Recap: Kamen Rider Build, Episode 44 – The End of Evolto

Sento is analyzing the changes to Ryuga’s body and finds Vernage’s power goes well with Evolto’s genes so Ryuga won’t go berserk anymore. Ryuga is also much stronger now so he should be able to handle the new Blizzard Knuckle to defeat Evolto.

Sawa hurries down to the lab to tell them Kazumi and Gentoku have been captured.

But this is all part of their plan. Kazumi and Gentoku had discussed giving their lives up for love and peace. And that includes getting thrown into the capsules to get infused with Nebula Gas.

To Nariaki’s shock, however, Kazumi and Gentoku jump out of the capsules just before they are fully turned into Lost Smash. Nariaki henshins and chases after them. Sento and Ryuga arrive just in time to fight off Nariaki’s goons.

Ryuga gets Kazumi and Gentoku to safety. Sento and Nariaki battle, but Papa Katsu arrives and fights Sento instead. Papa Katsu asks how Sento can defeat Evolto when he’s so much weaker. He brags that once their goals are reached, Evolto will destroy Earth. “You’re running out of time!”

Papa Katsu jabs at Sento’s Hazard Trigger to freeze him. But he seems to transport Sento to safety while pointing Nariaki in the other direction.

Back at Nascita, Kazumin explains to Sento that he and Gentoku went to Faust to raise their Hazard Levels. It’s do or die time. And both Kazumin and Gentoku decide they will fight alongside Sento and Ryuga again.

Misora and Sawa are relieved that the boys have made up. That means there’s no need for the Miitan body pillow anymore. But Kazumin definitely wants it and is more than ready to enjoy it on his own.

He prepares to hug and kiss the pillow, but Misora and Sawa punch him in the face. Kazumin asks how much the pillow is and if Sawa can add a photo of her in a swimsuit on the back if he pays in cash upfront.

Misora follows Sento downstairs to the lab. Sento does not want Kazumi and Gentoku to die fighting with them so he wants to look for a way for him and Ryuga to handle this on their own.

Over at the Tower, Evolto comments on Papa Katsu failing to capture Sento, saying that means Sento has grown stronger. Papa Katsu instead offers Evolto three empty Lost Bottles to complete the Black Panel another way.

Back at the lab, Sento has Ryuga test out the Blizzard Knuckle, but just inserting the FullBottle into it is too much for him. Sento says it is natural that Ryuga’s body would resist as this is the first henshin.

Sento continues to be troubled about his father’s warning that time is running out.

Sento tells Ryuga to hurry up and henshin. Misora tries to calm him down and says it is dangerous for Ryuga who is obviously in pain. Ryuga does not care and he inserts the Knuckle in his Driver. That shock makes him lose consciousness.

Misora says this is not like Sento to be in such a hurry.

Sento tries to clear his head alone, but he gets a call from Evolto. Evolto asks Sento to hand over the Lost Bottle he has. Otherwise, Evolto can just wipe out Sento’s family and friends just like that.

Back at Nascita, Kazumin serves Misora and Sawa his special pasta recipe made by Gentoku. But it tastes… not good. Kazumi scolds Gentoku for not preparing it correctly. Gentoku says how can he when there’s no recipe.

Kazumi locks Gentoku outside and decides to make the pasta himself. He wonders how Gentoku could possibly make something so different with the same ingredients.

That gives Sento the clue he needs. He realizes his Hazard Trigger has the same shape as the Evol Trigger. So he should be able to stop it from activating like how Papa Katsu did to him earlier. Sento wonders if that’s why his father did what he did.

While everyone is sleeping, he takes the Blizzard Knuckle and sneaks out.

Sento meets with Evolto. Before Sento can use the Knuckle himself, Ryuga, Kazumin and Gentoku arrive. Turns out they had a tracking device on the Knuckle and followed him here.

The guys emphasize that they are a team. Evolto laughs and asks them if they are so eager to die. Kazumi says not to get it twisted. They fight so they can live.

The four guys all henshin together.

They battle Evolto.

Papa Katsu watches from the Tower. “This long battle will finally be over,” he says.

Evolto seems to have the upper hand, not even using his full power against the four guys. But a Black Hole Finish only sends the guys out of the Toei warehouse.

Sento, Ryuga, Kazumi and Gentoku are resolved to work together the save the world. They get right back up. Kazumi and Gentoku charge at Evolto who grabs their hands. Ryuga activates the Blizzard Knuckle and Kazumi and Gentoku are able to grab Evolto’s arms.

Ryuga charges toward Evolto and pummels him with punches. Kazumi and Gentoku add their own hits as Ryuga revs up a Glacial Knuckle and punches Evolto’s Evol Trigger. That freezes him and he loses his outer white shell.

That is the opening for Sento to deliver an All Side Genius Finish at Evolto.

Evolto warns it is not over yet. He explodes.

The guys dehenshin. They believe it is over. Sento walks over and notices three Lost Bottles on the ground.

Papa Katsu suddenly flies in and grabs the Lost Bottles. “Well done. Just as I calculated,” he says.

Episode Thoughts

A pretty good episode. It had a good balance of different things, but most importantly, it moved the story forward more than just a few small steps.

Of course, the biggest development is Evolto is done. As far as we know of course. But now it seems to be the full emergence of Papa Katsu. Honestly, as this episode (and the last week or two) played out, I was worrying we’d get the big gotcha that Papa Katsu was secretly outsmarting Evolto. That is, in order to power up Sento enough to destroy Evolto for good. (What Evolto said he was doing to the guys all season.) That Papa Katsu isn’t some evil scientist megalomaniac. And it seemed that way for most of this episode. But things definitely didn’t end up that way.

It would appear.

I am definitely rooting for the idea that Papa Katsu really is too far gone and Sento/Takumi will eventually have to see him dead and destroyed at the end of the series. I assume Evolto is not truly done yet. There’s always a chance. But I would be really disappointed if Papa Katsu is fully redeemed or just waved off too easily. It would be very cliché, especially for Build which has done that twist too many times this season already.

Elsewhere, it was very much in character for Kazumi and Gentoku to go in, get Nebula Gassed, pop out and go back to Nascita like it was nothing. Then the whole pervy Kazumi/body pillow and pasta sequence was funny and executed well that it wasn’t forced. Their plan and the rest of the shenanigans together helped add to the meaning of the awesome moment when all four of them henshined together and worked together against Evolto.

Misora expressing her worry over Sento and Ryuga was great to see. As great as the whole gang is together, I very much enjoy scenes where it’s just Sento, Ryuga and Misora. They’ve got the tightest bond. We’ve been with them from the very beginning. And it’s evident that they very much care about each other in a sincere way. I think I’ve been missing that in recent seasons.

Overall, I think this was a great episode and I enjoyed it very much.