Darker than BLACK: Gemini of the Meteor episode 7

If there is anything this episode had proved to us is that a contractor does not need to use his or her ability to kill. Hei can do it, and so can Suou. The biggest surprise of this episode is definitely the fact that Dr. Pavlichenko is still alive and he has Shion with him. Slowly, the bigger picture to the whole plot is being revealed as all sides are now in Japan for pursue a common goal. This episode is also one of the good ones from this season. This review is going to be long. So please bear with me. More after the jump.

“This tea tastes funny. Oh wait, there’s a moon inside my drink.”

Synopsis: The Russia’s FSB were discussing about their investigation on Dr. Pavlichenko and his son, Shion as they could not figure about what of his purpose of hiding his son. Although they confirmed his death, the ME Squeezer they have could only manage one-day worth of memory. Suddenly they received a report from the Japan’s SVR on Dr. Pavlinchenko’s sighting, alive. In Japan, Misaki is waiting for Kanami (from the now-defunct Astronomy Department) at the observatory when Shizume appeared. He told her openly that Section 3 is keeping an eye on her but also revealed his true intention to investigate into what the top brass of Section 3 are planning because he is clueless about what is going on. He then offered himself to work together with Misaki. Elsewhere, Hei and the gang are trying to get out of Hokaido but it is impossible for them to do that now that the Japanese, the Russians, and the CIA are going after Hei. He goes for a transporter’s help instead. They met up with a female transporter who then brought them to a con artist to disguise their appearance. That means cosplaying time. Meanwhile Kobayashi (Section 3 chief) was meeting a person who seems to be responsible for the whole operation. He was there to report on their apprehension of Izanami and information regarding Izanagi’s father. There was also mentioned that the events were noted similar to what was recorded on the Mikata documents. Repnin and Tanya arrived in Sapporo and joined agents from the Foreign Affairs department. They shared an information on Hei’s sighting to Repnin and told them that Ilya Sokoloff is going after them.

Hei loves to cosplay. First as a masked assassin. Then, a hobo. Now, this.

I find this transporter lady hot. Who else think the same?

Ilya Sokoloff. Don’t judge him by this look.

If this is his remuneration, then Ilya is one cold-blooded killer.

Hei and the rest managed to pass through the police checkpoints thanks to their disguise. Not surprisingly, July pretends dead. All the while, Suou was curious about July who is a doll whether or not he has feelings or have any sense perceptions at all. Suddenly Hei, Suou and Mao who are in another car got a flat tire. They found out that the tire was intentionally punctured since the transporter is also a doll smuggler. Hei told Suou to let it pass but she refused to and went on to get July herself with Mao grabbing hold to her. July uses his ghost to lead them to him. Along the way, Suou believed that dolls and contractors still have fragments of emotion in them. They eventually reached a warehouse where the transporter keeps July. While Mao provided distraction, Suou used glass shards to attack (violently) the transporter. As they are going for July, Ilya arrived. He is one cold-blooded bastard. His contractor ability is to control a person’s consciousness by putting the brain to a state of ecstasy that eventually kills them. He used his ability on the transporter whom he killed and the same on Suou to apprehend her. In this case, Mao and July are collateral. His remuneration is to draw sketches (apparently gruesome sketches of mutilation). He pointed out that contractors do not dream in their sleep and he was already a serial killer before he was a contractor. Fortunately for Suou, Hei found out where they are and went to rescue them. With July’s help, Hei managed to kill Ilya. In an aquarium centre elsewhere, Shion is telling his father, Dr. Pavlichenko, to get ready.

July’s dead?! Oh wait, he’s just sleeping.

Mao redefined “chasing skirts” figuratively.

DTB writer: Whatever you think it is, this is not child molestation. I think.

KIRA!

BONES made it look weird in this supposingly slow-mo scene though I beg to differ.

Thoughts: From what we have learnt so far, Izanami is Yin and Izanagi is Shion. It is interesting how the writers decided to go for the Izanagi and Izanami mythology for the main plot construct for DTB Gemini. Izanagi and Izanami are deities, or divine beings to be exact, created by the early gods to fore-create Earth (in this case, Japan). Since these two deities are gods of creation (perhaps destruction), it is possible the writers are hinting that the end plot of the story is to recreate the world, as they previously go for in the first season. Previous season saw that a new world without contractors was attempted by PANDORA using the anti-contractor superweapon but was destroyed by Evening Primrose with Hei’s help. Now, it was showed that Izanami is able to neutralize a contractor’s ability and is good pretext to my assumption. There is no telling of what Shion is capable and what Pavlicenko is attempting to do using his son’s ability. The odd thing is that I still could not how the Syndicate, the ever-mysterious organization, fits into this picture. What is certain is that Hei is still trying to get Yin back and, if possible, to retrieve her ghost back to her body. I mean, I hope the latter would be the case for Hei. But first, let us remind ourselves of this. Last season, Hei was looking for his sister who seems to be the most contractor ever and somehow he received his contractor from his sister using a small fraction of her true potential power. We know well this explains why Hei never do remuneration for his power and how it is possible that he may remains human and may retain human emotions. Similarly, Suou got her ability when Hei lost his and while she is wearing the meteor core necklace. I am not sure if she received her power from Hei or the meteor core or perhaps the meteor core triggered her previously dormant power. This may sound far-fetched but it is possible that Suou got her ability from Hei’s sister through Hei as the anti-contractor device provided the exchange medium.

Hunting season already?

DTB writer: I also assure that this is not animal cruelty. I’m sure of it because I bought the duct tape.

Nothing more frightening than seeing a ghost in front of you.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!” was Kira’s last word.

Shion is back on his wheelchair and Pavlichenko is still alive.

Two more things to add to my thoughts on this well-constructed episode. First, Suou extracted her rifle from the meteor core. This is a well-established fact after seeing her somewhat transformation sequence so many times already. However, the glow from the meteor core as she was about to use her power unlike the rest of contractors who will have their bodies glowing blue and their eyes glowing red. Noticed the difference? Second, Ilya is super evil and perhaps a worthy opponent for Hei on the long run. That’s why I find it is kind of sad to see him die so early into the story. Turns out he is just one of those insignificant contractors whom the writers like to kill-off on each episode.

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