- Written By: Nobuhiro MouriDirected By: Kazuya Kamihoriuchi
Kamen Rider Zi-O encounters Another Gaim.
However, a second Zi-O appeared before them.
What could possibly be afoot...?
An event that circumvents recorded history...
I never thought it possible.
The episode starts a few minutes before the previous one ended, with the reveal that the second Zi-O is Sougo Tokiwa from 3 days into the future. Past Sougo is dumbfounded and confused by seeing another him standing right in front of himself, but Woz figures out that the other Sougo is from a future point in time. Tsukuyomi is annoyed by the shenanigans of Future Sougo, wondering why he wasn't just honest with them in the first place as he hides behind his Past self. Future Sougo says he thought Tsukuyomi would be really mad if she found out, but it turns out both she and Woz are angry about this as this could have devastating effects on the time stream, potentially erasing Sougo from existence entirely due to the temporal paradox he created. Though Tsukuyomi ends up yelling at Past Sougo by mistake, who nearly cries as he didn't do anything wrong. Future Sougo says even if it risks erasing himself from time, he needs to do this to make things right. Woz, while annoyed by this turn of events, is willing to hear him out to find out what Future Sougo intends to do. Future Sougo says he needs to be in two places at once to save Geiz from the Helheim Forest, so he needed another him to help.At Kujigoji-do, both Sougos simultaneously greet Junichiro who is so focused on fixing the clock Woz gave him he doesn't notice. Tsukuyomi and Woz hit both of them over the head for doing that. They then put name tags on the Sougos so they can tell them apart, labeling the one with the white shirt as "Present Sougo" while labeling the one in the blue shirt as "Sougo 3 days from now". Future Sougo tells Tsukuyomi that he encountered a strange man who told him to trust in his friend's strength while fighting Another Gaim in 2013. Tsukuyomi is confused, asking if he met God based on how he described the powers he possessed. Woz thinks rescuing Geiz is a waste of time as Future Sougo already has the Gaim Ridewatch, and that should be all that matters. Both Sougos protest this as they need to bring their friend back. Both then begin speaking in unison about how they feel, which makes Tsukuyomi cringe. Woz deems Geiz an unnecessary hindrance unimportant to Sougo's rise as Oma Zi-O but Tsukuyomi tells Woz to be quiet.
Present Sougo asks his Future counterpart what they should do next, with Future Sougo telling his past self to find the Gaim Ridewatch so both of them can don the GaimArmor. He originally intended to give his past self a map to Drupers to get the Ridewatch, but Past Sougo disposed of the original map he made so he made another one. Woz is silent on the issue, telling Future Sougo to simply do as he wishes.
In Helheim Forest, Geiz is still looking for a way out, only to discover everywhere he walks leads back to the same tree he marked and lies down in exhuasted frustration. Kaito walks to him and tells him he already said there was no exit from this place. Geiz asks what Kaito meant by seeing the hesitation in him earlier and lacking the strength to see things through to defy fate. Kaito asks if that bothers him, but Geiz denies he is hesitant and he is trying to defy fate by coming to this time. Kaito says that Geiz should prove it then with his own strength.
Asura is talking with Swartz, saying no one wants to see him perform because they all know now he is a monster. Swartz tells the youth that he will achieve greater fame as a king and he should continue on his path, but Asura storms off. Woz appears and wishes to speak with him, stating a shared interest to ally with him for a similar goal.
