Ultraman Orb Episode 15 – Never Say Never Review

Today, I look at the second part in this two episode arc pertaining to the mysterious mecha, Galactron. However could these two episodes be the introduction to an even larger arc within the series? Specifically pertaining to Gai being able to finally control the form known as Thunder Breaster, and not be possessed by Belial’s evil aura?!

Summary:

Shin question everything that has occurred, as his mentor tells him to stay positive while they arrive to witness Galactron stable Orb and defeat him. Upon defeating Orb, Galactron informs him to stop interfering in its plans to reset the Earth. Shin and Jetta try reasoning with the robot and fail, before Galactron becomes immobilized to recharge its energy. However that recharge period is not a long one, before Galactron rises to the sky and wipes out the nearby countryside. Gai luckily recovers from his defeat, and with his will to rescue Naomi unwilling transforms into Thunder Breaster. As Thunder Breaster, Orb heads out to fight and seemingly kills a member of VTL who got in his way during the start of the battle. Orb and Galactron in the battle at first seem to equals, but soon Belial’s evil energy seems to strengthen Orb as well as affect Galactron’s mystical energies. Orb quickly destroys its right arm and ponytail tendril before he begins to brutally dismember the robot.

Naomi becomes aware of her safety and fears for her life, as S.S.P. and VTL look on in horror. Briefly Orb quits his assault Galactron realizing the situation, but is quickly re-consumed by rage when assaulted by the robot who even attempts to calm the Ultra in a last ditch effort. Orb destroys Galactron, and Naomi is set free but is terribly injured in the attack. She is quickly rushed to a hospital, as Gai is consumed by rage and sorrow thinking he has failed again. Shin begins to doubt machines, and everything he’s done due to Galactron’s “evil ways” but is convinced to stay to true to himself and that the Kofune springs they made VTL worked perfectly in ejecting the pilot that Orb seemingly killed, as Gai arrives. Gai immediately checks on Naomi, who briefly awakens and he claims he will never forgive Orb for what happened today. Gai then decides it is best for him to leave the group’s lives, and proceeds to do so…

My Thoughts:

Coming off the previous episode I expected a lot from this one, mostly stuff one should normally expect in this situation. All that I wanted to see in the episode practically came true with some twists I did not expect, which threw me off guard because some of these twists were things I think one would have seen in the Golden Age of Ultraman, or maybe even the 90s series. Yet, with these cool, almost vintage like twists I could easily guess what the outcomes would be and was so intrigued that the writing staff’s choice these options. Originally I did not expect that the episode would have Orb not master Thunder Breaster, or that Orb would destroy Galactron, especially with Naomi still trapped inside. I would have to say the most shocking piece was the disregard for Naomi, which ended up with her being heavily injured. That incident alone had me take a step back from trying to be a toku smark, and got me engulfed in the possibility that Naomi could die or be put into a coma for awhile from the injures. I actually questioned where the plot was going especially when Natasha is briefly seen crying from what seems to be heaven, down onto Gai for his actions.

Naomi Hurt

Aside from this intense moment where Gai hurt Naomi and chose to leave the group, my favorite moment in the episode was when Orb mounted Galactron and proceeded to beat the robot senseless with the 360 coverage before he removed Galactron’s bladed armor. That visual was probably one of the most brutal things I have seen in Ultraman in quite some time, as well as when Orb used the arm to continue the beating. I also heavily enjoyed how Galactron’s arm attempted to protect itself even when it was under attack from the main body which was trying to defend itself from Orb. See that its own protective shield continued to work on dismembered limbs allows me to believe the robot is still holds mystical attributes, or the limbs have their own interior control system when no attached to the main body with preservation protocols built into them. Whether those options I suggest are true or false they maybe never revealed now, due to the fact Galactron was seemingly entirely destroyed; unless Shin manages to rebuild the mecha and change its protocol to assist Orb in defending the planet by the time the finale arrives.

Orb TB v Galactron

Now, if Shin manages to do all that, and restores Galactron it would be something for the finale or even that newly announced Orb movie. I hope this is not the end of Galactron for the series or within the Ultra series in general. However, we now have to look towards the next episode where Gai is confronted by Juggler and his newest kaiju, Zeppandon, the fusion between Zetton and Pandon; all while Naomi attempts to escape the hospital to find Gai, and bring him home!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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