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May 30, 2006
RahXephon Episode 8 - "The Dreaming Stone [Bitterly Cold Holy Night]"

I decided to include the alternate title in [ ], because I'm not sure which is the best title. One of them is the English title, one is the Japanese title. They both seem to have interesting things to say about the episode, so in the end, I felt bad about leaving them out.
Summary:
Futagami is being shown the RX in its holding area, which he describes as like a "god in its shrine." Seeing the damage, he mentions to Itsuki that even gods can be wounded, but Itsuki tells him the water pillar the RX is stored in will repair all the damage. Also in the lab is a piece of the Dolem that was destroyed. After stopping Futagami from taking pictures, Itsuki notices a gemstone (or crystal) embedded in the Dolem, looking clearly out of place. He removes it and puts it in his pocket.
Ayato and much of the Terra staff are at the beach - Ayato is drawing the same picture of the girl who looks like Mishima standing on a cliffside (again).

Megumi asks him if he's drawing the same person and says that if he asks her nicely, she'll model for him. Ayato blows her off, and she grabs the sketchbook away from him. As she does so, she sees Ayato's odd runemarks/birthmarks and asks about his "tattoos". He comments that he's had them since birth, and when he asks her if she has one, Megumi whacks him. Kim and Haruka are also there - Kim lying out in the sun, Haruka working on a laptop. Itsuki arrives with Sayoko, who he tells to wait in the car (she seems irritated by this). Coming down to the beach, he invites them all to a Christmas party, which seems to irritate Haruka and intrigue the rest. He also mentions that much of the staff, including Souichi, will be coming, which catches both Megumi and Kim's attention. The party will be tomorrow. Sayoko seems irritated, especially during the drive back. Upon arriving at the house, he gives her an early Christmas present - the crystal from before in pendant form. This cheers her up, and just then, it oddly starts to snow (considering it was hot enough to be in swimsuits a bit ago, this certainly seems odd). The staff also notices, as does Quon at her home.
In a bar, Isshiki is having a drink when Futagami arrives. Isshiki talks about religion and religious celebration, while Futagami tells a story about his grandfather. Very odd scene.
At home, Haruka returns from a jog in the snow. As she rests, Ayato talks to her about her effort (from behind). As she turns to talk to him, she notices that he's wearing one of the bizarre longsleeve robes that Quon put in his suitcase. When she asks him what he's wearing, he comments how he doesn't have any winter clothing. This reminds Haruka of something, which causes her to blush. She tells him to wait for her a second, runs off, and returns with a pair of gloves (mittens). He asks where she got them, but she doesn't answer.
Back at HQ, Kunagi and Watari discuss the last Dolem attack. Watari briefly mentions the party, which Kunagi blows off, and then Kunagi asks Watari "Aren't you going to see *him*?" No mention of who this *him* is made.
Back in town, Kim and Megumi are walking through the snowfall, apparently on a shopping trip. Megumi falls in the snow, apparently due to new heels she is wearing, and she comments on how her sister was taller than her at her age. Kim has a flashback to Haruka telling her how her sister will be starting work at Terra, and asking Kim to look after her. Kim asks Megumi if he got a present for Haruka, but Megumi says no, implying that she wouldn't, to which Kim replies she didn't know the situation was like that. In a cafe, they talk about it, with Megumi apparently suffering from sibling envy, as she mentions that Haruka isn't the serious, perfect person that the crew thinks she is - that she has a silly side. She tells how there was a boy that Haruka loved a long time ago - that Haruka never forgot this boy and keeps a present she was going to give him inside her dresser drawer. Megumi thinks that it is silly that Haruka never threw the present away, like she never grew up. Kim starts to mention Ayato, but Megumi sees Souichi outside through the window and she runs after him with a present. He opens it right away, and it's a red tie, which he seems to like. She mentions the party, and Souichi mentions that if she's going, he'll see her there. Kim seems worried by the exchange. Megumi mentions that Souichi only likes someone like her sister. Kim mentions that she doesn't think this is the case, but Megumi ignores her saying "If I were more like my sister..." to which Kim responds that Megumi *is* like her sister, even if she can't see it.
Back at HQ, Kunagi is meeting with Haruka, Isshiki, Itsuki and Sayoko. He mentions that the piece of the Dolem they salvaged hasn't lost cohesion, meaning that part of it may still be functional and dormant nearby. Itsuki mentions this is all very interesting, and Haruka berates him saying that his research can wait and that destroying it is their top priority. Itsuki repeats her words in agreement, but winks at her, which annoys Haruka. Sayoko and Isshiki also notice the exchange, with Sayoko seeming very angry.
