The Yamato leads the attack on the Neuroi Hive, but its reactor fails, and Sakamoto sacrifices herself to restart the reactor and seemingly destroy the Hive. But a giant core remains, having taken control of the Yamato and having absorbed Sakamoto to use her magic power to shield itself. Barely able to fly due to having used up so much magic power in the previous battle, Miyafuji leads a last ditch effort to perform the Shin Reppuzan, destroy the Neuroi Hive, and free Sakamoto.
Tropes in this episode:
- Bittersweet Ending: Romagna has been liberated and the Neuroi Hive has been destroyed, but Sakamoto and Yoshika have used up all of their powers and the witches once again go their separate ways.
- Breaking the Fellowship: The Strike Witches are disbanded with Miyafuji and Sakamoto having lost their magical powers completely, and the remaining members being sent to other units.
- De-power: Miyafuji loses all of her magical ability as a result of using the Shin Reppuzan. Sakamoto also loses the remnants of her magic power as a result of this battle.
- Disney Death: Sakamoto.
- Heroic RRoD:
- Sakamoto spends up the rest of her magic powers to restart the Yamato's reactor and temporarily stop the Hive.
- Then, Yoshika performs the Shin Reppuzan to permanently destroy the Neuroi Hive, but at the cost of losing her powers.
- Hope Spot: It seems like the explosion of the Yamato has destroyed the Neuroi Hive, and then...
- It Has Been an Honor: Minna to Sakamoto, after the latter manages to convince her to let her go out on her own terms in a Heroic Sacrifice.
- Katanas Are Just Better: Miyafuji takes down the Neuroi Core for good with Reppumaru and Shin Reppuzan.
- Last Episode Theme Reprise: The instrumental version of "Egao no Mahou" plays over the final battle.
- Self-Sacrifice Scheme: Sakamoto is determined to go out in a blaze of glory before she loses her powers for good, and sees the perfect opportunity to do so by sacrificing herself to destroy the Neuroi Hive. It fails spectacularly when instead of being destroyed the Neuroi Core absorbs Sakamoto instead and uses her to become even stronger.
- The Stinger: The episode ends with the Shinden and Reppumaru on a beach when a mysterious shadow appears over them.
- Take Up My Sword: Sakamoto has been trying to master the Shin Reppuzan the entire season to take down the Neuroi Hive. She fails and is seemingly killed, but then Miyafuji literally takes up Sakamoto's sword from the deck of the Yamato and uses it to win the day.
