灼眼のシャナⅢ（Final）Episode 23
Shakugan no Shana III (Final) – 23

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Despite his apparent setback, Yuuji-Serpent smirks, leading the Flame Haze to understand that despite their rule for the consumption of humans to be outlawed in Xanadu, he has something else up his sleeve.  He explains that everything they’d seen to date was a ruse, and that using the power of the Reiji Maigo, combined with the wishes of the Tomogara, he’d create Xanadu as planned, without their rule, as soon as midnight hits, thanks to Bel Peol’s plan. As midnight strikes, Yuuji-Serpent begin the creation process, but at the same time, Rofocale has summoned the Crimson god, Shaher, who makes a proclamation that no one can ignore regarding the creation of Pheles and Johann.

Once Shaher has completed her announcement, Yuuji-Serpent decide to proceed with their plan to create Xanadu.  However, as the Tomogara make their wish, the proclamation of a human and Crimson Lord apparently procreating (or at the very least, creating something new), causes them to be sad and insert into their wish that they not be allowed to consume humans. Bal Peol is stunned by this, but since they were sad, Yuuji-Serpent allowed it to proceed.  Bel Peol and Sydonay appear with Yuuji-Serpent, where Bel Peol summons Ribesal and Pirsoyn.  Yuuji-Serpent sends them to lead the way into Xanadu, where upon seeing them go, the Tomogara follow.

Yuuji-Serpent then praises the surviving generals of Bal Masqué and sends them on their way to Xanadu.  With that, Bel Peol extracts the Serpent persona from Yuuji and praises him for not requesting their help for the battle he’s about to fight with Shana. Sydonay is impressed with Yuuji’s determination and volunteers to fight along side Yuuji.  Serpent makes one final proclamation, praising the Flame Haze for what they’ve done.  Serpent then tells Yuuji that he supports Yuuji’s cause, even if no one else does.  With that, Serpent is taken to Xanadu by Bel Peol and Seireiden disintegrates.

The Hyakki Yakou drop Kazumi off and decide to head for Xanadu themselves. Kazumi joins Shana, Wilhelmina, Margery Daw, Westshore, East Edge, and Southvalley as they stand over the dying body of Nbh’w.  Kazumi doesn’t want him to die, but he is glad to see her once more. He thanks Wilhelmina for her quick thinking to encase everyone in her ribbons, so that Nbh’w could throw them to safety before the robot-warriors imploded. Behemoth asks for Kazumi to remember, which she agrees to.  His final words reflect on the fact that in a world without conflict, he may now be able to sit down with the monster, something he couldn’t do when he became a Flame Haze.

Thoughts/Review:

Yeah, OK.  This is what happens when anime adaptations of long-running light novel series cause the anime writers to cut and change things — confusion and “what the…!?”  More on that in my final thoughts post.

So, the Serpent has a scheme within a scheme within a scheme to make sure that his world is created, and yet still creates a world where Tomogara can’t eat humans because suddenly, the Tomogara have a change of heart.  Eh???  How’d that happen?

As I see it, the beating they took from the surviving Gods of Earth may have played a role in that.  Shaher’s announcement (and apparently, she’s even more powerful than the Serpent since even he couldn’t ignore her proclamation) of what Engaged Link (Pheles and Johann) created showed that Tomogara and humans can co-exist.

I still don’t know what the smeg Pheles and Johann created.  I thought it was another Hougu, but now I’m not so sure.

So, Yuuji’s free of the Serpent and is now going to fight Shana and the others, with Sydonay at his side.  I do like that Sydonay is doing this, even though the purpose of Yuuji fighting Shana is more of a mystery to me, unless he’s looking to commit suicide by fighting her.

Bal Masqué is no more (for now at least), and Hecate is now apparently dead, sacrificed in the creation of Xanadu.  However, as has been stated, she can return at some point.

Speaking of dying, Nbh’w holds onto life long enough to allow his fellow Flame Haze to see him off.  I’m glad Kazumi got to say goodbye.

I found this episode to be…disappointing somehow.  However, nothing to do but move onto the final episode.