Passing the Baton
Our 10th week into this series
ties its ends into the 3rd arc of Index. The complete reversal of
roles in attack and defence between the two Level 5 espers appeared to me as if
it was portraying their mental states; Mikoto attacks the facility out of
desperation, doing whatever it takes to avoid her clones being killed like lab
rats, whereas Mugino defends for money, and treated it like one of her many
jobs, in which she is likely to have killed her opponents in battle. Also, Mikoto
chose clothes which give her the mobility she needs, however Muginowears some
casual, fashionable clothes, which also shows the plans both had prior to
encountering her enemy. Just as I felt last week from Frenda’s line on all of
her victim’s life becomes void as soon as she kills him or her, what you fight
for does not contribute to the outcome of the struggles faced to achieve the
goal. In the end, winner takes all.
The battle continues, and Misaka decides to
take advantage of the explosive dolls Frenda carelessly left behind by placing
metal pieces in them and using her electrical powers to manipulate them in the
air. Mugino responds by showing she has the tools to cover the weakness of her
skill, that is, the fact she cannot shoot many rays at once. She shows off her ‘Silicon
Burn’ plates by turning a single one of her beams into a spray of green,
exploding most of the dolls in mid-air. Mugino’s speech becomes slightly ruder,
and she refers to Mikoto as a ‘shitty brat’ (くそガキ Kusogaki) and a 'scuttling cockroach'.
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| How ironic. She uses many copies of a man-made item in a fight to save her artificial clones |
