Knights of Sidonia S2 ep10: wrapped with the red string of fate

I should’ve known Benisuzume was too good a villain to lose.  though I’m pretty puzzled as to how she survived.  We’re very slowly understanding the Gauna, but their evolution alongside the Sidonia’s advances are disturbing.  You wanna make a bet that it’s us that made them the way they are?  Or after all this time, are you still convinced that Gauna are just mindless, murderous force of nature bent on erasing humanity from the universe?

It didn’t take long for Izana to become the damsel in distress again.  Though I will be fair to her (it feels so good to finally be allowed to assign her a gender), she’s done an excellent job of not just surviving, but observing and adapting in this dire situation.  It’s her observations that allowed her and the last surviving member of her squad to enter the gauna-filled planet’s atmosphere.  It’s her observations that noticed the Gauna were going after the ariticial kabi and the fuel producing the Hyggs particles.  She’s not merely getting lucky, she’s getting good.  Perhaps losing her arm and going cybernetic is the best thing to happen to her since meeting Nagate.

I’ve always been puzzled as to why they allowed so many non-essential staff to see so much of the battle.  It seems to go against the way their very secretive and controlling leadership works.  Though it does make for an interesting and more dynamic watch, having more characters invested in the real time outcome of the battle.  Though this does also allow pilots and other staff to criticize the decisions of leadership in these situations.  And in the case of Nagate and Tsumugi, it causes them to go nuts with grief and worry as they see Izana’s squad torn apart.  With strict orders from Kobayashi, Yuhata would not normally allow them to intervene, but Ochiai sees the possibility of Tsumugi becoming uncontrollable if something bad were to happen, and convinces Kobayashi to allow them to sortie.

The actual mission, of course isn’t simple search and rescue under fire though.  While Nagate in his freshly updated mech and Tsumugi who basically has super powers are one hell of a team, no one is prepared for what’s waiting for them in the planet’s atmosphere.  Benisuzume has returned, far more powerful than before, and still giggling like a little girl for the full creepy effect.

With Izana stuck on the planet with very likely limited resources, and Tsumugi fighting a Benisuzume who may be her match or more, Nagate may have to make a choice here.  He could save Izana and leave Tsumugi to fend for herself  until he can return or she wins, or he can help take down Benisuzume and then begin the search.  And to be fair, Izana may have to sit tight for a bit.  This is some freaky sh*t.  It’s as if I’m watching Claymore.  You just get the sense that blood is going to be spilled.

Overall, a straight forward episode with one hell of a surprise.  It reminds us that Tsumugi wasn’t the first chimera.  It was Benisuzume.  And it goes to show that the red string of fate ties these two warring factions together in eerie ways.

Further Reading:

•  Knights of Sidonia S2 ep9: un-uttered anticipation and fear