Scheme IV: Reclaim the Driver!
- Original Airdate: December 4, 2022
Written by: Yuya Takahashi
Directed by: Koichi Sakamoto
Summary
Tsumuri: Kamen Rider Tycoon, Keiwa Sakurai, has rejoined the Desire Grand Prix.
And with that, the second round comes to a close.
Despite attempts by his rivals to get him disqualified, Geats succeeded in clearing the stage once again.
Will the undefeated Ace Ukiyo retain his title of Desashin...?
And with that, the second round comes to a close.
Despite attempts by his rivals to get him disqualified, Geats succeeded in clearing the stage once again.
Will the undefeated Ace Ukiyo retain his title of Desashin...?
The Riders find their Drivers stolen by a mysterious girl wearing a red hat. This act signals the beginning of the third round: a game of "Musical Chairs", where the Drivers — the players' proof of their right to be in the Desire Grand Prix — are the "chairs".
But there's a catch: one of the Drivers has been appropriated by the Jyamato, so the remaining players must compete for the last four. The one left standing without a Driver before the stage boss is defeated will be eliminated. With each of their fates intertwined... who will Lady Luck smile upon?
Tropes
- Bait-and-Switch Credits: Michinaga is not credited as Kamen Rider Buffa this time, leading to the assumption that he's the Rider being eliminated. In the episode, he takes the third Driver after Ace defeats the Jyamato Rider and the remaining two Drivers are used for two more of them. The credits were only as such as he never got to transform into Buffa in this episode.
- Brought Down to Normal: The "Musical Chairs" game is about stealing the Rider's Desire Drivers, leaving them a normal human and they have to reclaim their Drivers from the Jyamato before the stage boss is defeated. This creates a
Difficulty Spike enough for even Ace to be pushed close to elimination. - Curb-Stomp Battle: The Raising Sword demonstrates its power easily when its able to shred a small battalion of Jyamato with ease, marking Raising Form as far less weak than it initially appears when compared to the two Command forms.
- Curb Stomp Cushion: Any Riders without a Driver can hold their own against the Jyamato, but they don't actually take them down and are easier pickings for the Jyamato than them as Kamen Riders.
- Did Not See That Coming:
- Win believed he had immunity for this round due to being DGP staff. He did not expect the Red Hat Girl to also steal his Desire Driver to make the round fair play.
- Niram intervening by sending Ace the Command Twin Buckle catches Girori completely off guard.
- Genre Savvy/Loophole Abuse: Defied. Ace immediately catches on that the Red Hat Girl stole his Desire Driver and promptly retrieves it from her to fight just as the Jyamato appear. However in the midst of battle the Red Hat Girl magically swipes it and Win's away again and hands one off to a Pawn Jyamato, allowing the Mission to start off proper and on fair grounds.
- He Knows Too Much: Girori uses this trope as his reason why he wants Ace to be eliminated. By constantly winning and having each of his wishes granted, Ace is closer to finding more about the DGP and Girori wants to ensure that the former is eliminated so his memories of the DGP are erased.
- I Gave My Word: Ace asks Keiwa to borrow his Desire Driver, promising to return it after five minutes and even give him his Buckles to sweeten the deal. Surprisingly, Ace holds up his own part of the bargain, though it comes at the price of pushing him closer to elimination. Fans timed it and, sure enough, Ace does fight and win in less than five minutes.
- Internal Reveal: Defied. Neon learns her father is aware of the DGP, but Kousei isn't revealing anything to his daughter, though she attempts to discover the secrets herself.
- Meaningful Echo: In an earlier scene, Sara advises Keiwa that humans cannot live solely by themselves. Keiwa repeats this back to Michinaga when the latter rejects his offer of help.
- Screw the Rules, They Broke Them First!:
- This was the reason Niram used to justify sending the Command Twin Buckle to Ace, as the Game Master had already broken the rules of his own game with his attempts to sabotage Ace.
- Implied. The original rule for the round was that only one Desire Driver was in the hands of a Pawn Jyamato, so that only the last participant who cannot reclaim their Driver would be eliminated. However after Ace's unexpected use of the Command Twin Buckle and Michinaga reclaiming the very Driver in the Jyamato's possession, the Red Hat Girl purposely hands over the last two Drivers to the Jyamato, subsequently putting both Ace and Win at risk of elimination.
- Theme Music Power-Up: "Trust・Last" plays while Geats fights off the Jyamato with the Raising Sword.
Mission 3 — Musical Chairs
CURRENT STANDINGS
Desire Driver Holders:
CURRENT STANDINGS
Desire Driver Holders:
Keiwa Sakurai/Tycoon
Neon Kurama/Na-Go
Michinaga Azuma/Buffa
Pawn Jyamato ×2
Neon Kurama/Na-Go
Michinaga Azuma/Buffa
Pawn Jyamato ×2
Pending Elimination:
Ace Ukiyo/Geats
Win Hareruya/PunkJack
Win Hareruya/PunkJack
DGP Rule #13
An ID Core can only be used by its paired Rider, but a Desire Driver can be used by anyone.
Take care not to lose it.
Take care not to lose it.
