This show continues to be a little caught up in its own terminology, but as usual makes up for it with a combination of rational strategizing and character development. It is nice to see characters have real time to plan and reflect before the final battle.

It felt like a part of this episode was, albeit sensibly, filling time to push all of the final battle into next episode. Scenes like another flashback about Mahiro/Yoshino/Aika or Samon and Yamamoto talking out on the roof didn’t add much to the show. The former just established why they called each other what they called each other, and was very repetitive otherwise. The latter was kind of like an outro monologue, but two episodes too early.

Hakaze’s residual guilt over the circumstances of Aika’s death fed very nicely into a domino chain of emotions. Mahiro and Yoshino forgiving her was not unexpected for them, if definitely abnormal. Their being able to take the existance of magic in stride, among other things, speaks to their ability to process huge news rationally. Still, it was clear that wasn’t enough, so we got Hanemura, of all people, laying the smackdown on the two and giving a much-needed emotional outlet. I’d like to think that that bar scene at the end was thanks to his words. Kid needs to lay off on the power usage, though.

Pictured: Hilarious Consequences

It’s amusing how the politics in this show continues to play a role after it’s clear that Hanemura could simply curbstomp all of the world’s remaining naval armaments. As it was when he first took up his mantle, these characters are very much bound to consider public opinion because they want to save the world in the long haul, and the world they’re dealing with is unstable at best. Ultimately, however, every character is still acting with their own goals, from Mahiro’s sense of responsibility for Aika’s actions to Samon’s desire to advance civilization. Yamamoto’s motives are much hazier than those of the rest, and I have to wonder if she’s saving some twist for the finale.

On a side note, I’m disappointed with the G8 for capitualating to the tree. What happened to the courage they had when they challenged Hitler to a mahjong battle for the future of the earth?