Thursday, August 21, 2003

Episode 13.

"Blaze up! A blow of friendship"

As the battle between Shiryu and his Black Saint doppleganger commences, it becomes rapidly
clear that while Mu was able to heal Shiryu, he has not been returned to complete health. He is
not at full strength and is considerably slower than his opponent. In some ways it's the mirror of
his earlier battle with Seiya, this time Shiryu is soon bleeding and bruised as Black Dragon gets
first blood several times over. Mu has warned Shiryu that further blood loss could be fatal, but
Shiryu battles valiantly on, as it becomes clear that his true goal is to hold Black Dragon until
Shun's rescue attempt is successful. Essentially self-centered, Black Dragon simply can't
understand why Shiryu would throw his life away to save his friends. Shiryu manages a
full-power blow with the last of his strength, and knocks Black Dragon into the mountain-side,
where a fall of rock covers him. Shiryu collapses in a pool of his own blood, fully expecting to
bleed to death, content knowing that Shun and Seiya should be safe. Then he sees Black
Dragon climb out of the rubble. Struggling to his feet, Shiryu can stand only by supporting
himself against the rock behind him. In despair because he knows Black Dragon will kill Shun
and Seiya next, Shiryu can't lift even a finger in his own defense as Black Dragon prepares to
deliver a killing blow. A blow that never comes, for instead Black Dragon strikes him in the
chest with a single finger, and as he withdraws the finger, all Shiryu's hurts are healed, and
Black Dragon himself collapses and dies. Somehow Shiryu's willingness to sacrifice himself for
his comrades has touched Black Dragon's inner core, and the dark Saint has saved Shiryu's life
at the cost of his own. Shiryu then goes over and helps pull Seiya and Shun back up the
mountainside. He then examines Seiya and knows what to do, he uses his fingers to punch
holes in Seiya where the Black Pegasus' deadly punches landed. This will allow the evil essence
imparted into Seiya to leak out, and Seiya's own natural strength will do the rest. Shiryu has
now finally paid Seiya back in full for saving his life. He and Shun pick up the pieces of the
Gold Cloth and go looking for the others. Instead, it is Ikki who finds them! Shun knocks
Shiryu out and faces his brother himself. He pleads that Ikki forget his current evil ways and
rejoin the Bronze Saints. He's powerful enough to win the Cloth without resorting to stealing it.
Ikki responds by attacking, but Seiya, now fully recovered, arrives to intervene. He then
proceeds to launch his own attack, only to trip over a rock. Ikki, amused, prepares to respond
with an attack of his own.



Episode 14.

"Defeated! The Illusion Demon Fist"

Ikki is about to attack Seiya when Hyoga arrives. Ikki is astounded, he thought he'd killed
Hyoga earlier. Shiryu has also awakened, and now Ikki must face four Bronze Saints. Shun
again pleads with his brother, to no effect, only Hyoga's interference prevents Ikki from
punching Shun out. Hyoga attacks, Ikki counterattacks with a psionic attack, but Cygnus turns
it back on him. Ikki imagines that his own Black Saints have turned on him, and are trying to
destroy him with his own power. Hyoga tells the entranced Ikki that turnabout is fair play, tries
to complete the job by punching out Ikki. Shun stops him, which gives Ikki time to recover and
attack Hyoga (Evidentally Ikki can't be driven much crazier than he already is). His blow is not
fatal; Hyoga's crucifix (given to him by his mother) deflects the power of his fist. Phoenix
launches his "Flaming Wing Takeoff" attack and knocks over the Bronze Saints like ten pins.
Only Seiya is on his feet afterward, due entirely to the fact the Gold Cloth has assembled itself
and protected Seiya behind its armor. They battle, and Seiya shatters the Phoenix Cloth, only
to see it reassemble itself in a burst of flame! As the fight continues, the other weapons respond
to Seiya's needs. Shiryu's shield appears on his arm to stop Ikki's punches, Shun's Nebula
Chains wrap around Ikki's arms and attack him, and Seiya throws an "Aurora Thunder
Attack". Even with the others unconscious, the Bronze Saints are fighting Ikki as a team. Ikki
finds himself outmatched, and collapses in Seiya's arms.



Episode 15.

"Now it's revealed! The enigma of Ikki"

Ikki recovers rather quickly and renews his attack. Seiya's "Pegasus Meteor Fist" punches him,
but Ikki's still conscious. A sudden flashback of how he got his Cloth comes unbidden, causing
him pain. His sensei (a large, muscular, scarred man who eternally wears a Japanese demon's
mask to conceal his true features) had beaten him to a pulp again, and the man's daughter,
Esmeralda, came to see him and patch his wounds. They gradually became good friends. One
day she took him outside to show him a field of flowers, proving that not everything on Death
Queen Island is brutal and bleak. His mentor interrupts them, and while he and the sensei do
battle, the man accidentally kills Esmeralda. The sensei reacts callously, as if she'd deserved
death for getting in the way. Ikki berserks and kills his sensei, using the Phoenix power for the
first time, and thus winning the Phoenix Cloth, with no real sense of accomplishment. The
woman he loved is dead and unable to share his triumph. He had to get the Gold Cloth at any
cost in order to revenge her memory... or so he told himself. He tells Seiya that everyone on
Death Queen Island has moved to Sanctuary, but before Seiya can react several of what Seiya
believes to be Ankoku Saints arrive. A new battle begins, and a still dazed Ikki falls into a
crevasse. Shun sees this and throws one of his chains to him. He blames himself for what has
happened to Ikki, for he should have gone to Death Queen Island rather than let his brother
take his place. Ikki seems to be regaining his own mind, and Shun brings him upward with a
single jerk on the Nebula Chains. Ikki is half-fainting and completes the process of freeing his
mind from Evil influence. The others are still fighting the enemy warriors. Then Docrates, a fire
elemental and equivalent to a Silver Saint, shows up. As they prepare to battle, Ikki warns
them that Docrates is not to be underestimated. Docrates tells Ikki he must rejoin their cause or
die a traitor. Ikki refuses and strikes back, succeeding in throwing Docrates off-balance. A
landslide results, and Ikki, collapsing, is buried under it. Seiya has to carry Shun away forcibly
or he would have ended up buried too in an attempt to save Ikki's life. The rest of the
Sagittarius Gold Cloth is buried as well, only the helmet remaining. The Bronze Saints leave a
cross with Ikki's name on it, hang Hyoga's crucifix from it, and mourn their fallen comrade.

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