[Layton13]

Ok, it's time...

This is the worst episode of Zero-One for me, by a huge margin, and was what ultimately made the show crumble down for me, something it never managed to recover from, not even once in any of the following material.

My first problem:
Is as the main player. Let's start with the fact that Is is probably the flattest and blandest character in the show for me. In a show filled with robots, why exactly is our main robot the most robotic while pretty much every other Humagear has more of a personality beyond: submissive, likes her work, is cute, and has a light sense of humor? Like, she is so hard to invest in for me since there is next to nothing to really grab onto with her. What doesn't help is the fact of how often she is reduced to a plot device as well, aka, put in completely avoidable danger like a lemming just to solicit an emotional response of the cast and viewers in the laziest way possible.
And she is here again. Her personal development is secondary compared to the creation of Zero-Two, which really rubs me the wrong way. Also, didn't she already reach singularity when she allowed Aruto to use Zero-One against Gai after he was ousted? That was a direct disregarding of an order. That had to be a singularity, right? So why are we doing this again?

Second problem:
It destroys any menace the Ark had left by showing it as a complete idiot. If it was gonna kill Aruto anyway, why in gods name did it not murder him on the bridge? What possible reason could it have beyond the writers saying no or the hero would lose? It utterly deflates the Ark as a villain because either it is completely incompetent, which is totally possible, or it is as smart as the writers want it to be and breaks the illusion.

Third problem:
Aruto feels completely detached from his own final form development. He already was a character starved for his own big moments, and taking that one away from him makes him come off as even more forgettable, at least in my opinion.

And the big one:
This episode tramples over the show's established rules like it's a track competition. Rider Gear can only really be made by 3D-Printers linked to either the Ark or Zea satellites, and potentially, however, AIMS made their gear, and Is and the Humagear had to break into Metsubo's base to create the Hopper Blade? And we are now in a situation where Aruto has no ways of accessing either of those? No problem, it just magically appears, completely different from how anything has worked in this show! Is's brother dies once his memory unit is removed? Forget about that Is's fine! Why would she be in any sort of danger?
It signaled to me that the show didn't care about playing within the rules it had established for itself and would just handwave everything to get to the point where it wanted to be. And that was where all the goodwill and "that'll probably pay off later" that had pilled up during the show effectively evaporated for me at once and really showed how much of a cobled-together mess this show really had been.

So, yeah, I really, really dislike this episode on basically every level, and it's most likely my least favorite Final Form episode in the franchise.

Also, one more thing. Zero-Two looks very meh to me. Too close to base to really differentiate, and dear god is it top-heavy! If they were gonna do the Nigo reference, why aren't his boots red?

[TF RyuShin]

THIS EP! HOLY MOLY! First of all, this episode slapped back all of my opinions about how I dislike the way Ark was portrayed with its manipulating and calculating power. Because, man do I LOVE how pragmatic the Ark was in this episode. It was as if Evolt stopped playing around and went to serious mode. I rarely see such a villain like Ark, who doesn't give a moment for our heroes to breath or transform. It was this episode that cemented how Ark didn't give a sh*t for humanity to survive. That shot where he cancelled Fuwa's transformation and went for the kill, that WAS brutal. I think the Ark was fed up after waiting Aruto transformed to Metal Cluster Hopper, accompanied by Thouser' dance, in the previous episode.

Now for Zero Two. For the longest time, I really despised this form as much as I despite Zi-O II. However as time passes, my opinions about it start to warm up and I do like and enjoy Zero-Two by large margin. Even I started appreciate the sleek and slim body of Zero Two which I thought was a weak follow-up from MCH. If Toei wanted, they could make a cluster clutter of Final Form but I respect their decision to go back to the basic for this instance.

At first, I also dislike how basically Zero-Two just copycatted Shinning Hopper's ability. But after thorough and multiple rewatching, I started to find how distinct Zero-Two's ability. Obliviously, they went an extra mile to use TWO Zero-Two's suits to emulate the superspeed and Zero-Two's ability to counter the Ark's prediction. There's a small detail in Enchilada's GIF in how the Ark couldn't read Zero-Two's movement. There was an obvious delay in Ark's movement because he acted based on what it PREDICTS and not what is actually HAPPENING.

