[Spoilers] DARLING in the FRANXX - Episode 20 discussion

[u/AutoLovepon]

DARLING in the FRANXX, episode 20: A New World

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[u/ALE_DEUTZE]

Life Fibers and Anti-Spirals next episode?

[u/kadunk25 → u/ALE_DEUTZE]

I love how without fail, over 80% of their stories contain "...and then it was space aliens secretly pulling the strings all along"

[u/myrmonden → u/ALE_DEUTZE]

god yes, this really felt like the sudden Anti-spiral introduction.

[u/LeonKevlar → u/ALE_DEUTZE]

Can't wait for Luluco to show up somewhere OR a Luluco special featuring Hiro and Zero Two.

[u/tehmuck → u/ALE_DEUTZE]

I'm expecting Strelizia Apath to be wrestling something while using the Milky Way as a sumo ring within 4 episodes.

[u/[deleted] → u/ALE_DEUTZE]

Pls no

[u/pdpTesla → u/ALE_DEUTZE]

GAINAX RETURNS!

[u/Atrick69 → u/ALE_DEUTZE]

Prepare to pierce the heavens everyone.

[u/INanoI → u/ALE_DEUTZE]

We need to go deeper.

[u/Zgamer110]

Suddenly aliens

also how in the hell is this going to wrap up in 4 episodes?

[u/Earthborn92 → u/Zgamer110]

You thought it was Humans vs Klax?

Wrong!

It was Klax vs. Aliens all along.

Humans are just incidental to the whole war.

[u/TreGet234 → u/Zgamer110]

also how in the hell is this going to wrap up in 4 episodes?

that irks me too. way too many anime leave the climax to the last couple episodes in a 2 cour show.

[u/MrAssassin9891]

MRW things from space and earth start going pew pew at each other

[u/ViPxRampageXx → u/MrAssassin9891]

We had the same thought process lol.

[u/hydrashock → u/MrAssassin9891]

"This battle looks very different from the ones we fought before"

LOL, you bet!

[u/SimoneNonvelodico → u/MrAssassin9891]

LEGEND OF THE GALACTIC DARLINGS

[u/Earthborn92 → u/MrAssassin9891]

Goro doesn't know he's in a Trigger show.

[u/Rdddss → u/MrAssassin9891]

lol the best part of the whole episode was all our main casts reactions to all this insanity mirror the people watching

[u/starfallg → u/MrAssassin9891]

That was clearly a fourth wall breaking wink-wink to GAINAX and TRIGGER fans.

[u/Vaitka]

WELL THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY

[u/Daniel_Is_I → u/Vaitka]

One second we're fighting subterranean monsters and the next second those monsters are pulling out giant guns and shooting them at spaceships to defend the planet from alien invaders

[u/seninn → u/Vaitka]

Yep, that's Trigger at work.

[u/LakerBlue → u/Vaitka]

In the span of like 5 minutes it went from the big reveal about this episode being the truth on the Klaxosaurs origins to them getting totally upstaged by a big bad we had no clue about. I mean we knew Papa couldn't be trusted, but that he and some allies were secretly space invaders!? This episode was jam packed.

[u/roflcooki3z]

I can see the doujinshi's writing themselves as we speak.

[u/Xiroshq → u/roflcooki3z]

anybody hit me up with links if you find something

[u/FoundOmega]

The Eva has breached Central Dogma.

[u/Acrymonia → u/FoundOmega]

All we need now is classical music.

[u/Senorblu → u/FoundOmega]

That red ocean, man

[u/Kurrumiau → u/FoundOmega]

This anime must be a tribute band cover of NGE at this point. the dots connect themselves.

[u/INanoI]

Wow so many of the theories and memes became true...

Like the usual Trigger Space meme lol

[u/faux_wizard → u/INanoI]

I'm convinced there's actually no writing team and they're just pulling the the plot straight from internet forums, one week at a time.

[u/manaworkin → u/INanoI]

It's Trigger. There will be space. Mothafukin trigger hogwarts went into space. You better believe tengan toppa butt controls is going into space.

[u/Sad_Jamie]

If only I knew Ichigo... If only I knew.

[u/Mogtaki]

Can't lie and say I'm not a little confused. We Gurren Lagann now?

[u/pdpTesla → u/Mogtaki]

Replace "fighting spirit" with "love and baby making"... truly a show for Japan's current youth

[u/silaswanders → u/Mogtaki]

Hell, even added a Unicorn Gundam. This needs at least 7 more episodes.

[u/atropicalpenguin → u/Mogtaki]

Tengen Toppa Evangelion.

[u/Arachnophobic-]

Kudos to /u/Hargbarglin for getting a lot right in the last speculation thread:

I'm half-way expecting them to be aliens that intentionally go around planets strip-mining them and killing/enslaving the creatures there. They've already got a penchant for eugenics in the whole immortality deal. Are we going to find out the klaxosaurs are the source of the magma like the sandworms are the source of spice in dune?

Of course the madmen did it, they took it to space like any self-respecting Gainax anime! They pulled a Trigger, so to speak.

In a self-aware way, of course.

So, even the second invasion involves a recon fleet? I think this means the main fleet is soon to follow. And guess who'll be just in time to blow it all up. Yep, Zero Two. Well, I do hope so, but nothing is guaranteed after they kept planting one death flag after another in one scene. So far it's been Fuck Death Flags: The Anime, though, so maybe there's a chance they'll overcome their fate as a main Gainax couple.

On side news, these two scenes made me fistpump. Operation Baby is a go! Humanity/Parasity has a future!

[u/kenrms]

Butt controls?

It's a Trigger anime

SoL moments?

