Episode 13 - Standy By, Ready
Hayate has been brought on board the Arthra, where she remains unconscious. Standing around her bed, the Wolkenritter and Reinforce (now in her own body) discuss the current state of the Book of Darkness. Reinforce reports that Hayate's linker core has stabilized, and the Book is no longer consuming her life force; in time, her paralyzed legs will heal. However, Reinforce herself is a different story. Although the automated defense program has been destroyed, the corrupted programming that created it is buried too deep inside herself to eradicate. Inevitably, the code will rebuild itself and a new defense program will emerge, starting the cycle of destruction all over again. There is only one way to prevent this from happening: destroy the Book of Darkness — and Reinforce along with it.
The Wolkenritter accept the news stoically, assuming this means their deaths as well. However, Reinforce reveals that Hayate separated the guardian knight programs from the Book along with the defense program, meaning the four of them can live on. The only one to die will be Reinforce herself.
Hayate is taken back to her house, still sleeping. Reinforce and the Wolkenritter meet with Nanoha and Fate on a hill outside Uminari City, and ask them to help perform the necessary sealing spell. They are dismayed at the thought of doing it behind Hayate's back, but Reinforce tells them it will be less of a burden this way. The sealing circle is set up, and they begin casting the spell. As they do so, Hayate suddenly wakes up and senses what's happening.
Rushing to the scene as fast as her wheelchair allows, Hayate implores Reinforce to stop, insisting she shouldn't have to sacrifice herself. Reinforce gently tells her there is no other way to end the curse of the Book of Darkness. Reaching out to her master for the last time, she says she will die happy, with the knowledge that she's saving the ones she loves. She makes one final request, asking Hayate to pass the name "Reinforce" on to the next vessel that she creates for her magic. Then Reinforce walks back into the sealing circle and allows herself to fade away, a peaceful smile on her face. As the circle dissolves along with her, a small object falls into Hayate's hands: the last fragment of the Tome of the Night Sky.
At headquarters, Admiral Leti tells Lindy that Admiral Graham will be allowed to resign his commission without criminal charges. It seems he'll be returning home to England, although he plans to continue supporting Hayate until she grows up. As for Lindy, she says it's time for her to visit her husband's grave, along with Chrono and Fate, and tell him how things are going.
Back on Earth, Nanoha and Fate walk home together and reflect on everything that's happened. Fate says she wants to join the Bureau permanently so she can help prevent similar incidents in the future. Nanoha is thinking along the same lines, adding that she'd like to become an instructor someday. Yuuno joins up with them and ends up walking Nanoha home. She asks him about his future plans, and he says he's been asked to become a permanent librarian for the Infinity Library. Arriving home, Nanoha finds she has a message from Suzuka, inviting her, Fate and Hayate to a Christmas party the next day. Sighing, Nanoha realizes that she's going to have to give her friends an explanation.
The next day, Fate and Nanoha go to visit Hayate, who is back in the hospital under Dr Ishida's watchful eye. Hayate reveals that she and the Wolkenritter have agreed to become probationary members of the TSAB, meaning they can stay together while her knights work to atone for their crimes. Before leaving for the Christmas party, Fate and Signum agree to have a rematch of their battle someday... and many more in the future.
At the Takamachi house, Miyuki finds Kyouya reading a note from Nanoha, which says she'll be bringing Lindy over that evening to discuss something important. Meanwhile, Suzuka and Alisa wait for their friends to arrive. Alisa says she hopes Nanoha will explain what happened earlier, although she'll understand if she doesn't. After they arrive, Fate, Nanoha and Hayate have a long talk with them about magic, magical technology, and the Bureau. And later that evening, Nanoha and Lindy hold a similar discussion with Nanoha's family.
With everyone coming to work for the Bureau, Chrono reflects that bringing them all together will make for a powerful and trusted team. As for Nanoha, she looks forward to a future full of brand new adventures...
