Kanata’s dreams of finding Histoire are suddenly in tatters as Noir’s refusal to fade away has caused a critical fault in her and Mystere’s Magus body. When Maria can’t help, Kanata tracks down Alba, and Ada, who also can’t help him, at least right now. That’s because the only way to save both Noir and Mystere is to transfer one of them to a second, un-contracted Type Zero body. The only place to find one of those? Amasia, where they were built.
Ciel accompanies Kanata on the dangerous trip to the ruined metropolis, and he continues to not suspect the slightest thing amiss about her. He’s so at ease with Ciel, in fact, that she’s able so serenade him asleep, which gives her time to report the situation to Macht. I love how harshly her HUD illuminates her face, revealing the treachery Kanata can’t see in her face.
Macht and Schnee return to Ideal HQ to find Mouton there, preparing to respray Tokio’s Coffin. Schnee hasn’t and won’t forgive Mouton (AKA White Sheep … or Goat) for abandoning Her Lord, but the way he remembers it, her master stayed behind by choice. Now Licht Alter, whom we’ve known as Tokio, has returned as the Prodigal Son. Macht assures him he’s no longer weak. The two act an awful lot like estranged brothers, with Macht having previously looked up to Licht, but no longer.
Kanata wakes from a distressing dream where both Noir and Mystere say goodbye and fly away from him, and finds himself alone in Ciel’s carrier. He follows the sound of her haunting song reverberating through a network of tunnels carved into a seaside cliff. It’s a song she hasn’t finished yet, but pinky promises Kanata that he’ll be the first to hear it when it is. Her expression when they board Daisyogre suggests she won’t be able to honor that promise.
Their approach of Amasia, which we know to be Ideal HQ, belly of the beast, is handled with all due majesty and awe. Larger and more complex than any of the Nests scattered throughout the lands, the fact it is largely ruins serves as a monumental symbol of the cost of hubris. They descend into the industrial sector, but are unable to find any spare Type Zero bodies.
Their movements don’t go unnoted, as sensors detect an intruder in the sector. Macht prepares to intercept, while Weisheit tells Licht he can eliminate the intruder as a test of loyalty. Macht gives Kanata one last chance to surrender Noir so Ideal can save her and Mystere, but Kanata won’t do that. Then Macht joins the fight, chases Kanata, and does all he can to make it look like he’s actually trying to take him out.
Daisyogre is disabled, but Kanata isn’t ready to give up yet. He exits the coffin and calls for Ciel, only to find her cockpit empty. The next thing he knows he’s being shocked and collapses to the ground, able to catch a glimpse of his attacker: Ciel. When he asks why, she says with a devastatingly flat tone that she was on the other side all along.
Nakayama Masato’s score throughout Synduality has always been clutch, but never more so than here, as an Zimmer’s Interstellar-esque somber organ-led theme plays the episode out and the screen cuts to stark white-on-black end credits.
Things have gone from bad to worse for young Kanata, and I can’t any light at the end of the tunnel yet. But again, none of this is a surprise; it was a only matter of when, not if, he’d discover Ciel’s treachery. If he ever sees Rock Town again, I don’t know if even the cleanest Ellie will be able to cheer him up.
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