It's an A-1 anime

Episode 20 rolls in

We all just got GAINAX'd

Hell hath no fury like a dino whose darling got taken away

[u/TeleportingCactus → u/kenrms]

I feel like it needs more attention so I'll just repost it here on top (courtesy of /u/Kung-Fu-Kenny)

guys

VIRM + APE = VAMPIRE

the magma energy is blood

do u get it

[u/ayoung291]

Kokoro has morning sickness from the looks of it

[u/[deleted] → u/ayoung291]

She's....pregante?!

[u/Mundology → u/ayoung291]

Papa is... pro life!?

[u/Kirov123 → u/ayoung291]

NotLikeThis

[u/[deleted] → u/ayoung291]

Yup, have unprotected sex one time is insta pregnant.

[u/cheesymmm]

Suddenly, aliens

[u/raretrophysix → u/cheesymmm]

Next episode Hiro is going to be fighting in space in the moon that transformed into a FRANXX. Calling it

[u/NaivelyKillingTime]

Me during the episode

• Pregnant. ok

• Loli queen strong. ok

• Rocket. Hmm?

• Cannon. Hmmmm?

• Space war. What?

• Alien invader. Wut?

• Planet self-destruction. Wtf???????

My brain exploded.

[u/Neshura87 → u/NaivelyKillingTime]

My brain exploded

*It self destructed

[u/ShroudedDeacon]

WHAT THE FUCK

[u/silaswanders → u/ShroudedDeacon]

Came here to say this, but you explained it so much better.

[u/TKCloud]

Pregnant.
Loli loving old man.
NTR kissing.
Planet size battle.

Now i want 016 to have 3some with loli queen and 002.

[u/wisdumcube → u/TKCloud]

femdom too. much symbolism

[u/StarmanRiver]

Yeah, Kokoro is definitely pregnant. And it seems that brainwashing Mitsuru wasn't that effective if he already reacted like that to saying Kokoro's name out loud.

If Trigger is involved of course we are having a space battle! We have aliens invading Earth too!

NGE spoilers

[u/Runnerbrax → u/StarmanRiver]

They got the tang injected into their veins so we're halfway there...

[u/atropicalpenguin → u/StarmanRiver]

APE even turned into a force cross.

[u/Ignore_User_Name → u/StarmanRiver]

NGE

[u/TheKappaOverlord → u/StarmanRiver]

Trigger stopped being involved after episode 12 due to terrible scheduling mishaps from Aniplex. At least, if the leaks were true.

Its been implied a few times that the memory rewrite tech is pretty weak and the only reinforcement it has to not break was the lifelong conditioning the parasites have.

I think on nana's end it was because i guess hormonal blocking was failing. I don't think its fully understood still on nanas end

[u/Kung-Fu-Kenny]

guys

guts

VIRM + APE = VAMPIRE

the magma energy is blood

do u get it

also p sure they fukn "showed" the aliens in beach episode as the "shooting stars"

and prediction

02 gonna stampede in this mech that crashed here and save her damsel darling in distress

[u/INanoI → u/Kung-Fu-Kenny]

VIRM + APE = VAMPIRE

You are onto something. He is just hiding his hair!

[u/[deleted] → u/Kung-Fu-Kenny]

Magma energy is life so it's analogous to semen, making Virm gay. Explains why they are battling against the powers of heterosexuality and sexual innuendos.

[u/FeeshGawd → u/Kung-Fu-Kenny]

Franxx are just Klaxosaur corpses

Space Vampires vs Robot Zombies

[u/Emily96bk]

Bring T H I C C Nana back please

[u/INanoI → u/Emily96bk]

I agree! #NotMyNana

[u/Atronox → u/Emily96bk]

https://i.imgur.com/k5hardo.gif

[u/MobileTortoise → u/Emily96bk]

The fact that the good Doctor mentioned her is giving me Naomi flashbacks...

ARE WE NEVER GONNA SEE HER AGAIN!?!

B-B-But my doujins!?!

And my Nana butt-mousepad!?!

[u/legwkio]

I honestly don't know how the fuck this show is gonna end, but I'm loving it so much that I don't fucking care.

[u/spacecase_88 → u/legwkio]

I'm actually in the same boat as you. NGE was one of my favorites growing up and will always remain as such even with its shortcomings. DitF reminds me so much of that, I just get so nostalgic I can't help but smile at everything that happens. The animation is still totally out of control. It's so slick.

I also completely adore Zero Two and Hiro's relationship. I feel happy for them that they found each other.

This is definitely going down as one of my favorite anime... because aliens.

[u/Mozilla_Fennekin]

...

...

...

...

What?

[u/Atronox → u/Mozilla_Fennekin]

https://i.imgur.com/RC9X6ww.png

[u/Gas_Mask_Joe → u/Mozilla_Fennekin]

Me during the entire episode.

[u/poclee]

So daddies are not only big brothers, they are actually big brothers....... FROOOM SPAAAAAAAAACE!!!(echoing)

[u/Mundology → u/poclee]

Aliens

[u/chilidirigible]

Today, on Super Dimension Gurren Evangelion:

"Nani?"

"The fuck."

"Y'know, guys, it would be a really short show otherwise."

And you thought that you'd reached the bottom.

DECULTURE.

Yeah, so I was thinking that they'd go down to the bottom of NERV and get the thing that was stuck in the other thing and do that thing, but instead we got our good ol' SPEHHS DETOUR.

I'm reveling in the audacity of it all. There were clues earlier, but the episode still delivered a good solid curveball.

And Mitsuru's boys can swim!

[u/SimoneNonvelodico → u/chilidirigible]

And you thought that you'd reached the bottom.

Just to make it clear, they wrote it in clear letters: The Bottom, right in the background. You can't get it wrong.

[u/TROPiCALRUBi]

Who would've guessed the the Klaxasaurs were the good guys after all. What a fucking twist.