Out in the hall, Sayoko and Haruka are drinking coffee, with Sayoko asking Haruka how she manages to deal with everything. Blushing, Haruka says "When there's someone you're interested in at work, you go the extra mile". Sayoko apparently believes this to be Itsuki, judging by her expression on her face. She asks if this is recent, Haruka says its from a long time ago. Sayoko: "Is it someone I know?" Haruka (blushing): "That's a secreeeet!" Just then Haruka notices the stone on the pendant and asks about it, but Sayoko pulls away.
Meanwhile Itsuki and Watari watch the end of the scanning tests for the day on Ayato. Quon is not there though, apparently at home looking outside, saying "Trembling emotions, bitterly cold lips, a pillar for a cold heart to possess."
Sayoko and Haruka sit in silence, when Haruka is called to the bridge. As she leaves, she fails to notice that the pendant crystal is growing, and behind Sayoko in the window glass, we see one of the masked Mu women (like we say when Allegretto and the other Mu Dolems were launched in episode 1). Sayoko shudders, and the weather intensifies.
Itsuki walks down the hall and notices it is snowing inside. Runnign to the hall, he sees Sayoko standing there talking to herself. He notices the stone is growing as she reacts angrily to him, and with that, a wind shatters the glass window behind Sayoko. She comments to him: "Neither father, nor older brother, will ever forgive me" as she jumps out the window. He looks out to see her freezing the ocean nearby.
TERRA is on alert now as Sayoko moves away from HQ, creating ice as she goes. TERRA has picked up a Mu signal in the area, and as this is going on, we see the crystal growing to envelop Sayoko. TERRA finds the anomaly - a Dolem made of ice standing 500 m high. Kunagi makes Ayato launch. He goes in the RX to attack the Dolem, but notices Sayoko imbedded in its head. It attacks him, and TERRA, not knowing the situation, asks Ayato why he isn't fighting back. He informs them of the situation, saying if he attacks, Sayoko will be killed. Kunagi orders him to destroy the Dolem, saying one human life cannot outweigh the rest - that if he wants to save her, he better work a miracle. The Dolem attacks again, knocking the RX away. Itsuki watches from a balcony with Watari, but when Watari asks if Ayato will be alright, Itsuki is unconcerned.
Inside the RX, it is now very cold. Yet, Ayato hears Reika's voice call his name, and she is beside him. She hugs him, touching his hands, and he looks down to notice that his gloves have been replaced by the ones Haruka gave him. He says the cold is gone, that he's warm, and she guides his hands back to the RX's controls. Once again, Quon seems to know what is happening. The RX recovers, with ayato saying "You wanted a miracle - I'll make it happen". He extends a beam saber type weapon from the RX's hand, and cuts into the Dolem. Sayoko has a vision of two people in shadow holding out hands to her (like a memory, as she cries red tears) and she is ejected from the Dolem. Ayato destroys the Dolem, while Quon (now emerged from the blanket, in underwear only--- wtf?) makes another of her cryptic statements about the "light of the Ollin".
With the destruction of the Ollin, the cold weather is dispelled. Sayoko has also been saved, as Futagami takes pictures from afar. Ayato has caught Sayoko in the RX's hand, as she says over and over "I'm sorry...."
At the party, Sayoko claims to have no memory of what went on, and she is saddened because she lost the pendant, but Itsuki tells her not to worry and offers to get drinks for them both. Ayato talks to Quon, asking her why she wasn't at that day's exams, She replies she doesn't like the cold, but also says "However, the Ollin is quite warm." As Haruka watches, Itsuki asks her "Feeling jealous?", but Haruka says she isn't, to which Itsuki responds "I think I might be" which shocks Haruka.
Ayato goes to talk to Haruka. Souichi is wearing the tie that Megumi gave him as he sits with Kim. She starts to say "About us....", but Megumi arrives (in a very nice dress), interrupting the conversation. Megumi greets them, but notices Ayato holding the gloves Haruka gave him earlier as he thanks Haruka for them. Megumi makes the comment "Those are the same gloves..." (which Kim hears) as Haruka seems very happy that the gloves fit and that Ayato liked them.
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Not a lot of comments to make for this episode. There's a lot of hints and red herrings scattered in the plot of this episode, and we get a great deal of information on the backgrounds of many of the characters, especially Haruka, and the motivations of Megumi's life.
Sayoko's character is explored somewhat, but apparently she has more skeletons in the closet to uncover, judging from the scene where she is freed from the Dolem.
Kim, Megu, and Souichi are forming the makings of a love triangle, although Souichi is such a happy guy, it's hard to tell what he's thinking. It's interesting that Megu thinks that Souichi might like Haruka though - Kim seems to understand the true problem (as she should, since she's apparently hooked up with him).
As for the rest, who is the boy that Haruka liked? Where is he now? Is he the guy at Terra? Will he show up from elsewhere later?
Although I know the answers (as this is a retrospective review and summary), I'll leave you to guess.
Despite what you might this, the beach scene was not fan service. Sadly, some of that will come next episode, judging from the preview.
Posted by Drylnn at May 30, 2006 03:32 AM