Basically, I like to think that Zero-Two's ability is more of a reality bending or simply making impossibility to be possible. Like making the binary code to 020202, making the Ark having a tremendous lag, and having a body double which in reality NOT possible. But it DO happened and it IS possible. Unlike Shining Hopper's superspeed and calculation, Zero-Two basically willed something like miracle to happen! It's no wonder why Zero-Two was made from Izu reaching more than Singularity because for such a lifeless robot, of course, it was impossible. But it WAS possible! If Takeru said 'Humanity's potential is infinite!', then I would say 'Humanity AND Humagears' potential is more than infinite!'

Other than that, this episode made me realized how much I love seeing Aruto and Izu on every possible scenes they had. They almost feel a good old-couple together, even Aruto like to crack a joke like an old man too. It was heartbreaking to see Izu started begging Aruto to open his eyes. It was as if an old wife had just lost his beloved husband and life partner. If I was Izu, of course, I wouldn't easily forgive Aruto for basically tormenting me in a never ending nightmare like that. Aruto legitly MADE an almost unforgivable sins not unlike Gai. But it was just so cute to see those two together in every possible moments. I hope nothing bad WILL happen to either Aruto and Izu.

Fun fact too: During the filming, Izu's actress, Noa Tsurushima, forced herself to cry too much to the point that she couldn't stop shedding tears. Because of this, the staff had to take an immediate break to comfort and relieve the girl from the weight of the scenario.

[DreamSword]

I wasn't down with the simulation twist either. Maybe it's just me, but I actually would've 1000% bought it if the show had claimed that Izu was somehow time traveling due to her becoming magic upon reaching the singularity or somesuch. Given all the other fantastical stuff that happens not only in this franchise, but specifically this entry? I don't feel it would've been too much of a stretch.

That aside though I rather liked the episode for many of the reasons that alot of others have said. Especially since it debuts my favorite song in Zero-One:

[Nokination]

This is a strange episode to me personally, I was honestly confused by it the first time through, and only on later watches did I realize what happened, though it's not surprising with how convoluted this episode is. I first thought that Izu was in some sense, time traveling, but I guess it was all just a simulation? Why would the show dedicate so much time to something that's apparently just a simulation, I know that Zea is very advanced, but how could it have possibly predicted literally everything? Aside from that, I do like the episode, but it's hard for me to accept that half the episode was just a simulation that apparently predicted exactly what Ark would do, unless I missed something (which is entirely possible, since I mostly rely on my previous viewing and skipping through the episode), I just can't suspend my disbelief that much, and this just felt weird and out of place, but still a fine episode I guess.

[Sh Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER ZERO-ONE EPISODE 40 - ?TOWARD MY DREAM AND MY DREAM?

The first ten minutes of this episode had me riveted. I 1000% bought into the idea that the Ark murdered Aruto. I was like, Holy Shit. What a bold turn, to leave Aruto?s dream in the hands of the people who looked up to him! What a great demonstration of this show?s themes and theories! And, god, Izu?s performance! Heartbreaking and vulnerable, it got me entirely on this show?s side.

Until they murdered the rest of the cast, and I was like Oh It?s Just A Dream. The stakes basically evaporated, and I was just biding my time until the twist was revealed. Which somehow got worse, as the twist was that Aruto was psychologically torturing Izu (who consented?) until she hit her Singularity Point and coughed up an upgrade that could beat the Ark. It?s? boy, I don?t love it? It takes something enormously affecting, like Izu crying over the body of her dead friend, and turns into some sort of Heroic Prank, and that?s a kind of a horrible way to evolve the core relationship of this show. It shortcuts it in ways that may help the heroes succeed today, but at the cost of a more honest and thoughtful story.

The protagonist dying before reviving with their Final Form is a fairly common trope, as Gentarou and Shinnosuke have experienced. Takeru actually went beyond death in his Final Form debut episode. So Aruto not really dying is an interesting subversion. Even though the scenario of this episode is just a simulation, it showed a real future, so I think this emphasizes how unstoppable the Ark is as it finally goes all-out murdering everybody it deems a threat to its victory. It sucks that Aruto has to drive Izu to despair to escalate her singularity, but it was a desperate situation and I don't think he would've gone through with it if there were any other options. It also shows his faith in technology, by putting his life in the hands of a robot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER ZERO-ONE SO-DO AI 09: KAMEN RIDER ZERO-TWO

I generally like it. I think it cleanly communicates Upgrade Zero-One form, even if it doesn?t really nail Designed With Izu. The decrease in COLOR and increase in red and silver keep the suit itself firmly ensconced in the Zero-One aesthetic, and the blocks of color are pleasant to look at. (I know the red gloves and Two of it all are Showa references, but I don?t truck with Showa. Feel free to gush over that aspect if you?d like.) There?re some in-universe aspects to the new Driver that I feel like are too over-thought ? I?m not sure we needed to define the central emblem as a link between Aruto?s family, considering this suit already has to shoulder the thematic weight of humans and Humagears working in unison on a dream ? but the Driver itself is solid in design. Which, yeah, that?s sort of my whole thing about this suit: I don?t know if it?s hitting all of the beats it wants to, but I like looking at it enough to not really care.