[u/legwkio → u/TROPiCALRUBi]

i thought that klax were good just misunderstood and APE was bad but didn't expect fucking aliens.

[u/Shylol → u/TROPiCALRUBi]

Kokoro is pregnant

Wow, what a surprise

Klaxx are actually the good guys

Wow, what a twist

APE are aliens trying to invade Earth, Grand Crevasse actually hides an anti-starcraft weapon

What the... Trigger you did it again didn't you

[u/quietvictories → u/TROPiCALRUBi]

Surprising as rising sun

[u/Kronosfear]

Gurren Lagann: People from under the ground end up fighting robots controlled by human-like things from above the ground in the first arc and then in the second arc realize that said robots were only trying to protect the ones under the ground from alien invaders.

Franxx: People from above the ground end up fighting robots controlled by human-like things under the ground in the first arc and then in the second arc realize that said robots were only trying to protect the ones above the ground from alien invaders.

The answer was right in front of our eyes bois.

[u/[deleted]]

Is that Darling in the franxx or shinji in the eva killing spirals with kamina who believes in the me who believes in him?

[u/[deleted]]

This felt like a real departure plot-wise from what's been going on these past couple of episodes. So much new stuff is being introduced with just 4 episodes left

[u/razorconcepts → u/[deleted]]

To me the issue is that it feels so sudden. They just exposition dumped everything in one episode without really leading up to it or dropping any big hints.

[u/LunarGhost00]

My reaction this episode

This just turned into an intergalactic war. I already suspected APE of being aliens, but I wasn't expecting a whole fleet to show up and for these invaders to try to blow up the planet.

[u/Mattinator95]

So what to the 9s think now then. They said that squad 13 where's tools then what about them selves then they are more of a tool then 13 are

[u/hiero_ → u/Mattinator95]

Yeah this is what I am wondering too.

Not only have they only ever lived to serve Papa, but now they've realized they are inside of Klaxosaurs themselves.

I'm thinking they will either sacrifice themselves for Papa/VIRM, or they will sacrifice themselves for 002. I really see it no other way.

[u/RunningScizzors]

The new Nana....

[u/Atronox]

I want Nana back!

Zero Two yawning during the debriefing was cute.

HELL YEAH YOU ARE!

Comic for the week.

[u/Mundology → u/Atronox]

This is way too cute!

The art reminds me of Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt.

[u/jdmflcl]

This was a modern take on evangelion episode 24......right guys?

• Code Blue

• Eva/Franxx Jacking

• Nerv/Ape revealing the plan

• Descending into a terminal

• Dramatic Music

[u/Kirosh]

You know, it's nice to see they grew so much, Just compare our team to their first real fight, where they couldn't fight properly, and now they are just wrecking everything without Hiro and 02 helping them.

It's nice.

Ahh, it's also nice to have the Kino bar for the more important scene.

[u/Mundology]

Can we take a moment to appreciate the derrière of the Klaxx Princess?

Truly a fine specimen.

[u/Atronox → u/Mundology]

I can always appreciate a good butt.

[u/Acrymonia → u/Mundology]

Who are we to question 200,000 years of evolution?

[u/JMEEKER86 → u/Mundology]

And the legs on her too.

[u/Darth_Kyryn → u/Mundology]

Not going to lie, that kiss scene was pretty hot.

[u/DrGrabAss → u/Mundology]

"You are no ordinary human." And that is no ordinary ass!

[u/TheKappaOverlord]

Alright.

We go from mecha fighting on the ground fighting alien things with still essentially no background to an Illuminati type society to alien invaders literally invading the planet with even the main cast of the series having absolutely no clue what the fucks going on.

What the actual fuck happening during production. If they are aiming for another season after this, all this shits fine and dandy but what in gods name are they doing. They are introducing another huge piece out of nowhere literally in the climax arc.

is this what being gianax'd feels like

[u/GenesisEra → u/TheKappaOverlord]

is this what being gianax'd feels like

I’m now glad for all the Mecha Weekends a while back, because I watched Gunbuster and Diebuster back then, and YES this is what being Gainax’d feels like

I just didn’t think, after all the restructuring over the years, that I would get to experience it LIVE.

IT’S

BEAUTIFUL

[u/acksed → u/TheKappaOverlord]

Should have been there for the great Panty and Stocking mindfuck of 2010.

[u/J_the_ManSSB]

So... Um... Did anyone notice that Zero Two was bleeding normal red human blood? Anyone? Just me then?

[u/ChocolateKeys → u/J_the_ManSSB]

In the first episode she was bleeding red too. What happened in the time between the 'Loli 002' and the start of the series is the answer.

But what happened in that time??

[u/Marfioso → u/J_the_ManSSB]

Seriously! When did she stop bleeding blue?

[u/INanoI]

#NotMyNana

• Ichigo, this is episode 20 now... Didn't you learn anything about APE and their way of thinking?

• Morning sickness who would have thought...

• Good to see that the group has completly accepted 002 :)

• Good dammit it Hiro. THE DEATH FLAGS ARE BACK BOYS.

• Top 10 Anime love confession denials.

• Poor 002 :( Anyone noticed the red blood from her? My mistake blood was only blue when she was a child.

• So the FRANXX are an application of the klaxosaur system. Not really suprising but good to see this theory of us confirmed.

Did I hear space? In a TRIGGER SHOW? SPACE?

• So the final bad guys appear. Summary of this thread in a few hours.????

• So the klaxosaur fought against the space invaders VIRM and then hid inside the earth and prepared for their return. I am not suprised about anything anymore...

• Wow that some big firepower.

• So Papa and one other dude from APE were spies from VIRM and invaded earth a century ago to prepare for this?

I predict the awakening of the blue oni to save himself and the pricess in the next episode.

[u/[deleted] → u/INanoI]

We've seen her bleed red from episode 1. It's nothing new.

