Hello everybody! Today we are going to discuss episode 5 of To The Abandoned Sacred Beasts. In every episode thus far, I've felt some sort of sympathy for the Incarnates Hank is forced to kill. But this new friend/foe rubs me the wrong way. Also, the show takes a new twist. Let's get into it!
I Can't Stand Him!
Our episode starts out like normal. Hank and Schaal are off to another town to kill another Incarnate. This time, they are after Christopher aka Gargoyle (Hank calls him Topher and so will I). Topher returned to the crime-ridden town of Whitechurch. He feels like it is his job to clean up the streets of sinners and evil-doers, like Batman. Now that I think about it, I do not like Batman either, so it makes sense that I do not like Topher.
Topher has this unbearable quality that I find disgusting in real life. He is extremely self-righteous. He feels like everyone should live the way he deems fit and if they do not, he has the right to kill them as a punishment for their transgressions. Sure, no one should go around committing crimes, but that doesn't make Topher's form of justice any less disturbing.
Hank agrees to meet Topher in an old church for a skirmish. In the meantime, Topher gets a visit from Cain. Cain is a former member of the Incarnates. In fact, he is the one who killed Elaine. He gives Topher a "magic bullet" that kills Incarnates. During the skirmish, Topher shoots Hank. In a very gangster move, Hank pulls the bullet from his heart! He then manages to kill Topher.
Honestly, I really didn't have sympathy for Topher. It was bad enough that he is self-righteous as a human. If you combine this with his powers as an Incarnate, he is dangerous. Weaponized radical ideology led to the loss of many lives (sound familiar?).
Schaal Is Tied Up At The Moment
After defeating Topher, Hank is completely wiped out. But, the problems aren't over yet. Schaal is captured. She wasn't supposed to be at the church. But she followed a boy there who is about to get himself killed.
When Hank collapses, Schaal runs in his direction to help. She is suddenly caught in a web. What is it with spiders this week? First Demon Slayer now this! Anyway, former Incarnate and half spider Elizabeth captured her at the command of Cain. Cain tells Hank to meet him somewhere if he wants to get her back.
I like that the show gave us a turn in the story. It breaks the monotony of the go to the town/find the Incarnate/kill the Incarnate cycle. It's interesting now, but I think it would've lost its freshness after a while. You have to keep the audience on their toes.
Overall
This was another good episode. The show gives you a mixture of despair and intensity without leaving you feeling overwhelmed by it. I'm eager to see what happens when Hank goes after Cain.
Wrapping It Up
Well, that's it for To The Abandoned Sacred Beasts episode 5. Next week marks the halfway point in the show. If my calculations are correct, the show ends in the middle of September, putting it between the summer and fall seasons. I don't exactly know what's next, but I have a few ideas. If you like my review, make sure you check out my other posts on Couch and Chill. I will see you later.
1 year anniversary of this review. I've never gotten a chance to read the review, and after reading it, there are...couple of misconceptions about Topher. The anime version doesn't do justice because it cuts out A LOT of stuff what had happened in the manga, most notibally, his backstory because the anime botched the characters and scenes from the manga and diverge itself from the manga. Here's what I gathered from the Wikia:
ReplyDeleteGrowing up as an orphan on the streets of the impoverished town of Whitechurch, Topher was forced to steal and lie in order to live from a very early age, and eventually even as a child, he came to the conclusion that his life was utterly meaningless and that he had little point in carring on living. When he was at his lowest point, the young Topher was met by a travelling evngelical clergyman, who taught him and many other young boys the ways of the Lord and of love, and so Topher became a born-again Christian. His faith finally brought the purpose and meaning he had craved into his life. Topher said that he "felt a flame light up in his heart" as he heard the Words of God, and he could hardly contain his sorrow when the clergyman left. His first kill was accidental: he found a child in a similar situation to him as a boy who was stealing a woman's purse. Topher tried to talk to the boy and bring him to Christ, saving him from his sins. However, when the boy ran in terror from the gargoyle-creature Topher had become, Topher grabbed him, causing him to slip and smash his head on the concrete. This incident caused the already conflicted Topher's mind to snap.
He was justifiable, but at the same time, misguided. Keep in mind that most of Incarnates became insane and suffers from PTSD from the war and Cain being the new leader.
I haven't gotten a change to check it out yet. Ill have to do it soon.
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