In this episode we get a closer look at both Minnie C Tachibana’s past as well as Sana’s life at the research facility. (Minnie C is the woman from the first episode who was chasing Sana and trying to recapture her to take her back to the research facility.)
It’s shown that Minnie C was married and both she and her husband were in the military. While he was away on a mission, he was killed in action. Once Minnie C learned of his death, and then later had a dream about his arms embracing her, she became a Dream of Alice. Apparently it’s not common that normal people can transform into an Alice (indicating that they have to be born or genetically-created as an Alice?), but it does happen.
Elsewhere at Zouroku’s house, Zouroku is still demanding that Sana apologize to him for the pig incident, but he’s having no luck. Sana isn’t ready to admit that she was wrong even though she wasn’t intending to cause problems. Ryuu steps in and tries a gentler approach, explaining to Sana that he and his team were tasked with keeping her safe and in order to do that they needed to know where she was at all times. Ryuu asks Sana to wear an emoji GPS pin, and she agrees.
Ryuu pulls Zouroku aside and asks if Zouroku would consider letting Sana live with him and Sanae. Zouroku has some major objections, but Ryuu points out that more than anything Sana needs a family. Zouroku and Sanae can give that to her, and keep her safe in the meantime.
Instead of answering Ryuu, Zouroku tries one more time to get Sana to apologize, but she escapes the situation by claiming she has to use the washroom. So she leaves and does her thing while Sanae waits for her outside. We see that Sana would be very happy to be a part of Sanae’s family. Suddenly two arms reach through the ceiling and no one can hear Sana anymore…
Ryuu’s assistant Shizuku is revealed to also be a Dream of Alice, and she races after Sana (since the young girl is wearing the GPS pin). However she’s too late; Shizuku finds the toilet but Sana is gone, and her leggings and pin are left behind too.
In the back of an SUV, Sana awakens. She’s bound and gagged, with her eyes covered, and we see Minnie C is with her. Minnie C uses her powers to keep
Sana from struggling, and says she’ll kill Sana if she tries to fight back or scream.
The last part of the episode is a flashback between the Director and Minnie C, when the latter was shown Sana’s Wonderland under the research facility. During the conversation the Director mentions how Wonderland was created, and we learn that Sana has been a prisoner for at least ten years.
So between the information about Minnie C’s husband at the beginning of the episode, and this flashback with the Director, we finally know why Minnie C is chasing Sana: because Sana’s abilities are off the charts, and unlike the other Dreams of Alice, Sana has multiple “cards” (abilities) that she can tap into through her Mirror Gate (the flower-like hologram that appears when an Alice uses her powers). And in the vast hollowed-out space underneath the research facility Sana has created, Sana can wish anything into reality. So in a nutshell if Minnie C captures Sana and returns her to Wonderland, she wants to force Sana to bring her husband back to life. No wonder Minnie C is so devoted to recapturing Sana.
My thoughts: How heartbreaking, to be an Alice and have your ability being able to summon two giant hands/arms at will. And not just any hands, but your dead husband’s. Does it summon his actual spirit when she uses her powers like that, or just an echo? Is his soul at peace, or can it know that she uses her ability in his memory? Ugh. 🙁
We learned the name of the grey-haired kid who’s been traveling with the Director and the twins – Kureo. And he has the ability to brings his drawings to life, like a toy robot. He also doesn’t like Minnie C; he can see through her smile mask, and knows that she is not what she appears to be. He doesn’t seem to be central to the story (yet?), but I always just like to learn more about a series’ characters. *shrug*
I appreciated knowing that Shizuku and Ryuu are working together to investigate the research facility and to also keep Sana safe. Because it looks like she’s going to need all the help she can get. But how did Minnie C and the Director know exactly where Sana was in the house?
Also, boo product placement. Yeah I know it’s helpful sometimes, I just dislike it when it’s so blatant. :/