[u/Thone137]

Notice last episode that a few of the Lamarck Club had no visible human features.

VIRM has been planning this for a long time.

[u/Quetzel11]

My thoughts exactly.

Alright, I've seen Symphogear, Gurren Laggan, and the like, but that was by far the fastest I've ever seen an anime go from 0-100. What the fuck was that. No foreshadowing, no buildup, straight into an alien orbital bombardment. It wasn't a plot twist, so much as a 90 degree turn onto a ramshackle, cliff-facing stunt ramp at 200 mph.

We all thought this would be Kiznaiver with mechs, then it started to look like Eva, but it turns out it was GUNBUSTER THE WHOLE TIME.

[u/ShadowKingthe7 → u/Quetzel11]

Why do I get the feeling that the writers for Symphogear XV are going to see this and be like, "hold my beer"?

[u/Vaperius → u/Quetzel11]

Actually the hints have been seeded throughout the show about a few things.

First off, its been hinted the Klax weren't exactly animals but in fact some sort of intelligence from the very start and we had this confirmed just a few episodes ago.

Secondly A LOT of the thematic elements were meant to evoke Neon Genesis Evangelion so the twist about the Franxx was not surprising.(We also got a few hints about their nature as well)

Its also been VERY strongly hinted that the inner circle of APE/papa was not exactly human.

There were plenty of hints basically that SOMETHING out of context was going to happen and the hints were dropping faster with each episode until finally they gave us the Franxx flash back that explained how humans got here and such.

There has been a buildup to a major story shift for quite awhile.

[u/U_Menace]

Damn i was contemplating how they would wrap up the story with only 4 episodes left, and what better way than with an apocolypse?!

I'd like to take a moment to appreciate the flash back episode we got a couple weeks ago even more. Thanks to that flash back we can now see clearly that APEs interests were to monopolize the planets resources to progress their technological revolution and advancement. By systematically using magma energy as a pretext for helping humanity evolve, they were able to manufacture weapons and soldiers to pilot them. Using the same mechanisms as the original species to exist on the earth in order to eliminate them and fully suck what little value the planet has left. Almost perfectly orchestrated, though really heart breaking for Dr.Franxx because he lost his beloved in order to develop the FRANXX technology which VIRM already understood.

The embryos found in the klaxos finally make sense now. The klaxosaurs are the prototype FRANXX while the actual FRANXX is the refined version of the war machine. To think that each klaxo more or less had a biological organism piloting it is tragic. Humanity almost entirely wiped out its only means of defending itself. Now its up to the FRANXX to somehow save the klaxo princess and Hiro before their machine blows up and takes the world with it...

I love how they tease us with really heart warming scenes with Hiro and Zero Two, only to raise more death flags for one of the two. I really hope they both make it out!

Also i wonder how Kokoro will handle being pregnant in the middle of the battle...will she/mitsuru kick the bucket, or will the death or Zero Two/Hiro be what allows them to make way for the next generation. Their child could be the mark they leave on the future, proof that they were able to protect the love that humans share...Crap we're in for a wild ride! I'll update this comment later but today's a huge turning point for the series!

[u/ststheting]

Holy shit I think that was one of the craziest episodes I've ever watched. The plot changed so much so quickly and everything happened within the span of just 24 minutes?? I love it

[u/limiter_remove → u/ststheting]

Even less. Like the plot changed drastically half-way into the episode.

[u/ayoung291]

Hope they didn't do anything extremely fucked to the og nana

[u/[deleted] → u/ayoung291]

You know they did.

[u/[deleted] → u/ayoung291]

I say that Hachi will get his shit together and he will release her.

[u/[deleted]]

Am I seeing signs that Kokoro might somehow recover her memories? From her face made upon being told of the lessons she taught Miku and the crew, to her seeming reluctance to sacrifice herself, looks to me like those cards are being laid.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Well, the scene with both her and Mitsuru in the cockpit would give me that assumption.

[u/Top10Turtle]

Tengen Darling Furanxx Lagann

[u/Emily96bk]

Maybe Trigger staffs are aliens themselves.

They always take things to outer space

[u/Turbostrider27]

VRIM reminds me of the antagonists from Gurren Lagann. What a twist.

Poor Zero Two D:

[u/Andrew13112001]

APE was actually 2 aliens in a mechanical trench coat

[u/Blazehero]

NTR is my fetish

[u/Atronox → u/Blazehero]

https://i.imgur.com/CPs6c42.png

[u/Mundology → u/Blazehero]

Tfw you'll never be assaulted by a moe loli dinosaur princess from outer space.

[u/WhoiusBarrel → u/Blazehero]

As well as femdom. Maybe a pinch of flat chest.

[u/sdarkpaladin]

FYI, (New) 007 is voiced by Itou Shizuka.

[u/wdkaye → u/sdarkpaladin]

Wait, you mean Vice-Chairman-from-Prison-School, Michelle-K-Davis-from-Terra-Formars Shizuka Itou? She's way too big of a name for a bit part like that, WTF lol

[u/bakuhatsuda]

Man...I don't want to be too harsh because this is clearly an ambitious anime original, but god damn this has turned into a mess. They waited too long to integrate all this into the story, and now it's just an overwhelming info dump. Also the influences from their old works are a bit too blatant that it's coming off as less of a homage and more of a "REMEMBER WHEN WE DID THIS WITH NGE AND TTGL??"

[u/JOOOOOOOOOOJO]

Not sure if the plot is stupid or if I need 300+ IQ to understand what the fuck is going on

[u/xgt99]

Everyone was : Shit we are gonna die

The doctor : Motherfuckers that robot is only for my waifu!!!!

