(CR) The Reflection

[Dengar]

Well, I suppose we haven't seen what's under the mask. We know smoke-based reflected usually have physical deformities of some kind.

That said, I doubt it.

[Sidapa]

The team is now joined by Michael and V.

Eleanor searches for more Allens online.

Meanwhile, in Japan, the four school girls are talking about their upcoming school trip overseas.

Back in the US, Eleanor tells the team what she found out that they are going to San Antonio.

In San Antonio, the team splits up to protect multiple Allen women but failed each time.

Later at their room in Motel 9, they are at their wit's end and X-On calls his friend Jim for help.

Jim arrives and helps them locate another female member of the Allen family, Nina Fisher who works in a barber shop.

When they arrived at the barber shop, instead of finding Nina they find her mother Margaret "Maggie" Fisher another female Allen.

They find out that Nina moved to L.A 20 years ago.

They tell Maggie that Nina is in danger and a Reflected like them. They then proceed to kidnap her place her in protective custody as they go to L.A.

Later on the highway, Dreadwing and Flaming Fury go and attacked Eleanor's pick-up truck but it was a decoy containing Michael, V and Jim.

Meanwhile, the rest were in a different car on their way to L.A.

As they were driving, Eleanor was suddenly contacted by Wraith in her mind.

Wraith tells her that Darkness wants the Reflected to be one and take over the world. He also tells her that she is needed for it but Eleanor refuses.

Eleanor then snaps back to reality.

Later in L.A., they find Nina and both daughter and mother reconciled with each other.

The antagonists then came to attack. X-On took out two of them. Meanwhile, in the barber shop, Eleanor and the Fishers confront Steel Ruler. Then I-Guy crashes through the roof, landing in between them.

[Kanon]

Looks like Eleanor is also an important piece for the villain's plan. She wasn't attacked just because she was looking into Wraith.

I hope I-Guy and X-on will finally meet next week.

[Chosen_Hero]

The robot is called Big Wheel and the antagonists group is called Darkness.

Names so far:

Good Guys:

X-On

Eleanor

I-Guy

Lisa and Big Wheel (the chair/robot)

Micheal and Vy (a.k.a Merchant and Trader)

Jim (a detective)

Bad Guys:

Steel Ruler

Dreadwing

Flaming Fury

Wraith

I know I am forgetting some so please mention them of you know.

[Kanon]

There was a guy named Volt on the bad guy's side in last week's episode. I recall other villains but I don't think we were told their names.

[Sidapa]

Originally Posted by Chosen_Hero

The robot is called Big Wheel and the antagonists group is called Darkness.

Names so far:

Good Guys:

X-On

Eleanor

I-Guy

Lisa and Big Wheel (the chair/robot)

Micheal and Vy (a.k.a Merchant and Trader)

Jim (a detective)

Bad Guys:

Steel Ruler

Dreadwing

Flaming Fury

Wraith

I know I am forgetting some so please mention them of you know.

Bad Guys' names you might have missed from the credits in the English dub with a brief description:
Episode 1

• Fearsome Frog - The frogman
• Liquid Terror - The water guy
• Vine - The black guy in the hood with those whips

Episode 2

• Mr. Mystic - Stan Lee cameo with telepathy
• Swell - The pale skinny guy who was knock out by X-On in episode 1 who has the power of muscles

Episode 3

• Putrid - The fat torturer

[Dengar]

I guess the "B" in the opening stands for Big Wheel? Anyone have an inventory on the letters in the opening? I mean obviously X is for X-On, I is for I-Guy, and W is for Wraith? I suppose F is for Flaming Fury. What other letters are in that reel again?


Also, her password is WTHX-On? I know she's been stalking the guy for a while but damn, son. Get yourself a better password.

[Sidapa]

Originally Posted by Dengar

I guess the "B" in the opening stands for Big Wheel? Anyone have an inventory on the letters in the opening? I mean obviously X is for X-On, I is for I-Guy, and W is for Wraith? I suppose F is for Flaming Fury. What other letters are in that reel again?

"E" is Eleanor, "M" & "T" is Merchant and Trader who are Michael and V, "S" is for Steel Ruler.

[Dengar]

The first half of the episode was decent, with X-On calling out I-Guy on his theatrics and taking him down a peg. It appears that X-On's ability just works through touch. Similar to Peter Petrelli in the last few seasons of Heroes, I suppose. Only without the "one-at-a-time" rule.

The second half was incredibly awkward, though.

When did his team find time to make that recording? Why did they make the recording in the first place? Surely they didn't expect to get murdered?

Why did they get murdered in the first place?


The pacing in the show leaves something to be desired. I do like the road trip style narrative, but by this point it would have been better if there were more hints as to what this project is that Wraith is working on. Maybe a hint about what makes these Allens so special? Maybe a hint as to why X-On is chasing them to begin with? He doesn't really seem like the type to go through such effort without at least some amount of self interest.

