Canaan Episode Seven & Eight

I want to say that things are picking up without giving anyone false hope. But then again, there isn’t much hope for Canaan, is there? Sigh…

There are really only three things that happen in Episode Seven:

"a pawn that lacks judgment will just be a hindrance"

Number One: Canaan shows up to save Maria. Liang Qi wants to confront her but Alphard informs her that killing Canaan isn’t part of their plans at this time. But immediately after, Alphard tells Liang Qi to do whatever she wants, adding that “a pawn that lacks judgment will just be a hindrance.” Enraged and upset, Liang Qi runs off in hysterics. As the Snakes move out of the building – aware that bombers are arriving to decimate the Ua Virus and everyone who may be infected by it – Cummings asks Alphard if they’re leaving Liang Qi behind. Alphard casually clarifies that Liang Qi is not being left behind but rather discarded.

Osawa Kenji

Number Two: After all the political leaders who attended the anti-terrorism conference are put in danger of being infected with the Ua Virus, the American government sits down and tries to figure out what to do next. Since the Ua Virus kills within 12 hours of exposure, delivering an antivirus from North America would be useless. So they approach a man who works for a Japanese pharmaceutical company that has also developed an antivirus: Osawa Kenji. Coincidentally or not, he is Maria’s father. Despite being heavily guarded and closely watched, the car carrying Kenji and the antivirus is blown up – along with everyone’s hope of a rescue mission. Seeing no other way to resolve the situation, the government decides on an airstrike. However, just before the bombs are dropped, Kenji shows up; the car explosion had been a set-up, an extra measure of security. Now with the hope of the antivirus in Shanghai and an airstrike already in progress, they can only hope for a miracle.

Santana and Natsume

Number Three: Natsume – the Japanese woman who gives Canaan instructions – shows up at the bar where Hakko and Santana (that’s his name; wouldn’t have actually learned that until the Ninth Episode were it not for the internet) work. She manages to get on the phone with Canaan and hacks into the US Navstar Satellites in attempts to interfere with the stealth jet’s GPS system and hopefully, divert the bombs from the conference centre. They succeed with the help of Canaan’s unwavering concentration and synesthesia powers. However, for reasons unknown, at the end of the episode, Canaan loses her ability to see “the colours” and blacks out.

Episode Eight begins with Canaan recovering in the hospital after having a dream where an image of Maria shatters like glass, turns to dust, and disappears. Being unable to see the colours of the general public, Canaan obsesses over the fact that she can’t protect Maria. While Maria is sitting with Canaan in the hospital, Mino has a conversation with Maria’s father, Kenji, and reveals to him that there are survivors of the Ua Virus. Kenji suggests that they might be able to find something at the Village that Disappeared; the village whose inhabitants were infected with the Ua Virus as a human experiment.

Hakko reminisces

We learn a little more about Hakko in this episode. Her Borner ability inflicts pain upon others with her voice. In her past, when she was still unaware of her power, she killed a small boy who was crying for his mother when she tried comfort him. It seems Hakko has never forgotten nor forgiven herself for his death. Mino speculates that Hakko – like the other Borners, works for or worked for the Snakes in exchange for the medicine they needed to survive as Borners. He therefore questions if Santana is affiliated with the Snakes and in control of Hakko.

But instead of answers, we see Mino, Maria, Canaan, Hakko, and Santana all hit the road for a trip to the Village that Disappeared – Hakko’s home. During one of their stops, Maria and Canaan share a tender moment where Maria asks Canaan to always stay by her side and never leave her. To be honest, I nearly expected them to kiss. During the trip, Hakko is unusually sullen and regards Canaan grudgingly for an unknown reason. It isn’t until one night, while everyone else is sleeping, Hakko tries to strangle Canaan. When she fails, she flees and Canaan pursues her, following her into a rocky area where Hakko slips and takes a little tumble. Canaan apologizes for not understanding Hakko’s feelings as well as for whatever grudge she holds against her. In the end, Hakko simply mouths: “It’s all your fault”.

I always feel like the plot of Canaan could break open up at any time and really impress us… but it fails to do that every week. Obviously there’s some great mystery to be revealed and tie everything and everyone together – or at least there had better be since I have to watch and review this series in its entirety! If there’s a lame mystery tying the storyline together then it’ll be a huge waste which would be sad. I’m also hoping that Maria never says “amazing” (“sugoi”) again, or that she dies which also means she would never say “amazing” again. Fingers crossed!

Maria shattered into pieces (it's my dream too).