Shiki’s Tears Flow in New Edens Zero

Edens Zero Chapter 101 Review/Recap

Back when I first started posting about Edens Zero, I gave an abridged summary of the series up to that point. More importantly, I explained why Shiki left Granbell in the first place. Then last week, we heard Shiki say that he wanted to return to Granbell one last time. I can still remember what exactly I was thinking when I heard about that: “Oh, f***.” Here come the waterworks.

Recap

After a short ride on the Edens Zero, Shiki and the others return to where the journey first began: his homeworld of Granbell. Much to the concern of Rebecca, who’s worried that the robot’s will try and attack them. On the other hand, Shiki thinks that there’s nothing to worry about; they can always run away if necessary.

Then, they see what’s left of Granbell:

The group can’t believe what’s happened to the robots, but Rebecca and Shiki are even more shocked by what Hermit tells them: there’s no virus in any of the robots. Hermit uses her computer skills to bring up the robot’s logs. After that, the group learns the truth: that there was no virus. It was all an act to get Shiki off-planet before their batteries died for good. All at the request of Shiki’s grandfather, Ziggy the Demon King. This revelation causes Shiki to break down in tears.

Complicating things even further, a new face appears: Demon King Ziggy, thought by everyone to be dead.

Just as Shiki rushes to reunite with his grandfather, the latter begins to attack him with his own Ether Gear. Proclaiming that raising him to be a mistake, Ziggy vows to leave Granbell and subjugate all organics to the rule of machines. As if on cue, the Edens One appears, apparently to take Ziggy off-planet once more.

….NICE TRY, MASHIMA!

Review

I knew that this chapter was going to be a divisive one for me going in. On the one hand, I felt that Shiki deserved to learn the truth about why the robots of Granbell did what they did. However, I knew how it would tear his heart in two. I can’t begin to imagine what he must be thinking in this chapter: joy at the lengths they went for his happiness, or sadness over the fact that he’ll never see them again? Maybe both!

And then Ziggy shows up and starts spouting about how he’ll make all the organics bow before machines, even trying to get Pino to join him. This, however, I think maybe a mistake on Mashima’s part. Let me explain my theory:

I don’t know how Ziggy came online again, but I’m betting he has some emergency power system saved so that he could meet Shiki once he was grown up. And given how he comes from a planet of robots working as actors in a theme park, I have a feeling that all that stuff he’s saying now is an act. In other words, I think Ziggy wants Shiki to fight and beat him. That way, he’ll know that Shiki will be strong enough to leave the Sakura Cosmos and find Mother.

It’s what I’d do if I were Mashima, after all. For now, though, we’ll have to wait and see if I’m right. Really great chapter, though: super emotional and should have been the hundredth chapter.

I Give “Singularity” a 4.5/5

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