Houseki no Kuni – Episode 5 [Return]

Everyone is out looking for Phos, but they are nowhere to be found. It is Diamond who finally has the idea to go see Cinnabar and ask for their help, though Cinnabar is extremely reluctant to get involved in the search. Footsteps are eventually discovered down by the ocean, confirming that Phos did leave for the water after all.

However out in the middle of the ocean, Phos has already been captured by the Lunarians. They are scooped up into the Lunarians’ roiling storm cloud with a gigantic net, and are bound and gagged.

The Lunarians try to forcefully change their original deal with Ventricosus, who suggests to the Lunarians that Phos be used as bait to try to lure the other jewel people. However they only end up losing an arm to the Lunarians’ fiery torches when that idea is rejected.

Ventricosus’ brother Aculeatus awakens and, upon seeing that their sister is injured, goes on a rampage and destroys all the Lunarians on the cloud. Aculeatus falls into the sea, but jumps back up onto the cloud in a form similar to Ventricosus’ (except that they have tentacles and are black in color).

With the Lunarians temporarily defeated, their cloud starts to evaporate into a black mist. Taking pity on Phos, who has by now become rather apathetic about their battered state, Ventricosus and Aculeatus rescue Phos and leave them on the shore near their home, along with two broken pieces of Aculeatus’ giant shell, a fragment of Phos’ face with one of their eyes in it, and the bowl Phos took with them when they left.

Cinnabar is the one who finds Phos as the sun is starting to set, just as the other jewel people are starting to enter the sea to search for Phos. Cinnabar continues to feel extremely guilty for some other their earlier comments about Phos, though they try to hide it.

Cinnabar doesn’t tell Master Kongo nor any of their fellow jewel people about finding Phos. Instead they drag Phos, the bowl and shell fragments into Rutile’s medical area and leaves them for someone to find. That someone ends up being Rutile, who discovers Phos as they return to their medical room to look for more resin.

Master Kongo is not at all pleased. He stomps so hard he creates cracks in the stone walls, ceilings and floors, and the other jewel people run for cover. Sure enough, Master Kongo releases a rush of energy that sends Phos flying from the medical table. However, as a parent would protect their child, he does not allow Phos to hit the floor and shatter. Master Kongo also cancels Phos’ encyclopedia project.

In the morning, Rutile is able to put all of Phos back together with the exception of their legs. Rutile examines the shell pieces Phos returned with, and is amazed to discover that the inside of the shell contains agate. Rutile mixes the agate with some of Phos to make Phos’ new legs. The new limbs are initially stiff and unmoving, so it’s decided that Phos will sit on a stool out in the sun to help with their rehabilitation process (because the jewel people feed off sunlight and are only active during the day).  However Phos falls off the stool and lands in the grass, and starts feeling sorry for themselves.

But Phos is quick to think of Cinnabar, and that snaps them out of their pity party. They get to their feet and, upon seeing that they can stand and balance on their new legs, they immediately take off running around the island. Maybe it’s the agate, or Phos’ renewed spirit, but they are super excited that they can move around normally once again.

My thoughts:  But what else is in the memories that Phos lost? We’ve seen already that they lost some names of their fellow jewel people, but could they forget about other more important matters? Is there a way to get those memories back?

It looks like as of the next episode, Phos will start training to help defend the jewel people like some of their peers do. However, it also appears that Phos will have some trouble in battle when the Lunarians actually show up. Plus Phos doesn’t have a high Mohs hardness, so how effective of a fighter can they really be?

This was a very satisfying episode in my book. I had really liked Ventricosus, and I appreciated that they tried to somewhat redeem themselves for betraying Phos like they did. I wonder if we will see either them and/or Aculeatus in a future episode.