Team Lazarus splits up to investigate possible holdouts
where Skinner could be hiding. What
should be simple recon turns deadly when Chris is captured by Russian
operatives with ties to her past. As if
that weren’t enough, Lazarus’ mission to save their teammate adds to the
collective collateral damage they’ve been racking up since they were first
formed. With only 10 days until the
first Hapna user dies, is the team still capable of carrying out their main
assignment? Some think otherwise and are
willing to go to great lengths to end the team by any means necessary.
My expectations for Lazarus have never been that high,
even knowing well after its airing that the Director of Cowboy Bebop is at its
helm. And yet, episode after episode,
I’m feeling mixed to mostly negative emotions and this weeks penultimate set of
episodes did nothing to sway those emotions into the positive, well
mostly. One of my personal favorite
characters got the spotlight (in more ways than one) and the show was nice
enough to point out the flaws in not just the team, but the show as well? Is Lazarus voicing my issues for me? Again, giving the show too much credit. How ‘bout I sum up the thoughts myself, may
I?
The mission to rescue Chris was another rare highlight of
an episode for Lazarus. Once again, the
team came together to contribute in saving the life of their teammate, even
after learning about her sorted past and how it was coming to collect. With Hersch providing diplomatic wiggle room,
Elaina on hacking, Leland on Drones and Doug on Sniper support, it was once
again actually nice to see everyone contributing, even if Axel wanted to do all
the fancy heavy lifting himself. Chris
herself was no damsel and even injured kicked her fair share of ass, especially
against that one heavy who was creepily and angrily obsessed with punishing her
for being a traitor. Also, I will not
deny that seeing Chris in a bikini in Episode 7 was glorious. She may not be Faye Valentine but damn is she
just as much a woman who can rock a sexy outfit and lay down some justice
better than anyone in this show.
The other major highlight of this set has to do with a
new player entering the fray. And while
it feels unnecessary to add one more hurdle to Lazarus’ to do list (more on
that later, trust me), the introduction of the assassins Soryu was an excellent
showcase of how good this shows action can be when centered on the right
character with the right amount of…let’s say ferocity. Set to some decent music and set within a
building that gave off Blade Runner vibes, Soryu effortlessly took out an
entire special forces team with lethal effieiency. Oh and that was all just a test to show off
his skills for those who wish to hire him.
Soryu’s definitely a nice, if still late, addition to Lazarus and I
honestly cant wait to see him take Axel down several pegs, even though it’s
likely Axel will still walk away because Axel’s protected by God or something
or whatever.
Ok, that’s it for the good stuff. Onto the ranting. First off, Axel. Again, the show’s trying way to hard to make
him cooler than he is, like he’s Watanabe’s Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen (and I
have plenty of issues with him already).
But nothing and I mean nothing screams “HEY LOOK AT ME!!! IM JUST LIKE
SPIKE RIGHT?! RIGHT!?” like Axel using a flamethrower to cook food. And now, the shows positioning him as the end
all, be all key to finding Skinner? Or
at least that’s how Hersch puts it. Also
his shady past that’s landed him almost a millennia in prison is suddenly being
looked into by other interested parties.
Don’t we have a mad scientist to find in about a week and a half? Ugh, just another excuse to make Mr. I’m Not
Spike through I wanna be Spike more the center of attention than he thinks he
is.
Speaking of the aforementioned Dr. Skinner, he popped up
again with another video message to remind everybody about the countdown to
extinction and made sure to note he’d be the first one to go. Lose him, lose the cure. Don’t know if that puts a wrench in my “he’s
been dead this whole time theory”. But
it goes back to the AI from last week that was modeled after his brain. It said that if it wanted to be a God, it
should toy with people. Now supposedly,
Skinner wasn’t directly involved in that AI’s creation but isnt that kind of
what he’s doing right now being so pompus and self righteous by holding the
whole world hostage? I’m with Doug, I
cant figure Skinner out and the closer we get to him, dead or alive, whatever
his reasonings for this whole mess are going to be…well I would say “a letdown”
but I’d have to have expectations that high, and I don’t.
Which brings us to something else that I feel should have
been added to the Lazarus mix sooner: an intelligence turf war. On the one hand, Yes, the Committee hearing
was right to point out how much Lazarus hasn’t gotten their job done, causing a
crap ton of collateral damage and international nightmares and not having
anything to show for it. Sure they did
take down a sleezebag Stock Broker and do right by saving Chris’ life. But when it comes to finding Skinner, maybe
I’m being too mean but there’s been very little to justify why Lazarus should
still be active. And while they do have
a reprieve because after ten days it wont matter, rivals in the intelligence
community want Lazarus dealt with because why not have that happen with 4
episodes left? Is it jealously? Is it something INSCOM is trying to keep
buried? And why the heck does it have to
do with Axel? The end of the world is
right around the corner and everyone wants to act petty, that tracks.
So just to recap, we’ve got: intelligence infighting;
Assassin’s looking to kill Team Lazarus (or at least Axel); Axel’s super top
double secret probationary history; and Skinner still needs to be found along
with a cure for Hapna. We’ll see if
Lazarus can really get all of that (and probably more) done in only 4 episodes
(good luck, they’re gonna need it) Next Tuesday in the Series Finale. Next Monday, however, a Special Memorial Day
review. The wait is over. It’s time for Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway:
The Sorcery of the Nymph Cirice over at the Gundam Anime Corner (hope it’s
worth the wait or is at least better than the dreg I’ve been reviewing this
month).
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