safety. Like Aruto said before destroying Jin in ep 16, had Horobi didn't learn malice from the Ark, all of the conflict in this episode would have been avoidable.

Even I'm buying Aruto's fall in Azu's temptation and became Ark-One. Izu was not just a simple person for Aruto. She WAS the only person in the series that kept being in Aruto's side no matter what, high or low. No matter how you see Aruto and Izu's relationship, losing such an important person would hurt tremendously. I had wished in ep 40 that nothing would break apart Aruto and Izu. So, it crushed my heart to see Izu exploded right in front of Aruto's eyes and it was deafening to hear Aruto's anguish. If I were Aruto, I would not just stare into nothingness, I would become a crying mess and rolling in the ground till dawn. Poor guy... If only there's someone who could give Aruto a hug...

Oh yeah, if there was an idiot in this episode, I firmly say it would be FUWA! I was gritting and face-palming myself whenever I saw Fuwa in this episode. Firs of all, he basically ruined Izu's conversation with Horobi. As shown by Horobi's hesitance later, some of Izu's word DID reach out Horobi's heart. It was only because Fuwa's arrival and provocation that lead Horobi tool an action there. If only Fuwa and Yua wasn't there, I was sure Izu could reach out Horobi in some way shape or forms. Don't even mention that Fuwa was shoving aside Jin later, who tried to ease the tension and stop this needless bloodshed.

And then there was the scene where Fuwa PREVENTED Yua to comfort Aruto. Like, DUDE! Aruto needed a hug and a huge support in that time! I couldn't do that for him so if you don't want to comfort him, at least let Yua do the stead! I know it was cultural difference where most Japanese person will usually leave grieving people, like Aruto, alone to process his grief. But, come on, Fuwa. I thought you WERE Aruto's friend, beside Izu! Aruto DID so many things to pull out Fuwa from his hate and revenge, helping you finding a dream, and made a therapy bot for you! After all of those things, the only thing that you could do was letting Aruto ALONE!? No wonder Aruto fall into Azu's grasp; Azu was the single person who volunteered to comfort Aruto at that time.

Because of that moment, I dare to say I HATE Aruto and Fuwa's relation as Main and Secondary Rider. Just ask any other Secondary Riders before Fuwa: If they saw the Main Rider in the position like Aruto, I'm sure they will do something other than leaving the Main Rider alone. Geiz was shocked and felt bad for Sougo after witnessing Another Kiva's death, Banjo would beat up Sento to get him out of funk before cheering him up a bit, Hiro DID give some nice wisdom to Emu after Kiriya's death and so on. Fuwa? Do nothing and prevent Yua from cheering up Aruto. I don't care whether Horobi was still out there or Fuwa didn't expect Aruto to become Ark. For certain, Aruto DIDN'T need a room alone, he needed support at time like this. I'm feeling bad because Aruto is TOO much of a nice guy to Fuwa, the so-called friend who didn't even give back all of Aruto's token of friendship in all of its earnest.