Recap: Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, Episode 13 – A Predetermined Destiny

Ex-Aid 13

Kyoutarou-sensei is holding a press conference to announce the existence of the Bugster virus and presents everyone with a little recap of what’s happened so far. Kuroto just laughs at the Ministry’s feeble attempt at stopping him.

Director Kagami tells Kyoutarou-sensei that Emu is fired up about moving on from pediatric training to surgical training. But Emu can’t stop thinking about Kiriya’s death. Hiiro, Emu’s attending physician, gives him a 0 for taking too much time on a patient while distracted.

Ex-Aid 13

Hiiro reminds Emu that he must not let his personal feelings affect his duty to patients. Emu tries to say that he and Kiriya finally connected, but Hiiro maintains that doctors must not let their feelings overwhelm them.

Asuna calls them both to the CR. Shirakawa Kazuki is a famous surgeon from another hospital and is infected. Dr. Shirakawa says they shouldn’t bother with the surgery and to just let him be. Emu wants to know why he feels that way, but a leveled up Aranbura Bugster emerges from the doctor.

Emu and Hiiro henshin and proceed to a different stage. Aranbura Bugster is able to freeze them, allowing Kuroto to arrive with the intention of eliminating all test Riders and retrieve the Gashats.

Kuroto pulls out Kiriya’s Gashacon Sparrow bow and arrow. That enrages Emu who decides to go Level 5.

Emu’s attack does nothing to Kuroto Dan whose Rider gauge is already 0, but means nothing since he’s a zombie.

Hiiro tries to get Emu to focus on the operation, but Emu wants revenge for Kiriya’s murder. Kuroto Dan summons a bunch of zombies from the ground. Hiiro decides it’s time for them to retreat so he hurries over to Emu and they leave.

Ex-Aid 13

Taiga wonders what Kuroto Dan is up to. Niko shows up and wonders what Taiga is up to himself. He tells her to go home, but she says she’s feeling sick and possibly has come down with Game Syndrome.

Ex-Aid 13

Back at the CR, Hiiro again tells Emu to get over Kiriya’s death and to focus on the patients. Hiiro says he’ll hold on to Emu’s Gashats for now while he’s mourning. Director Kagami and Poppy agree with Hiiro.

Ex-Aid 13

Taiga examines Niko, but finds no trace of Game Syndrome. She laughs at him being so serious. She says she found him through an internet message board quite easily and wants to know how he plans on defeating M.

She ogles his Gashats and asks why GENM Corp stuff are being used as medical equipment.

Ex-Aid 13

Kuroto Dan tells Parado that he’s giving up his company only until Kamen Rider Chronicle is complete. He’s preparing a world where people won’t be able to live without the game.

Parado asks about his own Gashat, but Kuroto Dan says he doesn’t have a powerful enough system yet. He tells Parado to insert the Gashat into the Bugster for experiments. Just in case a human obtains the Gashat, they will be overwhelmed by an injection of the Bugster virus and die instantly.

At the CR, Emu wants to know the reason Dr. Shirakawa doesn’t want the operation. Shirakawa says he is in the final stages of pancreatic cancer. So even if he is cured of Game Syndrome, he’ll die anyway. All people die sooner or later. “A doctor’s job always involves death.”

Emu goes to think about everything. Parado pops up and says Emu should quit being a doctor. He introduces himself.

Ex-Aid 13

While Aranbura Bugster finds Hiiro so they can fight, Parado tells Emu to give up his white coat and just enjoy the game. In games, you can revive as much as you want. But as long as he’s a doctor, he’ll always have to deal with death.

Kuroto Dan is about to henshin, but Taiga arrives. He knows Kuroto killed Kiriya to silence him. They both henshin.

Parado hands Emu his unfinished Gashat to use against Genm. That’s how Emu can keep people from dying. “I want to see how you can change fate.”

Emu remembers Kiriya saying that Emu controls his fate.

Asuna watches as both Hiiro and Taiga are forced to dehenshin. Kuroto Dan prepares to kill them for good, but Emu arrives just in time.

Ex-Aid 13

Kuroto Dan is surprised to see Emu has the Gashat. Emu inserts it and it does something strange to him. Darkness explodes around Emu who vows not to lose anyone anymore.

Ex-Aid 13

Emu’s eyes go red and yellow and blue and something happens in his DNA. It infuses the Gashat which becomes Mighty Brothers X.

“I will change the fate of my patients.”

Ex-Aid 13

Emu activates the Gashat and henshins. Everyone is shocked. Parado is excited.

Ex-Aid 13

Emu is able to knock Kuroto Dan around with ease. Parado comments that Ex-Aid has reached Level 10.

Emu levels up and he… splits into two?!

Ex-Aid 13

Episode Thoughts

Interesting. So there’s definitely something strange going on inside of Emu. And it would appear even Kuroto Dan isn’t sure what it is. Parado, on the other hand, may have a clue.

I’ve seen theories, but usually I ignore them and just go with the flow.

Of course, Ex-Aid has regularly thrown random curveballs and twists, so that flow has certainly been bumpy and crazy so far. One thing you can say about Ex-Aid is that it’s definitely interesting. That we’re at episode 13 and we still don’t really have a good sense of who or what Emu really is is definitely different. Outside of him being a genius gamer who wants to help people and is clumsy, his backstory is still a mystery and it’s actually the show’s central story right now. It appears to be the key to what everything is all about.

So I can feel the pieces coming together. The last couple of episodes have been packed with action and bits and pieces of Emu’s story settling into place. Even when the episodes were more focus eps on the other characters (to varying degrees of success), Emu’s story has slowly, but surely inched forward each week.

I don’t know. I might be setting myself up for disappointment. But right now, I still have hope and optimism for Ex-Aid‘s story. I gave Ghost until the 40s to start telling its story. I think Ex-Aid at least has calmed its more gimmicky aspects and finally turned its focus to the actual story (while continuing to sell toys of course).

0 thoughts on “Recap: Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, Episode 13 – A Predetermined Destiny

  1. “I won’t let anyone else die!” “I will change fate”. Wait, who was the last Rider to say all those lines? Oh, right. Kouta Kazuraba. Tsk, looks like poor Emu is in for a lot of pain and suffering. Heck, even Parado is doing a little bit of DJ Sagara what with his mysterious goals that even Kuroto doesn’t seem to be aware of.

    I like how the theme of the inevitability of death ties in not only to this episode, but also to the series’ entire narrative. Particularly in how the idea of having continues in a video game is a form of escapism from that reality. That was something that Ghost should have been last season. Though I kinda wish that the “case of the week” and the reveal that the infected surgeon is dying of cancer anyway was a bit better tied to Emu’s internal struggle.

    Still, I’m with you in crossing my fingers that this one turns out good. The series is already putting down a great foundation here, all they need is to deliver.

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