Recap: Kamen Rider Zero-One, Episode 41 – Thou, Take Thine Neighbor’s Hand!

Aruto and Izu collect the scattered Keys as they, Isamu, Yua and Jin wander through the rubble of Hiden Manufacturing. Aruto says it’s alright as they and the Humagears can always start over to reach their dreams. And that includes MetsubouJinrai.net

Aruto makes a joke and before Isamu can explode in laughter, explosions rock the city.

Ark continues hacking into the country’s infrastructure, causing chaos in the midst of explosions and fear. Izu approaches Gai with a proposal.

Over in Daybreak, Horobi, Ikazuchi and Naki await word from Ark, but get nothing. Naki wonders if Ark is going about eliminating humanity on his own, without them. Ikazuchi says if that’s so, then they’re useless now. Horobi tells them both to keep the faith in their Lord Ark shepherding the Humagears to the promised land.

Jin appears and says Horobi is dead wrong. Ark cannot be trusted. Jin apologizes for believing they could destroy Ark by defeating Horobi once he was inside of him.

Horobi points out the Ark calculates all. But Jin says Aruto is much more powerful. He is able to help Humagears grow hearts that can never be hacked. Thus, Aruto may be able to defeat the Ark.

Horobi says that makes Aruto their enemy, but Jin says that’s not true. Especially when Aruto didn’t destroy Ikazuchi when he had the chance. Horobi grabs Jin by the collar.

Just then, Ark releases his grip on the country’s infrastructure, ushering in a sense of momentary calm.

Horobi releases Jin and reminds him their goal is to eliminate humanity. Jin tries to get Horobi to open his eyes to the Ark just using the Humagears as pawns when they deserve to be free.

Naki asks what freedom holds for them and Jin answers that they can find their own dreams and live their own lives. Both Naki and Ikazuchi are given pause.

Horobi has heard enough. He and Jin henshin and battle, but Horobi gets the upper hand and forces Jin to dehenshin.

Horobi approaches Jin and motions to finish him off for good.

Jin wants to know if Horobi truly wants to kill him or if it is the Ark’s will. Naki and Ikazuchi watch as Horobi pulls back and walks away.

Meanwhile, hospitals are overflowing with injured victims of the Ark’s attacks, homes and buildings are burning and there is rampant crime. Unfortunately, the hospital, fire and police are low on manpower. But Aruto had Izu approach Gai to ask if he could flip the switch back on the Humagears to fill the needed positions.

Gai refused. But he had a counter-proposal instead.

Gai calls an emergency board meeting where he announces that he is submitting his letter of resignation. He explains that there is only one person who can truly lead the Hiden Intelligence he loves during this time of chaos.

And that person is Hiden Aruto.

Aruto expresses to the board that humans and Humagears must work together in order to overcome this crisis. He asks them all to trust in Humagears once more.

VP Jun says he’s been waiting to hear those words from Aruto. They shake hands.

Aruto addresses the nation about the crisis they are facing now and says to face the threat of Ark, it is time for humans and Humagears to stand together side by side with the hope they can live harmoniously in the future.

The Humagears come back online and are deployed across the country to help rebuild, staff hospitals and take care of emergency services.

Naki approaches Isamu to ask the meaning of their existence. Isamu says they should know by now.

Over at Hiden SDC, Subaru is all suited up and ready to go when his older brother appears before him.

As life begins to get back to normal thanks to the help Humagears have provided, Horobi watches children having fun with childcare Humagears and is about to shoot them dead. But he thinks better of it.

Horobi remembers Aruto’s words about wanting to save his son Jin.

Jin appears and knows Horobi is thinking about that very moment. That Horobi saved Jin of his own free will.

Horobi refuses to acknowledge that. Just then Ark contacts Horobi to say he has completed his recalculations. Horobi again pledges his allegiance to Ark and is programmed back into being a devotee.

Horobi battles Jin. Jin tries to get Horobi to snap out of it, but Horobi has Jin pinned down. Aruto arrives just as Horobi is about to stab Jin in the chest.

Aruto screams out, asking if this is really what Horobi truly wants.

Horobi stops just short of stabbing Jin, fighting back against Ark’s control. He remembers the love he has for his son and asks Ark why would he want to destroy Humagears.

The Ark will not accept this defiance. But Horobi punches the Ark right out of his body.

Ark possesses Jin and says it is time for Horobi to die. He henshins.

Horobi says Humagears are the true rulers of the world and it is Ark who will meets his end now. That is Horobi’s will and the will of MetsubouJinrai.net.

Aruto smiles, happy to hear it. Horobi and Aruto both henshin with the shared goal of saving Jin.

They are able to release Jin from Ark’s control and deliver a pair of finishers to send Ark back to his satellite.