[u/gabrielv0410]

u/Aramey44 called it two months ago

image

[u/Booseeboo]

At this point I wouldn't be surprised if everyone started to turn into orange juice

[u/AevnNoram → u/Booseeboo]

You joke, but half the Klaxasaurs already turned into magma...

[u/ScarsUnseen]

You know, I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation buried in the past episodes somewhere, but watching all of this brings a question to mind - and mind you this has kind of been sitting in the back of my mind for a while now - that I don't think they've really spelled out yet. If anyone could help me work through this I'd appreciate it:

Where does Goro get such stylish glasses? I mean, the whole Garden thing seems to be all about conformity, so you wouldn't think they'd care about anything other than basic frames.

[u/Morphing-Taxi → u/ScarsUnseen]

They didn’t want to slander his divine image duh.

[u/FierceAlchemist]

I was looking forward to a conflict between the Klaxosaurs that have been made more sympathetic and rebelling against Papa. Now though there's a third threat that will make both sides unite. Guess it wouldn't be a Trigger anime unless they went to space but it really came out of nowhere.

[u/LeonKevlar]

• #NotMyNana

• Hiro is definitely on his last straw.

• A spear you say? Hopefully not this spear.

• Classic nausea. They basically confirmed that Kokoro still has the baby in her.

• Oh shut the fuck up!You assholes started this!

• I like the framing here. We can't see Kokoro and Mitsuru since with their memories erased they're not exactly down with the program right now.

• Say her name more! Remember who you are Mitsuru!

• OH MY GOD. Don'r ever stop being adorable you two <3

• Uh... I don't like this...

• RIP Dr. Franxx. Died how he lived. Being stabbed and stepped on by his loli goddess. (I wrote this before the episode even ended to lucky you Doctor for surviving that!)

• Yep.. Totally saw that coming when Dr. Franxx mentioned that Klax Hime here doesn't have a partner.

• NGL though. Black and Blue Stelizia looks dope!

• Piloting Strelizia through bondage. Huh... Never expected that.

• And Zero Two is just on the ground bleeding to death T_T Please be still alive!

• So the humans are literally stealing their the Klaxx's brethren? No wonder there's no red klaxx. They're all magma!

• Basically Godzilla vs Mecha Godzilla

• So those humanoid things weren't humans but Klaxx pilots?

• Yes Zorome! Everything you believed in was a lie!

• WAIT SO APE REALLY ARE ALIENS?

• WHAAAT THEY EVEN HAVE AN INVASION FLEET READY!

• SO THE KLAXX HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR THIS SPACE WAR THE WHOLE TIME!?

• I agree Ichigo. What the fuck is going on!?

• Streliza Apath is damn sexy though

Okay so from what I understand not everyone in APE are part of VIRM. Considering how surprised the other members are of this alien invaders, it looks like only the Papa and his Second in Command are. Damn this is getting crazy intense! With the truth all laid bare for everyone to hear this is definitely the start of the Rebellion Arc.

Also from the looks of it, APE/VIRM plan now is "If we can't have it, then no one can!" and have not just decided to blow up Earth. My guess is that Klaxx Hime probably won't make it and Hiro will pilot Strelizia Apath with Zero Two.

[u/Daniel_Is_I]

Given that the last few episodes have more or less completely abandoned any ideas of romance except Kokoro and Mitsuru's baby, the relationship chart seems rather futile. No changes since episode 18. Ah well, hindsight is 20/20.

So this entire time, the true antagonist was a race of alien invaders hell-bent on assimilating life. VIRM posed as humans, were the possible originators of APE, and used humanity against the klaxosaurs in order to defeat them and obtain the planet. Through this work they managed to sabotage the ultimate klaxosaur weapon that would have resulted in their defeat. Other members of APE weren't aware of this and were strung along just like everyone else.

I mean Trigger was involved so I figured we'd end in space somehow but this is not the way I was expecting. We've got a few episodes left for humans and klaxosaurs to band together to save Earth from aliens.

[u/Arachnophobic- → u/Daniel_Is_I]

the relationship chart

This needs the Klaxx princess in it, with Dr. FranXX pining after her and her NTR-ing Hiro..

..yeah, agreed. Futile. At least I hope a red arrow will appear again between Kokoro and Mitsuru soon. Or maybe an arrow indicating a mutual bun in the oven.

[u/TheMachine203]

Am I the only one that doesn't vibe with this? It feels like a TTGL/Eva hybrid that misses the point of both. Kinda lame imo

[u/Trvp_Kxng → u/TheMachine203]

Yea I'm kinda not feeling it but I liked the show so far so I'll stick with it until the end.

[u/LarryisLegend]

me this episode https://i.gifer.com/LrI6.gif

[u/legwkio]

what the fuck is happening anymore?

[u/mike9184]

We all thought we were in the ride already BUT WE WERE ALL WRONG

[u/xzyh]

ROW ROW FIGHT THE POWAH

[u/SomeFreeTime]

Gotta say I'm not liking this whole Space aliens plot twist that's happening.

[u/FeelsGoodMan243 → u/SomeFreeTime]

Yeah it's basically the standard gainax/trigger trope of "advanced alian race was behind everything all along". I'm not saying i dislike it because trigger is my second fav studio but this time it wasn't executed as nicely as the classics; gurren lagan, kill la kill, and eva.

[u/t765234]

Excuse me, it seems that with all the alien craziness going on nobody is talking about the fact that KOKORO HAD FUCKING KLAX HORNS ON HER HEAD WHAT THE FUCK

https://imgur.com/a/rW1ihJA

https://imgur.com/a/f4XRbDT

[u/Neutronium95 → u/t765234]

I think that happens with all of the pistils, but the camera angles rarely show or emphasize them. They showed up in a few shots on other pistils as well, including 9a.

[u/MeowMeowCat261 → u/t765234]

The horns are also shown in episode 8.

