Summary Key Points:

[spoiler]

• Touma and Orsola are helped by Agnese and told to help Sister Lucia and Sister Angelene escape the Ice Fleet
• Touma and Orsola manage to find the two nun, and attempt to leave
• The ship is sunk when the intrusion is detected, and Touma is sent sinking into the ocean
• He awakes to find himself on an Amakusa Submarine
• They all decide to help Agnese, who is about to do a spell that will destory everything about Venice, its existence and culture, and also her mind in the process.
• Touma, the two nuns, Index and the Amakusa along with Orsola all attack the fleet.
• As Touma and the rest try to get the flagship, they are surrounded by a bunch of nuns
• The Episode ends with Sister Angelene knocked unconscious after she tries to save a nun from getting killed by the ice debris.

[/spoiler]

Opinions: (B+)

The latest episode brings the actual premise of the arc to light, and its the standard Index fair that we’ve seen time and time again. This arc has developed into pretty much a “save” the young girl from the twisted old guy plot, something that Index has done a few times. What’s interesting is that its not Index that getting caught and being saved this time though.

In a twist, Agnese is the one that needs saving this time. In a strange character shift, Agnese is actually being noble for a change, if only for the people she’s grown up with. I still can’t quite like or feel sorry for Agnese, especially after the despicable things she did in the previous arc we saw her in. Yet, I don’t condemn Touma’s decision to help her, and with Venice’s very existence at stake, well I doubt the Amakusa or anyone else does either…. except for maybe the Roman Catholic Church.

I think its fair enough to pretty much paint the Roman Catholic Church as the villain in the Toaru Majutsu no Index verse. Every major struggle this season, save for the one with Misaka, has had the Roman Catholic Church pulling the strings. To be honest, the whole idea is wearing really thin on me, because I kind of liked it when there were more varied, different types of magicians and scientists going after Index or trying to accomplish certain different goals.

All that’s happened so far is the Roman Catholic Church trying to dominate everything, and doing so by any means necessary. I also can’t believe they not only had Saint Peter’s cross, which was pretty much a win magic to begin with, and they even have this other magic that Agnese is going to be used in, as well? Man… for A Church, these guys sure dabble in magic a lot XD

Beyond the whole Agnese thing, we got some other funny moments in the episode as well. We had the classic, Touma strips a girl naked with his right hand, can’t go wrong with that right? No? Okay, we also had “raise skirt up and show Panties” scene. Still not satisfied? We also had the less intense, Touma falls on a girl.

Unlike all the other shy, Tsundere girls though, the girl in the pink shirt, Itsuwa seems to actually be gunning for Touma. I found it rather hilarious when I figured out that she kept giving him those towels to make him like her. Poor girl, Touma is barely even going to notice her, I mean Index is constantly biting him and getting jealous, Misaka is blushing and constantly throwing electric tantrums… and Touma is oblivious to both of them. I’m afraid Itsuwa isn’t going to get much attention from Touma with her hot towel strategy. I will admit, she is a nice, cute if somewhat weird girl XD

With this episode pretty much getting them on the ship, I believe this arc will wrap up in the next episode or two. I wonder if Agnese will become one of the good guys now? O_o

Preview:

Agnese may not be the villain in this arc. Looks like the Amakusa are involved somehow too, its going to get intense next week! 😀