Zero Two is two cool! And that's how you know it's Aruto!

(I can't take credit though, as I did copy that joke from Twokaizer)

Unfortunately, it's also the most tragic victim of you-know-what. Episode 40 is very late for a Final Form debut and with only 5 episodes to go, I recommend that you savor all of Aruto's appearances as Zero Two. To give you an idea of how tragic this is, Aruto uses the Rise Hopper more than Zero Two. Yeah, you know it's bad when even the bike gets more focus than the Final Form. Even Flying Falcon's absence for most of Q1 pales in comparison to the neglect that poor Zero Two has to endure. The only consolation is that a certain NG+ accelerator in Memory of Heroez lets you use it as much as you want, but that game barely features Aruto anyway. I think it's a terrible injustice and it sours my opinion of the otherwise decent final arc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Layton13

Ok, it's time...

Now Is The Right Time!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Layton13

So, yeah, I really, really dislike this episode on basically every level, and it's most likely my least favorite Final Form episode in the franchise.

Personally, my least favorite Final Form episode in the franchise is Kuuga Episode 48. Not enough special effects, no cool insert theme, the choreography is just two dudes punching each other. Pretty disappointing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Layton13

Also, one more thing. Zero-Two looks very meh to me. Too close to base to really differentiate, and dear god is it top-heavy! If they were gonna do the Nigo reference, why aren't his boots red?

Zero Two is an upgrade to Rising Hopper before it's a Rider 2 reference, so I think the yellow legs are more thematically appropriate. A Kamen Rider should have an authentic design, even if it does reference something else.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TF RyuShin

Basically, I like to think that Zero-Two's ability is more of a reality bending or simply making impossibility to be possible. Like making the binary code to 020202, making the Ark having a tremendous lag, and having a body double which in reality NOT possible. But it DO happened and it IS possible. Unlike Shining Hopper's superspeed and calculation, Zero-Two basically willed something like miracle to happen! It's no wonder why Zero-Two was made from Izu reaching more than Singularity because for such a lifeless robot, of course, it was impossible. But it WAS possible! If Takeru said 'Humanity's potential is infinite!', then I would say 'Humanity AND Humagears' potential is more than infinite!'

Trinary is a totally real thing that uses 0s, 1s and 2s. Even though Ark is a powerful AI that can predict people's actions, it's still a binary AI. It doesn't understand the true power of the number 2, which is depicted from its perspective as Zero Two somehow overwriting reality. This looks like a miracle, but Zero Two is just operating on a higher level of processing, similar to how Zi-O II can't predict Geiz Revive Typhoon. Symbolically, Zero Two was created through the magic of friendship between Aruto and Izu. Ark doesn't understand the concept of friendship, so it has no way to counter this. But yeah, Zero Two is OP as hell and human potential is infinite!

[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Oh, I just mean that he's still sort of a pain to be around. He's an asshole in the more pedestrian sense, where you definitely don't want to be stuck talking to him at a party. He's still pretty stuck-up, even if it's in a less insulting way.

About other's reaction? I'd think Gai is annoying to be around because of course, they can't ever forget that it's the man who caused all the problems in the series. It'd be a reasonable grudge and distrust against someone formerly depraved. For a man like him, assholery (I still think there's none of it, about Thouser whimpering?) isn't required to have others don't want to be stuck... his very existence does.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER ZERO-ONE EPISODE 40 - “TOWARD MY DREAM AND MY DREAM”

I really liked where this episode ended. Beyond the catharsis of seeing Aruto humiliate the Ark via some absolutely jaw-dropping action choreography (I’m particularly a fan of using a bunch of Zero-Two doubles to pop in and out of frame, to make Aruto feel impossibly fast), I love how this ending reinforces the series-long notion of interconnected fates. Aruto’s argument in favor of human/Humagear coexistence is that things like happiness, or success, or contentment aren't – if you’ll pardon the expression – zero-sum things. Someone else doesn’t necessarily succeed at someone else's expense; we can all succeed together. Aruto empowers Izu to be better, which in turn empowers Aruto to be strong enough to defeat the Ark. We can win by helping others win. I love that message.

