Guilty Crown Episode 12

So after a two week wait and a recap episode (that I didn’t watch), Guilty Crown is back. Small bit of recap from last episode: Inori’s Void is drawn by a strange person that tries to use it on Shu, but Gai takes the attack. With Gai injured, Shu remembers who he really is. Gai also recognizes this other person, a Daath gravekeeper, and warns Shu that he plans to sacrifice Inori to revive Mana. Shu tries to follow him, and he awakens all of Shu’s memories of Mana, which Shu had sealed.

We then take a look into Shu’s memories, seeing his first meeting with Gai, who Mana named Triton. When Shu comes to, Keido reveals that Inori is simply an interface to communicate with Mana, who was the first victim of the Apocalypse Virus. Keido is trying to “marry” Mana and become the progenitor of a new race. Shu is restrained, but Gai and Ayase arrive to help him. Gai tries to help Shu remember Lost Christmas, when Shu rejects Mana and she goes nuts.

Mana ends up destroying herself, and Shu and Gai part ways. Back in the present, Gai and Shu resolve to put Mana back to sleep, so Gai lets Shu draw his Void. Shu distracts the enemies while Gai uses his own Void to force Inori’s Void out, which Shu then uses to free Inori. Gai tries to destroy Mana, but gets skewered, so he asks Shu to stab Mana through him. Shu stabs them and they both disappear as the episode ends.

Lots of stuff happened…First off, Gai dying. Predicted, but not really something I wanted to happen. I know it makes sense for it to happen, but I really didn’t want him to die so early. And he could’ve looked at least a bit more cool when he died. Where will the story go now? With Gai dead, Shu takes over the Undertakers and tries to unravel the mystery behind Daath? If so, that would be boring and predictable >.> Anyways, Shu remembers everything, and Gai goes on about how cool Shu used to be and whatnot before dies. Yet Shu still acts like a whiny brat when Gai dies…there’s no changing this guy. I’m willing to bet that Mana will be back in some form. She’s like the Martel of Guilty Crown (Tales of Symphonia reference, if you don’t get that). We’re halfway through. Will Guilty Crown be able to make up for its shaky start? Or will it tank so hard that Death Note looks like a work of art?