...And, six years later, Nanoha, Fate and Hayate are full-fledged members of the TSAB, balancing their duties with their life as high school students. Lindy, having officially adopted Fate, has stepped back from active duty to live with her on Earth. Chrono is in command of the Arthra, with Amy as his assistant. Yuuno has become head of the Infinity Library, and an acclaimed expert on ancient history. Gil Graham has retired to the English countryside to live a quiet life with his familiars.
As for Hayate, her legs have completely healed, and she is now a healthy teenager and a gifted mage. She continues to live happily with her family, the Wolkenritter, and her new Unison device — a miniature, silver-haired girl named Reinforce* ...
Tropes
- Affectionate Gesture to the Head: After Fate says she looks forward to their many future rematches, Signum grins and ruffles her hair. After a moment's surprise, Fate smiles happily.
- And the Adventure Continues: The episode ends with Nanoha, Fate and Hayate heading off to Midchilda for a new mission. note
- Bittersweet Ending: The threat of the Book of Darkness is ended forever, along with its influence over Hayate and the Wolkenritter's lives. To make this possible, however, Reinforce has to make a Heroic Sacrifice and is unable to share in their happiness.
- Broken Masquerade: Nanoha's friends and family are finally brought into the loop about magic, the TSAB, and just what Nanoha's been up to for the past several months.
- Cradle of Loneliness: When Reinforce disappears, the only piece of the Book that remains is the cross-shaped cover ornament. Hayate catches it and cradles it to her chest, crying inconsolably.
- Dead Guy Junior: As Reinforce wishes, her name is eventually passed on to Hayate's next Unison device, Reinforce Zwei. The exact details are unclear, but in StrikerS it's implied that she was born from the union of Hayate and Reinforce's linker cores.
- Disappears into Light: How Reinforce dies.
- Distant Finale / "Where Are They Now?" Epilogue: The series concludes by showing what everyone is up to six years after the events of the story.
- Foreshadowing: Nanoha, Fate and Hayate's future careers in StrikerS are alluded to, in particular Nanoha wanting to become a magical combat instructor.
- Reinforce predicts that someday Nanoha will have someone she loves and wants to protect more than anything, which will come true when she adopts Vivio.
- Funny Background Event: When Lindy is explaining everything to Nanoha's family, Shirou, Momoko and Kyouya's expressions are all sober and attentive, while Miyuki is wearing something akin to a Thousand-Yard Stare.
- Heroic Sacrifice: In order to prevent the creation of a new defense program, which would certainly cause Hayate's death this time (and go on to cause more untold death and destruction), Reinforce has to die. She considers the cost well worth it.
- Meaningful Echo: In episode 11, Hayate tenderly touched a weeping Reinforce's face when she promised to save her. In this episode, Reinforce tenderly touches the crying Hayate's face as she prepares for her Heroic Sacrifice.
- Obi-Wan Moment: As she fades away forever, Reinforce closes her eyes and whispers her thanks, a peaceful smile on her face.
- Plot Time: The passage of time in this episode is unclear. It apparently begins later in the same night (between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) as the final battle. Then it appears to be morning in Uminari City when Reinforce is sealed away. In the next scene, set some time later, it seems to be early evening as Nanoha and Fate head home. The following morning, however, several people refer to the battle as taking place "last night", and Suzuka is hosting a Christmas Party that afternoon which implies that it's still Christmas Day. note
- Snow Means Death: It is snowing gently as Reinforce ends her existence. (It's also Christmas Day, although nobody brings this up at the time.)
- Useless Without Powers: In the previous episode, Hayate became Mistress of the Night Sky and a Person of Mass Destruction on a par with Nanoha and Fate. Without Reinforce's powers, however, she is still just a crippled nine-year-old girl. This is driven home in heartbreaking fashion when she falls out of her wheelchair trying desperately to reach Reinforce, and cannot even cross the few metres separating them. Reinforce ends up going over to her, but is careful not to step out of the magic circle that is about to seal her away forever.
