Suisei no Gargantia - 09

‘Deep Sea Secrets’

Here, Ika Musume's relative just got turned into red mist

Suisei no Gargantia’s latest episode has begun to tie loose ends, building towards a finale which viewers alike have soaring expectations for, and which will hopefully deviate from the Urobutcher trend. Several key revelations are made, with some more important than others, particularly the coming to light of the complex history between mankind and the Hideauze.

Pinion orchestrates a massive dive hunt for treasure, which means entering dangerous territory people wouldn’t usually dare to enter. Naturally, this means Ledo and Chambers are at the frontline, clearing the way for the exploration team. Surprisingly, the whalesquid end up a lot less menacing than expected, possessing only 1/120 of Chamber’s combat prowess. Despite the fact they reacted aggressively and monstrously towards the protagonist’s open provocation, I found their senseless slaughter to be brutal, and rather tasteless. 

"Awwww, nothing to kill anymore..." :(

Ledo’s arrogance and willingness to be compelled by his hatred severely disappointed me. Though some would argue his hatred is deeply ingrained into his nature due to force of upbringing, I for one have seen he is capable of being a better person. Chamber ran the risk of running out of energy, which would’ve left Ledo stranded a hundred miles under the sea, yet he continued to go on a massacre, blinded by his intense hatred towards the species. Even the young ones were not spared; the entire nursery of whalesquid larvae being sliced apart by his unforgiving, emotionless attack. Watching such a scene was uncomfortable, as it exposed the darker facets of Ledo’s personality which I had previously ignored. Needless to say, this acted as some sort of foreshadowing to the events in the second part of the episode, which unfolded smoothly.

"I'm looking at you, yes, you"

Upon finding a room filled with various, leftover artefacts, Ledo’s initial inability to access information garnered from Chamber’s translations of them leaves the impression something isn’t right. However, Ledo overrides this rejection of his request after reminding Chamber of the situation they were in, with the following developments taking form in a way more vivid than I could visualize.

Not as futuristic as I expected...

Owing to the advent of the 5th Ice Age, a surge of scientific pioneering led to many experimentations in order for humanity to avoid their impending fate. The Hideauze are heavily implied to be a result of human genetic engineering on whalesquids, and the attempts of scientists to merge people with the Hideauze left me recoiling, as well as questioning just how far experiments can go before becoming morally unacceptable. It’s standard for pro-scientific sides to be portrayed as evil in works of Sci-Fi, but these trans-humanist nutters certainly qualify as A-Grade villains, even if their intentions were initially pure. Both sides do come across as being equally flawed, but in my opinion, one side is clearly utterly wrong in moral regards.

"Chill, I'm pretty sure this Ice Age won't kill us..."

Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it, as Ledo learns the hard way. He is unable to come to terms with his newfound knowledge, and unsuccessfully endeavours to dismiss the information as the work of enemies trying to manipulate him. However, reality is harsh, undermining the foundation of the only world he invariably knows. Ledo can only helplessly watch as a Human-Hideauze hybrid floats in front of Chamber, only to be automatically, and mercilessly crushed in the robot’s powerful fists, dissolving into a vapour of blood. This scene was incredibly brutal, and left me speechless, provoking a wide array of thoughts and feelings that are difficult to summarize into words.

This appeared on this show for the sole purpose of being killed by Chambers

Meanwhile, we are given a retrospective to the Gargantia, with Bevel displaying his mastery over the flute Ledo gave as a parting gift, which in turn sets the solemn after mood for the recent tragic events. In trying to seek salvation, is there a right and wrong if it can ultimately saves your species? Sure, achieving the ability to induce artificial evolution is arguably the pinnacle of science, but at what cost does it lose its worth? It’s a philosophical discussion for the ages, and a theme which is thoroughly explored, and extended in this show. There’s just something innately “human” in the nature of the question, and the fact that I’m deeply philosophical increments the depth I experienced.

"Come on, come back..."

Throughout the course of the show, the one thing which becomes increasingly apparent is the likelihood Ledo will stumble across a non-violent resolution to the ongoing war between the Galactic Alliance and the Hideauze. Maybe by examining the whalesquids, a way to communicate with the Hideauze will ultimately be found, allowing peace and coexistence to establish itself. 

Someone should just give her a hug (*cough* Ledo *cough*)

A growing sense of unease is intrinsic, since the show is steadily approaching its conclusion. A general concern I get across anime I watch is how much they can fit into the remaining episodes, but this week’s revelations certainly sped up the progress, with a resolution by the end becoming increasingly likely. Guess we have to wait and see how things fold out from here on, since the script is under the jurisdiction of the Urobutcher…