[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER W EPISODE 40 - “THE LIKELIHOOD OF G - I CAN’T FORGIVE YOU”

Real low-point of the series, for how little I cared about what was happening in about 80% of this episode. 20% was fun, though! The amateur film stuff was cute – nice gags with our backgrounded cast, at least. Tooru’s ability to come out of his shell and be honest with people was a fine, light story to tell, and it’s application to Philip’s feigned indifference to the fate of Wakana was solid. It was good to see the series try and reframe Wakana’s ridiculous characterization as irrelevant, because the crux of the issue is that Philip believes in a version of her that no one else sees, even her, so he’s going to fight for her redemption. Him ignoring her overt villainy to argue for a version of their relationship that he wants back… that’s good. That’s something to hold onto.

Though Akiko still tries despite Tooru insisting to use Gene, Phillip would be a cynic that he views changing Tooru as impossible task. Phillip may be someone devoid of interest human relationship for good amount of time before, but probably this time he can be just frustrated over his failed attempt to reason with Saeko before, if he'd have development for spending time with Shotaro and Akiko. It's a reversed role again, as Phillip called Akiko a genius before, but now it's Shotaro's turn to remind Akiko's capabilities to Phillip's skepticism.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I guess that’s what we’re landing on with Wakana’s motivation now? She’s gone Memory Mad, and that’s rendered her irredeemably evil? I never really liked it before – it’s the rationalization for a bunch of character arcs that flip from Sympathetic to They Are Crazy And Evil between scenes – and while it’s at least a comprehensible explanation for an almost brand-new version of a core character, it’s also the most boring possible explanation. It makes Wakana totally one-dimensional, as evidenced in the best scene in the episode – the Akiko Yells scene.

I've read some that found the Wakana part (at Foundation X arc) being reminiscent of Yuka's part in Faiz, like communicating with certain person for comfort via a phone ('Kikuchi-san', though Faiz' one was texting), but I'd add up that it..well.. doubles as taking up Yuuji's part as well (regardless of it being bad) of both characters turning evil (though I find Wakana's turn much sooner than I expect, outright at the beginning of the final arc) and is symbolized by assuming a new look as well as controlling the evil organization in respective series. Not to mention both her and Yuka are under the mercy of a ruthless woman named Saeko.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It’s one character cutting through frustrating character portrayals and just screaming WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU – the, like, double-boiled alternative to Shotaro’s sympathetic half-boiled approach. And she’s right to do it! They tried kid gloves with Tooru, and he just regressed further. Maybe letting him know that he won’t be coddled forever will get him to come out of his shell. And Wakana! Nothing Wakana’s doing right now makes any sense, and her response is to basically go BUT POWER THO. It’s the moment in her arc that should’ve been illustrative, if not compelling – she can tell Akiko what’s going on her head because she’s just become an all-powerful goddess/tyrant that is going to murder Akiko. But the show whiffs on yet another moment to make Wakana feel as complex as she used to, opting instead for boilerplate mania and unconvincing inhumanity.

Akiko got things wrong as she thinks from the old movie, Tooru views Jessica as an ideal woman, which is probably how she's still convinced that Tooru had a crush on Ai due to him assuming Ai's look for Jessica's portrayal, her focus is on getting them together. And she still has attention deficit to have Tooru trick her as liking her so he can steal the Gene Memory. He's kinda cunning there. Tooru obliges with Wakana's deal, showing he's a pushover, and without a strong moral code, leading into doing disastrous stuff like this. Which makes both him and Claydoll, a deserving one for Akiko's slipper slap, trying to remind them of their usual selves as well. Akiko doesn't know though that Wakana's nice only on camera, but in reality is a mean girl, from what she knows. Finally Ai also insists for Tooru to speak up, and in reality it's about how Ai's acting is too cheerful for Jessica, who's supposed to be a dark character. Though you can be a non-talkative person, speaking up is still important to clear things up, and you have to if it's necessary to speak, even if non-talkative person would likely only talk when necessary.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The whole Wakana Has Memory Madness problem for me is that it makes the worst parts of previous Dopant story endings into an entire A-plot for this episode. She’s just Insane With Power, and that’s boring to think about. Why? To do what? Because of what? And then what? It’s a journey made into a goal, and it’s so empty and boring, you guys. I don’t care. I don’t care about what she’s doing at all.

Ryubee explains to Kazu about the creation behind the Claydoll Memory; being made by people who convey their wishes to the gods, and Wakana is now the cleric of the god (known as Earth) with her mastery over it. Ryubee credits that to the data gathered from W's battles, thus it's worth letting them run around for this long. Wakana of all people got Arch Orphnoch/Sigma/Ark/Giff treatment. It's personal view, but I'd think that the excuse to let W run around as a data gathering feels more like a cop-out here, compared to the previous series I've seen on TV such as Gaim or Build, where the villain's data gathering is done more actively, with their effort and methods being more prevalent throughout the series, though there was Gaia Memory distribution too in W by Kirihiko, but I'd feel Gaim plays it off better to its theme, with Sid knowing why he'd success due to the young ones being more easily tempted with power (metaphorical drug for Lockseeds), while the Gaia Memory's distribution target more random people that happened to have it succeeding (though of course not only young ones more tempted to power).

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Luckily (and I can’t believe how much this one character is salvaging the Sonozaki side of things for me like an MVP) Saeko is here to be both complex and coherent. She’s sacrificed almost everything for a family that threw her away, and she’s excited to show them what they thought was worthless. Her randomly showing up to heckle Wakana as a red Nazca? Perfect. Her goal is clear – humiliate her former family – and also fun to watch. It’s the best part of anything to do with the Sonozakis this episode (besides the chapel where it rains rose petals???), and the actor kills in every scene she’s in. Her “I’m going for a walk” line to Kazu… iconic. Love her, love this part of the show, almost can’t believe this one show is writing for both Sonozaki sisters.

More view on her, where as Philip tries to stop R Nazca from fighting, that she does simply to re-affirm her existence, as she's his older sister too, Saeko de-humanizes Phillip, treating him as only a 'thing' instead of family. Well, not like Saeko is good to her own family either. Wakana's sentimental teasing previously turns into full on criticizing that Saeko's outright 'obsessed' with the previous men. Saeko dismisses Wakana's words due to her being a child with a mere Claydoll talking against a grown up woman. So Saeko bringing up their Memories means she had might makes right approach, feeling entitled from her power alone. She'd also have ageism view as well, treating adults as master authority towards childs (yet won't live up her words against Ryubee).

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

DIE-A MEMORIES

-I’m pretty sure Wakana’s Clay Doll Xtreme transformation takes place in the same spot as the saddest scene in all of toku (Non-Bench Edition) from Episode 47 of Drive.

It's quite silly-looking though ability's the real deal, I do think regular Claydoll is silly looking anyway. The Xtreme naming for Claydoll, I guess that's setting up Wakana's set up as Phillip's counterpart? If it's the case probably it comes from how both of them are only more comfortable and relaxed around each other before, and that now Wakana also can visit Gaia Library, but still don't get much what'd be the contrasting part of them other than what side they're fighting. The Xtreme name in W's case comes from how X is the letter after W though, signifying the next level (in next letter), with the katakana ekusutorimu containing 'tori', which is the word for bird, and how the Xtreme Memory is shaped, and the weapon Prism Bicker is 2-in-1 just like the Rider.