Symphogear G ep5: Not for Kids!

Symphogear G seems to be sending a very clear message to the characters and the viewers. And that message seems to be that the road ahead is a dark and bloody one, not meant for those with doubts. Then again, people have been dying horrible deaths since the very early moments of the very first episode of the first season. So horrible deaths and a adult atmosphere shouldn’t come as even the slightest bit of a surprise to anyone who’s been watching. Still, a reminder seems to be needed. And this is one I won’t soon forget.

While girls the two new loser girls, Kirika and Shirabe, challenge Chris in a singing contest for her relic fragment (yes, that is exactly what’s happening), on school grounds no less; Fine’s HQ has been discovered and is under attack by their former American comrades. The old hag is attempting to convince Maria Cadenzavuna Eve to don her gear and take care of them, but Maria Cadenzavuna Eve seems to have trouble with the idea of actually taking blood. Maria Cadenzavuna Eve is bailed out when Dr. Ver takes up the responsibility of defense and starts summoning Noise to easily kill the soldiers. It’s actually a pretty practical idea – THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED SOONER. Though I honestly think Dr. Ver simply gets off on using the power of Solomon’s Cane to kill. He doesn’t even flinch when coming across a trio of kids who stumble across the scene.

While he does that, we get to hear Kirika and Shirabe sing “Orbital Beats”. I was honestly hoping those two would choke on their lyrics while singing it. They seem to successfully defeat Chris in the singing challenge, but have to bail because of the need for their HQ to be immediately relocated. On the way out, the good Gear users corner the bad ones, but it’s kinda pointless. Under no circumstances are they allowed to expose themselves in public. But their opponents do promise them a duel before escaping.

Back at the Organization’s HQ, word comes in on the Black Gungnir. It’s a perfect match to Hibiki’s, and the knowledge that Fine could perfectly synthesize another Gear makes the team wonder why they would turn against their own country if they could do this?

Back on the stealth helicopter, the old hag wonders how long it will be before Maria Cadenzavuna Eve sheds her naivete. Though at the moment, Maria Cadenzavuna Eve is still reeling from her memories of the night that changed them all. The night she lost her best friend and sister.

The flashback touches upon the opening scenes of the series, that was a flashback of when her and her mother were still working with the Americans in FIS. As a number of government big wigs look on, as their fully awakened Nephilim goes on a rampage in the lab below. It appears that their attempts to control a complete relic (all this terminology and mumbo-jumbo still escapes me) have failed.

It is Serena, Maria Cadenzavuna Eve’s sister who volunteers to use her swan song to devolved the Nephilim into its most basic state. Her attempts yields explosive, successful and disastrous results. The Nephilim devolves into a docile state, but as per the usual rules of using a swan song, Serena is wrecked beyond repair and the lab suffers crippling damage. Meanwhile, all the big wigs upstairs are complaining of the loss of valuable time and resources for this effort, not giving a damn about the little girl that’s bleeding out of every orifice on her body. Maria Cadenzavuna Eve goes down to check on her, but the lab collapses and it’s only her mother’s desperate effort to cover her as the roof collapses that saves her.

Back in present time and reality, we see all the bad guys reunite at what looks like the location of the final battle in the previous season. There the girls tell the old hag about their efforts to get the relic fragments before she slaps them quiet. Apparently, she doesn’t take kindly to them doing things in such an audacious and “childish” way.

Later, the Organization is given the sign for the promised duel as Noise start appearing near the site. The good Gear users go there only to meet Dr. Ver instead of the girls. It appears he has his own plans for fighting the girls, while they’re reprimanded for their earlier efforts. He opens the battle by using Solomon’s Cane to summon droves of Noise as expected. What isn’t expected is what Dr. Ver says during the battle, as he points out that Fine’s objective is to save the Earth from the Moon’s dying orbit and eventual collision with Earth. The Gear users’ doubts about his news are quickly silenced with a little logic, as he tells them that those who know and are in power have kept it a secret to avert worldwide panic, and to find a way to save themselves. He then unleashes the Nephilim on them, and immobilizes Tsubasa and Chris with a shot of… goo from a Noise. Hibiki quickly steps in to put a hurting on the Nephilim, kicking its ass all over the place. But Ver’s words and the previous calls of her being a hypocrite distract her just for a moment. As she goes in for a powered up blow, the hesitation allows the Nephilim to get its mouth around her left arm – and bite it right off!

End of episode.

Dammit! That shook me up a bit! I’m used to the increasing trend of magical girls being horribly hurt or murdered, but I still didn’t expect this to happen to Hibiki – EVER! Either someone’s growing that arm back with bullsh*t anime science, or she gets a robot arm… maybe. Good god! How’s she gonna explain this to Miku?!

Putting aside a lost arm for a moment, this episode cemented the reasons for Fine’s extreme actions up until this point, including their ludicrous attempts to fight the world. It seems that Maria Cadenzavuna Eve and the old hag have been betrayed and have deep resentment towards the FIS. The girls, Kirika and Shirabe were probably drawn in by that story, and the one about the Moon crashing into Earth and killing billions. Now as for Dr. Ver, I’m sure he knows more about the truth than anyone, and I’m sure there’s more to all of this than the others imagine. He has to be betting on the Nephilim more than anyone, because the Nephilim signifies ultimate power, and Ver can’t stop lusting after it. Likely, he’s seen past what everyone else has seen with his knowledge and is going for a hidden prize.

It’s obvious that the episode six will be the highlight of episodes I’m planning to watch next week.  Symphogear G seems to determined to dip into a darker realm, and that’s a place that I like all of my shows to go.

Further Reading:

• Episode 4