[Review] To The Abandoned Sacred Beasts Eps. 3 & 4

Hello everybody!  Today we are going to discussion episodes 3 & 4 of To The Abandoned Sacred Beasts.  This show is definitely a social commentary on discrimination, the treatment of veterans, and a host of other things. Before we get into the episode and my thoughts, here's a brief recap of where we are in the story.

The Incarnates are an elite military unit designed to help North Patria when a civil war against South Patria.  Experiments were conducted to turn people into a person/monster hybrid.  But there is a dangerous side-effect.  The soldiers can lose track of their humanity and become a full monster.  They will kill people and destroy villages.  The government decides to kill The Incarnates.  They task Hank, the former head of the Incarnates squad, to embark on an Incarnates assassination mission.  He's accompanied by Schaal.  Schaal is the daughter of one of the Incarnates he killed.  She wants to understand why the Incarnates have to die.

Episode 3

Episode 3 takes us to another village, where another Incarnate is terrorizing his hometown.  Theodore (aka Minotaur) goes home to Rock Hill.  There, he starts building a giant fortress because he thinks the war is still going on.  He is constantly fortifying his fortress, adding more traps until it is a sprawling, dangerous tower.  Eventually, Theodore starts using the homes and businesses of the townspeople to build his tower, displacing its residents.  

Hank learns whats happened through government operative, Liza.  Liza meets Hank and Schaal in Rock Hill.  When night falls, Hank makes his way to the fortification.  Schaal follows and almost dies from one of Theodore's traps.  She insists on accompanying Hank on this dangerous mission.

Hank and Theodore have a huge battle.  Hank is a werewolf-type monster whose powers only work at night.  We learn that Theodore is afraid...all the time.  So, when Hank finally kills him, it is a relief because he will no longer be afraid.

Episode 4

In episode 4, we are off to a new situation.  This time, Hank has to tackle with Artie aka Behemoth.  Artie threatens to take out a bridge that is supposed to be the bridge that united the North and the South in "peace".  He hasn't hurt anyone and seems to go out of his way to avoid that.  Schaal tries to reason with him, but it doesn't work.  She knows that Artie is heading toward the bridge for a reason and she wants to know it.

Some a-holes that think they know better try to take out Artie on behalf of the railroad builder.  They anger him and he proceeds on his coarse toward the bridge.  Hank blows up a cliff, seriously injuring Artie.  But, Artie pushes forward with his intestines hanging out as Hank and Schaal protest.  As he inches closer, Hank orders the soldiers to blow up another cliff.  A view of the ocean is revealed.  That's all Artie wanted, was to see the ocean.  Artie dies with an ocean view and the bridge is saved.

Overall

As I mentioned previously, the show is a social commentary.  It shows that the people that are on our side one minute, can turn against us the next.  It questions the sacrifices that are made for the greater good.  Hank has to sacrifice his comrades for the sake of the people who they fought for, the same people that are now afraid of them.  The show is complicated and emotional, where there are no clear heroes and villains.  I'm truly enjoying the journey.

Wrapping It Up

Well, that's it for episodes 3 & 4 of To The Abandoned Sacred Beasts.  Next time, I'll bring you episode 5.  I will see you next time!