Duel of Kings
- Original Airdate: July 16, 2023
Written by: Minato Takano
Directed by: Kyouhei Yamaguchi
Summary
Jeramie: In order to rescue Shugoddam from the occupying Bognaarok forces, the kings form a new alliance: the Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger.
Together with Gira, they successfully fight off the Bognaarok!
In addition, as a result of Yanma's excessive payback, Racules is free from prosecution, leading Gira to challenge him to a trial by combat.
...Or so the story goes.
Together with Gira, they successfully fight off the Bognaarok!
In addition, as a result of Yanma's excessive payback, Racules is free from prosecution, leading Gira to challenge him to a trial by combat.
...Or so the story goes.
The newly established King-Ohger team has saved Shugoddam, but are unable to dispense justice on Racules due to Yanma pulling off a revenge prank on him. Gira has a solution: facing his brother in another Trial by Combat for the second and last time.
When the dust clears, what will be the fate of Shugoddam?
Tropes
- Accidental Public Confession: Racules is so furious over the mere suggestion he apologize to his people that he goes on a gigantic tirade about how the people are nothing but tools to serve the nation (himself)...right in front of the entire country, finally exposing himself for the tyrant he truly is.
- Altar Diplomacy: Yanma explains to Shiokara that Suzume and Racules' wedding to be this, deducing that it was likely done to force Toufu into a permanent alliance with Shugoddam now that Racules was acquitted. But it ends up being meaningless anyway after Racules has been defeated and loses his king title to Gira at the end.
- Batman Gambit: Kaguragi and Jeramie figured the OhgerCrownLance might be stolen to use against Gira, so they swapped it with a fake. But they didn't count on it exposing Kamejim as The Mole.
- Beyond Redemption: After Racules rejects Gira's offer to surrender if he apologizes to the Shuggodam citizens and instead reaffirms his tyrannical worldview, it's become clear to Gira that the idealistic brother that he remembered long ago is no longer there that he proceeds with the duel and without hesitation takes down Racules.
- Broken Pedestal: Goroge and the faction supporting Racules angrily abandon their support for him after he unintentionally broadcasts his true colors to the kingdom and shift their support now to Gira.
- Call-Back:
- The scene where Gira and Racules are preparing for the trial-by-combat is recreated shot-for-shot in this episode, minus a few details.
- During their fight, Racules recalls his words from the first episode to Gira multiple times to reaffirm his power.
- Gira recalls his speech towards Racules from #1 near the end of the trial-by-combat.
- Yet again, Kaguragi is the one to bequeath Gira with the OhgerCrownLance.
- Comedic Underwear Exposure: As punishment for abandoning his king during the Bognaarok coup, Racules decides to slash at Boshimar's clothes, bringing down his pants and exposing his boxers. Which happen to have a little patch of his face on them.
- Curb Stomp Cushion: While Gira emerges as the victor of the trial-by-combat, Racules manages to hold his own throughout most of the fight before eventually losing to Gira's sheer power and relentlessness.
- Death Glare: Racules produces one hell of a glare as he sees who "Boshimar" really is.
- Didn't See That Coming: Kaguragi and Jeramie's reaction when their fake Ohger Lance exposed "Boshimar".
- Disc-One Final Boss: Racules' has finally been deposed as the ruler of Shugoddam.
- Disney Villain Death: Racules goes flying over the cliff after his defeat just like Gira did in their first duel, making his death rather uncertain.
- Easily Forgiven:
- Goroge and the Gira supporter he was arguing with are seen hugging it out after Racules outs himself as evil and Gira wins the duel.
- Gira tries to invoke this with Racules, even agreeing to surrender if he'll simply apologize to his people. Racules can't even bring himself to do that, suffering for it.
- Even Evil Has Standards: When Kamejim is revealed to have killed and impersonated Boshimar, Racules is so angry that he even forgets about Gira until Rita reminds him that the duel is still ongoing.
- Eye Twitch: After Racules' cavalier threat on Suzume's life, Kaguragi's face twitches and writhes in restrained rage before acquiescing to return the lance.
- Foregone Conclusion: The synopsis for Ohsama Sentai King Ohger Adventure Heaven says that it takes place on the day of Gira's coronation. Therefore, it's obvious that he'll win the duel against Racules and take the throne.
- Foreshadowing: Boshimar running in shame from the Shugoddam throne room is immediately juxtaposed with Kamejim attempting to provide exposition to Dethnarok regarding the second duel, which results in him getting attacked. This hints at them being one and the same.
- Ham-to-Ham Combat: Gira’s Evil Laugh briefly faces off with Rita’s Skyward Scream.
- Heroic BSoD: Played for Laughs. Kaguragi is seen disassociating from Suzume and Racules' wedding, clearly taking it well.
- History Repeats: Gira and Racules duel each other once more with the throne of Shugoddam at stake, and once more a Bognaarok disguised as a human appears to disrupt the proceedings - only this time it's Kamejim disguised as Boshimar.
