灼眼のシャナⅢ（Final）
Shakugan no Shana III (Final) – 15

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

At an airstrip, a group of dejected Flame Haze wait while in the cockpit of a 4-engine prop plane, the Flame Haze partners Sāle and Chiara with their respective Crimson Lords discuss the situation before receiving a radio transmission they’d apparently been waiting on.  Meanwhile, Sophie stops the group of retreating Flame Haze she’s with that with most of the Flame Haze scattered, their group will do what they can to not only stop the Tomogara armies, but get the Flame Haze to safety.  However, this must be done in such a way that their hidden, mobile facility, Tendoukyuu, is not revealed.  It is a difficult tasks, but Centerhill has a suggestion.

At the same time, Haborym uses his abilities to try to track the Flame Haze when a rain begins to fall.  Further, a large tower with a massive flame on top emerges well above the treeline, giving the Flame Haze something to retreat to, and Centerhill is out encouraging this.  The rain stops Haborym’s Unrestricted Spell, but he feels the tower is a decoy, designed to lure the Tomogara armies there.  As such, he orders word be passed to the units to not advance and to the ones who’ve taken off in pursuit of Flame Haze to stop.  However, some of the advanced Tomogara forces encounter Centerhill, who puts an end to them, transforming their bodies into a small, wooded area.

Wilhelmina and Shana arrive to attack Haborym’s forces, leading Sydonay to emerge to handle them. As the three of them engage in combat, other advanced forces attack the tower, the top manned by Samuel, who knows that the tower is not a decoy like  Haborym and Sydonay suspect, but a real retreat point. The Tomogara attack the tower, but are unable to affect it, aided by Rebeca and Nbh’w, who provide the return fire against the Tomogara.  Centerhill reports to Samuel about the success of the plan thus far, having rescued all of the Flame Haze in the area, and having taken out quite a few Tomogara in the process.  However, Centerhill notes that the job is only half-completed and takes off again.

Meanwhile, as Sydonay battles Shana and Wilhelmina, Shana manages to send a ranged attack that cuts Sydonay in half, though it does not stop him and he’s quickly whole again.  He’s pleased with this increased level of intensity, even going so far as to transform into his tiger-bird form.  However, he notices that Wilhelmina and Shana are keeping a certain position and fighting style, which he finds odd. They continue to battle, while at the tower, the Tomogara forces finally begin to cause damage to the tower. Encouraged by their results, their commander orders a charge, as the tower begins to crumble, leading Rebeca and Nbh’w to carefully fall to a tunnel below, were Rebeca makes a surprise for the Tomogara forces.

Haborym praises Samuel since they were unable to resist his bait, while Sydonay realizes that Wilhelmina and Shana’s role as bait is coming to an end. However, he loathes the idea of letting Tendoukyuu get away when he knows it has to be near.  Sydonay flies right into Centerhill’s waiting fist, one of the fabled “Four Gods of the Motherland.”  Sydonay finds Centerhill’s involvement an interesting turn of events, but Shana recalls the reason Centerhill’s powerful group agreed to join the war, having been informed of the truth by their master years ago.  Thus, they have decided to step in and put a stop the the Serpent of the Festival’s plans to create a new world, and the catastrophe it would bring.

As the fight continues, Sydonay suddenly realizes that the three Flame Haze odd attack methodology must mean they are protecting Tendoukyuu.  So, he transforms again, into a Hydra form, with one of his heads getting free.  Sydonay’s humanoid form emerges from that body and using his Hougu halberd, he launches an attack to make Tendouyuu become visible and thus be destroyed. However, it is a trap laid by Margery Daw, who quickly snares and seals Sydonay. She’s joined by Shana, Wilhelmina, and Centerhill, and after greetings are exchanged, Centerhill reminds them that he will stay behind to guard their retreat to safety.

Sydonay breaks Margery’s spell much faster than anticipated and is ready to take on all four Flame Haze. However, Sāle and Chiara fly in, rescuing Wilhelmina, Shana, and Margery. Centerhill, despite losing an arm, informs Sydonay that while he will die at Sydonay’s hands, Sydonay will not be able to follow the Flame Haze, nor locate Tendoukyuu.  As Centerhill sacrifices himself, Samuel says goodbye to his Crimson Lord, Zirnitra, who bids Samuel farewell before taking off. Samuel dies and the overrun tower collapses, but not before Samuel sees that the plan was a success.  At the buried and hidden Tendoukyuu, the Flame Haze get their wounds treated while Shana reaffirms her resolve to fight, remembering Centerhill’s message to be delivered to his other three companions in America.

Thoughts/Review:

Egad!  I normally try not to write such extensive summaries, but so much happened, I got carried away trying to write it. ^_^;

I mentioned this last episode.

Still, once the slaughter began, I thought that we might see Samuel, Rebeca, or even Centerhill bite the bullet for the team.  It didn’t happened, but I’m still not convinced that these three don’t have death flags set.

Well, two of the three death flags went off, and in the way I expected by sacrificing themselves for the Flame Haze.  We may not have seen Centerhill’s fight with Sydonay, but it wasn’t required as the consequences were what mattered — Centerhill succeeded. I wonder if Centerhill’s companions join the fight now, assuming Shana gets word to them.

Samuel’s death was actually touching. I liked how he and Zirnitra said their farewells before Zirnitra departed and Samuel died. I also liked that the Tomogara could not desecrate his body with the collapse of the tower.

As to Rebeca, the death flag seems to have been lifted from her for now, since the Flame Haze successfully retreated to Tendoukyuu.  She may still bite the bullet down the road though, since there are a number of episodes remaining.

Still, while Samuel and Centerhill may be gone, we appear to have two more Flame Haze who may fill that void —  Sāle and Chiara. We’ve seen them in cameos this series, but not this extensive. We’ll see if they get a bigger role.

Margery Daw finally returns to the fray with her awesome entrapment of Sydonay. Of course, Sydonay is too much of a “bad arse” to be held by even someone as strong as Margery.  I’m looking forward to seeing Margery back in action.

Speaking of Sydonay, his entrance into the fight was somewhat overdue and I also remarked on that last episode. Hecate and Bel Peol still have not gotten active, but it may be that Yuuji-Serpent didn’t feel it necessary to have them fight.

Well, the Flame Haze would appear to have hit bottom here, but I suspect that while there may be some other, minor setbacks or deaths, this marks the start of the return of the Flame Haze to ultimately stop Yuuji-Serpent.  I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.