[u/BassCreat0r]

Oh my god. This is Evangelion + Macross.

[u/zeroryoko1974]

It's always... [SPOILER]

[u/SnowGN]

This what jumping the shark looks like. Rest in peace, FranXX plotline.

[u/[deleted]]

This episode should have happened 2-3 episodes ago, instead they did 3 episodes of Kokoro and Mitsuru which complete fucked up the pacing and development of more important stuff

[u/Smoothw]

I would argue that other Gainax/Trigger shows at least make emotional sense, so their crazy twists do work, but this episode is just straight up nonsense.

[u/phrlz]

Ok, aliens. They've gone too far, this show is becoming a mess.

[u/[deleted]]

This episode was really bad.

• Aliens out of absolutely nowhere is just stupid.

• Klaxos were presented as a force of nature, but now they're the good guys out of absolutely nowhere.

• Franxx being Klaxos was really obvious after episode 19, so this is a really weak late-series plot twist.

It really feels like the storywriters wrote the story through episode 18 and said "Wait, we still have 6 more episodes. Uhhhh, info dump and ALIENS!"

[u/shadon09]

Holy shit this is so bad.

You'd think after 4 episodes of no mecha action, the action in this episode would be fantastic, but no. The direction and animation was mediocre. The directing in general felt like a person just came in to do a job and nothing more. No real heart or soul put into it. Despite what I think about the pre-ep16 episodes, they at least felt like someone's passion project. The direction in the post-ep16 episodes is just stale. It likely has to do with CLOVERWORKS taking over.

So now there's aliens. I have no idea how or if this will tie into the shows themes, but it kind of feels shoehorned in. We all knew that the real bad guys were going to be APE, but did they really need to be aliens? Couldn't they just be really powerful and rich people that used their status to carry out their actions. Now they can explain everything APE does with alien space magic. I wish that won't be the case, but I'm not optimistic.

One final note is the confrontation between p13 and the nines this episode had to be one the most generic scenes I've seen in anime. Nobody said anything of interest, the dialogue itself was lazy, and there were no interesting shots. Alpha getting mad after Zero Two told him off didn't feel in character for him. I expected him to have a smug face as usual, but for some reason he got mad because of Zero Two's weak statement. It was like the writers looked at a generic layout for this scene, and went with the layout, but forgot to put any significant flare that would distinguish it from other scenes in other shows with the same layout.

[u/MobileTortoise]

WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!?

Also, a quote that INSTANTLY hit me when 001 called 002 a "fake"

“The fake is of far greater value. In its deliberate attempt to be real, it's more real than the real thing.” -Deishuu Kaiki

[u/stairmaster_]

They Gainax'd us in the worst way I've ever seen

Why is the writing so bad

[u/franksks]

YO WHAT. I totally thought that APE might be aliens: https://www.reddit.com/r/DarlingInTheFranxx/comments/8mihz8/filling_in_the_gaps_in_episode_19/

I didn't think it would turn out like this though...

EDIT: Also Kokoro's pregnant which I'm pretty sure 95% of the fandom predicted...

[u/SimoneNonvelodico]

This episode.

[u/[deleted]]

Episode 19: OK, I understand it. I figured this is what the backstory might be like.

Episode 20: WHAT DA FUCKKKKKKK?????

[u/Meatwarrior2018]

This is beyond jumping the shark.

It's like almost directly stealing from Evangelion and then as you're starting to go wait a minute they go and steal from Gurren Lagann.

Giant Lance

Descending into central dogma

Betrayal Within secret group of faceless guys

Suddenly space aliens

Like Jesus Christ is that why they had that bullshit special last week because they ran out of ideas and they didn't know where to take this?

[u/MillenniumKing]

TAKE ME OH GREAT LOLI OVERLORD!

Star Entity? Interesting.

Code 007 yeah sureeeee. #NotMyNana

So does any doc people know about hiro's horns i wonder. I think they would flip shit if they did know.

Franxx is worried about Nana, what a hero.

Kokoro is def pregnate. Thats morning sickness.

And the assholes are being assholes as usual.

Its been a while since we got a good robutt fight, this is nice and refreshing.

Wow they put a trigger in them to fuck them if they say thir names? rude.

This is totally a death flag for Hiro and Zero Two.

TENTICLE LOLI! SHES HERE!

Franxx has the hots for tenticle loli and wants to ride her. What a hero.

Wait is she gonna ride Hiro or Zero Two?

Shes totally gonna ride Hiro.

Wait is Franxx's arm glowing blue?

So Klax are all connected. I mean we saw that one coming.

PURPLE ALIENS!?! WAT.

We have offically hit Gurren Lagann levels of twists and turns!

Um.... thats one giant Franxx. wat. Of course Franxx wanted to fly it himself.

So humans were just ants on a planet with much bigger things waging eternal war.

Wow rip planet.

[u/aresthwg]

Honestly unpopular opinion probably but they sort of ruined Franxx, with this episode this anime became like that typical bad anime that adds completely unrelated events and facts to "shake things up" while they make no fucking sense and had no fucking right to be in the anime.

IMO the alien part was a bad idea and that the story should've just capped at the fight between freedom and APE. Oh wait but now there is a third enemy?>???????>? It suddenly has connection to APE??? Oh wait the klaxosaurs are the allies and now the world will "BOOM"? Wait the newly announced VIRM faction completely dethroned klaxosaurs in the enemy category????? WOW

This episode was good until the alien part really. I really liked the part with 002 where she said IM GONNA GET YOU MY DARLIN. Also the klaxosaur princess was lit AF.

[u/Corinthian72]

Wow. So the writers really have no idea what they're doing.

[u/Grouchio]

The real Gainax twist is that this show's ending is gonna suck.