At Drupers, Tsukuyomi and Present Sougo get hit over the head with oranges that fell out of Kouta's grocery box from a second floor window. Kouta apologizes and asks if they are okay, they both say they are fine, but Kouta drops some more oranges as he tries to make his way down. He rushes to pick them up, worried about what his boss will think if he sees the damaged produce as a few oranges are bruised. As he bends over, Present Sougo sees the Gaim Ridewatch attached to a clip on Kouta's belt. Before Present Sougo can ask about them, Asura attacks him as Another Gaim, wanting revenge for the loss of his fame. But Present Sougo tries to explain it wasn't him as he dodges Another Gaim's attacks. Kouta sees Present Sougo change into Zi-O and sees his Zi-O Ridewatch, figuring out he is supposed to give his Ridewatches to the young Rider and tosses them to him, saying he feels its for the best. Zi-O faces two Elementary Inves as well as Another Gaim and bottlenecks them in an alley while using his Zikan Girade in Zyu Mode to blast them, only to be sneak attacked by Swartz who uses his time manipulation powers to stop and send Zi-O's gun fire right back at him. He then freezes time as Zi-O loses his grip on the Gaim Ridewatch, stealing it from him. The Kodama Ridewatch activates....but proves to be useless as the mini-robot's attacks just annoy Swartz who throws the Gaim Ridewatch into the Helheim Forest as the Kodama Ridewatch chases after it. Tsukuyomi wonders how Swartz figured out their plans, with the reveal being that Woz told him. Tsukuyomi calls Future Sougo to tell him they lost the Gaim Ridewatch.
Back home, Tsukuyomi yells at Woz but he reveals he did what he thought was right to correct the timeline. Future Sougo doesn't seem bothered by this but both Sougos panic when Junichiro walks in to give Woz his fixed clock. Future Sougo is instructed to find a place to hide in hand signals by Tsukuyomi. All three of them bicker who should go where in hand signs while Woz briefly distracts Junichiro by asking about how he can pay for the repairman's services and then taking his leave when the three do nothing. Junichiro sees both of them and freaks out, taking off his glasses to check his eyesight, only for Present Sougo to vanish and Future Sougo to be the only one in the room. Junichiro thinks he must be tired from working so hard he is hallucinating and decides to go upstairs to lie down and take a nap. Present Sougo hides behind Future Sougo in line with his back so his uncle doesn't see them both as he walks to his bedroom, with Junichiro wondering if he needs a new eyeglass prescription. All three of them nearly pass out from stress, with Present Sougo asking his Future self if he knew the Gaim Ridewatch would be taken. Future Sougo confirms this and the future Kodama Ridewatch robot arrives and projects a holographic video recording from a screen.
Its past self met with Geiz and gave him the Gaim Ridewatch and then opens a holo-video communication with its future self to allow Geiz to speak with the two Sougos and Tsukuyomi. Geiz is confused as to why there are two Sougos but also refuses to return the Ridewatch when asked as he doesn't want Sougo's help. Present Sougo asks again to bring the watch back as otherwise Geiz will never know if he becomes the evil overlord or not, clueing Geiz in on what he needs to do. Kaito then sees the Bike Ridewatch on Geiz's wrist...
Asura practices his dance moves in an abandoned warehouse, only to be challenged by Present Sougo. He mocks his efforts to fight him, knowing the only way to beat him is out of reach as he changes into Another Gaim. Present Sougo says he won't know unless he tries and transforms into Zi-O and the two fight. Tsukuyomi says its all up to Geiz now.
Kaito shows Geiz a sealed blue Crack above a gorge, saying if Geiz can jump over the ledge and break through the closed rift, he can go home. Kaito then suggests using the Bike Ridewatch to make the jump, considering it a test of the youth's mettle to change his fate. After fighting the doubts in his mind, Geiz is ready to show Kaito that he can change his fate and break free with his own strength. He changes into his Rider form and charges at the gorge, his resolve to show courage causes the Gaim Ridewatch to react, boosting his Ride Striker's power to ram right through the Crack and back to Earth. A weakened Geiz returns the Gaim Ridewatch to Present Zi-O, while Tsukuyomi tells Future Sougo to go ahead back to 2013 to defeat Another Gaim in the past. Both Zi-Os face Another Gaim on both times and both equip GaimArmors to battle them. After a fierce brawl in both times, the two Zi-Os finish the Another Gaims with the Squash Time break, though Tsukuyomi complains that squash cuts are square as Present Zi-O cut his target unevenly.