- Hourglass Plot: Once again, the Husty brothers face each other in a Trial by Combat, yet it's Gira who now enjoys the support of the majority of Shugoddam's population and wins while Racules is now the pariah and gets pushed off a cliff for his defeat.
- Ignored Epiphany: Gira attempts yet again to remind Racules of the nobler ambitions he held the past, believing he can still make those come true. Racules instead responds by attacking Gira after the latter lowers his weapon, calling him naïve while retreating even further into his tyrannical philosophy.
- I Surrender, Suckers: Gira appeals to Racules' conscience once more to try and stoke some good in him. Racules acts as though he understands...then slices Gira's cheek while mocking his naïvety.
- Orcus on His Throne: Discussed. Goroge argues with one of Gira's supporters, who point out that Racules did absolutely nothing about the invasion last episode while Gira was actively fighting to protect them. It would've escalated into a fight if the kids hadn't pushed the two away in their excitement.
- Near-Villain Victory: Self-inflicted. Gira states that he'll outright surrender the duel to Racules (facing a life behind bars or worse) if the king simply apologizes to his people and works toward making Shugoddam the nation of kindness he dreamed of in the past. Racules shoots himself in the foot by rebuffing Gira's appeals and going on an evil tirade that ends up making himself a pariah.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Gira challenging Racules to another trial-by-combat gave Racules the grounds to fully acquit himself as Gira is still considered a traitor to Shugoddam. As a result, he is able to marry Suzume and force Toufu into a permanent alliance with Shugoddam. But downplayed as Racules ends up being defeated and losing the throne to Gira at the end.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: If Racules had fully committed to faking a Heel Realization during Gira's Rousing Speech instead of retaliating, he would've won entirely - Gira would've surrendered with a convincing apology and would've been permanently imprisoned per Racules' victory demand. Instead, Racules pulls an I Surrender, Suckers and launches into a villainous monologue that re-affirms him as an Evil Overlord; losing the good will of the few remaining people that were on his side and ensuring that Gira could take him down.
- Redemption Rejection: Gira offers to give up the fight and surrender to Racules if he would just apologize to his people, believing that the young idealistic boy in his memory still exists. Racules angrily rejects it, still believing in his absolute power.
- The Reveal:
- Boshimar has been dead since at least the beginning of the series and Kamejim has been impersonating him the entire time.
- A subtler one: At the start of the episode, Suzume and Racules' wedding is overseen by a priest that ordains the marriage, confirming that the Shugods are indeed considered religious figures rather than just legends.
- Rousing Speech: Attempted. Gira tries once more to appeal to Racules' conscience, quoting word-for-word Racules' original dream of wanting to turn Shugoddam into a strong nation and even agreeing to surrender if he just apologizes. Racules' pride gets the better of him and he responds by calling Gira naïve and his people tools, crushing any hope of redemption. Right before Racules' outburst, Rita finds themselves bemused.Rita: You challenged him to a Trial by Combat just to say this?
- Spanner in the Works: Subverted. Boshimar takes the OhgerCrownLance meant for Racules and tries to give it to him, however it's revealed to be a fake as part of Kaguragi and Jeramie's plan - and ends up revealing that Kamejim has been impersonating the minister all along.
- Swapped Roles: Premise of the episode. Gira and Racules are having another Trial by Combat to determine who rules Shugoddam. However, Gira is the instigator this time and has gained support whereas Racules is now (to a downplayed degree) a pariah for colluding with the Bognnarok and loses his support after exposing his true colors on-broadcast.
- Title-Only Opening: No opening plays this time.
- Trial by Combat: Gira and Racules once again go through trial-by-combat in order to prove who is worthy of Shugoddam's crown.
- Undying Loyalty: While half of the other Shugoddam citizens now support Gira with the orphans, there is still a faction led by Goroge who are still loyal to Racules despite the last episode's events. Subverted later on when Racules shows his true colors, causing everyone who supported Racules to turn on him and cheer Gira on to victory.
- Unspoken Plan Guarantee: Jeramie and Kaguragi's plan to give Racules a fake OhgerCrownLance largely succeeds due to its secrecy and is only revealed after it takes Boshimar by surprise.
- Villainous Breakdown: Racules goes through quite the long, but explosive one after being bested by Gira, culminating in an unhinged rant where he claims that he is fit to be king because he understands that the people are meant to be tools. This causes his remaining supporters, particularly Goroge, to turn on him.
- Wham Episode: Boshimar has been revealed to be Dead All Along and impersonated by Kamejim, Racules' true colors have finally been exposed to Shuggodam, and Gira has finally won the throne from Racules.
- Wham Shot: "Boshimar" melting down into Kamejim surprises everyone watching.
- The Worf Effect: Gira handily defeats Racules wearing the Founder's Crown in his regular Kuwagata Ohger mode, showcasing how much he's grown since their last bout.
