History Recap / TrigunStampedeE09MillionsKnives

* MythologyGag: Vash's gun in ''Stampede'' is of a different size and caliber than the gun of his previous counterparts, but it's shown in this episode that it originally was the same model as the gun of his previous incarnations, and that Vash must have modified it since. This also isn't the first time Meryl has been kidnapped by Zazie and used as bait to lure Vash in, which was something that happened in ''Maximum''. In ''Stampede'', however, luring Vash is incidental to Zazie's goal of learning Meryl's opinion on the conflict.

* MythologyGag: Vash's gun in ''Stampede'' is of a different size and caliber than the gun of his previous counterparts, but it's shown in this episode that it originally was the same model as the gun of his previous incarnations, and that Vash must have modified it since. This also isn't the first time Meryl has been kidnapped by Zazie and used as bait to lure Vash in, which was something that happened in ''Maximum''.

* WildCard: Zazie apparently has no true alliances, calling themselves a "guest" of Knives but willing to give Meryl some information and to hear her opinion on who would better serve the planet: humans or Plants?

* LifeOrLimbDecision: In order to save Vash's life, Knives is forced to cut off his Gate arm. Which would have likely taken Vash into the black hole as well, given Vash had no way to control it.

Knives and Conrad go to examine the Plants, which have all turned red. Knives sees his sisters withering away, pushed beyond their limits by human technicians to meet their demands. Knives orders Conrad to heal them, but there is nothing either of them can do. The technicians then force the Plants into a Last Run, pushing them even further to harvest their final burst of energy as they die. Outside, the city lights up. Knives falls to his knees, hearing their screams, helplessly staring at the withered husks of the Plants.

Vash then appears and calls out to Knives, who removes his hood and looks at his brother. As the humans attempt to forcefully remove Knives from the scene, he snaps and slaughters them. As the surviving humans cower in terror and call for reinforcements, Knives announces to Vash that "Nai" is no longer his name, and that he has a plan to free their sisters using the power both he and Vash hold. He kills the remaining humans and Luida enters, asking Vash earnestly to come home with her.

* MythologyGag: Vash's gun in ''Stampede'' is of a different size and caliber than the gun of his previous counterparts, but it's shown in this episode that it originally was the same model as the gun of his previous incarnations, and that Vash must have modified it since. This also isn't the first time Meryl has been kidnapped by Zazie and used as bait to lure Vash in, which was what happened in ''Maximum''.

* SkewedPriorities: Roberto's reaction to waking up after being kidnapped is glee that their new location probably isn't a No Smoking zone.

* WildCard: Zazie apparently has no true alliances, calling themselves a "guest" of Knives, but willing to give Meryl some information and to hear her opinion on who would better serve the planet: humans or Plants?

* WildCard: Zazie apparently has no true alliances, calling themselves a "guest" of Knives, but they're willing to give Meryl some information and to hear her opinion on who would better serve the planet: humans or Plants?

A young Knives reminisces about when he was a child with Vash, playing their duet on his own in his room in what will become July. Conrad enters to tells Knives he's obtained something and to ask what Knives is up to, only for Knives to lift his head and frown angrily, overhearing an unknown sound, and then be interrupted by the blaring alarms, alerting of a failure in a Plant.

* ExtremeCloseUp: Zazie leans up close and personal towards the camera as they ask for Meryl's answer on who should live amongst the worms.

* GenocideDilemma: Zazie poses this question to Meryl as they explain Knives's plan to wipe out all humans. After revealing that the humans original planet Earth was destroyed due to their own greed, would they be any different to Noman's Land? So who would truly serve the worms, who have lived here since the beginning the most? Plants or humans?

* SkewedPriorities: Roberto's reaction to waking up after being kidnapped was glee that he could probably smoke in this new area now.

* WildCard: Zazie apparently has no true alliances, calling themselves a "guest" of Knives, but they're willing to give Meryl some information and to hear her opinion on who would better serve the planet: humans or plants?

* MythologyGag: Vash's gun in ''Stampede'' is of a different size and caliber than the gun of his previous counterparts, but it's shown in this episode that it originally was the same model as the gun of his previous incarnations, and that Vash must have modified it since.

* MythologyGag: Vash's gun in ''Stampede'' is of a different size and caliber than the gun of his previous counterparts, but it's shown in this episode that it originally did look exactly the same as the gun of his previous incarnations, and that Vash must have modified it since.

* MirthlessLaughter: When Vash points a gun at Knives, Knives looks shocked and tries to cover it up by chuckling, but it's only so he can keep from crying or screaming.

* {{Leitmotif}}: The song that Knives has played since the first episode was one he and Vash created together as children. One he now practiced enough where he can play on his own, but still wishes he could play with his brother once more.
* LongLived: Luida and Brad reveal they've been with Vash for about one hundred and fifty years, periodically going into cryo-sleep to extend their lives a bit more and maintain the ship.

* MeaningfulRename: While Vash still calls him "Nai", Knives informs his brother his new name, Millions Knives. The name he gave himself to represent his mission to strike back for their suffering and dying sisters.

