Recap: Kamen Rider Zi-O, Episode 38 – 2019: The Chosen Kabuto

Woz calls Sougo back down to Earth so they can come up with a better strategy to deal with the super big asteroid. Woz proposes he use Ginga Finally Taiyo Mode to burn the asteroid from the inside. But first, Sougo reads a note revealing that Kagami has been kidnapped.

Meanwhile, Geiz approaches Yaguruma who wants to protect his little brother Kageyama even if he is a Worm. Yaguruma says if Kageyama has to be defeated, then he’ll do it himself like he did before.

Geiz flashes back to when he made the same promise to Sougo.

Geiz gets a call about Kageyama taking Kagami and Yaguruma goes Another Kabuto, kicks Geiz in the stomach and zips off.

Sougo and Woz find Kageyama who has Kagami all chained up. Kageyama demands Sougo and Woz hand over their space powers. They both toss their Watches over to the side allowing them to break Kagami free. Kagami henshins to Gatack and charges at Kageyama. But Yaguruma arrives to help his little bro and grab the two Watches.

Yaguruma and Kageyama force Kagami to dehenshin and they zap off with the two Watches.

Back at the shop, Woz theorizes the TimeJackers want to merge Kagami’s timeline with theirs. Geiz mentions that Tsukasa said the same thing.

The two brothers share some instant noodles. Yaguruma says he’ll support Kageyama even if it means destroying the world and turning it to hell. The important thing is they will always be together.

Heure pops up in a umbrella and freezes time to allow him to take the Fourze and Ginga Watches. He says he can’t let the brothers destroy the world. Heure brings the Watches to Schwartz who takes them and doesn’t say what he’s going to do with them.

In 2058, Tsukasa has brought Tsukuyomi to the place where she lived. They enter the home where they run into young Tsukuyomi.

Young Tsukuyomi recognizes them as time interlopers and she freezes them as her oniichan appears, wearing a black hat and coat.

Oniichan takes young Tsukuyomi away and time unfreezes.

Schwartz appears. Tsukasa asks him if Tsukuyomi’s seen something she shouldn’t have.

Schwartz tosses Tsukasa outside and tosses Tsukuyomi the two Watches for her to return to the boys. He says the asteroid cannot be destroyed without her power. Schwartz says when Tsukuyomi’s power merges with Sougo’s, a new era will be born.

Tsukuyomi and Tsukasa return to the present and she hurries to return the Watches to Sougo and Woz.

Tsukasa thinks he finally understands what’s going on.

Schwartz watches Tsukuyomi run off and says it’s time for her power to fully awaken. Especially if she really is his… SISTER.

On the other side of town, Kagami explains that Kabuto Zecter never chose him and he’s never won against Kabuto. That’s why he doesn’t think he can defeat Another Kabuto.

Sougo says he’s sure Kagami can defeat Another Kabuto as he is a true warrior. Sougo asks if he can entrust the safety of his people to Kagami once he becomes king. Kagami laughs at the idea of Sougo wanting to become king.

Tsukuyomi comes running up and hands Sougo the two Watches.

Meanwhile on a rooftop, Geiz and Woz are facing off against Yaguruma and Kageyama. But all four of them are forced to dehenshin. Kageyama says the Worms-filled asteroid will guarantee the end of the world.

Geiz tries to plead with them, but Yaguruma and Kageyama are intent on sticking together.

Sougo arrives and returns the Watches to their owners. They all henshin and Sougo and Woz fly up into the sky to deal with the asteroid. Kagami and Geiz, meanwhile, have to take on the bros.

Inside the asteroid, Woz goes Ginga Taiyo and lays waste to the inside and all the Worms who have hitched a ride.

Back down on Earth, Kagami is forced to dehenshin. But Kabuto Zecter comes flying in, confirming that Kagami has been accepted.

Kagami henshins to Kabuto and the battle continues. Geiz reminds Yaguruma about having to defeat Kageyama if necessary. Yaguruma says he and Kageyama will just wander around together in hell.

Geiz attacks Kageyama and forces him to dehenshin. Yaguruma charges toward Geiz for revenge. But Kagami hurries forward to block the attack and deliver a finisher at Yaguruma instead. Yaguruma is forced to dehenshin and the Another Watch is destroyed.

Back up in space, Woz uses full Taiyo, but the asteroid is still careening toward Earth. Tsukuyomi remembers Schwartz telling her earlier that her power is needed to destroy the asteroid.

Tsukuyomi decides to freeze the asteroid. That allows Woz to deliver a Burning Sun Explosion which further weakens the asteroid. Sougo goes Trinity, summoning Geiz from down on Earth and Woz out of the asteroid.

As Trinity, the guys deliver a Trinity Time Break and that destroys the asteroid for good.

Tsukuyomi is so happy. She congratulates Geiz, but he watches as Kageyama cries out for his dead comrades. Yaguruma asks Kageyama to call him “aniki” once more.

“Kageyama” says he is not Kageyama and therefore Yaguruma is not his aniki.

WormKageyama disintegrates in a bright green ball of flames.

Yaguruma asks Kagami and Geiz to laugh at him. Neither obliges.

Geiz says sorry to Yaguruma as he walks away.

Kagami holds the Kabuto Zecter in his hand as it turns into a Kabuto Watch. Back at the shop, Kagami hands the Watch to Sougo and acknowledges that he must become king.

Sougo and Woz head into the kitchen. Geiz first asks Tsukuyomi about what Tsukasa showed her, but she says it’s a secret for now.

In the kitchen, Uncle Junichiro has made 16 onigiris for each of them having anticipated the end of the world earlier.

Just then, a train appears in Tokyo!

Episode Thoughts

Wow! A very exciting episode. I will admit that I was still a little lost on the nuances of the Kabuto characters and story last episode. And still a little bit in this episode too. But I enjoyed it. Definitely enjoyed it more than last week.

Like I mentioned, I think this Kabuto arc would really mean so much for anyone who actually watched the original season. It does seem like there would be a nice connection with fans who have watched it. But I do think it was done very well with a nice little nod to Sougo and Geiz’s relationship as well.

Obviously, these kinds of relationships and bonds between main characters are common on Kamen Rider, so I was definitely familiar with the idea here.

For the big revelation though, I definitely never thought Schwartz and Tsukuyomi could be siblings. That certainly opens up even more time traveling questions since the Schwartz we know is a lot older than teen Schwartz. So this now begs the question of what time period Schwarz is actually from.

We also now have a huge piece of Tsukuyomi’s puzzle and I am hoping we get a big payoff about that as well. That could really go in any direction I think now.

Overall, this was a great and exciting episode. A great and interesting story for the Kabuto tribute. And some big developments for the greater arc.