[Fish Sandwich]

You know, I honestly did expect to not see Zero as Some Guy after all the work the show put into making him a charismatic and compelling character just as a bike. Like, even from the angle of this being a show for children, I wondered if that was maybe a big ask for kids to accept the truth midway through. Even with the warnings, I feel like there's a dream there you sort of shatter by doing this.

I also probably should've expected to see Zero as the man behind the curtain after the show repeatedly told me from the start there was in fact a man? For one thing, I gather the guy doing the voice is a well-known actor to begin with, and the fun surprise of having him eventually show up is part of the reason you'd cast him in the first place. But way more than that, part of the fun of ZEZTZ as a big mystery is that is generally doesn't outright lie to the viewer? It's part of the reason NOX always talks so evasively -- so that he doesn't have to be deceptive. Indeed, that's often the vibe of the show overall, which has sometimes proven to be frustrating.

Curious then that so many different characters also insist we're in reality then, even as we see that usual moon in the sky at the end here. Although then, I suppose there's been dialogue warning us those boundaries would break down eventually, too.

The ramifications of this episode's final moments are difficult to discuss with any real purpose right now, so I guess I won't bother, even though it will definitely be the thing everyone takes away from this week, even with everything else going on. And all that other stuff was definitely really interesting! It's sort of a tangled mess of individual elements I'm not totally seeing the cohesion in yet, but part of that comes as a natural result of how longform the story being told is, and crucially, those individual elements are all pretty neat?

Right out of the gate, Baku is actually credited as "Code number: Seven" in the opening, which is a fine detail that starts things off on the right foot, for sure. The actual episode then begins with The Lady giving probably the single most straightforward exposition dump this show has ever had, which I'm less sure I like? The fact that that a cut here subtly calls attention to her and Nem's matching butterfly accessories kinda illustrates what my issue is. It's like -- *that's* how ZEZTZ likes to talk, usually. That's why I got it in my head that it was significant we never saw the Zeroider actually being controlled. This is a show that frequently has deliberately vague dialogue, and even vague situations, but also lots of incredibly specific things it does visually that it wants you to be paying attention to. (See also: the saga of NOX's ring.) So even with a flashback to add the necessary element of showing to all the telling going on, it almost felt blasphemous to have so much crucial information delivered in such a standard fashion after all this time. The clarity is nice, yes, but I have this nagging thought in the back of my head that it still could've somehow been presented in a more ZEZTZ-y manner than it was. Probably not a huge deal, for how much I'm talking about it! But honestly, in spite of all the new details, I don't have much to say yet about how it affects my view of The Lady or Nem, and their roles in the series. Definitely something I'll be curious to see play out now, though, so my issue is absolutely not with the revelations themselves. The Lady in particular is a very strong presence here, and her having so much to do is one of the best things about the episode, even.

Baku's end of things is the most present-tense part of the story, and I'm still liking that stuff enough that I sort of refuse to dignify his delusional fantasies the way the credits do. The dialogue in this show might not always be specific when it comes to facts, but it's definitely very precise when doing things like having Baku immediately respond with concern about Minami when The Lady brings up his sister. You know, the one he insists he doesn't have anymore. Fitting for the dramatic low point of the overall narrative, this is probably the most pathetic Baku has ever been, to the point I honestly kinda get why CODE puts him down like a rabid dog in the end. He gave up everything to become stronger, but it only seemed to make him weaker in just about every way that matters. He consciously alienates his family and allies, and even turns his back on CODE, all in the name of a noble mission that he ultimately fails to carry out. Sure, he does literally Find Nem, but does he even remember what the point of finding her was by the time he gets there? What does a Seven that uncaringly walks by people in distress have left to offer her?

It's all really brutal material, once again, but I'm having a lot of fun exploring these darker avenues the show is taking Baku down, even without being able to see how it plans to get him back on the rails. Or heck, maybe because I can't see it?