Holy crap, if anyone deserves a happy ending after all the crap they’ve gone through in a single series, it’s Ryuko Matoi. Forget getting the bejezzus pummeled out of her almost every single episode, how about having her freaking heart ripped from her chest Kano from Mortal Kombat style? Not only that, but Ryuko also learned her mother is the enemy, her former (?) enemy is her sister and she’s the key to bringing about a worldwide clothing apocalypse. I don’t think one of Terminator 2’s best quotes has ever been so fitting (no pun intended), “I need a vacation.” Not only that but in this penultimate set of episodes, the entire status quo of Kill La Kill got turned on its head. Let’s break it all down.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Ragyo Kiriyuin was gonna be the ultimate big final boss of the series. But how many expected Satsuki to be playing a long game of coup d’etat herself? Yeah there have been signs that Satsuki had her own agenda but seeing her literally stab her mother in the back was a huge HOLY CRAP moment in a sea of several others of the same kind in this set of episodes. I’m glad to see Ryuko and Satsuki on the same side, even if we haven’t seen them fight side by side yet. For a minute, it looked like Satsuki’s surprise attack and long term planning might’ve paid off…then we were reminded that most villains in Kill La Kill are nigh immortal psychopaths who refuse to die and let our heroines have a good win. No, Ragyo instead revealed a healing factor on par with that of Cell from Dragon Ball Z. Even decapitating her doesn’t do the trick so long as she still has a string connected to the Primordial Life Fiber…I think we’re gonna need a Super Saiyan 2 Gohan Kamehameha on the scene ASAP.
Ragyo and the ever eternally annoying Nui being unkillable was just another big twist we saw. But the biggest shook things up a lot: Ryuko is Ragyo once thought dead daughter, and as such is Satsuki’s sister. This is gonna change things a lot between the two female leads. All series long, Ryuko has been gung ho about defeating Satsuki for being smug and holding out on answers to important questions. But not even Satsuki knew about Ryuko and has been fighting to avenge her all along. These two most certainly aren’t huggers but are they gonna be able to bury the hatchet and team up properly to take down their maniacal mother? God I hope so and it would be a helluva way to honor their father, Soichiro Kiriyuin (so yes they are blood siblings just to clarify).
But Kill La Kill wasn’t done wrecking havoc on Ryuko’s life just yet. We got a time skip midway through and now Kill La Kill feels like X-Men: Days of Future Past, where an army of COVERS prowls the streets scooping up humans wherever they can while the Elite Four joins up with Nudist Beach to resist them. It should seem kind of dire but everyones still acting much like themselves, even in the face of Armageddon, so it’s still all around fun to be had. Once Ryuko woke up from a month long coma, that when things got bad again. I get her being freaked out by the truth of her origins, coupled with what she’s learned about Life Fibers. But to ignore and push away Mako and Senketsu feels like such a heartless move for Ryuko to make. It’s not like she could really defeat Ragyo and Nui without them at her side. But Ryuko stubbornly abandoned them to try anyway and it’s no wonder she’s been captured, brainwashed and forced to wear Satsuki’s Junketsu to fight her friends in. I guess the only decent trade off is Satsuki being able to wear Senketsu in return and I wont lie…she looks better in it than Junketsu.
Mako did continue to shine even if she spent some time off screen in captivity. I feel like Ryuko should do a dozen Hail Mary’s for blocking out a Mako “Alleluia Rant” in her frustration. This girl has fought through hell for Ryuko not just because she’s an airhead with a big heart. Mako’s undeterred loyalty to our lead heroine is rivaled only by Senketsu’s love for the girl who wears him. Mako’s scatter brained breath of optimistic fresh air is infections and I dare say Gamagoori has officially been affected by it. The big guy risked a lot to save Mako from her Cover prison and boldly stood up for her family when Jakuzure was talking smack about them. Kill La Kill doesn’t wanna focus on any romantic subplots but Gamagoori and Mako is the closest to a true in series ship as well get and I love it.
Well, the stage is now set for one super enormous final battle. Though I’m sure between Mako, Senketsu and Satsuki, Ryuko will return to her normal senses, there’s still the mountain sized ego of Ragyo and Nui to be dealt with. I’d better see some tears of defeat and anguish running down their faces in the finale. Seriously, it’s time for Ryuko to get a freaking win…and you know what, Satsuki too for that matter. Friday, It’s a family affair of epic proportions as we wrap up Kill La Kill right here at the Gundam Anime Corner. Be there.
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