With the help of the police, the Kira Task Force takes Higuchi into custody. L questions Higuchi about his method of killing, and Higuchi tells L about the Death Note. As Soichiro picks it up, he yells out in fear; he can now see Rem. Mogi does the same thing. L tells Mogi to give him the notebook, which allows him to see Rem — and causes him to drop the Death Note in shock.
As Light picks it up, he screams; all of his memories as Kira come flooding back to him, and he remembers his entire plan. He used both Death Notes to set up a fake Kira, absolve Misa's role as the second Kira, and clear himself to boot. (Exactly as planned.) Light's sudden calmness and curious "nothing happened" behavior after the scream raises L's suspicions, but forgets all about them when Higuchi dies at the scene — courtesy of Light, the Death Note, and a quick bit of writing with blood.
The Kira Task Force returns to home base, convinced Higuchi was Kira. They investigate the second Death Note and finds its list of rules — along with a fake rule Light wrote into the book that says a Death Note user must kill once every thirteen days or die themselves. Light's plan goes into full effect when he asks Misa to retrieve the first Death Note. Once she becomes the "owner" of Ryuk's note, she asks Ryuk for another set of shinigami eyes (at Light's insistence) so she can figure out L's true identity.
Tropes used in this episode:
- All According to Plan: "I've won. Exactly as planned."
- Alone with the Psycho: L notes the moment of transition after Light has regained his memories and immediately eyes Light (more) suspiciously again.
- Amnesiac Dissonance: Averted. Light regains his memories of being Kira, but he's not shocked at all.
- Couldn't Find a Pen: To kill Higuchi, Light writes Higuchi’s name in blood.
- Deadly Upgrade: After Misa regains her memories, she decides to get the Eye Deal... again. Rem is obviously distraught when she notices that Misa has shortened her life a second time.
- Did You Just Scam Cthulhu?: Light manipulates Rem in order to put L in check.
- Don't Touch It, You Idiot!: "Ryuuzaki, let me see it!"
- Flash Back: After Light gets his memories back, there's a flashback showing how Light manipulated events to get to this point.
- Gadget Watches: Light modified his watch so it had a hidden compartment with a scrap of the Death Note and a pin inside.
- He's Back!: After he touches Rem's Death Note, the Light that we had been following around until episode 16 returns.
- I'm Having Soul Pains: When Light touches the notebook and regains his memories.
- Mind Rape: This happenes to Light when his Kira memories are suddenly dumped back into his head and he remembers killing an obscene amount of people.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: Light tricked Rem into swapping notebooks by pretending not to understand the rules of the notebook.
- Pet the Dog: When Ryuk is asked to make the Eye Deal with Misa, he asks her if she’s certain about halving her lifespan a second time. However, he follows through with it when she assures him of her choice.
- Psychotic Smirk: Light has a couple moments where he smirks evilly over how well his plans to make himself look innocent and to kill L are going.
- Regained Memories Sequence: Light's memories of being Kira flood back to him after he lays his hands on his original Death Note.
- Revealing Hug: When Light promises Misa that they'll "make a new world together" Misa swoons and Light's face contorts while over her shoulder into a Psychotic Smirk with diabolical red Glowing Eyes of Doom.
- The Scream: Light does this when he touches the notebook. L assumes Light is frightened by the sight of Rem, but it’s a result of Light’s memories flooding back to him.
- Villainous Friendship: type 4 Evil Vitriolic Best Buds. Light seems happier to see Ryuk than Misa.Light (Psychotic Smirk and Glowing Eyes of Doom): It's been a while, Ryuk.Ryuk: *Evil Laugh*
- When he sends Misa to get Ryuk's Death Note, he also sends an apple, which Ryuk happily gobbles down.
- You Were Trying Too Hard: Even if Light hadn't regained his memories there wasn't enough evidence that he did anything. If he relinquished ownership again he could've lived his life as a free man unburdened by his past. This is something Light will never do.
