Score: A-

That was one way to end an episode! Things are looking good for ending this show on a strong note. It’s a bit crazy to think that we’re this close to the end already. But being this far in has allowed the characters to mature nicely as a team. They’ve grown quite a bit from the group that was very much at each other’s throats while arguing intensely about who would take their turn in terms of murder attempts. Which I’m sure made Goa bringing it up near the end a bit shocking for the others. Nothing though could probably top in terms of shock value what Anemone discovered the next morning.

Can imagine where this is going

The end of the episode was a good cliffhanger. It’s definitely possible to guess at what’s going on though. The only ones in the room at that moment were Anemone and Toto. Considering Goa’s mental state in the latter half of this episode it’s safe to presume this is some kind of mental attack by Goa. We’ve already seen that Goa’s skills are effective enough against Ciel and Anemone. That should be all the more true when they are unconscious and even more vulnerable. Goa also was clearly setting everything up once they reached town. She was the one that put off taking on the rank up quest until the next day, got them a room where they could all sleep together, and openly talked about a Toto assassination. I’m guessing that was to put the thought into their heads to make it easier to manipulate them.

Toto’s past was a brutal one

It’s fair enough to consider that just the girls falling for Toto isn’t all going to be good. We’ve got different people of vary extreme backgrounds and personalities to consider. Goa’s a pretty intense person under that upbeat and friendly personality. In a sense Ciel kicked a hornet’s nest by dropping the loaded question of whether Toto loved her or not. Because it did turn it into a “who would he choose” moment in Goa’s head. She can only see the good in others, but not in herself. With that mindset it’s not surprising she somewhat snapped and went into a more aggressive position.

The question is whether Goa simply wants to kill her competition or just break the whole group right there. I’d like to think that she’s only going to the latter, but with the way her mind is right now…My guess for the moment is that Goa’s trying to create her ideal result right there and then. Where everyone loves her most of all and are actively her pets. Ciel and Anemone are plenty vulnerable to that sort of thing as we saw in the last arc. Toto has shown his resistance to Goa’s skill, but we saw from Ciel’s last serious attempt that his defenses can be weakened. If those two are helpless that would give Goa all the time in the world to try and break down Toto’s mind. And he’s already been thinking about his personal traumas lately.

Ciel needed to ask…

While things have taken a dark turn, I did like much of the episode. The Ciel and Toto discussion was sweet and really opened up a positive road forward. The Dullahan might’ve caused Toto some distress in being unsure about his path going forward. But it also made him start to think about coexistence. That’s something especially important with Ciel being part of his party, but fair enough with how extreme Goa and Anemone are. And it’s something he’s got to think on since his traumas are very legitimate. He lost everything to a horrible monster attack and has legitimate reason to be wary. But this was a good chance to remind him that all monsters and demons aren’t the same.

Ciel’s move was cute in that it really had impact on all sides. We actually have Ciel openly thinking about the possibilities. She’s completely open to the path of Toto finding a way to overcome the incompatibilities that exist within this group. There’s still of course the idea that she could assassinate him in her head. But it’s a huge leap for her to be open to a future where she doesn’t. It’s a race where she doesn’t mind that happy ending being the winner. And she also put the thought into his head about what she and the others are. It’s fine to try and play it off as a what-if. But the more things happen that reveal bits and pieces of their identities the more likely Toto puts the pieces together.

Goa needs some help…

Potentially finishing the season on Goa’s psychological assault is an interesting direction to go with. Because that sort of thing is a perfect way to explore all the characters. Anemone, Ciel, and Toto will likely all have to face personal demons or things they don’t want to look at. With Anemone we’re starting out with the “what-if Toto really died” sort of angle. Which will be a good way to explore her character and how she truly feels about him. But the big thing will be dealing with Goa herself. I’m sure Toto will be key, but I suspect the girls will play their parts as well in reaching her. Right now Goa can’t believe anyone would truly love her without manipulation and can’t stand the idea that she wouldn’t be chosen. At least have to deal with some of those issues!

Hopefully can get more cute moments before the end

This episode nicely set up what could be a strong finale for the series. Ciel is really settled in so she wasn’t likely to do anything too extreme on her own. Anemone while still willing to kill isn’t exactly in a hurry to do anything like that. Goa though is pretty unstable and desperately attached to the idea of being loved. And her skills are great for creating this sort of dramatic finale. I can’t wait to see how things play out. Goa might be the one that truly reveals who she is to Toto without it being hidden behind a what-if scenario.