Cross Ange: Tenshi to Ryuu no Rondo Episode 12 [ Dat Plot ]

This week of Cross Ange began a deep descent into the plot. This is the aftermath of the attack on Arzenal and rather than start off with the backstory we were promised, we see instead there is a fabulous Council of old guys. This Council are the ones in charge of controlling Arzenal, but it’s not creepy or misogynist because there is a single woman of color there, and are all discussing the nature of the attacks and trying to determine what to do. What a fun note that Julio seems most incompetent even here.

Here we see one of the more prominent faces in the opening, and learn his name is Embryo. Well, with as stupid a fucking name as that he must be the main villain. What does he suggest? They destroy the world and start over. Well uhm, okay. And how do they plan to do it? By obtaining all the para-mail, as long as something known as the Ragna-MAIL.

We cut to finding out some really crucial plot stuff with Jill. For instance we learn that a man she calls ‘God’ grew tired of seeing humanity fight, so he created a race of humans that did not fight, and were capable of wielding a power known as ‘mana’ that allowed humanity to see a new era of happiness. But no matter how hard he tried an anomaly always occurred- babies were born without the capacity to use mana. What did he do? He made them the scapegoats. So we learn right away something we could all expect: Somewhere in society there is someone is purposefully telling lies about Norma.

This ‘god’, who we see is Embryo, needed a scapegoat to unify humanity. People suddenly had someone to blame if there was ever any hardship, which made humanity closer. It disgusts me to see how correct this assertion is, and hearing what I suspected to be true was so disgusting. I didn’t expect it to be outright genetic modification that made people capable of using mana, but that was a nice twist to it. Ange doesn’t seem to take any of the information seriously and this is one of those times I just smack my head and go, Ange, you fucking idiot.

The girl has the same issues- she is afraid to do anything but what she is used to. When she was Princess she fought vehemently against becoming a Norma. Then, she became a Norma and fought vehemently against joining a liberation force. Jill tells her essentially, that she was the first royal bloodline to ever become a Norma. Because of this she could wield a legendary weapon that was capable of taking on ‘God’- the Villkiss. We learn that the Ragna mail capable of destroying the world and rebuilding it is in fact, the Villkiss. And the ring? It is crucial to unlocking the Villkiss, as all noble family rings are able to do.

It is good to know that the show isn’t fucking with us. There is a good reason Jill gave Ange the ring, despite that she couldn’t have possessions, and there is a good reason that it works. Jill, when she was known as Alektra, couldn’t ultimately use Villkiss because she did not have the final key – Ange’s song. I have to admit I’m impressed much that isn’t explained finally gets explained this episode, and I’m also satisfied at the way Jill acts. There has been something wrong with Ange that prevented her from becoming a genuinely good character, and it’s her lack of drive or will to do something. Once she becomes accepted she stops taking responsibility for her duties as someone who is capable of more than the rest.

Well, as she rejects Jill’s desire for her to become part of ‘Libertus’, a resistance group against normal humans as well as what ties Jill and Tusk together, she then finds out something disturbing. Remember dragons guys? Well, haha, funny story. Vivian becomes a dragon in this episode and we see almost everyone she knows try to kill her. She doesn’t control this, she simply becomes one. And as Ange saves her, the woman has a dark realization. Earlier to Jill she says,

“I don’t hate this life, killing DRAGONs, earning money, buying possessions.”

Jill parrots these words back to her as Ange runs to the pit of dragons that Jasmine is about to burn to dispose of. As she does, each dragons body is shown to be human. DRAGONs are human, and for whatever reason, fighting against the rest of humanity. The Norma have unknowingly been killing people. . .that they themselves might turn into. In fact, they’re all expected to turn into this, as they have medicine AT ARZENAL designed specifically TO STOP THIS TRANSFORMATION.

Ange curses the world yet again, and all I can say is she better wake up again. She is gifted and talented. . .and a murderer whose only chance to redeem herself is to join Libertus and stop Embryo. Speaking of that, the episode ends with. . . Embryo sending ’embargos’ to ‘help the Norma’. . . but we all know this cannot simply be the case, as a true war between ‘humans’ and the ‘Norma’ is approaching next week. Will Ange accept her responsibility and fight, or once again allow everything she loves to die?

“You don’t hate this life, right?”

Oki