Demons' Grave Warning, Hiromi's Deadly Encircling!?
- Original Airdate: January 23, 2022
Written by: Nobuhiro Mori
Directed by: Koichi Sakamoto
Summary
Ikki and Daiji are informed of Hiromi's state by Fenix's doctor Akemi Mikoshiba, and together they have to find out how to keep him from transforming again. Their desperate efforts are not made any easier by Olteca, who sets his own sinister plan for Hiromi and the Demons Driver in motion.
Meanwhile, Julio, now going by Tamaki again, asks Sakura to persuade Aguilera to return to a normal human life. Certain words are exchanged and certain punches, as a fight breaks out between the Deadman and Rider to finally settle all their disagreements.
Tropes
- Bait-and-Switch: Genta finally returns from his medical exam, and he keeps the family hanging as to the results... then reveals that the biggest issue he learned about was that he had a cavity (actual anomalies regarding his heart notwithstanding).
- Blatant Lies: When Yukimi takes away the curry that Vice was about to enjoy as punishment for trying to eat her, he tries to defend himself by claiming "he only wanted to nibble on her".
- Big Damn Heroes: Tatsuhiko saves Hiromi right before Olteca could kill him. In turn, both of them are saved from Olteca and Chigusa by Ikki and Vice, who also arrive just in time.
- Burying a Substitute: A grave has been set up for Wakabayashi, despite No Body Left Behind courtesy of the Chameleon Deadman.
- Continuity Nod: Wakabayashi's gravestone is dated N.E.note 1985-N.E. 2021, reffering to the Alternate Calendar used in Kamen Rider Zero-One.
- Curbstomp Battle: Sakura basically steamrolls Aguilera, cutting their fight very short.
- Dare to Be Badass: It's revealed that Hiromi was once the weakest of his cohort in Fenix, but after Commander Wakabayashi gave him a talk it gave him the resolve to rise to his current position.
- Designated Girl Fight: Once again, Sakura and Aguilera fight, with both now being able to transform into Kamen Rider Jeanne and the Queen Bee Deadman respectively. This time, Sakura comes out on top.
- Double Agent: Chigusa has become one for the Deadmans, having joined after learning the secret behind Fenix's goals.
- Dude Where Is My Respect: Hiromi blows off Tatsuhiko's attempts to demean him into giving up the Demons Driver by demanding the respect worth of his rank. Passing out cold mid-sentence probably did not get the point across as he wanted.
- Flat "What": Hiromi's reaction to the Demon Driver laughing at him is to mumble what in horror and confusion while staring at it.
- Frame-Up: Chigusa tried to set up Tatsuhiko as a traitor, which he unknowingly helped along by constantly demanding that Hiromi hands over the Demons Driver without ever properly explaining the reasoning behind his actions. Ikki, Daiji and Hiromi all believed her until it was nearly too late.
- Get a Hold of Yourself, Woman!: Sakura initially tries to talk to Aguilera in peace, but when it provokes a fight, she takes it as a chance to deliver more hands-on reality check.
- Meaningful Rename: When Julio comes to talk to Sakura at the dojo, he tells her to call him Tamaki.
- Mexican Standoff: Hiromi and Tatsuhiko pointing Gunderphones at Chigusa, who holds both of them at gunpoint right back.
- Mood Whiplash: Between Vice trying to talk Yukimi into letting him have a bowl of curry and Daiji warning Ikki of Hiromi's state.
- Instantly Proven Wrong: Hiromi flinching away in pain after Ikki grabs him by the shoulder immediately disproves anything he was trying to convince the brothers off beforehand.
- Obviously Not Fine: Hiromi repeating that his deteriorating health is not caused by the Demons Driver borders on a Madness Mantra and the driver itself laughs at him.
- Polite Villains, Rude Heroes: Chigusa acts more polite and reasonable in her pleas to Ikki, but she's The Mole. Tatsuhiko is rude and standoffish towards Hiromi, but is the one on his side, trying to keep him alive.
- The Reveal: Being confronted by Hiromi about the Demons Driver, George lets out that the Driver wasn't meant for Hiromi to begin with. Daiji interrupts the confrontation before he could elaborate.
- Save the Villain: Tamaki asks Sakura to try and convince Aguilera to return to a normal life.
- Spotting the Thread: Ikki quickly realizes that he and Fenix were led into a distraction after he learns from Tatsuhiko that Chigusa's status as The Mole wasn't for him to know.
- The Summation: Ikki sums up how he foiled the attempted misdirection gambit by Olteca and Chigusa to isolate Hiromi from the other Riders after he arrived.
- Training Montage: Hiromi's flashback shows him working hard to better himself after Wakabayashi's Dare to Be Badass.
- Two Lines, No Waiting: The A plot of the episode concerns Ikki and Daiji attempting to convince Hiromi not to transform lest he lose his life, while the B plot concerns Sakura attempting to get to Aguilera and have her turn over a new leaf.
- Wham Shot:
- The Demons Driver suddenly talking to Hiromi in the beginning and end of the episode.
- Chigusa attacking Hiromi from behind, before pulling out two guns on him and Tatsuhiko.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Daiji calls Ikki out on not butting in on Hiromi's business as would be expected from him.
- Yank the Dog's Chain: Ikki lets Vice out so they could share some curry, but Yukimi promptly take it away from him as a punishment for trying to eat her.
