[DreamSword]

Man, look at that design. Isn't it just perfect?

There is alot to these two episodes, and I consider them dang near perfect. So let's get the one negative out of the way: Terui and Akiko hooking up.

With that done, I'm now going to do alot of gushing that most likely none of you will agree with, but hey, that's what I'm here for, to be The Only Fan of things no one else is, right?

First off, these episodes bring alot of depth and consideration to Double Xtreme's' design. Why does it come with a Sword when the only other weapons Double has wielded are a stave and a gun? Because it was designed with Accel in mind, whose main weapon is the Engine blade. And it's the same reason why three of the Memory Slots in the Shield are for Philip and only one is for Shotaro. That fourth slot is meant for the Accel Memory.

Second, I was also really surprised to learn that Sakamoto was the one who directed these two episodes, as they're very outside his usual style. He absolutely nailed it too with some great shots ontop of absolutely nailing the overall atmosphere that the story demanded. I think this is some of his best work!

And lastly, these episodes cemented Shroud as one of my favorite characters in the show, and I mean that unironically. Incredibly impressive to me how this show managed make her over the top nature both funny and yet incredibly sad at the same time. She serves as the prime example of the dangers of becoming single-mindedly obsessed, and I never once felt like the show tried to excuse it.

The second episode gives the story the out of "a parent's' love goes beyond comprehension" but really, I don't think it needed it, because alot of what goes into Shroud's' psychosis is pretty self-evident. She made alot of choices that she obviously regrets, but she became so dead set on her mission that her anger is the only thing keeping her going. Because without it, she'd fall into despair again. It's an awful headspace to be stuck in, and gets one to make alot of decisions that there's really no winning with.

It's all very intentional irony that's brought forth here too, because she in turns becomes every bit as bad Terror Dad, and I don't feel like the show ever shyed away from that. Yes, she walked out on her daughters after what happened to her son. Yes, her actions resulted in alot of terrible things happening. But not once does anyone go "You did nothing wrong." Heck, even Shroud doesn't think that, which I believe her brief scuffle with Wakana even showcases. Thus, like with Gai in Zero-One, I think the story less about full on redemption and more about self-actualization and a chance at moving forward.

Or, I suppose the simple way of summing this all up would be how someone else summed up an episode of a different Rider show that featured a mother treating her offspring horribly: Her behavior is human, therefore, it's fine.