GATE: Season 1 – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Episode 17: Decisive Battle

Overview

In “Decisive Battle,” our heroes face off against the Red Dragon and are introduced to Rory’s sister Giselle. Someone who likely will become a new problem to deal with.

Trigger Warning(s): Blood

Characters & Story (with Commentary)

Topic 1: Preparation for Battle (Itami)

With Itami now officially working with the Village of the Dark Elves, he finds himself with 9 volunteer warriors to help him fight off against the Red Dragon. Each one is given a rocket launcher, and together they head to the dragon’s nest. On the way we learn that dragons have a active cycle of hibernation and activity, making it so that if the village was wiped out, it wouldn’t necessarily lead to the dragon starving. If anything, it would go into hibernation, likely within Mt. Duba, and awaken when there is a need to eat and produce once more.

Now, in case you are wondering, we aren’t told exactly what the one armed red dragon is, gender wise, nor if there perhaps is another male, or female, nearby. All we are told is that one exist, it has a nest in an mountain, which looks like an inactive volcano, and that the Dark Elves are willing to put their lives on the line to defeat it.

Topic 2: Boss Battle 1 – The Red Dragon (Itami, Tuka, Yao, and Lelei)

Thing is, they aren’t the first to try. Littered within the nest are dozens of swords and bones, showing that these group is far from the first to try to defeat this dragon. Then, to make matters worse, there are hatched eggs within the nest, signifying that there are dragon babies somewhere out there. But, despite this, Itami starts laying down C4, as Rory keeps watch for the dragon outside, and Tuka sleeps soundly under Lelei’s sleeping spell.

But then the dragon appears, heads toward her nest, and sees intruders. This leads to, despite their training, and supposedly being the top warriors, many of the dark elves haphazardly firing off rockets and in the process Tuka wakes up. Which is quite bad timing on her part for watching the dark elves die trigger her true memories of seeing her village die. Naturally leading to a bit of survivor’s remorse and Lelei calming her down and revealing her village too was massacred by the red dragon. Leading to Lelei showing the type of magic we have thus far never seen from her. She rises all the blades on the battlefield and has them charge at the dragon full force, temporarily grounded it. Then, as the survivors of the intial onslaught go to escape, Tuka too uses magic beyond what we have ever seen her use against the dragon and she calls lightning from the sky which paralyzes the dragon, sets off the C4, and seemingly kills it.

Seemingly because we don’t see it die but more so fall deep into the mountain.

Topic 3: Boss Battle 2 – Giselle and the Dragon Babies (Itami and Rory)

Once the Red Dragon is subdued, Itami finds himself with a new problem. It seems Rory, after absorbing all the damage Itami should have taken in his fight against the Red Dragon, has found herself at odds with her sister Giselle. Someone ready to take her back to Hardy so she and Rory could be wed. Now, it should be noted that Rory, at her best, could easily handle Giselle. However, after taking on the damage Itami should have, which likely would have killed him, she looks absolutely worse for ear. Add on Giselle is the one who awoken the Red Dragon, and has trained its babies to be her minions, and it seems that Itami and crew are done for. After all, Lelei is still recovering, Yao has no magic, and while Tuka seems capable of maybe going another round, that isn’t definite.

But then comes the SDF who through the pilots firing missiles, and artillery firing off rockets, pretty much decimate the baby dragons and send Giselle running. All the while, surprisingly, not killing Itami and co. who seemed to be within the blast radius.

Highlights

Epic Battles: Though the last few episodes had some fights featuring Itami, among others, this was quite more grandeur than those. There were rockets fired, magical spells which showed talents beyond what I thought many of the characters were capable of, and some even died. Mind you, no one who wasn’t introduced in this episode, but people dying is still a big deal. Especially since their deaths were a bit violent.

Low Points

How Did They Not Die: While one could argue that Rory’s contract with Itami protected him through everything, there comes the question of where does the power of the Rory compare to the technology of the SDF? For, just as an example, Rory on her own cannot defeat a Red Dragon yet the explosives of the SDF can maim and possible kill it. So, arguably, when the artillery was going off, and caused a huge crater within the mountain, how in the hell did Itami, Rory, Yao, Lelei, and Tuka survive unscathed?

On The Fence

Giselle: Currently the show has a lot going on, and I’m the type who is always a little antsy when new characters come on, when the focus of a show gets fractured, and things of that nature. So when a character like Giselle is introduced, and she isn’t someone who I necessarily find interesting, or could really bring something interesting, it is a red flag for me. But considering how everything is centered around Itami, pretty much, perhaps there isn’t much to worry about here. Hell, even if Giselle brings Hardy and other mystical beings, it may push whatever feelings Rory may have for Itami back to the forefront. A possibility which is quite intringuing.

Question(s) Left Unanswered

• Is Hardy eventually going to make an appearance, and will Giselle make another one?
• How will Giselle’s appearance affect the main story dealing with peace negotiations between the empire and the SDF?
• Will the different gods, apostles, and etc., begin to be introduced?
• Will we get to see the villages, or clans, of the other types of beings in this world? Like the warrior bunnies and etc., assuming most of them haven’t been wiped out and practically coerced to move toward the city for work.

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