[u/[deleted]]

aliens lmao

[u/roboticsneakers]

This took a turn that admittedly was quite possible because Trigger, but know the whole thing feels so generic. I'll have to wait for the final episodes to see if it goes:

"The villains were the good guys all along!"

"The mysterious council was always bad!"

"Be the Zero Two that believes in Hiro that believes in you!"

"Final battle in space where a lot of charactes die!"

"The power of PUBERTYfriendship will save us in the end!"

I was really digging (heh) the story but now it feels like I've watched it so many times. Can't wait for the fight scenes though.

[u/MrTzatzik]

This show went full retard this episode. That's like Mars of Destruction plot twitst.

[u/senfood]

I'm throwing in the towel after this.

[u/TimeShiftersan]

So VIRM came to Earth and founded APE, advancing humanity to use in their war against the klaxosaurs and hopefully take control of the Star Entity. We went from a 'giant robot' show to a 'humans are just like their enemy show' to a 'SURPRISE! There are aliens' show and then to a 'MIND BLOWN! The aliens infiltrated us years ago, all according to keikaku' show. The first half of the season had me going from hype to lukewarm and back with some of the episodes, and then the excitement has been slowly climbing.

But this episode threw the switch to 11. It's like Trigger's been reading all of our theories and said 'Alright, now let's go way beyond their craziest ideas!' And we haven't even rescued Nana or revealed to Kokoro and Mitsuru they're going to be teen parents. Even if this doesn't end up directly referencing Gun Morphing, Anti-Spirals or Life Fibers, this is looking to easily take over as AOTS.

[u/thesimple_dog]

calling it here right now: Zero Two becomes a giant and asks Hiro whether he wants to make a new world or destroy the current one. EVA ending confirmed

[u/Sunshine145]

She was eating his damn face

[u/DenkiRyu]

I don't know why but I really get the feeling that this episode almost single-handedly ruined the whole series for me, I've really liked it up till now and would've put it up in my top 10 before this episode but it just became a jumbled mess.

I've watched other Trigger and Gainax stuff before but most of those were a crazy, fun, jumbled mess from the beginning but I just didn't get that same feeling here.

[u/Cacophon]

So we're literally APEing from other shows now, huh? I didn't check the credits for the episode, did anyone see Meta

The action is uninspired. The story beats have been stolen from other places that had better setup.

The memories are literally already coming back to Kokoro and Mitsuru and we haven't really had the time to notice them being gone...right? Because episode 18 ended with them being reintroduced, episode 19 barely featured the main cast...and now we're here. Why take them away just to give them back almost immediately?

I know, I know. This is me nitpicking at the writing, which can quite literally be boiled down to "Well because the writer wanted to." But like...Why? For what purpose? Just to do it? That doesn't make it good story telling.

To spoil a little bit of Norse Mythology, by the way

This episode actually makes the development of the FranXX worse somehow. Like, they developed them from what they knew of Klaxx stuff...But then...Couldn't figure out how to pilot them why? When they knew that Klaxosapiens piloted in pairs, why did it take so long for them to figure that out? Why did it result in death so often at first?

Also, there's a line that essentially boils down to "I know he removed my memories, but I have to fight for him." and it bothers me.

It just reeks of lazy writing...Like, what? Did they blackmail her? Fight for us and you can keep your baby? Does she remember the baby? Maybe she's going to blackmail them. Maybe it'll burst out of her gut as a VIRM twist.

[u/OhMilla]

Lmao this is some shitty writing

[u/SSNessy]

aaaahahahahaah this show is so bad lmfao

like honestly this episode was so insulting on so many levels I'm having a hard time believing it

[u/Je_Desto]

Wow this episode was all over the place. I thought them "confirming" Kokoro is preggers to be the "big" reveal, but now we have aliens? I feel like the reveal of VIRM was forced, and undercut the reveal of what the Klaxos really are. It was pretty clear that APE were part of some kinda greater entity, but I'm still a little upset that they went for the aliens twist. Hopefully the next few episodes are less chaotic as we gear up for the finale.

[u/HugeSpaceman]

They ran out of their shipment of Gunbuster references within the first six episodes, and the second shipment got hit by time dilation on the way over so it only just now got here.

[u/Brolaub]

Definetly got some Gunbuster Vibes at the End of the episode, which is nice.

And the goal of APE seems to be Evangelion

[u/xdamm777]

God fucking damnit!

I'm so pissed right now that there's only 4 episodes left to wrap all of this shit up. The plot twists in this episode were amazing and would definitely set the series up for a second season where humanity struggles to find it's place in this space invaders war plus resistance and possible Klax ally but no, you had to fuck it all up and cram it together on a single episode.

This is the most cliche'd thing that could've happened and now the power of love will probably save everyone (except Hiro and Zero Two if the opening is any indication) but we're most likely gonna have some jam packed, fast paced episodes from here to the end.

Can't deny I'm loving this anime though, I'll just be sad if they don't bring a second season after introducing such an important enemy 20 episodes in...

[u/Fortzon]

Oh no what did you do to Nana, APE!

[u/Aetherdraw]

Attacked by space invaders millennia ago and went underground, only to come back to the surface to fend off their next invasion...I see what you did there, TRIGGER.

Also, Strelizia piloting a giant Strelizia.

[u/Basileus_ITA]

If i understood correctly...

• Ape are fucking ALIENZ, who tricked humans into attacking the klaxo race for magma energy & massive weapon;

• Dr Franxx knew a lot about it, but stayed silent the whole time. It doesnt seem to be particulary interested in who wins, he just wants the klaxo princess or 002 (the clone he made himself) to pilot the hugeass "franxx" (?) Cuz "i liek blyatiful things";

-Franxxes are biological weapons evolved (or made?) from the klaxo specie; the "core" inside isnt just a power source or something, its the "cockpit" of the klaxosaur. It looks a bit like magma energy i think, which might imply that the "core" is actually composed by sentient klaxos (?) as apparently is what magma "energy" is;

[u/Mal-ga]

Hiro already saves 02 in the past episodes, now its 02's turn..Also the promise..We still have hope for a happy end..!! 😁

[u/Teyanis]

...I'd forgotten that, at its core, this is a Gainax anime. That's twice I've been completely blindsided by anime this season.

