Nightmare Fuel / Kamen Rider Saber

Moment Subpages are Spoilers Off. You Have Been Warned.

Whatever The Corruption did to him, that's definitely not good news...

Series

Chapter 1: In The Beginning, There Was A Flame Swordsman.

• Not that brutal or nightmarish, but the show's Downer Beginning. It starts with the city in ruins thanks to the Megid. A young Touma is trying to keep Luna from being sucked in, but unfortunately doesn't have the strength to hold on. With no other options left, Daichi performs a Heroic Sacrifice by plunging his sword into the ground, engulfing the Megid and himself in flames. The city is back to normal... but with Daichi nowhere to be found, only leaving behind the Brave Dragon Wonder Ride Book in Touma's hand.

Chapter 4: I Opened The Book, Therefore.

• Just the sheer fact that the Hanzaki Megid was trying to feed all of his captives trapped in bubbles, including Mei and Sora, to his "king".

Chapter 7: Located In Avalon, The Sword Of The King.

• Just getting to Avalon is nightmarish. After entering the void, one gets sucked into a pure acid trip, where everything is continually distorted until you somehow manage to get there. Afterwards, it's just pure desert, where only a door can be found. Then there's the actual Avalon...which is nothing but a pure white void where only one person resides, spewing vague sayings before they transport you into somewhere entirely different.
• Mei getting ambushed by Storious is pretty bad already, but then he tries to feed her to Zooous. Imagine if Rintaro didn't arrive in time to save her. Yikes.

Chapter 11: Disturbed Thunder, Spreading Dark Clouds.

• Kento went absolutely nuts after the events of #10 and went down the path of Roaring Rampage of Revenge. He even thinks that Sophia and Calibur are conspiring against him when he sees them together.
• Somehow, the transformation jingle for Jaou Dragon manages to be both terrifying and cool all at once. Sweet merciful lord, the sheer guttural screaming at the beginning! Not helping matters is this being followed by Calibur utterly brutalizing Kento.
• Rintaro rushes in to save Kento and is struck down by Calibur, instantly knocking him out of transformation. He spits out blood and writhes in pain as anguished Kento holds him.

Chapter 12: That Place, Where We Made a Promise.

• Ogami is still in disbelief over the reveal of Calibur's real identity as Daichi Kamijo.
• In Toku, things usually work with Contrived Coincidences and timing to pull off Big Damn Heroes moments. Well, not now. Touma arrives too late to stop Kento from going down in a fight against Calibur and falls into a similar Heroic BSoD that led to said fight.

Chapter 13: This Time, I Will Stick To My Convictions.

• Touma managed to defeat Calibur for good and so everything should be fine and dandy, right? Nope, Sword of Darkness has stolen Kento from the group and appears to have trapped him inside itself. Probably. The whole situation is unclear with Kento being tortured by something before he completely disappears in dark clouds. Everyone watches in helpless horror.
  • And Chapter 26 reveals it might not even be that he was tortured post-mortem. He saw things he didn't want to see, shouldn't have seen, and could do nothing to avert his eyes.
    • And in Sword of Logos Saga it is revealed that Kamijo never intended to kill Kento, he sealed him away into Kurayami to protect him. So once again begs the question: Just what did he see in there?!
• Elaborating on the above note about Big Damn Heroes moments, nothing that Touma has, not even a shiny new upgrade, gave him a chance to save Kento.

Chapter 15: What Lies, Beyond Our Resolution.

• Desast literally backstabbing Daichi to death just to finally attain his freedom.

Chapter 18: With A Flaming Tenacity, Strike Down the Megid!

• Touma's gamble to save Ms. Yuki and destroy the Megid involved placing the victim very close to a fate worse than death. Had he been a second too late there would be no chance of Ms. Yuki coming back, something Yuri calls him out on. Of course, he could have also explained that using him to finish the Megid off would have had the same effect as well.

Chapter 21: The Greatest Shine, Full Colors!

• It's revealed that while Touma was busy saving Yuki and Shingo, that the Megid had successfully transformed a number of victims into Alter Ride Books. And judging by the giant stack seen at the Megid's base, it easily reached what could be double digits.
• The Charybdis Megid, whose screaming sounds like a distortion of a baby's crying and has a voracious stomach mouth.

Chapter 23: Raging Hands of Destruction.

