Seems like every time we resolve a mystery in this show, we reveal two new ones. That's how Shingu felt for most of its run, too.

Our stowaway is Princess Gruier Serenity, 7th princess of the Serenity star system. She knew Marika's father and knew about the Bentenmaru, but never met any of its current bridge crew. So where and how did she meet him?

There's major politics going on here, including what may be the beginnings of a civil war in the Serenity system, and I suspect it'll be a lot more clear next episode.

Another thing is that Sato has been ending all his episodes with cliffhangers. Seems like every time I watch an episode, I finish by thinking "I want to watch the next episode right now." I suspect this series will work a whole lot better mainlined, but we don't have that choice right now.

I commented that the bridge crew seemed rather nonchalant and insubordinate when they took on the ship from which Gruier came on board. This time, when they were facing a potential battle, tney weren't. They have tightened up nicely and are doing their jobs the right way. And they aren't making critical decisions on their own. They're waiting for Marika to decide.

Marika seems more and more comfortable commanding. Looks like she's growing into the job. She's making decisions and issuing orders. To some extent, command is something you have to earn, and it looks like she is doing so.

There's a lot going on here that doesn't make sense. Yet. I have confidence that it will, though.

The privateers seem to be the answer to a lot of things for the government of Sea of the Morningstar. Sensors indicate a military ship incoming, from Serenity. What to do? Apparently just doing that is potentially an act of war. But if the government sends out a force from the Stellar Navy, it could become a real war, which neither side wants. On the other hand, the government can't ignore it. So they hired Bentenmaru to go out. If Bentenmaru is forced to start shooting, well, they're pirates. They're not official. And this way the government isn't outright ignoring the infringement of their sovereignty.

Hiring the Bentenmaru to handle the situation gives them plausible deniability -- and it begins to look as if that really should have been the name of the ship. It's what they're mainly about, seems like.

From the next ep teaser, Chiaki is back next time, and the yacht club is in it.

Think the Odette II still has a star drive? I wonder if there's going to be a mission out system where Bentenmaru accompanies Odette II? I'm trying to figure out a plausible reason for that, and here's what I get: Gruier hires Odette II to be her yacht, with her in command. That gives it legal right to go into Serenity space. And she hires Bentenmaru as an armed escort, thus giving Bentenmaru the same right.

But if she directly hired the Bentenmaru to do that for her, it would break some laws. Dunno; I think I'm reaching here. And in general I've done pretty poorly predicting this series. Every time I think I know what's going on, they toss a curve at me.

Posted by: Steven Den Beste in General Anime at 10:45 AM | Comments (14) | Add Comment
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