The simulations reminded us that, for all the technology and powers the non-Humagear Riders have (or any human Riders period of all franchise), they're still only human. And Ark very well knows this. Ark doesn't kill Aruto, Fuwa, Gai and Yua with flashy finishers, he kills them with little more than single, mundane bullet each. This also shows that Ark doesn't play around (along with exploiting the Rider's human weakness), in Ikazuchi's body he breaks into Hiden Manufacturing to prevent the slightest chance of Aruto figuring something out by killing him, then after playing with Jin for a bit and doing the deed, basically kills the others, and Gai, with quick, pin-point shots to the heart. He doesn't even give the chance for Fuwa to fight back, interrupting his transformation by destroying his Rider Models before killing him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Until they murdered the rest of the cast, and I was like Oh It’s Just A Dream. The stakes basically evaporated, and I was just biding my time until the twist was revealed. Which somehow got worse, as the twist was that Aruto was psychologically torturing Izu (who consented?) until she hit her Singularity Point and coughed up an upgrade that could beat the Ark. It’s… boy, I don’t love it? It takes something enormously affecting, like Izu crying over the body of her dead friend, and turns into some sort of Heroic Prank, and that’s a kind of a horrible way to evolve the core relationship of this show. It shortcuts it in ways that may help the heroes succeed today, but at the cost of a more honest and thoughtful story.

Ark's main thing is its adaptive and calculating nature, and in this part, Aruto and Izu's direct link to Zea ultimately pays off this episode, through those links Zea was able to formulate and fill Aruto in with its plan within the seconds it took for Ark to rip off the Zero-One Driver, as well as revive itself by linking itself to Izu (something Ark didn't foresee). However, there's something bad for Izu from that, despite her boosted abilities like producing Progrise Keys, Drivers, and simulation capabilities, the last one is the reason she's able to run thousands of simulations of Ark's plan, and grieving in the process. And... her sadness is what's required to create Zero-Two, as her Singularity requires to experiences an emotion she’s never felt before while running Zea’s simulations. So it's about Ark vs Zea war, and Zea defeating Ark, but at the cost of Izu's smile. There's... an expense here of Zea winning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER ZERO-ONE SO-DO AI 09: KAMEN RIDER ZERO-TWO

I generally like it. I think it cleanly communicates Upgrade Zero-One form, even if it doesn’t really nail Designed With Izu. The decrease in COLOR and increase in red and silver keep the suit itself firmly ensconced in the Zero-One aesthetic, and the blocks of color are pleasant to look at. (I know the red gloves and Two of it all are Showa references, but I don’t truck with Showa. Feel free to gush over that aspect if you’d like.) There’re some in-universe aspects to the new Driver that I feel like are too over-thought – I’m not sure we needed to define the central emblem as a link between Aruto’s family, considering this suit already has to shoulder the thematic weight of humans and Humagears working in unison on a dream – but the Driver itself is solid in design. Which, yeah, that’s sort of my whole thing about this suit: I don’t know if it’s hitting all of the beats it wants to, but I like looking at it enough to not really care.

Like some of the other final form upgrades (actually this one's just a new version, enhanced version of base Zero-One, which is why the design resembles it more), Zero-Two has all various Hopper forms powers; improved version of Ichi-Gata's energy scarf, the speed from previous Hopper forms, predictive abilities of Shining Hopper, the strength and defensive power from Metal Cluster Hopper, and Cluster Cell constructs from the Progrise Hopper Blade. Shining Hopper tests 25,000 scenarios per prediction, while Zero-Two tests 2 trillion. Aruto's humor rubs into even Zero-Two's henshin jingle, exaggerates the "to" in the jingle, as it's Zero-"Two". Zero-Two also has a similar name and theme to Nigou (#2) and also patterned after a grasshopper, with a suit featuring red gloves and heavier silver accents. And, Zero-Two has Zea's AI working with Aruto directly instead of Aruto's consciousness being sent to Zea, so Zero-Two is also the culmination of humans and AI working together as Aruto envisioned.