• We get to see Primitive Dragon, another Berserker form for the Kamen Rider series. But unlike the recent sociopathic and emotionless like forms of Build Hazard and Metal Cluster Hopper, Primitive harkens back to FangJoker and PuToTyra, a bloodlust filled beast with nothing but primitive instincts guiding it.
• The previous elements are not lost however, as Touma, after screaming his lungs out in pain from the power of the book, suddenly goes completely silent, limp, and unnaturally calm, as if it possessed him. His movements become stilted and alien compared to his usual demeanor. To make it worse, his jagged neck movements are accompanied by the sounds of bones cracking or rather it continues the homage to PuToTyra since unlike the manmade monstrosity of the Hazard Trigger or Metal Cluster Hopper Progrise Key, the book has its own will and takes control of the user's body before transformation just like what the purple Core Medals did to Eiji Hino.
• Legeiel is nonchalant and eerily calm through the episode, but when he arrives at the battlefield just in time to see the forbidden book fall into Touma's hands and starts hamming it up Kuroto-style, it becomes apparent that something definitely worked itself loose in his head. Nothing can stop him from fighting Touma, not even seeing Primitive Dragon maul Storious or the other Megid telling him to get his ass out of here while he still can.

Chapter 24: Upon The Father's Shoulders, Rests His Future.

• Legeiel looks like he met the business end of paper shredder after getting hit with the full force of Primitive Dragon's finisher. Bruised, dirty, his clothes have whole chunks missing and he just gives the other two a silent, exhausted look after shambling into the room. Worse, after Zooous insults him, whatever was loose in his head snaps.
• Reika's manipulation of Rintaro gets even more cultish vibes.
• Legeiel's rampage through the city shows him as a screaming, raving mess randomly slashing at whatever is around him.

Chapter 25: Dressed in smoke, the Crimson Assasin.

• Touma has a nightmare about murdering all the other swordsmen as Primitive Dragon and creeping towards injured Mei.
  • His mind is usually trapped inside of the forbidden book when used by Primitive Dragon and he is not actually aware of anything going on around him, but that doesn't apply here. He is struggling to regain control of his body, but it continues to move on its own.
  • Mei doesn't move or even look as Primitive Dragon approaches, just keeps on staring off into the space while clutching at her injured arm and quietly asking Touma how could he do that.
• Primitive Dragon was about to run Rintaro through and through before Calibur appeared between them.

Chapter 26: Deep In The Darkness, Allied With The Sword

• The moment when you realize all the times Kento saw his friends, his family and everything he knew die, over and over again for however long passed between this episode and the episode he got sealed within Kurayami. It's a wonder he came back stoic and emotionless instead of a screaming, deranged mess.

Chapter 27: Turn That Sorrow, Into A Smile.

• It is heavily implied that the Dragon of the Beginning was just a child when he saw all other dragons dead and went all alone in search of any of his friends, and died in loneliness, only asking "Where'd everyone go?"

Chapter 29: In That Moment, The Swordsman Advanced.

• Kamen Rider Durendal, AKA, the second coming of Kamen Rider Odin. To elaborate:
  • He can manipulate time, allowing him to easily dodge attacks and blindside his opponents. Something he ruthlessly exploits against Rintaro in his first fight. If someone has watched Golden Wind, then they should know what it is.
  • His Sacred Sword, Kaiji, is constantly getting sharper with every use of his powers, meaning he can only get more deadly.
  • He is ruthless, attacking Touma from behind after he makes a book gate using his powers, badly injuring him. If it wasn't for Yuri intervening and Rintaro using Elemental Dragon, it might have been lights out for our protagonist.
  • He is loyal to Master Logos to a fault, as a twisted counterpart of Rintaro's loyalty to the spirit of the organization.
  • All of this combined creates an antagonist who can't be bargained with, cannot be reasoned with, and cannot be stopped. Yuri only manages to draw against him, Primitive Elemental Dragon can't overcome his defenses, and Rintaro only fights him off long enough for them to escape in the end using Elemental Dragon to boost his power for a bit. And he is only going to get stronger.

Chapter 35: Then I, Shall Become a God!

• Isaac. Just, Isaac. (AKA Master Logos.) To elaborate:
  • We're talking someone with as big an ego as Kuroto, but none of the sheer talent- instead, he's able to play everyone like pawns.
  • His laugh. Dear God, his laugh. It's like he's gone utterly psychotic.
  • He's able to put on a mask of sanity that holds up enough that Reika and Ryoga Shindai actually believe him when he says that he's going to use the Book of All for good.
  • HE ALMOST WINS RIGHT THEN AND THERE. Most of the Seiken are completely sealed thanks to Kento, meaning that Touma is the only one who can resist, and were it not for him saving Luna right when it counted most, Isaac would have achieved the power of a god. As it is, he still gained Caladbolg and the Omniforce Wonder Ride Book, meaning that he's becoming a Rider. Holy crap.