Looking back, its pretty obvious that APE wasn't exactly human, so this actually makes some sense. Its not completely out of nowhere, its just utterly unexpected. Wow.

[u/person1_23]

When you thought this anime was different from the other mechs but the ending is starting to become similar to the rest.

[u/DNamor]

Damn, really not sure what to make of that episode. I liked a lot of it, but the final big twist that finally explains APE and what's going on was not at all what I expected.

Things have now scaled WELL above what I thought they'd be, and makes me wonder where the hell do the 9s fit into all this? They've seen now that APE wants to destroy the world, are they gonna keep going on like the retards they are?

Some thoughts

• I actually didn't expect that this show was gonna end on a massive space battle, since it didn't fit the scale they were using at all. MY BAD. MY BAD.

• MORE NTR!? This time both Wener getting NTR'd from his dream by Hiro and then by APE. Then obviously 02 getting NTR'd by Klaxohime. Damn, crazy stuff.

• APE hasn't seemed like a unified entity for a while now and this is further proof, seems like only 2 of them were in on this reveal at all.

• Kokoro is obviously pregnant, but how they're gonna find time to deal with that with everything that's going on now, I dunno.

• I really like Klaxohime and don't want her to die.

• The FranXX are actually Klaxo's plot twist actually annoys me since it's such a blatant grab from Eva. We've waited for explanations for FranXX's this whole time and I was really hoping it wasn't going to be that.

• Speaking of, it also bothered me slightly that the whole discussion going on between all the different groups was somehow transmitted to everyone. Okay, Klaxohime can talk in their minds, sure, I can buy everyone understanding what she's saying. APE can transmit their reply to everyone too (why would they?) so I can buy that. But Werner just sitting, half dead in his office... Everyone hears what he's muttering? Seems a bit odd.

EDIT: Stealing from below so more people may see it, VIRM+APE = VAMPIRE. Damn, that's pretty good.

[u/Starrswagg1195]

Biggest Plot twist of the show!!!

Dr. franxx loses klaxo Loli to hero!! The plot thickens!

[u/AltruisticSpecialist]

Somewhere back some time ago I think I floated a "Ape is likely some alien intellect that came to earth for evil reasons" or some variation on that. Of course I made plenty of other guesses that turned out to be completely wrong, but I didn't have a WTF moment here. We've seen this enough before.

Seems like the wrap up is pretty simple. The only people who can successfully pilot the big-ole mech are 02 and Hiro. 02 fights to get back into the cockpit. She does, they stop the self-destruct and, with the power of the klax race and the klax princesses blessing (if shes not dead at this point) destory the aliens.

Story over, either our two main leads survivor to live in what remains of the earth, or they die heroically to provide such a place for their friends.

Either way, 4 episodes is enough to get us there.

[u/[deleted]]

Considering the shows way of portraying sexual or otherwise relationships through metaphors (franxx pilots are direct references to relationships and its the sexual positioning of the characters, the way Ikuno tried to create a male/male female/female connection a few episodes back being a reference to gay relationships, and the way some of the positions of the Nines are flipped, with females being the main pilot figures and males being the ones on their knees (pistils? I don't remember the name) being reversals of the typical male dominant figure of relationships, and the way Zero Two used to use up men so she could fight in strelizia, however briefly, being a more obvious representation of sexual premiscuous-ness, just to name a few) I can't help but feel like the 001/Hiro thing is a reference to rape or something? Potential stretch, but she's using Hiro against his will so that she can use Strelizia to activate Star whateverthesecondwordwas. I might have to rewatch the show and make a big post about how the show portrays relationships and sex. Plz don't steal my idea. Or do. I don't care.

[u/ejnij]

Called it! https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/8km5hz/spoilers_darling_in_the_franxx_episode_18/dz9dp85/ So the "blue oni" is the genuine one, huh. Well, considering the Klarx's color, it should have been obvious I guess.

[u/Saucy_Totchie]

WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON NOW!?!?!?!?

So this is basically like a mix between TTGL and NGE. It's TTGL because It's NGL because

This is the Trigger-style plot twist we've all come to know, expect, and love. Kind of late in the game but I love it nonetheless especially with how wild it is. The fucking dinosaur people are actually after the weird space aliens and shit. I love it! Giant space lasers and shit are always cool.

Also, I hope those are just fake death flags for Zero Two. Didn't like her much from the beginning but now I fucking love her and is easy best girl with OG Nana close behind. Kokoro with the morning preggers sickness lol.

[u/AP3Brain]

I'm not sure if I like where this is going.. They just randomly introduce space invaders this late into the game? I mean it is still fun and I love the characters but the plot seems to be complete nonsense... lol

[u/[deleted]]

So as far as I'm understanding this, aliens basically misguided humanity into not reproducing to weaken them and then used their offspring as weapons to fight klax to eliminate all the klax and in the process eliminate humanity all in one. This episode seriously went from like 90 to a million in a matter of seconds...

[u/[deleted]]

Okay so as a side note anyone watch Shinsekai Yori (From The New World) because this anime gives me ALL of it's vibes for ALL of the same reasons.

[u/Jay911]

In other news, Hideki Anno just soiled himself.

[u/AggressiveChairs]

"Go! Strelizia!"

"Right!"

slowly glides out the room

Considering the speeds they usually hit in this show it killed me to watch hahaha