[Frontier]

I guess it's interesting to look at Aruto's handling of Is here and what he put her through for the sake of the mission, especially knowing how much they care for each other and how kind Aruto is. The fact that he saw no other option and was willing to subject her to this, knowing how much it would hurt her, because there was no other way adds, I think, a new layer to Aruto as a character and emphasizes how precious he is to Is even as she's rightfully angry with him at the end.

Zero-Two! There's a lot to unpack here now that we've finally gotten our Final Form.

But it's kind of unconventional as far as Final Forms go. Especially in recent memory they've usually gone for very busy or ostentatious designs, which I think work from a certain perspective and I've enjoyed them myself, but there's something to the base simplicity and streamlined nature of Zero-Two that makes it really stand out.

And it's also unconventional in the sense that it's technically both a Final Form and a separate Rider, since it has it's own belt. Because Zero-One has basically peaked and Aruto now has to evolve past that, into Zero-Two. Which means Metal Cluster Hopper is technically Zero-One's Final Form, but let's not get into an OOO Final Form argument...

As an individual form it captures what works for Rising Hopper and builds on that into a new form, still distinct yet also obviously channeling the base form in a way that just works.

And, of course, watching Aruto as Zero-Two beat the tar out of Ark is immensely satisfying. A great Final Form debut!

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enchilada645

If you cant' tell I really loved this episode and consider Zero-Two to have a place among my favorite Final Form Debut's.

The concluding fight scene was incredibly cool. Definitely feel okay saying that!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

I will always appreciate a design that doesn't go overboard with stacking on more armor, accessories, and miscellaneous pieces of flair.

Yeah, my big problem with late-series suits is that the shoulders get real big and unwieldy. Zero-Two does not do that, and I appreciate it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Androzani84

Also, I?m not keen on the in-universe origin being Is just? pooping it out of her ear. Especially since it seems way sillier than the usual 3D printing method.

This is one of those things where... I don't know, I can't care? It's like every time someone pulls an entire Driver out of their back pocket: you just gotta let some stuff go to enjoy these shows.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRaizin

We're at that point now. I'll get these out of the way, Zero-Two is a fantastic debut, I love use of practical effects and just how overall minimal in VFX it is, it's a stark contrast to a certain sword-based rider's final form debut next year who goes to the other extreme side of the spectrum in dashing colors. Zero-Two is an amazing suit, it was weird at first how it was simple initially in the magazine leaks, but I fell in love with it immediately. I pre-ordered the SHF already!

I can see why! It's a very fun suit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Layton13

It destroys any menace the Ark had left by showing it as a complete idiot. If it was gonna kill Aruto anyway, why in gods name did it not murder him on the bridge? What possible reason could it have beyond the writers saying no or the hero would lose? It utterly deflates the Ark as a villain because either it is completely incompetent, which is totally possible, or it is as smart as the writers want it to be and breaks the illusion.

So, I disagree with a lot of your points, some objectively (Izu's role is integral to the series' themes; Izu and Aruto collaborating on Zero-Two is literally what this show is about) and some subjectively (see above re: the manufacture of the Zero-Two Driver; I think Zero-Two looks cool), but this point is something that legitimately bothers me from the episode. If the whole story had been Izu stressing out and imagining the worst, fine. But if this is all really possible, why didn't the Ark just murder Aruto on the bridge? Why wait for him to go back to Hiden Manufacturing, rest up for a few hours, and then get murdered? The Ark's either a villain who wants to cause suffering, or it's a villain that wants to succeed as efficiently as possible. It can't be both!

(Also, JESUS CHRIST, why does everyone sit around while Horobi re-abducts Ikazuchi for service in MetsubouJinrai? Ikazuchi just escaped from this robot death cult! There are, like, four Kamen Riders there that could easily stop him! Are they all just looking for an excuse to head back to Daybreak Town?!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TF RyuShin

Basically, I like to think that Zero-Two's ability is more of a reality bending or simply making impossibility to be possible. Like making the binary code to 020202, making the Ark having a tremendous lag, and having a body double which in reality NOT possible. But it DO happened and it IS possible. Unlike Shining Hopper's superspeed and calculation, Zero-Two basically willed something like miracle to happen! It's no wonder why Zero-Two was made from Izu reaching more than Singularity because for such a lifeless robot, of course, it was impossible. But it WAS possible! If Takeru said 'Humanity's potential is infinite!', then I would say 'Humanity AND Humagears' potential is more than infinite!'