Chapter 36: The Power Of The Almighty, Has Been Opened.

• It's implied (and confirmed in the parts list) that a single swing from Caladbolg can destroy the world in a fraction of a second, leaving everyone stunned in brief confusion as to what happened and how Isaac disappeared.
• On the topic of parts lists, it's indicated Solomon is a Rider form that by all means should not be so infinitely strong (in fact, Caladbolg is implicitly heavy enough that it can't even be wielded properly on its own), but is and channels every single possible use of all previous books combined simply because that is what Isaac has declared through Omni Force, which draws power simply from his insane thoughts. In other words, Solomon's very existence is a dark, twisted validation of Isaac's own ego, and the gall of him to take it out on others.
  • Speaking of Solomon, his abilities are nothing to laugh at. He can send attacks back to their foes, pierce his enemies with the power of his sword and book, or make a large manifestation of Caladbolg to slash his enemies. The sheer power of such attacks easily overpowers the heroic swordsmen.
  • Transformation-wise, his Omni Force Wonder Ride Book gives off the most guttural, insane and deranged announcement yet complete with a menacing jingle... with Isaac's Dooms Driver Buckle laughing AD INFINITUM before the henshin sequence.
  OPEN THE OMNIBUS! FORCE OF THE GOD! KAMEN RIDER SOLOMON!!! FEAR IS COMING SOON...
• The giant books floating in the sky above the world's major cities. And their purpose is even worse- to transmit a message from Isaac to the world, goading humanity into World War III, and eventually to level the Earth.
• Kento plans to sacrifice himself to destroy Isaac. As in, no coming back from this sacrifice. As in, stuck in Kurayami's void, fighting each other forever.
  • If Kento doesn't do that, Touma will have to take up the powers of Wonder World, which may make him disappear from our world forever. Sound familiar?

Chapter 37: Who Will Be The One, To Change the Future?

• Solomon Zone is nightmare fuel on a literal apocalyptic level. Just using the attack on one of the books he summoned in the last episode causes an energy sphere to wipe out an entire city!

Chapter 40: Shining Friendship, The Three Swordsmen.

• Reika's smoke-fueled SOS to the Northern Base and the scream of horror accompanying it reinforces how scared she is at having to fight her (body-controlled) brother.
  • The victims of Isaac' control are entirely aware and unable to stop. Ryoga can only scream at Reika to run or kill him before he kills her. When Ogami and Daishinji arrive, he also pleads them for a Mercy Kill.
• Watching how the last shreds of sanity start to leave Isaac, Storious indulges in an creepily displaced Evil Laugh.
• As triumphant as the main trio's fight against Kamen Rider Solomon was, none of said villain's final moments are played up for any catharsis.
  • Solomon's delusions of godhood are challenged hard by the Riders' speeches about how they've lost faith in him. To say he doesn't take it well is an understatement. He gets progressively angrier and desperate, almost a screaming animal by the time Saber activates their final finisher.
  • After being defeated by the main trio, Solomon writhes in sheer agony as fire eats through his suit.
  • Isaac isn't angry or confident this time after he's fled - he's an absolute mess, crying and snivelling in suffocating darkness and disbelief with only a pouring rainstorm and a repaired Omni Force for company. His face is nearly unrecognizable under burns and blood and his clothes are in tatters just like his mind. Then Storious arrives and outright vaporizes him, only laughing at the man's sheer delusion after the fact. It's an eerily brutal dive into just how deep Isaac clung to his own delusions... and how brutal his comeuppance chose to be. Isaac wanted to be a god but died cold and alone as a mere mortal, his last seconds spent in fear and despair. Storious himself said it best.
    Storious: The final moments of a man who pursued godhood... were truly laughable, miserable, and beautiful.
• Storious has Omni Force now. If that wasn't bad enough, he assures the audience that yes, This Is Gonna Suck in the Voice of the Legion and his usual menacingly sweet tone!
  Storious: I shall weave this story from now on. Such that we meet a beautiful conclusion!

Chapter 41: After 2, 000 Years, A Binding Wish.

