Recap: Kamen Rider Build, Episode 42 – Legacy of Doubt

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The Gang recaps what happened in the last episode. Gentoku says he never heard of a Black Panel before, which means Papa Katsuragi must be with Evolto now.

Meanwhile, Evolto tells Papa Katsu that he killed Shimizu to keep him quiet and only kept him alive a Lost Smash test subject. Now, they will use Kamen Riders as test subjects. He tells Papa Katsu to figure out a way to get around the Genius Bottle’s resistance to Lost Bottles.

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Down in the lab, a frustrated Kazumi suggests Papa Katsu is working with Evolto, or worse, the mastermind. Ryuga tries to calm things down by saying they must confirm Papa Katsu is even alive first.

Just then, the prime minister’s residence calls for help. Sento and Katsuragi hurry over to confront Evolto. Sento demands answers about his father, but Katsuragi says they must focus on this first. They henshin. Kazumin and Ryuga are taking on Nariaki.

Sento engages Evolto and continues to ask about his father. Evolto unleashes an attack that destroys the Smash and forces Gentoku to dehenshin. He then unleashes a Black Hole Finish above the prime minister’s residence. They all watch as it gets sucked into the black hole.

The scene triggers the memory in Ryuga again and he becomes enraged, unable to control his emotions. He whacks Nariaki around until he drops a Bottle. Ryuga picks it up and it turns silver. He uses it and unleashes a Volcanic Attack at Nariaki.

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The prime minister’s residence is gone and Evolto declares that Touto is his before he disappears as well. Gentoku drops to the ground, distraught that the country his father built is gone.

Nariaki leaves. Ryuga unleashes his anger at an already dead Hard Guardian, repeatedly punching at it. Suddenly, they are engulfed in a Nin Nin Comic Disappearing Technique cloud allowing someone using Rabbit Tank to attack Ryuga, forcing him to dehenshin.

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Ryuga and Kazumi do not see someone in a Build outfit watching them from above.

Later, Evolto as PM Midou addresses all of Japan saying the country has now reunified and they will immediately dismantle all military weapons in an effort to rebuild the country.

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When the broadcast is turned off, Evolto directs Nariaki to speed up production of Lost Smash. But Nariaki says that would eventually lead to the destruction of Japan if Lost Smash were to overrun the country. Evolto tells Nariaki to keep his mouth shut.

Sento takes time alone to think, which of course means a meeting with Katsuragi. Katsuragi brings Sento into his memory world. Katsuragi says this is where he has been manipulating his memories.

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Anyway, Sento says he will find their father and stop Evolto. Katsuragi says he does not believe in their father anymore, but Sento says Papa Katsu created the Rider System for justice. Katsuragi laments the need for justice.

Sento is returned to the normal world and Gentoku approaches him. He tells Sento what Papa PM told him about the people being the ones who build a country. Gentoku is proud of his father and is upset that he is merely an embarrassment to his memory.

Sento says he feels the same. His father entrusted the Rider System to him to defeat Evolto and he hasn’t been able to.

A breaking news alert paints the Kamen Riders as anti-government rebels and warns citizens to shelter in place. The boys decide to head out and confront the rampaging Riders.

Sento and Gentoku henshin and take on Nariaki. Nariaki taunts Gentoku about Papa PM. That leaves Gentoku vulnerable and allows Nariaki to deliver an Evoltec Attack at him.

Sento takes on Nariaki and a Clone Smash. Nariaki shoots an Evoltec Attack at Sento. Sento thinks about Papa Katsu and that seems to energize him. He doesn’t want to give up on the responsibility his father entrusted in him. Gentoku feels the same about his father. He too stands up.

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Sento and Gentoku, now with father power, are able to counter Nariaki’s Evoltec Attack and send it back at him. They take care of the Clone Smash before delivering finishers at Nariaki, forcing him to dehenshin.

Sento and Gentoku also dehenshin when the otherBuild suddenly shoots from a rooftop.

The otherBuild says the Rider System wasn’t created for something so trivial. He dehenshins to reveal he is Papa Katsu.

Sento is shocked.

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Episode Thoughts

It was an okay episode. What does it say about the episode if the most memorable thing that sticks out to me is that the gang are now wearing their summer outfits? lol

But really, this episode was all about highlighting the daddy issues Sento and Gentoku have as a way to lead up to the “big reveal” of Papa Katsu. Not only of him being nuBuild, but also making clear that it is very possible he is not this noble man Sento believed him to be. He already seemed very sketchy to begin with, but there was always the assumption he was being forced by Evolto to do his bidding.

Instead, this episode not only suggests Papa Katsu is a willing participant, but that he might have his own agenda as well. And again, it might not be the noble, “fighting for justice” and smiles plan Sento thinks it is.

I honestly would prefer that. That Papa Katsu is willingly evil. (It will make up for Soichi being merely possessed by Evolto and not a willing participant himself. lol) And I would even readily accept him suddenly becoming the big bad/last boss after Evolto goes poof a few episodes before the finale. Something like that would actually carry a little more weight as it puts a finality to aspects of the story that are usually not the case on either Toei toku. That would leave lasting effects on the lives of many characters, especially our titular hero.

The fact that Katsuragi will likely never return to the “surface” full time, let alone regain his original body and face, etc. opens the possibility even more that Papa Katsu can disappear as well. That would leave Sento, as we have known him, to continue living after the season is over as Kiryu Sento. Not as Katsuragi Takumi or Satou Taro. But as Sento.

The introduction of this “memory world” control room that Katsuragi apparently is in charge of adds even more foundation for a final episode in which Katsuragi turns off the lights for himself (or his memories, at least) and allowing for “Sento” to fully take over.

All of that sounds a little more complicated and intricate than what Kamen Rider or Super Sentai are willing to try or tackle. But there would definitely be some interesting potential in such a direction. Emotionally speaking and from an exciting action perspective. Though I don’t think there’s really enough time in the final couple of episodes to really pull that off.

The other big development is whatever was happening with Ryuga and his continued flashbacks (flash forwards?) and maybe also setting up Nariaki to eventually turn his back on Evolto. I dunno.

Anyway, I’m likely completely off from what will actually happen. Next episode is all about Misora becoming a Smash apparently. So, who knows what’s ahead. lol As for this episode, it was alright. It was another worklike episode to get us to whatever the endgame will really be.

2 thoughts on “Recap: Kamen Rider Build, Episode 42 – Legacy of Doubt

  1. Okay, I still like the twists and turns Build has. But I can’t help but notice that they doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to reach the climax of the story. This twist about Papa Katsuragi turning out to be alive and is that OtherBuild feels like a middle 30-ish episode rather than 40-ish.

    Remember what I said last year about Ex-Aid having far too much story material than what it can fit in its length. That’s also apparent here in Build. What’s different though is that, unlike Ex-aid which had to cut a lot of plotlines short, Build feels like would be running for far longer than the usual KR series length. Which is odd, since it’s already confirmed that it only has 49 eps.

    1. It’ll be interesting to see how Build will wrap up.

      With Ex-Aid, I feel like a lot of the stuff they’ve done in their epilogue movies could’ve been included in-series and made for a very complete story.

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