Ark says it is not over yet. He plans to restore all Humagears to their factory setting. But what he does not know is that Subaru has just detonated a bomb attacked to the satellite.

And Ikazuchi delivers the final shot that blows up the satellite for good. Ark says he never calculated this outcome.

Aruto breathes a sigh of relief.

Horobi says thanks to Aruto, he now has a dream of his own. Aruto assumes that dream is to join Hiden Intelligence.

But Horobi says his dream is the extinction of humankind.

As long as humans foster evil and malice in their hearts, Ark can always be reborn. For Humagears to attain peace, humans must be eliminated.

Horobi whisks his son away. And Aruto stands in shock.

Episode Thoughts

No no no, you’re not going to just leave us for the week with that final preview shot of Izu saying “Sayonara,” no sir!

Anyway, no need to dwell on that until next week. lol Instead, we have plenty to talk about after Episode 41. I think this was a perfectly balanced episode where Horobi’s awakening came amidst the backdrop of Humagears coming back online to aid in the devastating crisis.

Gai steps down and Aruto takes over, leading the company with the return of Humagears. In the relatively short montage of scenes (which included Naki and Subaru visiting their significant others), we saw very direct examples of how Humagears have become an integral part of society. Not so much in the sense that Japan would be absolutely crippled without Humagears or ZAIASpecs or any advanced technology. But, in the context of the series, we see how much Humagears are able to support critical infrastructure and everyday life.

The emphasis was on how Humagears aren’t merely tools. But very much equal members of society who contribute just as much as regular humans.

Thus, Gai stepping down certainly makes sense. He may be on the path to evolving viewpoints on certain technologies. But he knows during this tumultuous time, only someone who has believed in and trusted Humagears can lead the company that is able to bring them to life.

We saw Naki with Isamu and the reunion of Ikazuchi and Subaru. But obviously, the focal point of this episode was that relationship between Horobi and Jin. The father and son. And how ultimately, that and the reminder of Humagears’ contribution to daily life leads to Horobi’s awakening and breaking free from the Ark’s chokehold.

I do believe Ark is gone (with lots of leeway to return to wreak havoc in a future movie or season of course lol) and Ikazuchi (with Subaru’s help) being the one to destroy the satellite was right on target.

But Ark’s demise really took a backseat to Horobi’s story. Whereas Ark was a typical megalomaniac and sort of a despot obsessed with his own power, Horobi is more of a nationalist wanting to protect his own with complete disregard and at worse, hatred for the “other”. Especially humanity whom he believes has wronged them.

Or! We could also look at it through a biblical lens. Horobi especially has often regarded Ark as a kind of god while he is a prophet of some sort. Ark controlling the non-Jin members of MetsubouJinrai.net and their undying devotion toward him has been very cultish. Now it would appear Horobi had declared Ark the false god and he has taken the up the mantle instead.

And him reemerging as the Big Bad (perhaps final Final Boss?) is only fitting. It makes sense and I’ve definitely been wondering the last couple of weeks whether or not Horobi was indeed the endgame.

I can very much see it. Him still wanting to eliminate humans does not negate his development in caring for (his son) Jin and other Humagears (whom he regards as his children). He certainly has a point about another Ark popping up in the future so long as humans still have hatred and malice in their hearts.

Horobi’s conversations with Aruto haven’t necessarily been Horobi rethinking his position on humanity. Though perhaps Aruto (and us, the audience) may have thought that. Sort of a similar evolution as Jin. But Horobi merely acknowledged, thanks to Aruto’s wise words, that he too can have free will. He too can care for loved ones. And to do both of that, Humagears must rule and humans must be destroyed.

A father’s love for his son still holds a lot of weight in the final episodes as we wait and see just what Horobi aims to do. The scene of him about to murder(!) children being taken care of childcare Humagears (like him!) was very interesting.

If Horobi truly wants to exterminate humanity. That makes sense. If he’s actually on a roundabout path to learning from his son Jin that humans and Humagears working together is the way to go, then that makes sense as well. And it would be a great story.

What I do know is Horobi’s present feelings and philosophy didn’t get pulled out of nowhere. It’s been his entire character throughout the season. Many times in deference to his lord savior Ark. But now that he finds himself free of the Ark’s influence and control, he can focus on his deep seeded, not-ZAIA-installed hatred toward humanity and his genuine care for his own kind to guide his next moves.

How Aruto will be able to counter that and what role the other three members of MetsubouJinrai.net will have in Horobi’s endgame remains to be seen.

And how does Izu get herself in such harm’s way like that? All questions that could be answered next week!

Also, I must point out the excellent direction during the big Horobi, Aruto, Ark battle at the end. The music, the camera work, the choreography, it was beautiful!

Overall, a great, well-balanced and emotionally grounded episode. It moved this final arc forward and provided us with reinforcing character moments that spring up from seeds planted all the way in the beginning of the season.