Episode 13 of Doctor Stone is split between the explanation and break down in the creation of sulfa drugs and the eventual realization that winning the Grand Bout in Ishigami Village is the final step they need: the winner gets alcohol, and all they need to finish Ruri’s medication is alcohol. Well clearly now they’ve got to win in order to save her life, so of course the plot has to work out in their favor. Since this is a shounen this means there will be a tense and engaging tournament arc where the stakes are high and no one knows who will win. Except five of the contestants are from the Kingdom of Science and technically speaking they could just throw some of these highly toxic chemicals, but no. This is Dr. Stone. Science saves lives and improves everything around it, clearly meaning they’re going to fight fair.
Okay, sort of. They definitely all vote that rigging the fights so they can beat Magma easily is the best option. Kinro tries to protest until Kohaku states that anything is fine if it gives a better chance for Ruri to survive. It’s clear they won’t murder anyone for the sake of progress but they definitely will stack the odds against the dude. I mean, he did say he was willing to kill Ruri for no reason other than she is sick and he wants to be the leader of everyone. I don’t know guys, are you sure some sulfuric acid wouldn’t be called for right now? Speaking of rigging, this anime now has my favorite reaction to lying that has ever occurred. One of Magma’s henchmen lies to make Kohaku leave and this literally prompts Senku and Chrome to make fun of how stupid he is. In a befuddling move, Kohaku leaves anyway which means she’ll definitely throw her match and Senku will ‘beat’ her. Probably.
Not to overshadow it, this episode focuses on Kinro. Suika, who is fine and not drowning thanks, gives Kinro her mask as he is getting his ass beat by Magma. Because of this he can see well enough to finally have depth perception and absolutely trounce Magma with a line I personally love: “If science had been helping me before, I would have surpassed you long ago!” This show has a lot of really sweet lines about how science betters the lives of those around it, and it’s certainly true. But if Magma is out of the battle now that means the show’s first and potentially only tournament arc is going to boil down to: who loves Ruri enough to beat the crap out of each other in the Kingdom of Science?
Of course I’m still betting on Senku. During the episode it was heavily implied that Ruri’s one hundred tales actually include Senku himself! So whoever survived might be someone Senku knew! So he’s definitely going to win the tournament, I think. But the big bad of the arc is out of the way?? How is this gonna go down now???
Oki