Ha! I knew Talho’s “changes” were really about Holland’s bun being in her oven. I don’t know how the matter got submerged after it was first brought up a few episodes ago, but I’ll take pride knowing I’ve gotten +500 XP for the “Spot the Pregnancy” mini-game. I’ll also give this show some points for actually showing some of the results of a couple’s relationship because, as I’ve often noted, probably all of the shows I’ve covered for this column have had a puzzling cootie phobias.
FMA: BROTHERHOOD’s happy ending was so emblematic of that. An anime devouts all this time into a “Will they, or won’t?” sexual tension yet, when it comes time to resolve it, they step over any sort of physical consummation and go straight to Ed and Winry being a happy nuclear family while managing to avoid them ever even kissing on screen.
Come to think of it, Holland and Talho haven’t kissed ever in this whole show, either… but hey, this is close enough.
The extended flashback in this episode makes the whole series look a lot better, tying nearly ever seemingly-disparate plot point into a surprisingly tight mythology. The best reveal concerned how the Vodaracs are actually a cult worshipping the Coralins and Eureka fits into their theology as some messianic figure (sort of?) who’s going to establish communication and peace between the humans and the indigenous life forms.
There’s a whole host of “Ah-ha!” insights to draw from that, but the biggest is that it puts Holland’s raging hostility for Renton and Talho’s persistent patches of jealousy into a far better context. There’s clearly a romantic implication to Eureka’s “choosing of a partner,” and when that factors in to any equation - - whether it should be there or not - - it’s going to make feelings that much rawer.
Watch this episode, "Inner Flight" here and decide for yourself, then read my comments on the previous episode here.
Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE. Order them on Amazon here & here. Follow him on Twitter: @tompinchuk
