The alliance existing between Holy and Shiki is based on such an apparent level of doubt, that if it weren’t for a common enemy, there would be no reason for the parties to concern themselves with this fragile union. The Edens Zero distrust Holy and she knows they mistrust her and the Edens Zero knows that she knows. The foundation is based on such a self-consuming narrative that compromise and patience has become the thread binding the two contrasting forces together all for the end goal of assaulting Lendard and putting an end to the operations Ziggy and Deadend Crow currently have going on. Once Elsie enters the fray and joins the battle alongside this alliance, it is inevitable further complications will arise. Fortunately, now that one of the enemies has been revealed to be a titanic-sized entity, the necessity for a alliance has become only more underlined. “Deadend Crow” will need to be defeated and it will take the combined efforts of this alliance to shut it down.
I was expecting Deadend Crow to be large, like several time bigger than normal human size, but I was not prepared for the actual size Deadend Crow embodies. Forget battleship size, he or it is practically the size of a mountain. Deadend Crow is MASSIVE! When an enemy represents such a towering form, it begins to become less likely for such an enemy to be faced by just one sole character. The description used to illustrate Deadend Crow was “living fortress” and such words paint a very peculiar image alongside the perilously engaging presentation of Deadend Crow. What if Deadend Crow IS a living fortress and the crew will have to enter it in order to stop it? Deadend Crow is larger than the Edens Zero, so traversing the insides of the titan is a very real possibility. Within, secrets to the true form of Deadend Crow and its purpose may be revealed. If “Deadend Crow” is an android, it was created and that means if the creator hasn’t died yet, there is room within the story for such a character to be introduced. And this introduction could be in the way of exploring Deadend Crow and shining light on its creator. Has that creator constructed other “weapons”?
With Deadend Crow taking on such a form, it is possible that within the 420m frame that there exist a pilot. A small entity that serves to operate the living fortress. If the true form of Deadend Crow isn’t the Titanic form it now has, then within the construct there must be someone operating the machine. Would it be a human or a smaller android? For such a massive construct to initially be built, it would have taken immense amounts of funding and resources. The size it takes isn’t something anyone can build. It may have been created by a Kingdom to serve as their weapon but overtime something went wrong and it went rogue. Having Deadend Crow be an android would be the most logical step forward but if the pilot was a human or another mortal species, the intrigue and confusion within Shiki that will result would be incredibly fascinating. There is also the chance that Holy may know the pilot of Deadend Crow if this twist is fated to be. I can’t help but be enthralled by Deadend Crow now that I know he operates as a titan-sized construct. So many possibilities for how events can play out exist.
Holy’s tour aboard the Edens Zero was quite comprehensive. To have Holy meet all the crew (aside from Sister and Labilia) and see all the relevant spaces she is allowed to enter felt so natural and effortless. Hermit clearly doesn’t trust Holy which is smart course of action to take but beyond the apparent suspicion the story is trying to encapsulate Holy within, there does appear to be a truth sought to be hidden away for the moment. As I have expressed before, Holy may not be a companion to the Edens Zero but she doesn’t necessarily have to be their enemy. Holy will exploit the alliance she has entered for what it is worth and if there is opportunity to benefit from it, she will take that opportunity. Holy will not go out of her way to screw the Edens Zero over but such a situation presents itself in front of her where she can benefit, she won’t be indifferent toward it. Holy’s actions can be doubted but she does genuinely intend to help the Edens Zero crew out as far as it can benefit her i.e. defeating Deadend Crow and Ziggy.
Holy’s time within the Dress Factory room was a blessing for many reasons. The glorious fanservice without a doubt was one (that bunny suit and pose 🙏) but beyond it, there was also how the story once again cast light onto Pino who remains one of the most mysterious characters in the story. Not only because of her origins but also because of Mashima-sensei’s reserved handling of her. Pino can immobilize almost all Ether Gear users yet Mashima-sensei is carefully limiting how her powers can be used and in what context.
>>Theory – Was Pino Created On Granbell?
Pino’s backstory is such a mystery and that is what makes Holy’s focus on her once again as an anti-bot such a blessing. I hope Holy doesn’t plan to kidnap Pino after the Lendard battle.
The bath scene was also blessed with fanservice and compelling dialogue. Holy once again brings focus to elements in the story that remain a mystery and in this case, the four Cosmoses and what some people refer to their collective representation – the Grand Shiki Cosmos which represent four seasons. I really thought there were seven Cosmoses based on Elsie having sailed the seven seas but it appears there are four. Each of the Cosmoses represents a season and as such, when read together, Shiki, once again becomes relevant. Will Shiki ultimately unit the four Cosmoses as he journeys through them? The fact that Holy is sharing this information conveys that she too has some expectation for Shiki which by extension hints toward some form of belief she has in Shiki. Because of this, I don’t believe Holy will actively betray Shiki, especially if Shiki can live up to the expectations she has of him.
Holy meeting Labilia was very intentional, especially when it comes to Sister not knowing the name of the Disease Labilia has. Why does Labilia have disease that is currently unknown? What conditions led to her contracting such a disease that after several years, no cure let alone information has been discovered. I don’t doubt that Sister will cure Labilia but I really do wonder why Mashima-sensei is unraveling such a story alongside Holy’s integration with the Edens Zero. I don’t believe it is a coincidence but rather intentional. Holy will have some role to play in Labilia’s story.
I like how Holy completely side-stepped any responsibility over Justice’s actions. She knew such a request would come and as such in her initial meeting with crew when making her proposal, she expressed how each Oración Seis Interstellar member was free from oversight among the other members. Holy can’t control Justice. With such dialogue and Elsie’s relevance within this arc, it seems inevitable that Justice will hear about her presence and involve himself in the battle about to take place on Lendard. And once Justice arrive, complications will be multiplied. Justice would avoid Deadend Crow and Ziggy if it meant he could target Elsie. I hope Justice learns from his past ignorance but before he can reach a point of clarity, more pitfalls into ignorance is required. Very much looking forward to the next chapter.
12Dimension 