The Eminence in Shadow

Episode 14

Here's the thing about The Eminence in Shadow: Most of the time, Cid is the butt of the joke—be that when he's trying so hard to be a background character that he becomes anything but or the misunderstandings that arise because he's LARPing while everyone else is actually fighting for the fate of the world. But every once in a while, he does something that's so unbelievably badass all that silliness is forgotten, and you're 100% on board—like in this episode.

We see him take a sword through the chest as a ploy to get close enough to the legendary hero to tear out her jugular artery with his teeth. Then when using his WMD magic, he gets stabbed through the heart while smiling and finishes casting the spell. It's just so cool, you guys. I can't even.

These past few episodes have been spent introducing us to Cid, removed from his role. But this episode shows, when it comes down to it, he truly is The Eminence in Shadow. Despite having his powers back, he doesn't shift into his shadow costume, nor does he spout off his common catchphrases in his “Shadow voice.” Instead, he meets his enemies with overwhelming power—and they fall before him. And he does so not for any “setting” or “scenario” but for his own goals—helping the first friend he's ever had that's genuinely known him for him, which brings us to the big reveal of the arc.

Why, out of all the people in this world, is it that a fragment of Aurora can fight on the same level as Cid? It's because, narratively speaking, if Cid is the “The Eminence in Shadow,” Aurora is “The Final Boss.” There's been a lot of great foreshadowing of this over the past few episodes—like that she alone, out of all the memories, has her own will and ability to speak. Moreover, her being chained up, like Diablos' arm, and her unrelenting fear of the hero are also solid hints.

But this revelation leads to another. As the arm stayed alive for hundreds of years, separated from the rest of its body, there's every reason to believe that the real Aurora is still alive somewhere out there (though possibly in pieces)—meaning that there is at least one person capable of fighting Cid on an equal level. The question is, will she have the precious memory that this Aurora made with Cid, or will she be a completely different person?

The rest of the episode is spent setting up the next arc. This time it looks like we're off to Rose's home country for another fighting tournament that has significant implications for Alexia and Iris. Meanwhile, Gamma is taking over a city by buying up all its slums and, in doing so, getting the rights to all the petroleum underneath (which could be useful as Eta seems to have “invented” the automobile).

But the best scene in the back half of the episode is Alpha looking in on the other named girls and being reminded of the days back when she and Cid had just found and cured the rest of the Seven Shades. Cast out of their homes and abandoned by all except Cid, they made a family. And while the organization has grown and the weight of the world now rests on their shoulders, that feeling of family remains. It's a powerful thing for Alpha to recognize. Throughout the series, she has been forced to accept that Shadow Garden are not heroes as they have no moral lines they will not cross in the name of victory, but she can be proud at least of the girls she helped save and the home they have built together.

Rating:

Random Thoughts:

• Cid responding to sarcastic applause with even more sarcastic applause is great.

• You gotta love how Cid whispers “atomic” in Olivier's ear.

• Interesting. In the manga we (and Cid) get to hear all of Aurora's last words.

• Let's be serious, many people died when the entire water reservoir crashed into the city below.

• Also, the switch from the wide shot of the flooded city to the giant hole in the Midgar Kingdom is a great visual reminder of the consequences of Cid's actions.

• Ah yes, Ser Perv of the noble Asshat family...

• I always enjoy how the anime visually sets up little things that become important in later arcs, like Rose appearing in the background before being properly introduced, the still frame of the only person besides Cid to beat a sanctuary ghost during the tournament, or, in this episode, showing that Epsilon is a skilled pianist.

• Can I just say how much I love that Kai, Omega, and Nu keep showing up in the background even if they don't have speaking lines?

• They just left Delta in the flooded city? I mean, I'm not worried about her as much as literally everyone else who encounters her unsupervised.

• Iris can't believe that Cid and Alpha are stronger than her. They just have to be cheating by using artifacts.

• Alexia and the off-screen double-towel slap got a laugh out of me.

• Rose has the curse!

• In this week's Kage-jitsu!, Epsilon learns about bubbles.

The Eminence in Shadow is currently streaming on HIDIVE.

Richard is an anime and video game journalist with over a decade of experience living and working in Japan. For more of his writings, check out his Twitter and blog.