An Unknown Threat, a Path For People to Thread.
- Original Airdate: May 15, 2022
Written by: Nobuhiro Mouri
Directed by: Hidenori Ishida
Summary
Ikki, Sakura, and Vice can only look on in stunned horror as Giff transforms Akemi into a demon, immediately witnessing the overwhelming difference in power between her and the Gifftarians. Meanwhile, back at Weekend HQ Hikaru and Hana can only helplessly watch from the sidelines.
Even so, they refuse to give up on stopping Akaishi's rampage. As Ikki psyches himself up for payback just as Akaishi prepares another press conference, he notices Vice faltering during their battle with Vail. Meanwhile, Daiji has problems of his own, as his recklessness threatens to consume him...
Tropes
- Bad "Bad Acting": Akaishi really hams it up while showing the world how dangerous Giff is.
- The Bad Guy Wins: Akaishi succeeds in establishing Giff as a threat, all while he decimates Fenix's forces.
- Darkest Hour: Akaishi manages to summon Giff and show him to the whole world, and destroys Fenix as an opposing force to his plans while showing that the Riders aren't even threats to him and Giff.
- Death of Personality: Discussed. Ikki raises the fact that the loss of Kagero may have influenced Daiji's own personality in that he's become less calm and calculative and more Leeroy Jenkins, but encourages him to think things through more clearly like he did before. However it's to no avail as he changes the plan against Akaishi on a whim, believing he did think it through, which ended up causing his downfall as Akaishi had planned on him doing such all along.
- Downer Ending: The 3rd arc ends with the heroes failed to stop Akaishi's plans, forcing them to retreat at Weekend's HQ for recovery while Daiji went on a Despair Event Horizon after the Fenix Skybase gets obliterated by Giff. Things for the worse has yet to come...
- Final Boss Preview: Giff manifests in the real world for the first time since his awakening, and shows off his powers in epic fashion, including vaporizing a cadre of Fenix soldiers, debilitating the Igarashi Riders without moving a muscle, and destroying Fenix's entire arsenal.
- Near-Villain Victory: Akaishi and his allies had the Riders on the ropes until Vail's body ran out of energy, at which point Akaishi calls it quits and leaves the Riders to lick their wounds.
- New Era Speech: Akaishi's speech is to announce the new era of humanity under Giff's overlordship.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Both Ikki and George notice Daiji's increasing Leeroy Jenkins tendencies and try to give him some advice lest he hurt himself.
- Out-Gambitted: The Igarashis' plan to ambush Akaishi during his speech backfires when they realize he was planning on Daiji's Leeroy Jenkins tendencies happening all along.
- Wham Episode: Akaishi essentially destroys a majority of Fenix's forces, resulting in the heroes to seek refuge with Weekend. Also, Hikaru becomes Over Demons.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Ikki reassures Vice that he doesn't need to act like a demon the way Vail wants him to be, but rather that he should act like how he (Vice) thinks he should act.