[Kanon]

Things took a rather dark turn. Ian's team was murdered because Ian has outlived his usefulness in the eyes of Wraith and he/she knows he needed his team to even put on the suit and become I-guy. Why not just kill Ian then? Well, it seems like Wraith hates him and wants him to suffer. That's certainly the impression I got from the way he/she spoke to him.

His team having recorded a message and having just completed a new system that allows him to be a hero without them was more than convenient. Really bad writing there. I thought the directing made up for it a bit though.

[Chosen_Hero]

I think that they were already working on something new before this episode, remember that this wasn't the first time he got mad and complained about I-guy. Also, they could have easily recorded their voices in the time between when he stormed off and the moment they got killed when he was on the street singing.

The bad guys definitely don't need too much to kill a normal person let alone 4, Steel Ruler could have just been teleported by that shadow user and easily killed them within seconds after they finished the recording, which they clearly meant for him to find since none of them but Ian live there, they were probably planning for it to be a surprise for when he got home after they were gone. Hours could have easily passed in between the beginning and where the episode ends, but I will admit that it is convenient that they finished the new equipment in time before getting killed.

[Dengar]

The point is that the recording doesn't make any sense. Why would you make a recording when you can just tell him in person when he gets back from cooling off?

[Chosen_Hero]

Originally Posted by Dengar

The point is that the recording doesn't make any sense. Why would you make a recording when you can just tell him in person when he gets back from cooling off?

Like I said, they probably wanted to surprise him and let him do the first test run on his own without the need of the team. Besides, they DON'T live there, that is Ian's home and it was late at night, I am sure they have/had their own families to go back to.

[Dengar]

If they want to surprise him all the more reason to present it in person.


It doesn't matter how many plausible-sounding explanations you can come up with, it doesn't make the whole situation any more believable.

[Chosen_Hero]

And your denying any explanation doesn't make it any less probable, so what?

[Dengar]

What are you talking about? Who's denying anything? What does it matter whether it's probable or not?

[Chosen_Hero]

Then how about you explain why my explanation isn't believable instead of denying it could have been the intent instead of completely shooting down the explanation? Please tell me why does it matter that they have to be there for the surprise? The recording itself let's him know how much they care (ever heard of "it's the thought that counts"), he clearly wanted some time alone and they clearly know when to let him have it (in this episode they themselves bring up the matter of why does he even need a team to suit up or take it off instead of being able to do it himself), so why is is so unbelievable that is why the message exists?

Also, why act like convince is a new thing in the superhero genre? Did you question why Deku and Todoroki were conviniently on their way to the same city as Iida and Hero Killer Stain literally the very moment shit hits the fan? So why is it so unbelievable to believe that I-Guy's team finished a message that clearly wanted Ian to listen to right before getting murdered?

It is pretty easy to just ask questions and then shoot down possible answers than to try and properly explain why they don't make sense, right?

[Dengar]

You keep talking about intent. Intent isn't what matters (I get their intent). Plausibility isn't what matters (it's most certainly plausible). What matters is whether or not it's believable.

And yes, regarding your MHA example, I did in fact think that was fairly believable. The whole "Deku and Todoroki save Iida from Stain" premise won't work unless Deku and Todoroki are actually in a position to save him. It's called the anthropic principle, which is a mechanic that plays a very important part in things like willing suspension of disbelief. Which is why the MHA example is a good example of how to do contrived coincidences right, and why this episode is a good example of how to do it wrong.

[Chosen_Hero]

Originally Posted by Dengar

You keep talking about intent. Intent isn't what matters (I get their intent). Plausibility isn't what matters (it's most certainly plausible). What matters is whether or not it's believable.

And yes, regarding your MHA example, I did in fact think that was fairly believable. The whole "Deku and Todoroki save Iida from Stain" premise won't work unless Deku and Todoroki are actually in a position to save him. It's called the anthropic principle, which is a mechanic that plays a very important part in things like willing suspension of disbelief. Which is why the MHA example is a good example of how to do contrived coincidences right, and why this episode is a good example of how to do it wrong.

And again, how about you properly explain what's so unbelievable about them wanting to leave Ian a message that he can read in his alone time? Still waiting.

Spoiler for BnHA:

Oh please, it was pure plot convinience that the MC not only learns how to use his ability within hours (it would have been more beliveable if the fight had taken place in the last or next to last day of the internship, but no plot happens in literally the second day of the internship) but apparently needs to train in the exact same place that the plot is about to take place in, because apparently crime wasn't going to happen anywhere else near where he was staying.

Also, Endeavor just randomly decides to travel with Todoroki to teach him in the exact same place instead of fighting crime near the office? Seems to me like the writer was bending the world over backwards to get two of the strongest main characters in the same place to have them job the character that not even licensed superheroes can defeat. So believable, but some guys finishing and leaving a message for their friend before getting murdered? Nope, too illogical.

[Dengar]

I explained this in my previous post. I do not like repeating myself. It stops being my responsibility when you stop reading what I say. Nothing of what you said even addresses anything I said in my post.