[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER SABER EPISODE 44 - “OPEN THE BOOK, TO THE LAST PAGE”

Touma’s story of a childhood shattered by the loss of Luna, memories diverted and regained, has haunted him as much as it empowered him. His drive to find her was the guiding light in his darkest days, but it’s also an original sin that can never be expunged. Finding Luna was its own penalty, because every visit with this unchanged girl was a reminder that he’d broken a promise. There’s no Getting Her Back, because Touma isn’t that little boy anymore. He’s an adult, just like Kento. The group of friends that existed as children can’t ever be returned to how they were, because that story’s over – no matter how much Touma would rather write it differently.

It's more literal way for Luna here of Luna isn't that little girl anymore (due to being stuck on Wonder World), she's an adult, just like Kentouma. Adult Luna has appeared in Superhero Senki, but for Sophia being revealed as a Luna clone, likely indicating how Luna can look like as an adult, yet actual adult Luna is portrayed by different (younger) actress Mayuu Yokota, instead of Rina Chinnen. Other than her early angst, adult Luna's personality is surprisingly to me, not that different from her child self, being a cheerful carefree types to the point of being open to physical affection from her friends, not the dignified type like Sophia. If you're considering this as a better ending, it's not that you'd rather for Touma-Luna stuff in earlier series (e.g. the flashbacks) to not exist but just executed better?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Everything in this episode’s post-Kamen Rider Storious fight was as emotional and beautiful as you’d assume, with a cast this exceptional. We’re in the last good day before a climactic battle, and we get to see all of our heroes at their best, their most vulnerable. It’s all them connecting with the world, and the people within it, since everything’s at stake. Daishinji works on swords. Rintaro and Mei share a sweet moment on the Brooding Roof. Ren declines Kento’s offer to rejoin the team, but agrees to show up to the fight for his own sense of justice. The Shindai Siblings train together. Ogami spends time with his wife (!!!) and son. And Kento meets Touma at Promise Park, because there’s no other location these two would spend their last moments at.

Do you think that, Rintaro kinda fridged Mei here? To tell her just to stay and wait, as she's not a fighter who can contribute much. It's explained that Rintaro wanted to say something, and obviously Mei won't survive going directly through this one of battlefield, but still. Desast may be a bad guy (and wouldn't say he's redeemed only because he "helps" a good guy), but good influences can come from various things (as well as bad influences from someone good), like Ren turning into a better, less uncaring person due to their time. The Shindai siblings wouldn't say are at most vulnerable here, as they're still on training rather than tender moments, other than coldly rebuffing Rintaro.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

There’s a fight at the beginning of the episode, and a brand-new(-ish) suit for Storious, but I don’t really care about that. The Divine Sages and Kamen Rider Storious are what’s next for our heroes, unavoidably, and I don’t want to taint their last chance for emotional closure with something as tawdry as supervillainy. There are battles to come, but I don’t want to think about that right now. I want to remember them all in their happiness, and in their bond with each other. I want to remember them walking together at dawn, towards the last battle, as a group.

As a lighthearted show, the Northern Base of Saber bonded more quickly, but even Saber still has, the actual full cast of those swordsmen, finally coming through together after this long. But for Divine Sages though, they're an important part of the SoL and the cast, but it'd be wasted (first-time watcher) if they're only used as some muscles for the final villain. It's actually nice when the cast can get their relaxing moments, but I wonder how long it is taking when there's a greater danger at the beginning in them being unable to intervene.

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Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Reika is totally at her most toxic and obnoxious here. If some people thought the infamous Sophia slap wasn't severe enough to call her out, then I'd like to hear their defense for trying to cut Mei, or harassing Touma mid-fight for using Kaiji, even though he literally just saved her beloved big bro! She demands gratitude, while refusing to earn it or give it back. All her behavior here was infuriating for me to watch, as she's a serious liability and could've potentially caused so much more harm for such deranged petty reasons.

Actually there isn't many fan of Ryoga simp, but for these kind of moments it can be dismissed as just a gag stuff and not a serious stuff. This is the reason why I talked about how comedy isn't always lighthearted, it can be about schadenfreude too. Some shows also feel this way to have even nice characters partake in domestic abuse for comedy, but got these ignored narrative-wise and still treated like a saint (and audience buying it). In fiction it seems that it'd be also easier to overlook bad behaviors if it doesn't cause bad consequences, attempted maiming or murder can be ignored entirely if it ends with no harm at all to the would-be victim.