Episode 12 - AIM Burst
The fetus-like apparition that formed over Kiyama's body emits a burst of energy that slams into Mikoto. She tries shocking it back, but it regenerates the damage and then grows bigger. She hears a cry of surprise behind her and turns to discover that Uiharu has woken up and is watching from nearby.
Kiyama regains consciousness too, and regards the apparition with a mixture of horror and fascination. She mutters that it's too late for her to use the Level Upper network now, and there's no hope for her students. Hearing this, Uiharu comes over and tells her not to give up, revealing that she overheard Kiyama talking about the experiment to Mikoto. She and Mikoto say that once this is over, they're willing to help Kiyama save her students as long as she can find a better way.
Kiyama tells them the entity is an "AIM Burst" phenomenon — a kind of group consciousness created from the minds of the 10,000 Level Upper users. As Mikoto says it looks like it's in pain, the comatose espers' thoughts can be heard echoing inside the creature's mind. At the same time, all the espers in the hospital start thrashing around in their sleep. Kiyama says that the only chance to stop it is to shut down the Level Upper network. Mikoto tells Uiharu to take the data drive with the treatment program to Anti-Skill, while she goes to distract the creature.
The AIM Burst entity briefly engages with Anti-Skill when they start shooting at it, but it seems more interested in looking for energy to feed on. It heads for a nearby nuclear plant, much to Mikoto's exasperation. She goes to try and head the creature off; Kiyama, seemingly at a loss, follows after her.
Uiharu and Yomikawa upload the treatment program, which is a sound file like Level Upper, to Academy City's broadcast system. It starts playing all across the city, to the bewilderment of most of the population. In the hospital, however, all the comatose Level Upper patients immediately calm down. Meanwhile, as she faces off against the creature, Mikoto notices that it has stopped regenerating its damage.
Kiyama tells her that to stop the creature, she needs to destroy the nucleus inside — the place where the AIM diffusion fields have converged to give it form. As she fights, Mikoto starts hearing all the sad thoughts of the Level Upper users, Saten among them, and the despair and misery that made them desperate to improve their abilities. Mikoto whispers an apology for not realizing their pain before now, but tells them they will have a chance to try again. Locating the creature's nucleus, she fires her railgun attack and destroys it.
With the battle over, Kiyama surrenders herself to Anti-Skill. Mikoto asks what she'll do now; she says that she won't give up looking for a way to save her students. But she adds that she won't be choosy about her methods, either. Moments later, Kuroko arrives and informs them that the Level Upper patients in the hospital are starting to wake up.
Meanwhile, several workers in powered suits arrive to repair the damage to the nuclear reactor's outer walls. Their leader, a woman in glasses and a suit, says that the reactor is safe. She takes out a package of candies, shakes one into her hand, and smiles.
At the hospital, Saten is standing on the roof and looking out over the city. Uiharu arrives, out of breath, and asks how she's doing. Saten says that she's back to normal, and her ability seems to have disappeared. She notices Uiharu's injuries and suddenly hugs her, apologizing for getting so caught up in petty concerns that she almost lost something far more precious. Then she flips Uiharu's skirt up. Mikoto and Kuroko arrive in time to see this and are happy to see their friend is back to normal.
Tropes
- Call-Forward: The AIM Burst entity is clearly a primitive forerunner of Fuse=Kazakiri, and was created by the same means (albeit unintentionally and on a much smaller scale).
- Early-Bird Cameo: Therestina Lifeline and her Multi-Active Rescue squad are briefly seen securing the reactor facility at the end. We also get a brief shot of ITEM sitting in a cafe when the treatment program is playing across the city.
- Hive Mind: The AIM Burst entity is effectively created as one out of the Level Upper network, although it quickly starts growing independent of it.
- I Just Want to Be Special: As she faces the entity, Mikoto is bombarded by the thoughts of the 10,000 espers making up its consciousness,
every single one of them thinking this. - My God, What Have I Done?: Kiyama is appalled when she realizes what the entity is, although at the same time she (slightly hysterically) mutters that she could write a great paper on it.
- Theme Music Power-Up: Mikoto defeats the AIM Burst entity while Only My Railgun plays.
