[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER W EPISODE 48 - “THE REMAINING U - PARTNERS FOREVER”

It’s the real obstacle for Shotaro in this last story. Kazu’s an interesting final villain – we’ll get to him – but his eventual defeat is both academic and inevitable. The core dilemma for Shotaro is accepting that Philip has a right to determine his own fate, and part of being a good partner is allowing him to make that choice. Shotaro’s main strength is how deeply he feels, but his main weakness is refusing to accept that other people may feel just as deeply. Philip comes off as the drily analytical member of Double, but Shotaro’s insistence on not sacrificing Philip only meant that Philip was doomed to slowly fade away while his sister was destroyed by Kazu. Shotaro’s needs were put in opposition to Philip’s, and Shotaro couldn’t see how his own pain was equal to Philip’s. The only way for Double to win was for Shotaro and Philip to work together, no matter the outcome. The only way they could lose would be as individuals.

Terui (who can resist Utopia's mental attacks) also calls out Shotaro for refusing to henshin, not only endangering Wakana, but also Terui as well. Shotaro is to blame here for focusing more on Phillip and rather neglecting others here, though probably in his defense, as the henshin is their last, it's unknown too at this point if W can take on Utopia as well. Finally after Philip's anguish over what Kazu has done to the cast, attacking all the casts like Queen, Elizabeth, Santa-chan, Watcherman, Makura, Jinno (which how he got his phone), and Akiko, turning them into faceless, lifeless husks, now after seeing more misery from the other friends, Shotaro finally realizes that his focus on Philip dooms others, realizing the error on his ways as protecting his happiness (or for him, won't let any people cry) was more important than protecting his life, and now obeys Shroud's wish to make Philip smile instead, in line with his hatred of seeing others cry, and for now it's Philip. He apologizes to Philip, then takes Sokichi's hat to jump into battle. Though Philip's tears also awaken Wakana.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It all makes for a sweet final story, no matter the shape of the actual final episode. This one’s the big conclusion, where a thematically-relevant villain meets their end in a thrilling battle with our heroes. So much of the beginning is about Shotaro and Philip laying out their anxieties: Shotaro, that he’d be pulling the trigger that kills his partner; Philip, that Shotaro’s reluctance wouldn’t save Philip, and would also doom Fuuto. But the back half is where all of that becomes a pyrotechnic delight, with Shotaro single-handedly storming the Foundation X plant to show how Fuuto will not lack for a Kamen Rider, even when Double is done, and then our two-in-one hero taking on the Utopia Dopant.

Utopia mocks Shotaro for confronting him without W... but Shotaro proves him wrong as W-B-X plays, by utilizing his good-ol detective combat skills, I myself kinda forget that Memory Gadgets can be a formidable asset in combat, like Fang fending off Phillip before he henshins as FangJoker before. Utopia's weakness is that he can't drain the abilities of non-living beings, like Sokichi's hat or the mechanical Gadgets. While teamwork is an important thing, it's also important to try to be independent, when you got to be separated or such.... or the teamwork is done not by Phillip, but by the Memory Gadgets, which binds Utopia (as Utopia's probably distracted by Shotaro using Sokichi's hat) as one of the Gadgets damage the machinery while Shotaro takes Wakana away. The Gadgets then destroy the lab, creating a huge explosion that engulfs Utopia as Shotaro takes Wakana outside and Xtreme Memory carries Phillip into the place. Still though an overall awesome scene, would like to see more of Xtreme Memory taking on Utopia, as it makes the most sense to fend him off as it can fend off some of the most powerful Dopants before. Phillip fully praises Shotaro for his accomplishment here, and indeed, Shotaro still didn't use W, but he's trying to fulfill Phillip's promise of protecting Fuuto alone. Didn't watch it, but this'd be probably similar to Ultraman Taro's finale, a mere human taking on the final threat (albeit Alien Valky isn't leagues above other monster; still a giant though) and takes advantage of the surrounding environment's explosions to take them down. Except obviously, Utopia survived.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Kazu’s an intriguing final opponent for Double, regardless of how late he entered the story, or the use of Foundation X throughout the last dozen episodes. Kazu’s dream is a faceless world of nothing but him and Saeko, which is a direct rebuttal to the vibrancy of Fuuto, and a sort of neat reflection of the drama between Shotaro and Philip. Kazu has been concocting this apocalyptic strategy as a gift to Saeko, to try and win her over. Except, Saeko’s never wanted that, or him. Kazu’s selfish indulgence of his own feelings over Saeko’s autonomy is the villainous counterpart to Shotaro’s disregard of Philip’s dying wish. Both Kazu and Shotaro think they can trick and ignore their way into an outcome that gets them what they need, even if it’s hurting the people they say they’re doing it for. As far as last opponents go, Shotaro’s Emotions With Philip’s Demeanor is as on-target as you can get.

