New Alliances-Eureka seveN AO Episode 21

[Eureka seveN AO Episode 20]

Loyalty and Allegiance seem to be a very fluid concept in this show. In a short span, we have both Ao and Elena defecting to the other side. We have Big Blue World dropping Generation Bleu and declaring them rogue. And the remaining members of Team Harlequin joining up against Pied Piper. To me, it’s all contradictory to the guiding principles of the original series.

As we’ve written and commented on before in this series, where Eureka 7 had heart, this show has politics. And in these most recent episodes, the politics has led to alliances and contracts. The alliances are being made that will form the final conflict at the end of this show. The most fitting alliance is between Pied Piper and the Secrets, with the Japanese nation acting in proxy for much of it. Both are outcasts and pariahs. Both have objective that are contradictory to the rest of the world. This alliance, while execute in good faith, almost seems to hang on by a thread with so much distrust between the Secrets and their former enemies. But the secrets are a very logical life form. They uphold their in of the deal with a certain mechanical efficiency, to the point of destroying their own to fulfill the agreement.

And the members of Pied Piper are fitting into their roles nicely. Ao’s piloting skills, and flying discipline, even impressing his Japanese flight leader. Ao is beginning to understand the plight of the Japanese people he saw as an enemy for so long. Fleur is also taking on her new role as company president with ease. Strangely, it didn’t strike me as odd that she would show such little remorse over her father’s death. The way her emotions have been at times, large events do little to shock her. So when you add in the resentment for her dad, it’s hardly surprising that she would show such little grief at this point. I’m going to venture that at some point, and emotional break down will be in her future.

And last, but not least, we have Elena. She has definitely reached an emotional breaking point. Her belief that she is associated with a much later future, combined with her hatred for Eureka, has left her completely unhinged at times. But she’s the one character that, in my humble opinion, seems to act with a true sense of emotion. While Ao pines for his mother, and Fleur refuses to acknowledge her father, Elena feels a true sense of desperation to get back to where she believe she belongs. She is willing to abandon all bonds and allegiances to make her goal a reality. Just like the slap she gave Fleur, I see her being that final catalyst to pushing this show to it’s breaking point.

In all honesty, this show really has me stretching for more that just an episode summary. Every week seems just a little more rushed, and a little more scattered. My hope is that for episode 22, and the future 23 and 24, that we’ll see all of this tied together in a meaningful, if not logical, way.