Here we are, the canonized version of the finale of Aqua/Magma and of the Groudon/Kyorge showdown. Going in this two parter, we knew it was a far too crammed story for merely two episodes. Three to five would have been better as to prolong and pace the horrors set in by the cataclysm. But alas not, as we shouldn?t be surprised, as the writers still haven?t gotten rid of their Johto style of writing, with a dash of the first few movies as well.
I?ll post my thoughts on the episode and then my thoughts of Magma/Aqua as a final epilogue.
Introduction: Simply the narrator explaining the previous episode, and did a decent job carrying the proper dread as well as the new intro (particularly with their Groudon/Kyorge snippet from Symphonic Melody).
Title: Fitting given the truth of the episode.
Crosshairs: The pace sets right off the bat with Archie settling into his dominance while the second movie Dub score returns, which is prophetic, given the cataclysm that was made when Lugia made its first appearance in the second movie. The tensions dissolve as Izumi and her crew protects Archie as he escapes (to an mini copter that wasn?t seen in the previous episode and we were given overhead views of the temple to boot), with a showdown with the Magma agents and clips from the past Magma/Aqua episodes begin with the lineup, Homura?s Mightyena with the Shadow Ball and Homura?s battle face.
Homura once again plays on his dedication to the job by being the devoted soldier (as the first movie?s score plays? But then we?ve past established that 4Kids does not know how to score a scene), while unexpectedly playing into Lance?s hands by giving him the Magma leader, and quite the opportunity for the mole.
The usual cast: Is seeing the Rockets? terrified worth the minute of footage? Unless it is the perverse pleasure of the writers seeing them abused and their image dashed, yet again. Just a pointless scene.
Power Surge: Archie?s delusion finally spikes as the Red Orb begins to consume him from the foreshadowing of the last episode, as he is ready to not only drown Maxie, but even his own agents, but would he have drowned the Aqua agents anyway as they outlived their usefulness? Although Izumi?s look of betrayal is almost touching from the histrionic agent, she usually doesn?t elicit much empathy with her bravado. As Lance drops his cover to attempt to appeal to Archie?s dissolving reasoning, (which amplifies the weather) and fails, the G-Man descends into a monologue of the Orbs, but for whose? benefit is this speech for? He isn?t addressing Maxie or the Magma/Aqua agents overall, he just talks randomly, unless it is an aside to the audience so we know the real truth behind the Orbs. It is unsure if it?s clever or plain idiocy. Although the end of the monologue goes directly into Maxie?s fanaticism and compensates the effect nicely.
On the Loose: the wind with the Blue Orb charged Pikachu makes fast work of Magma?s VTOL helicopter as Pikachu?s power spikes. And we get the full reunion with Lance and Brock and see Lance?s G/S/C uniform once again as he discards his Magma disguise. On a sub note, it?s good to see Wayne Grayson finally get comfortable with the role and maintain a nice, muted effect to the Champion, (as he should have with the character and the role as spy) so if and when Lance would return, Grayson?ll be fine. The cast reunites just in time for the massive tidal wave looming above.
Transition: The following shots nearly crack a neck beyond transitioning to the next scene, Lance and his signature Dragonite taking flight, Maxie and Homura spying the brats, and a betrayed Izumi reflects and contemplates to stop her renegade leader.
Merge: Lance in a desperate attempt to stop Archie fails as not even the Red Gyarados can stop him and we watch as the Red Orb merges, and we see the markings on a human now and Schemmel offers his best scream and now we see why 4Kids hired him, he does the megalomaniac villain well.
Opportunists: The Rockets? scene does a nice job varying the pacing with the lighter fare of their scheme (supplied with unique crayon art for the Meowth fantasy) despite the heavy melodramatic tone of the episode. But alas for not as the writers play on more Rocket abuse with the static electricity for the Blast Off. And we watch as Pikachu and its rage sets the tone for the other God, the awakening of Groudon (with a bizarre and off putting shot of Ash as the scene ends).
Sunlight: Everyone watches in horror (including Izumi who just appears out of nowhere) as Monsu blows its top with a volcanic eruption and we see Groudon?s Pokemon Power: Drought and natural abilities kicking in yet the backgrounds appear to be extremely static for such drastic changes in the environment, including the animation with the first full shot of Groudon, once again, showcasing the series? miniscule budget, which is ironic as the previous episode was exceptionally animated.
Epiphany: Maxie?s epiphany of Groudon?s is well placed as per canonized in the games with the timing but Marc Thompson?s performance gives the Magma leader an underlying feel of regret and admonishment and carries the scene quite, particularly as Izumi muses in horror.
The truth of the Blue Orb reveals itself by Lance as he rationalizes it as Groudon?s communicator and opportunity to free itself from the cargo bay by using an able body; it?s not the first time a Legendary has used people and Pokemon (Mewtwo with Joy, Unown with Molly) to advance itself, but it is more confusing as how would Groudon know it was captured (we didn?t witness the capture, so we don?t know the conditions of Groudon?s mind when this occurred and Groudon looked dominant in the previous episode) or how it would know Kyorge?s awakening? Instead of an animal magnetism, which is what the attraction appears to be, the writers simply wrote a cheap exposition to explain away the plot hole of Groudon?s knowledge, or simply rationalization from them or 4Kids to explain away the error.