Kouta as the Man of the Beginning is pleased with this turn of events, saying it is all about having faith in your friends and being more than about yourself. That selflessness is the true path to being a king. Kouta fades away from the current time and the dimension he created fades as well into a void of nothing as he returns to his timeline.
Despite Sougo nearly breaking time to save him, Geiz is still not willing to return home with Sougo and walks off. Sougo is fine with this as he is just relieved Geiz is alright now. All the abducted Team Baron members are able to get out of the Helheim, including Kaito. An injured Asura seemingly wants to be let back into Team Baron, but Kaito rightfully gives him the cold shoulder and tells him to get out of his sight. If Asura cannot make it as a pro dancer using his own strength, then he has no place among any of the Beat Rider dance groups.
At Kujigoji-do, Junichiro wakes from his nap and Sougo gives his uncle some tea. Junichiro asks if Geiz is coming back, but Sougo isn't sure he ever will, only to turn around and see Geiz has come back with the fried chicken for dinner he promised to get for Junichiro. Junichiro says they had chicken already last night, but doesn't mind having fried chicken again. Sougo welcomes him back, but Geiz coldly says he isn't his friend and he has made up his mind, he will stop him when he feels the time comes. Sougo is fine with this, as he knows he will never harm the world if Geiz is there to stop him. Sougo says they are glad he is back.
Episode Tropes:
- Anger Born of Worry: Tsukuyomi and Woz both chew out future Sougo for messing with time, saying that what he’s doing is no better than what the Time Jackers do and that he could have caused something bad to happen by averting Never Shall The Selves Meet.
- Brick Joke: When Geiz returns to 95Do, he brings back chicken as Junichiro has asked of them prior to Geiz’s self-imposed exile back in #10.
- Enemy Mine: Woz cuts a deal with Swartz to obstruct Zi-O to delay Geiz’s return to Earth to ensure Geiz would be out of the picture, but future Sougo knew the Gaim Ridewatch was meant to be thrown into Helheim in order for Geiz to save himself.
- Expecting Someone Taller: As Swartz was going to throw the Gaim Ridewatch into Helheim, the Kodama Suika Arms Ridewatch activates with all the gusto of being a grand entity to try to stop Swartz...only for the camera to reveal that the Kodama Suika Arms Ridewatch is about as big as one’s fist and fails to stop Swartz in any capacity before jumping into the crack after the Gaim Ridewatch.
- Hand Signals: Tsukuyomi tries to get either the present or the 3 day future Sougo to escape when Junichiro walks into the room so that he only sees one Sougo, and their discussion amongst themselves gets more exaggerated as both Sougo try to get the other to leave to the frustration of Tsukuyomi.
- Juxtaposed Halves Shot: An odd variation seeing as how the two halves are both Sougo in Gaim Armor.
- My Future Self and Me: Once future Sougo brings everyone up to speed, present Sougo is the first person to completely agree and empathize with what future Sougo intended to do.
- The Reveal: The next legend Rider is revealed to be Takeru Tenkuji, aka Kamen Rider Ghost. The next episode teaser also reveals that Tsukasa Kadoya, or Kamen Rider Decade, is also going to appear with a new look to his Decadriver.
- Rudely Hanging Up: After present Sougo acquired the Gaim Ridewatch, future Sougo just told Tsukuyomi to have present Sougo keep fighting before abruptly ending the call.
- Unexplained Recovery: The other banished Team Baron members somehow managed to survive being thrown into Helheim Forest when Another Gaim was defeated.
- Whatever Happened to the Mouse?: We never see what happened to future Sougo after he defeats Another Gaim in the past, and there's no sign he becomes the present Sougo or is in anyway reintegrated…
However, I suppose it speaks to the greatness of the overlord.
He will utilize every opportunity he can to its fullest.
They can then be eliminated at our leisure.
This cannot be... Geiz's name...?!
