While I didn’t feel this episode was as strong as the previous few episodes, it was still a solid episode overall. Satsuki and Senketsu achieve Life Fibre Synchronise, despite Satsuki not bing a Life Fibre being. She manages to fight Ryuko on equal footing, at least at first. Ryuko quickly ups her game, though, and beats Satsuki brutally. However, this was all a ploy by Satsuki to lure Ryuko into firing range for the Four Devas so Gamagoori could separate Ryuko and Junketsu. Nui reveals, though, that Junketsu has been sown into Ryuko, and should they be separated, Ryuko will die. In a last ditch effort, Satsuki cuts open Ryuko chest and throws both Senketsu and Mako into her to untangle Junketsu’s fibres from Ryuko’s heart. At first, they appear to be unsuccessful, but then Ryuko rips off Junketsu, screaming that she doesn’t care if it will kill her.
We got a real showcase (once again) of how determined and capable Satsuki is. Donning Senektsu, she managed to stand against Life Fibre empowered Ryuko. What’s spectacular about this is that, as Senketsu said, no other human on the planet could achieve Life Fibre Synchronise; Satsuki is quite literally managing to wear a Kamui through sheer force of will when it should be impossible. Not only that, she made herself bait in a plan to separate Ryuko and Junketsu and managed to pull it off with the aid of Mako Mankanshoku.
It was fantastic to see the Four Devas working together so closely and in sync like that. I only wish we’d seen that with their Ultima Uniforms as well. It ws also cool to see Nui have her smug smiled wiped off by Satuki going toe to toe with her, and correctly assuming that Ryuko could still be saved since Nui refused to give up her half of the Sword Scissor. BRAVO, SATSUKI, BRAVO.
However, if only it were that simple. Junketsu was physically sown into Ryuko, making Ryuko not only psychologically bound to the Life Fibres (as she has been the last few episodes, struggling to deal with her origins), but physically too. The kicker is that through Ragyo’s mental remodelling, Ryuko is wired to experience pleasure from this. Just how much refitting Ragyo had to do is questionable, though, considering that throughout her life, Ryuko has known nothing but pain. I can only imagine she would take refuge in the pleasure Junketsu brought her. No wonder Ragyo managed to assume control so easily.
Obviously the biggest concern is what Ragyo plans to do with the original Life Fibre.This Cocoon Planet sounds very ominous, and I wonder what it will achieve. And what will hatch from this Cocoon? And why does Ryuko want to wear Senketsu again? Is she still under Junketsu’s influence? SO MANY QUESTIONS.