And Ash vows to save Pikachu despite the overwhelming fact that it would be suicide, and the tone of suicide carries enough throughout the scene, despite the optimism of the other characters (Brock, May, and Max) and/or 4Kids? involvement.
Deluge: The plan is set by the ?heroes? as Groudon (in his Godzilla movements with the Solarbeam) and Kyorge brings to the Water God?s domain of the sea in a fluid and intense showdown. If the attacks had more of fluidity, (and not constant clips) then the impact would have heightened all the more. Brock and May (with the third movie?s dub score playing in the background) set up the pitch by distracting the Aqua leader, with their minor attacks and prey on the Aqua?s God like new demeanor as Groudon delivers the final blow with a direct hit and Archie?s bond inexplicably severs with the Red Orb. While the damage hit the mark, it could not have been enough to sever such a powerful link as Archie?s will is one of dominance as he perfectly controlled Kyorge to sheer thought throughout the two parter, unless it is burnout but Lance?s exposition did not explain that possibility. And along with Archie, Pikachu?s Blue Orb simply removes itself and the show once again (and the early movies) pulls a deus ex machina to solve the issue as the timing is running out.
The Calm after the storm: Lance and the Magma agents look as Izumi attempts to pull her leader from unconsciousness and Archie falls under amnesia from his control of the Red Orb and again deus ex machina (yet while setting a nice shippy scene with Izumi/Archie) to end the Aqua threat.
The two Gods stare each other and their war seemingly ends, including all the hostility but more questions arise: Did Kyorge take over Archie as Groudon used Pikachu to free itself, and used him as a way to advance the flooding agenda, or now it is free of mind, would Kyorge attack Groudon on a normal level or enter in a territory depute as the past indicated they were mortal enemies? The conflict just ends as the Orbs merge with each other and are destroyed, ending the issue (with a fitting score in the background) with the Aqua and Magma hierarchy looking on.
Groudon retreats into Monsu Island (and for those who didn?t observe from the Solarbeam attacks and the wading in the water, this is the writers? most obvious reference of Godzilla, from a Godzilla 1985 reference, as he entered the volcano) and Kyorge swims away and everyone is left wondering the aftermath.
A Constant Lesson: The final scene in reflection, once again plays on the series? eco activist stance but unlike past times, this message wasn?t one of obnoxiousness but the real message is undermined by the omission of what happened to the Aqua/Magma high command as we don?t see their apprehension or anything else beyond them looking in awe and thus wasting an opportunity of showing how constant vigilance of humanity?s dark side can protect the environment in a different way. Or their resolutions to dissolve their respective groups or at least Maxie?s as he has his epiphany.
Reflections: While the setup failed from lack of pacing, lack of proper climax (not a surprise with this series), lack of plot progression, painful lack of fluid animation (in the backgrounds and foregrounds), and lack of script to animation logic, the small issues such as 4Kids? addition of the second movie score, Team Rocket?s main scene, Wayne Grayson?s Lance, and the Godzilla references helped ease the pain of the Groudon/Kyorge showdown and Team Aqua/Magma?s finale (and pray the next group of criminals, Cipher, Snagem, get a better setup, and more episodes to feature than what has happened here, with the activist organizations).
Episode: 6/10.
Aqua/Magma?s finale: 4/10.
Aqua/Magma: After so many years (and playing with the Rockets), Game Freak tried something different, and played on an environmental message while playing on fanaticism that is consuming the world and that was the birth of Aqua/Magma. The organizations weren?t as stylish as the Rockets or as diverse with their Pokemon (although Magma had Butler) but the message was there and it was a unique one and one of contemplation, as opposed to the Rockets, which reaction to them is instinctive. The animated conversion process showed the writers? hand as their first AG season; they did wonderfully with the sparse episodes yet maintaining the organizations? presences and reinforced that with the first AG movie featuring a renegade Magma scientist and finally, prominence, considering how under written the writers were with Team Rocket, more was seemingly to be made to correct that.
But in AG 02, they had only two episodes of Aqua/Magma and while they were brilliant (Izumi defined herself nicely here), they were few and in between and a slant is forming, with the writers giving Magma more credence with their successes and Aqua, the short end of the stick with their failures (particularly in the form of Bannai). And the writers gave up and focused on May and Ash and their forums, (and making Team Rocket carry the majority of the episodes) rather than give their replacement for Team Rocket a proper flow and show just enough for us to care.
But here in their finale, they undermined Aqua?s relevance with a stereotypical supervillain format while building up Magma with Maxie meeting the twerps and showing more dimension to his message while giving none to Aqua and that is mixed further as both groups have nothing to show for it as we don?t have much empathy for them, for we aren?t exposed to them properly. Perhaps, that is the point, the writers obviously did not care for the groups, (or the agents, which is why they went with the faceless route for the most part) so the best way to deal with them was to fade away and write them out as the season stretched on, which is a pity as Homura and Izumi are two of the more unique villains of the series and should have had more to their stories than simply what was there and should have had more coverage on them as people besides their roles.
The organizations may return as with the open ended finale but I doubt it as the writers already made their stance on the groups quite clear. God help Cipher if they?re converted but after what they did with Team Rocket and now their replacements, faith is basement floor and dwindling fast.
I?m done. And becoming even more cynical of this series, if that?s possible.