* PowerOfTheVoid: Vash's Gate finally activates on his left arm, revealed to be an ersatz black hole that consumes rather than a gateway that produces as Plants typically have. It starts dragging in everything in its surroundings, starting with the corpses of the humans Knives killed, and finishing with Vash's left arm after Knives slices it off, as Vash was too confused and frightened to figure out how to control it himself before it consumed him too.

* TheWormThatWalks: Zazie reveals their current form to simply be a vessel for the Worms, the true natives of No Man's Land. When Roberto attempts to shoot, the body simply dissolves into flying Worms before reforming.

* EvilCounterpart: Conrad recognizes Luida; the two are both Plant specialists, community leaders (respectively of July and Home) and even surrogate parents to the twin they've met. But where Conrad experiments on the innocent for Knives and his idea of humanity's "benefit", Luida is attempting to grow (normal, green) plants and flora, hoping to lessen the strain on their Plants.

* MeaningfulRename: While Vash still calls him "Nai", Knives informs his brother his new name, Millions Knives. The name he gave himself as a way to avenge their fallen sisters.

* EvilCounterpart: Conrad recognizes Luida; the two are both Plant specialists, community leaders (respectively of July and Home) and even surrogate parents to the twin they've met. But where Conrad experiments on the innocent for Knives and his idea of humanity's "benefit", Luida is attempting to grow plants and flora, hoping to lessen the strain on their Plants.

* IDidWhatIHadToDo: The one human able to get some words out before being killed by Knives says that the Last Run is something they need to to do so they can survive. They have to use more energy from the Plants to build enough to keep everyone else alive, but Knives only sees the abuse and eradication of his kind, and certainly not his own part to play in stranding humanity and the Plants in such conditions.

* PowerOfTheVoid: Vash's Gate finally activates on his left arm, revealed to be an ersatz black hole that consumes rather than a gateway that produces as Plants typically have. It starts dragging in everything in its surroundings, starting with the corpses of the humans Knives killed, and finishing with Vash's left arm after Knives slices it off.

* TheWormThatWalks: Zazie reveals their current form to simply be a vessel for the Worms, the true natives of No Man's Land. When Roberto attempts to shoot, the body simply dissolve into flying Worms before reforming.

* Leitmotif: The song that Knives has played since the first episode was one he and Vash created together as children. One he now practiced enough where he can play on his own, but still wishes he could play with his brother once more.

* EvilCounterpart: Conrad recognizes Luida; the two are both Plant specialists, community leaders (respectively of July and Home) and even surrogate parents to the respective twins they've met. But where Conrad experiments on the innocent for Knives and his idea of humanity's "benefit", Luida is attempting to grow plants and flora, hoping to lessen the strain the people put on their Plants.

* SignatureSong: The song that Knives has played since the first episode was one he and Vash created together as children. One he now practiced enough where he can play on his own.

Knives reminices when he was a child with Vash and plays their duet on his own. Conrad comes in to ask what Knives was up to, only for Knives to be interrupted by the blaring alarms, alerting of a Plant's upcoming death.

Knives and Conrad go out to examine the Plants, with Knives seeing his sister's withering away, being pushed too far by human's to meet their demands. Knives orders Conrad to heal them, but there is nothing either of them can do. The humans then force the Plants into a Last Run, killing them off as they sap away their last energy. Knives falls to his knees, helplessly staring at the withered husks of the Plants.

Vash then appears and calls out to Knives, who removes his hood and looks at his brother. As he humans attempt to forcefully remove Knives from the scene, he gives into his rage and begins to kill all of the humans who come. He then looks over to Vash, asking for his brother to join him in his crusade to free their brethren.

* ArmedLegs: Along with the claws on his hands, Knives can also create a large blade coming out from his foot.
* BlackHole: Vash's gate appears on his left arm and starts dragging in everything in its surroundings, starting with the corpses of the human's Knives killed.

* CommonalityConnection: Conrad recognizes Luida as the two of them are scientists. But where Conrad experiments for Knives and his idea of humanity's "benefit", Luida is attempting to grow plants and flora, hoping lessen the strain the people put on their Plants.
* CrazyJealousGuy: Calls Luida a "witch" and asks how many times humans will "steal" Vash away from him.

* IDidWhatIHadToDo: The few humans who are able to get some words out before being killed off by Knives say this as their reason for killing off the Plants. They have to use more energy from the Plants in order to survive, but Knives only sees the abuse and eradication of his kind.
* LongLived: Luida and Brad reveal they've been with Vash for about 150 years, periodically going into cryo-sleep to extend their lives a bit more.

* TakeAThirdOption: Knives offers for Vash to join him by killing Luida. When Vash hesitates too long to make a decision, he takes the gun and prepares to shoot her. Vash finally steels himself and charges at Knives to stop him.
* WildCard: Zazie apparently has no true alliances. They're called a "guest" of Knives, but are willing to hear Meryl's opinion on who would better serve the planet: humans or plants?
* TheWormThatWalks: Zazie reveals their current form to simply be a conduit for the worms of this planet. When Roberto attempts to shoot them, they simply dissolve into a scatter of worms before reforming behind them.