After being rescued, Shin can’t get his fallen comrades out of his head. 

I applaud Ernst for trying to give Shin and crew a chance to assimilate into normal life. As an idealist Ernst wanted to give the Eighty-Sixers, who had been through hell and back again, a chance to live. After being in a position to spare their lives, bringing them into his own home, and even helping them find a place in society, Ernst could do no more to help them. Shin and crew want to go back to the only life they know, they want to fight. 

Being unable to rest easily and being haunted by the comrades he couldn’t save from being assimilated by the Legion, Shin senses that he can’t rest until others have been put to rest. Whether he is aware of this or it’s only his subconscious, he has a duty to put the ghosts of Eighty-Sixers past to rest. 

The rest of Shin’s surviving crew feel the same unease. Having their own reasons for wanting to fight, each decided they wanted to return to the battlefield. A peaceful life is not in the cards for these surviving 5 members of the former Spearhead squadron. Given the circumstances and how ingrained in war they have become, it’s hard to imagine them making another decision. Try as Ernst might to persuade them otherwise. 

As an added bonus Shin and his crew of Eighty-Sixers are going to be joined in the war effort by a new party member, Frederica Rosenfort. Though a child she has her own reasons for joining the war. As the last Empress of the Giadian Empire who unleashed the legion on the world, though how involved she could have been given her age is in question, she feels a duty to free a loyal subordinate from this assimilation in the Legion. 

A lot has happened in the story. Shin’s survival has seemed to benefit the overall narrative so far. I am only 13 episodes in and don’t know what to expect anymore. Flipping the story on it’s head is turning out to be an interesting development so far. 

Comment below to share your thoughts and reactions!

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