Kazu really inadvertently screwed himself up, being rather pushy in his love to Saeko, as well as giving her Taboo Memory back, is what foils him here, despite that it'll favor Saeko's current enemies (and other family members). Kazu is one of those who took the NEVER case, which means he's a revived artificial soldier, as he can take Taboo's attacks as human. I guess other than Foundation X-arc Wakana (regarding Gaia Library), Kazu is an evil counterpart to Phillip, seen on their previous conversation regarding Wakana's state, as both have died but got resurrected (more on Kazu's in his stint as Eternal), and is a mostly emotionless smartass, but Philip is clearly very human, at worst cold, tactless, and pragmatic, while Kazu goes on outright ruthless, merciless, and callous territory. Though Kazu acknowledges in-universe that he's emotionless thus people have a hard time reading his feelings, and his love to Saeko is even shown in Kazu forgiving her aiding his enemies. But as you said, good catch that Kazu is a foil to Shotaro in how they treat Saeko and Philip respectively.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

This whole two-parter… man, it’s so good. It’s everything I’d want from a W finale, executed with commitment and precision. Double defeats Utopia by caring too much! Goddamn! It’s a gorgeously sentimental finale (Shotaro finally feeling like he can wear Sokichi’s hat!) wedded to a rousingly superheroic finish. Perfect ending for this show, man. Perfect.

The Prism version of Double Xtreme extends the initial drop kick into bicycle kicks, giving even more attacks, though Double Prism Xtreme ironically is relegated into W's Rider Art on Super Climax Heroes game (its weaker special move, where Double Xtreme is the regular finisher). Like Terror before, Utopia's final battle is an anticlimatic one, though I'd say the Utopia one is probably done worse than Terror's (not talking about Utopia being overloaded though), as like what often happens in KR, Utopia didn't use much of his varied power against W, only fistfights. It's better for Terror before as his main powers are only 2, fear ooze and Terror Dragon. Kazu starts to count his sins... but apparently he thinks if loving (Saeko, perhaps) can qualify. This means Kazu doesn't even seem to think that his atrocities were wrong. Sorry to compare trash, but I think Philip here had some resemblance to Yui in late-Ryuki, as in an androgynous-looking companion who had died long ago as a child but got revived through the gimmick of the respective series, and is in the process of dying again where the main protagonist is desperate on saving them to the point of making mistakes until they realize the error in their ways... Kazu was the one that had his dying similar to Ryuki's body dissolving in Mirror World (as Philip dissolves into green data).

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

DIE-A MEMORIES

-Saeko’s death… best Sonozaki death since Kirihiko. I love that she’s equally sacrificing herself to save Wakana as she is to spurn some dipshit dude who thought he could own her, and that’s 100% why I love Saeko in the final third of this show. Even her saving Wakana… she’s partially doing it because it’s contrary, and also Wakana’s death only matters to Saeko if she does it herself. Such a great, prickly lieutenant.

More of Saeko's character is shown here where she's the type to refuse help from others, wanting to prove herself to Ryubee which'd mean no one else has to help her in beating Wakana. If Wakana's defeat takes a lot of Kazu's work, it likely won't convince Ryubee that Saeko's the superior one. Thus even if Kazu's love is sincere, she rejects him for underestimating her. Saeko embodies the opposite of this series' theme, and didn't realize that the idiot Shotaro beat Ryubee due to helping each other. Kazu is the reason Saeko helps the heroes, such as warning about Kazu's plan to execute worldwide Gaia Impact, saving the cast while insisting for Raito to take Wakana, and hold off Utopia to let Wakana escape. If W is a modern/recent show, perhaps people'd (regardless if it's praising or complaining) depict this as redemption, but it's not as Saeko only does that out of hatred to Kazu, not because she realizes the error of her ways (of which Takahashi got a lot more vitriol of doing this), bad guys can fight other bad guys.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Maybe? I think it's also Saeko's traditional brutal honesty, since both her and Wakana have been treated like pawns and prizes by men for pretty much the last 46 episodes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

I think Saeko only really works in the last third of the series. Once Isaka dies, everything the show does with her is captivating and compelling. Before that, though... she's good in some of the Kirihiko stuff? Like a lot of villains on this show, she does not have a front-to-back good season.

This sounds like depicting more abrasive/standoffish = more honest ('brutal honesty'), which I wish don't, as many unpleasantness can be justified as 'being honest'. Otherwise, I don't know which part of you thinking Saeko is treated as pawn/prize in middle part but I personally don't think Saeko is treated as pawn/prize throughout Isaka arc, it's her choice to make out with Isaka, to be Isaka's partner and aid him in overthrowing Ryubee, out of her own will, that doesn't take any agency away from her, it's her decision. And in the first arc, Kirihiko is the one used as a disposable pawn by Saeko, not the other way around.