• Earlier on, Tassel leaves Luna at his house while he leaves to talk to Touma. However, when he returns at the end of the episode, Luna is nowhere to be found. Just as Tassel is wondering where she is, everything goes dark... and then Storious looms out of the shadows, arms outstretched, Nightmare Face on, and with a demonic voice.
  Storious: I've finally found you... VICTOR!!!

Chapter 42: So Begins, the Beautiful End.

• Storious, completely apathetic to Tassel's tearful begging, stabs the man, takes his book piece and leaves him for dead. Without its guardian, Wonder World starts decaying and overrunning the real world.
  • Not completely. As Tassel makes his plea and reminisce Storious of his friends, the Megid's tone shifts from the menacing one to a casual and nostalgic one, before stabbing his old friend and then realizing what he just did. He seems genuinely shocked at not only having had the guts to kill his old friend, but his old friend hugging him one last time.

Chapter 43: In Conflict, We Find Our Worth.

• The walls of Storious' hideout are covered in thousands of screaming human-turned-Alter ride books.
  • Charybdis ate them, the book pieces of Wonder World's original chosen and the extra Sophia-lookalike right in front of Touma, Reika and Ryoga, who actually has to restrain Touma to stop him from running in and getting swallowed himself.
  • Storious is closer to his desired ending again after absorbing Charybdis and creating a near perfect recreation of the Book of Ancients.

Chapter 44: The Final Page, Has Been Opened.

• Storious finally makes use of his Grimoire Wonder Ride Book he made in the last chapter. With that book in hand, he uses its power to revive the deceased Four Sages into his own soldiers. These new henchmen of his easily mop the floor with the swordsmen confronting the sinister Megid.
• The moment when Storious transforms into Kamen Rider Storious. The result is a transformation with a shadowy black goop engulfing him to form his Rider Suit. Storious then sprouts two pairs of wings which form his cape and the armor sports a horrifying black, red, gold and green design with the Rider Helmet's face being an open book. The transformation announcement when Storious transforms oozes with terror, and it includes the satanic Voice of the Legion as well as that hellish Ominous Pipe Organ. And it ends with a TRULY DISTURBING Evil Laugh that would give Evolto a run for his money!
  OPEN THE GRIMOIRE! THE END OF THE STORY! KAMEN RIDER... STORIOUS!!! FUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
• After Storious transforms, his voice doesn't help at all... he sounds like a royally ENRAGED serial killer ready to raise hell to his victims.
  Storious: I will decide... how this story will conclude.
  • Storious's first finisher sees Storious launching a ball of energy towards Touma, who tries to stop it with manifestations of the Seikens forming a shield. The defence fails and the ball of destruction lands on top of him, levelling an entire city block as well.
  • Another scary part is that Storious' Kamen Rider form still has his horns from his Megid form, implying he's a Megid/Kamen Rider hybrid.

Movies

The Phoenix Swordsman and the Book of Ruin

• Bahato's plan to "return all to the void". He uses the Book of Ruin to destroy both Wonder World and the real world. The result? A mass of black holes in both worlds sucking up everything.
• Bahato himself is terror personified. As if his plan isn't nefarious and horrifying enough, he's the Phoenix Swordsman who possesses great fighting skills enough to give Touma/Saber a run for his money. Oh, and he's a remorseless, Laughing Mad, nihilistic guy, with the movie showing him nefariously and insanely ranting about humanity's cycle of betrayal and failure to progress onwards.
  • Bahato also possesses the Eternal Phoenix Wonder Ride Book housing the titular beast itself. The Phoenix is stated to be immortal, and its special abilities passes on to this crazy swordsman. As such, he can never die no matter how many times he's struck down.

Trio of Deep Sin

• Being a V-Cinema, it should come to as no surprise that it's much Darker and Edgier compared to the TV series, but the full trailer proper shows how things are going to get real nightmarish fast. If the swordsmen Saikou, Ren, Ryoga, Sophia and Tetsuo suddenly disappearing didn't hint it, then the part where Rintaro is suddenly sent right in the middle of zombified victims (heavily implied to be the people killed in the events of the main series) will hammer that point home.
• The Amazing Siren Wonder Ride Book allows the user to open one's memories like a book and then proceed to pluck out a page of it, erasing a part of the person's memory with it. And how does they use that effectively? They tear out the memories people have of the swordsmen, effectively erasing them from reality.
  • It also goes beyond that: the book can split itself and alter memories of other people and its users. So there are three copies of these used by three different people.
  • It doesn't just have the ability to erase memories. It also has the ability to induce horrific hallucinations to people. See the aforementioned thing? That's Rintaro being the victim of one of these.

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