Recap / Kamen Rider Gotchard Ep 12 Runaway Liner The Dark Rider

Runaway Liner! The Dark Rider!

Original Airdate: November 26, 2023
Written by: Keiichi Hasegawa
Directed by: Hirofumi Fukuzawa

Summary

"The only way to kill a Rider... is with another Rider."

Narrator: Previously on… Kamen Rider Gotchard!
Houtarou and Sabimaru were in pursuit of UFO-X when it suddenly appeared!
However, they "Gotchanko-t" attacked by the Spider Malgam, whom they had previously defeated!
Although they won the battle for UFO-X, the Chemy itself escaped from their grasp.
Then, they discover that the true identity of the Malgam was someone unexpected!

The Alchemists' Academy is still reeling from the terrible events about the mole hiding within their administrational board, and even Houtarou is fuming over Shiori being the Three Dark Sisters' spy. However, this startling revelation would soon become the least of their concerns, as a malevolent warrior not too dissimilar to Gotchard enters the scene. Now, Houtarou must steel himself to fend off this new enemy.

Tropes

• And I Must Scream: If Isaac crying for help is anything to go by, this is definitely what happens to Sabimaru when he becomes Dread.
• The Bad Guy Wins: The Three Dark Sisters have the advantage by the end of the episode. Not only do they have a powerful new warrior in Kamen Rider Dread, but the Academy team is beaten down physically and psychologically from their fight with Dread and the loss of Sabimaru. However, UFO-X manages to grant Houtarou the Exgotchalibur.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: Our heroes receive this, courtesy of the Dark Sisters and Dread.
• Dangerous Forbidden Technique: Sabimaru states that the forbidden alchemy Shiori is using will eventually destroy her arm. Shiori isn't bothered in the slightest, believing the power she will get when the Dark Door is opened will be worth it.
• Divided We Fall: Invoked. The Dark Sisters select Sabimaru to become Kamen Rider Dread upon Shiori's recommendation, not only because of his skills but also to weaken the fellowship of the Academy students.
• Drunk on the Dark Side: Shiori dials the theatrics up a notch when she displays her forbidden alchemy powers.
• Evil Knockoff: Dread is a corrupted copy of Gotchard, complete with his own copies of the Chemy Cards.
• Fearful Symmetry: Dread matches Gotchard blow for blow, using the same Chemy Cards as he does, but with even more effective results.
• Heroic Second Wind: Attempted; upon receiving the Exgotchalibur, Houtarou manages to repel Dread, Clotho, and Lachesis with its power, but keels over from exhaustion before he can get to Atropos.
• Impaled Palm: Clotho nails Minato's ring hand to a pole via an energy blade.
• Jerkass Has a Point: Supana's words may have been harsh, but he's not entirely wrong in pointing out that being an alchemist isn't easy work and that potentially dying to protect the world and uphold The Masquerade is part of the danger. Hotaro even admits that he never considered the possibility he and his friends could die until this episode.
• Oh, Crap!: The sight of the Exgotchalibur is enough to elicit this reaction from Clotho and Lachesis, and Atropos immediately orders Dread to kill Houtarou without any trace of the smug sadism that she had been displaying the entire fight.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Atropos ripostes with one of these when Houtarou calls her out for killing Shiori.
  Houtarou: Why...? Wasn't she one of you? Just what do you think human lives are?!
  Atropos: And there it is: your weakness. (...) You believe in and rely on something as vague as camaraderie. I wonder what you will do... once you lose it?
• The Reveal:
  • Shiori didn't just deliver Blank Chemy Cards to the Dark Sisters; she was also the one to choose Sabimaru as the user for the DreaDriver, due to his Chemy expertise.
  • Shiori also mentions that the Alchemys Union actually had "the one-in-a-thousand chance to grasp the true meaning of Alchemy" ten years ago. That coincides with when Fuga stole the Chemies and hid them in the Ouroboros Realm, giving us our first real hint as to the circumstances that lead to him being branded a traitor.
• Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves: Shiori boasts about how much power she will receive as a servant of the Three Dark Sisters, only for them to dispose of her now that she is no longer needed.
• Silly Rabbit, Idealism Is for Kids!: Supana points out that the students' idealism turned into naivete that the Dark Sisters exploited, and points out that being an alchemist isn't all sunshine and rainbows, as they could have all gotten killed.
• Space Master: Shiori's study of forbidden alchemy has granted her the power of spatial reconfiguration, allowing her to create portals. This is how she stole Catchula in the previous episode and how she gets it back in this one.
• Surprisingly Realistic Outcome:
  • Houtarou uses the Exgotchalibur to drive off Dread, Clotho and Lachesis, but promptly collapses after having been beaten to within an inch of his life.
  • The students' Chemy collection adventures, while certainly effective, ultimately failed to prepare them for when the Dark Sisters started playing for keeps. Supana even points out how close they all were to getting killed.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Houtaro praising Sabumaru for his Chemy expertise while under Shiori's surveillance was what alerted her to it, which gives her a reason to choose the latter as Dread's first user.
• Wham Episode: Sabimaru gets mind-controlled and transforms into Kamen Rider Dread.
• The Worf Effect: To start off how strong Dread is, he knocks Supana out from his Valvarad form.
• Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Dread partially opens its helm to show Sabimaru crying, which causes Houtarou to hesitate; Dread takes full advantage of that.
• You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Atropos disintegrates Shiori after the latter has served her purpose.

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Titular Chemy: Steamliner

Cards used:

Gotchard: Raidenji (Exgotchalibur)
Dread: Repli-Steamliner, Repli-Pikahotaru, Repli-Bulletbaang, Repli-Odorippa, Repli-Skebows, Repli-Apparebushido, Repli-Wrestler G, Repli-Venomdake, Repli-Gorillasensei

Chemies recovered: None