History Recap / MobPsycho100S2E8EvenThen

Asagiri's generous donation has gone to a worthy cause, it seems: the Psycho Helmet Religion now has hundreds of additional members, a shiny new headquarters, and a thriving following online as a memetic religious movement. Mezato wants Mob to lead it.

* AChildShallLeadThem: Mezato's involvement in the Psycho Helmet Religion. She is one of the primary organizers, despite only being in the eighth grade. Here, she organizes a team to photograph Mob crossing the marathon's finish line; he never makes it there.

* ImmuneToFire: Mentioned earlier in the manga, but not the anime: Inukawa, his early-childhood acquaintance, notes at one point that Mob could pass his hands through flames without pain or damage, and wasn't shy about demonstrating it. It comes as quite a shock to his grieving neighbors, who interpret his walking into his family's merrily crackling home as an apparent suicide, perhaps out of survivor guilt.

Little Ritsu and Mob run after their toy airplane while enjoying a picnic with their parents. When Mob trips and falls despite his mama's warnings, the pain of his skinned knee sends the picnic food floating everywhere, to their mother's dismay and their father's amusement. Ritsu watches in awe as the toy plane launches, unmanned, into the stratosphere...

It's marathon season again at Salt Middle School. Mezato invites Mob up to the school's roof to pester him about engaging with his fans, and suggests he run the marathon using his psychic powers to impress them. Mob intends to run under his own hard-won strength, though. If he can place somewhere respectable, he'll ask Tsubomi out.

The Body Improvement Club lend their emotional support and advice; Ritsu takes on his chores at home; Onigawara gifts him a pair of new running shoes, and Reigen gives him time off from work to train, even taking time off himself from an apparently packed calendar to jog with him. While the boy builds up his stamina, Teru and Ritsu sub for him at Spirits and Such. Tsubomi and her friend show up for some relationship advice...prompting Ritsu to hide out of her sight and lose his goddamned mind out of worry for his brother.

Mob wakes up and heads home. Mrs Kageyama hums with pride in her boys; Ritsu -- only a first-year -- placed ninth, and Mob pushed himself really hard. She's making an extra-special dinner to celebrate. Suddenly, the doorbell rings; Ritsu pops up to answer. It's Shou... with an absolutely ''frightening'' look in his eyes.

* ImmuneToFire: Mentioned earlier in the manga, but not the anime: Mob was born with this power. Inukawa, his early-childhood acquaintance, notes at one point that Mob could pass his hands through flames without pain or damage. It comes as quite a shock to his grieving neighbors, who interpret his walking into his family's merrily crackling home as an apparent suicide, perhaps out of survivor guilt.

Marathon day is here. Psycho Helmet faithful wait anxiously near the finish line for a glimpse of their leader. While the teenager doesn't get off to a good start, he does manage to place near the middle and nearly finish the marathon before passing out--an immense improvement from last year's showing.

Mob wakes up and heads home. Mrs Kageyama hums with pride in her boys; Ritsu--only a first-year--placed ninth, and Mob pushed himself really hard. She's making an extra-special dinner to celebrate. Suddenly, the doorbell rings; Ritsu pops up to answer. It's Shou...with an absolutely ''frightening'' look in his eyes.

Smoke rises lazily from the general direction where Mob is headed. It can't be...? His family's home. Gone. In shock and to his neighbors' horror, Mob steps into the flames to investigate, talking himself down the entire time. Nothing. Maybe they were able to escape? The sight waiting for him behind the next door he opens...''melts down'' his explosion counter...

* AChildShallLeadThem: Mezato's involvement in the Psycho Helmet Religion. She is one of the primary organizers, despite only being in the eighth grade. Here, she organizes a team to photograph Mob crossing the marathon's finish line...he never makes it there.

* MoodWhiplash: From wholesome, sweet slice-of-life territory and a personal point of pride for Mob...to the scene that ends the episode.

The Body Improvement Club lend their emotional support and advice, Onigawara gifts him a pair of new running shoes, and Reigen gives him time off from work to train, even taking time off himself from an apparently packed calendar to jog with him. While the boy builds up his stamina, Teru and Ritsu sub for him at Spirits and Such. Tsubomi and her friend show up for some relationship advice...prompting Ritsu to hide out of her sight and lose his goddamned mind out of worry for his brother.

Marathon day is here. Psycho Helmet faithful wait anxiously near the finish line for a glimpse of their leader. The Telepathy Club boys feign illness to weasel out of running, but Kurata smacks them all into shape in support of Mob. The teenager doesn't get off to a good start, falling and injuring his knee right away, but he manages to place near the middle and nearly finish the marathon before passing out--an immense improvement from last year's showing.

Mob wakes up and heads home. Mrs Kageyama hums with pride in her boys; Ritsu--a first-year--placed ninth, and Mob pushed himself really hard. She's making an extra-special dinner to celebrate. Suddenly, the doorbell rings; Ritsu pops up to answer. It's Shou...with an absolutely ''frightening'' look in his eyes.

Smoke rises lazily from the general direction where Mob is headed. It can't be...? His family's home. Gone. In shock and to his neighbors' horror, Mob walks into the flames to investigate, talking himself down the entire time. Nothing. Maybe they were able to escape? The sight waiting for him behind the next door he opens...''melts down'' his explosion counter...

* AChildShallLeadThem: Mezato's involvement in the Psycho Helmet Cult. She is one of the primary organizers, despite only being in the eighth grade. Here, she organizes a team to photograph Mob crossing the marathon's finish line; he never makes it there.
* AngstNuke: Mob standing in the midst of his burning home in front of his family's bodies. His explosion counter hits ???% while he's still conscious; the rage and grief erupting from his body unleashes a wall of flame and shatters glass near him. He's just getting started.
* ImmuneToFire: Mentioned earlier in the manga, but not the anime: Mob was born with this power. Inukawa, an early-childhood acquaintance of his, notes that Mob could pass his hands through flames without pain or damage when they were younger. It comes as quite a shock to his grieving neighbors, who interpret his walking into his family's merrily crackling home as an apparent suicide, perhaps out of survivor guilt.

* AChildShallLeadThem: Mezato's involvement in the Psycho Helmet Cult. She is one of the primary organizers despite only being in the eighth grade. Here, she organizes a team to photograph Mob crossing the marathon's finish line; he never makes it there.

* ImmuneToFire: Mentioned earlier in the manga, but not the anime: Mob has demonstrated this capability since ''childhood''. Inukawa, an early-childhood acquaintance of his, notes that Mob could pass his hands through flames without pain or damage when they were younger. It comes as quite a shock to his grieving neighbors, who interpret his walking into his family's merrily crackling home as an apparent suicide, perhaps out of survivor guilt.