This arc definitely needed an entire episode reviewing the last couple episodes.
Impressions:
It’s weird to have a theoretically fanservicey beach episode, but the only costume change for literally any of them is that a tertiary character shows up in a sun hat. We’re not even doing swimsuits? Just running around on the beach for a couple minutes before it’s off to the barbecue? Then the chaser for the wrapup and review is, you guessed it, more wrapup and review. We’ve been trapped in Aria’s awful backstory for longer than the entire cultist arc, and that involved twice as many people, not to mention attempted stabbings and brainwashing. And no goddamned obnoxious magical dolls. The pacing for the back half of this show has been horrific.
Plus, Aria’s denouemont is a fat load of nothing, and runs counter to Spica’s entire deal. Hey, don’t care what other people think. That’s loser talk. Do what you want. Just ignore that yelling about it and everyone’s expectations for me to be the greatest thing ever is my own driving force. Both are platitudes in their own way to start, but Aria was never a character burdened by great expectations to begin with. They popped up out of nowhere an episode or two in a flashback, and wouldn’t ya know it, but they’re gone again already. Nor is getting slammed down a peg something people ever react to with tearful epiphanies. Show some actual emotion. Frustration. Anger. Lead her to catharsis through emotion, not a weepy mea culpa.
Which of course means we’re ending on ANOTHER filler episode. Yay.
Next Episode:
Date episode.
