At this point, Nadia may as well just cosplay as Sheeta and get it over with.
Tropes in this episode:
- All Myths Are True:
- After the implication in Episode 31, it's explicitly confirmed the Atlantean refugee ships were the basis for the Biblical Noah and his Ark. The diaspora after Atlantis fell is also stated by Nadia to have been the basis of the Genesis Flood Narrative.
- The reveal that Green Noah sank into the sea is implied to be the reason for the in-universe legends of Atlantis being a lost continent that sank beneath the waves in a single day and night.
- Anger Born of Worry: The reactions of everyone after Nadia tries to commit suicide by throwing herself off the Tartessos Tower of Babel. Grandis and Sanson in particular are enraged (with Grandis outright slapping Nadia and Sanson tearing into her for putting Jean through an Heroic BSoD). But they're also angry because they've all come to care about Nadia over the course of the show and they were terrified they'd lost her.
- Art Shift: Barring the opening and closing scenes, the exploration of the ruins of Tartessos are animated entirely in black and white, with the blue light from Nadia's Blue Water being the sole source of color.
- Canon Discontinuity: The kickoff of the Closing Arc more or less picks up where Episode 31 ended and acts as if the Africa Arc and the Musical Clip Show didn't happen at all (as well as most of the Island Arc). Nadia's depression and breakdown at Tartessos especially flow more naturally from the immediate aftermath of the revelations from Episode 31 instead of going into hibernation during those 3 filler episodes.
- Clingy Macguffin: The Blue Water will not allow Nadia to kill herself. While it seems heartless and cold in the context of this episode, a re-watch will reveal it's actually Nadia's Mother's soul trying to protect her daughter.
- Contrived Coincidence: On the same day, Nadia realizes that she has the potential to destroy the world, then tries to kill herself... then finds out that it's her 15th birthday.
- Despair Event Horizon: The revelations from Red Noah and sharing them with Jean and the others pushes Nadia to the edge (at least until Jean pulls her back).
- Died on Their Birthday: Played With. Nadia attempts to commit suicide on her birthday. However, she was not aware that it was her birthday at the time of her attempt, and ultimately does not follow through with killing herself.
- Easily Forgiven: It's a testament to the depths of Jean's love for Nadia that while he was justifiably upset, he still quickly forgives her for the suicide attempt. His love, more than anything, helps Nadia snap out of her own Despair Event Horizon.
- Hell Is That Noise: The episode ends with a strange, ominous booming...which quickly becomes the recognizable sound effect of Gargoyle's flying battleships...
- Heroic BSoD: Everybody (Jean especially) had one off-screen in-between Nadia jumping off the Tower and her regaining consciousness.
- Heroic Self-Deprecation: While in Tartessos, Nadia explains how awful she is and how she only brings problems to those she loves. Concluding she won't be able to control the Blue Water for good leads to Nadia's attempt to kill herself.
- Hope Spot: Jean, realizing Nadia's about to jump to her death, races to try and grab her...and misses her by one second. Thankfully for both of them, the Blue Water saves Nadia.
- Internal Reveal: Jean and the others learn what Nadia discovered aboard Red Noah in Episode 31.
- Oh, Crap!: Jean when he realizes Nadia's about to intentionally walk off the side of the Tower, thereby committing suicide.
- Once More, with Clarity: Ancient Atlantis briefly reappears, revealing it was actually the third Atlantean Ark-Ship.
- Previously on…: This is the final episode of Nadia to feature the opening recap. Beginning next episode, each installment of the Closing Arc jumps immediately into the action rather than recapping events (likely to free up any and all spare time given how much needs to be resolved in these final episodes).
- The Reveal: Atlantis itself was one of the three ancient Ark-Ships that brought the Atlanteans to Earth.
- Shout-Out: While it occurs off-screen, a falling Nadia being saved by the Blue Water and gently floating down is reminiscent of Castle in the Sky (which was likely intentional as Miyazaki's original Nadia pitch to Toho was, after all, re-worked into Castle).
- Vestigial Empire: There were hints of this back in Episode 22 during Electra's flashbacks. But here, it's definitively confirmed Tartessos was the last Atlantean city after the downfall of Atlantis. It survived the collapse of their civilization in its own quiet, isolated corner of the planet for 12,000 years...until everything went to hell thanks to Gargoyle.
- Wham Line: "Goodbye, Jean." That, combined with Nadia walking towards the edge of the tower, clues Jean in that she's about to try and kill herself.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Again, everybody's reactions to Nadia's attempted suicide.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Jean has done this with Nadia throughout the show, but his quiet affirmation and love for her even after all these revelations is easily the most heartwarming instance in the series. As he puts it, it doesn't matter if she's human or an alien; she's still Nadia. She breaks down crying, overwhelmed again by the depths of Jean's compassion and love for her.