Ha ha, I really like this reading! Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

I wasn't down with the simulation twist either. Maybe it's just me, but I actually would've 1000% bought it if the show had claimed that Izu was somehow time traveling due to her becoming magic upon reaching the singularity or somesuch. Given all the other fantastical stuff that happens not only in this franchise, but specifically this entry? I don't feel it would've been too much of a stretch.

I seriously just thought she was having a breakdown? This is an incredibly stressful time for Izu, as she can't really do much for Aruto than be supportive. A story where she has to be more involved in the battle -- which is where they ended up -- feels very relevant to her character at this point, but I didn't like how they set it up. Better for her to have maybe overcome her own sense of helplessness to be a positive force against the Ark.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nokination

Why would the show dedicate so much time to something that's apparently just a simulation, I know that Zea is very advanced, but how could it have possibly predicted literally everything?

It's just how There and Ark see the world, as limited possibilities that can be catalogued and countered. There/Izu is just doing what Ark's done, using the last episode's status quo to extrapolate what Ark would do next, and then adapting a strategy to defeat it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

It sucks that Aruto has to drive Izu to despair to escalate her singularity, but it was a desperate situation and I don't think he would've gone through with it if there were any other options. It also shows his faith in technology, by putting his life in the hands of a robot.

I wish any of that had been a major part of the episode? The closest we get is Aruto's (funny) Mea Culpa at the end, which isn't really sufficient to me. I think there needed to be either a serious admission that this was a horrible thing to ask (Sento explaining the Hazard Trigger to Misora, for example), or Izu taking the lead on this plan. Having it be Aruto's suggestion and Izu's suffering... I don't love it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreadBringer

And... her sadness is what's required to create Zero-Two, as her Singularity requires to experiences an emotion she?s never felt before while running Zea?s simulations. So it's about Ark vs Zea war, and Zea defeating Ark, but at the cost of Izu's smile. There's... an expense here of Zea winning.

That's a great way of putting it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frontier

And it's also unconventional in the sense that it's technically both a Final Form and a separate Rider, since it has it's own belt. Because Zero-One has basically peaked and Aruto now has to evolve past that, into Zero-Two. Which means Metal Cluster Hopper is technically Zero-One's Final Form, but let's not get into an OOO Final Form argument...

Yeah, I kinda like that part. I like that part of the story is that Aruto has to evolve beyond the plans of his grandfather and become his own kind of hero. Zero-One was someone else's dream; Zero-Two is the dream of Aruto and Izu.

[Enchilada645]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

But if this is all really possible, why didn't the Ark just murder Aruto on the bridge? Why wait for him to go back to Hiden Manufacturing, rest up for a few hours, and then get murdered? The Ark's either a villain who wants to cause suffering, or it's a villain that wants to succeed as efficiently as possible. It can't be both!

I feel like the Ark is definitely inconsistent in it's actions, but I suppose that's what happens when you're made up of human malice and there's a lot of conflicting malice types. You can never really be sure if you want to just immediately crush someone and watch their life drain from their eyes or toy with them in a cruel manner.

I imagine Ark thought that its grandstand against Aruto would be enough to get the job done. But it sat for a while, especially now that it has an entire undamaged satellite for processing power, thought and realized "Oh... oh wait maybe I should just kill everyone."

Admittedly one thing I'm sad about this episode is the loss of the building for Hiden Manufacturing, it was so young...

[Kamen Rider Die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enchilada645

I feel like the Ark is definitely inconsistent in it's actions, but I suppose that's what happens when you're made up of human malice and there's a lot of conflicting malice types. You can never really be sure if you want to just immediately crush someone and watch their life drain from their eyes or toy with them in a cruel manner.

I imagine Ark thought that his grandstand against Aruto would be enough to get the job done. But it sat for a while, especially now that it has an entire undamaged satellite for processing power, thought and realized "Oh... oh wait maybe I should just kill everyone."

Admittedly one thing I'm sad about this episode is the loss of the building for Hiden Manufacturing, it was so young...

The big problem I have is that, if memory serves, the Ark specifically says that it can kill Aruto now because it took over There, and there's no need to keep him alive. There's no new information between the end of 39 and the start of 40, so why in the world didn't it kill him as soon as it took over There?

Like, the plotting for the Ark always seems to want to have its cake and eat it too. It wants to be The Ark Has Calculated This Eventuality And Already Countered It, and it also wants to be The Ark Is Crazy And Does Crazy Things Sometimes. Normally I don't care a whole lot, but this episode really bothered me.