Darling in the Franxx / First Impressions

「大好きなあなたのために」 (Daisukina Anata no Tame ni)
“For You, My Love”

Boy it’s all coming out now isn’t it? After throwing the lid off of Pandora’s Box of Trigger world ending alien invasions and last shot humanity survival attempts, Franxx decided to floor it by giving us answers for our new mysterious alien nemesis and some parasite quirks long left lacking a good explanation. Talking, info dumps, vague promises of bigger (well, worse) things to come? Darling please, we all know what’s front and centre in the final weeks to come.

After fully indulging in the usual alien invasion hijinks before, you have to hand it to Trigger (and A1) for knowing how to keep their running theme fresh. A psychic hive mind intent on assimilating filthy xenos naïve and ignorant lifeforms into a greater plane of existence in true Borg fashion is about as unique an enemy as you get for these stories, and that’s before we go full into the Warhammer 40k Chaos similarities. The Virm’s special identity has the added benefit of answering both their infiltration via APE and heavy focus on the Star Entity: these psychic crazies probably wanted to assimilate humanity from the start and decided to prepare for it while simultaneously eliminating a serious threat to other mortals chained to a life of sorrows (read: assimilation targets). There’s a reason killing two birds with one stone is always the recommended strategy.

Particularly intriguing for me, however, is the klaxo sapiens’ own origins. As if a psychic gestalt consciousness wasn’t fun enough, we also have an advanced prehistory Earth reptilian civilization which in its decayed and eradicated ruins just so happened to turn into the primary fuel source for modern humanity. Extinction level asteroid impact wiping out the dinosaurs and leaving behind petrochemicals? Well, in a way. Did I also mention how incredibly ironic this scenario gets when you realize some researchers are actually considering such a possibility? Oh yeah we’re going places no ordinary alien invasion story has gone before. What this final reveal does though is raise the question how Franxx intends on wrapping this story up. With the klaxo sapiens being unable to fight off the Virm even after collectively sacrificing body and soul to the purpose, there’s no apparent means for one princess and a rag-tag group of parasites (and Zero Two clones) to suddenly do the same. The Star Entity is supposedly enough for the task, but can it beat off the Virm for good, or just merely hold them back? Our Chaos friends made off with another superweapon (in all likelihood) in the klaxosaur composed Hringhorni after all, it’s not unlikely it or something else will be the Virm’s solution for this situation.

The answer for Hiro and friends of course probably comes down to whatever happened to Zero Two and the klaxosaur princess. Death is obviously going to be at the forefront of every mind with that ending, but it’s not impossible darling’s favourite dino has simply merged with her blue parent and become one with the machine. Or in other words, done what every other non-princess klaxo has seemingly done before. The answer to this will determine whether Franxx goes out with a bang or a whimper (or sets up some surprise sequel announcement), because Star Entity and finding strength in unison has more or less become the means for everyone left standing to win this fight; if Zero Two is actually dead, it’s hard seeing a good way out of this mess once the Virm come knocking again given some of Squad 13 are rapidly reaching the end of the line. One way or another Hiro’s uniqueness (which is looking increasingly like him being the last male klaxo sapien) just became very important, and with it the future of man and dino both.

The final fight is upon us boys and girls, and for the sake of a happy ending which may or may not include some happy family formation and marriage ceremonies, you better hope the original darling is ready to rise to the occasion.

48 Comments

  2. Everyone survives and Zero Two has used up all her Klaxour blood but survives. We learn that Humans are just a subspecies of the klaxoursapiens that gave up their powers to retain the ability to reproduce.

    weasl
    Reply

    1. *it will take hundreds of years for 02 to regain her consciousness from the shock, thankfully her and Hiro’s bodies are undying and unaging
      *Hiro becomes the ruler of the planet and leads it to prosperity
      *they reunite and after hours upon hours of joyful tears Hiro will take her to show her the planet he managed to restore
      *at some point it starts raining which makes 02 excited, with Hiro smiling and telling her that he finally made it rain

      Mad_Scientist
      Reply

  4. Did I also mention how incredibly ironic this scenario gets when you realize some researchers are actually considering such a possibility?

    There’s a real Dr. Frank behind all this???

    Angelus
    Reply

  5. The reveal of a third party turn the tides of the whole situation.
    Just for the short endgame.

    The “saviour” forcing their blend of salvalation on the playing field.
    Oh…join the hive mind.

    …so the Klaxo would have died out if left alone?
    K-Princess has been alone before humans came.
    VIRM came for the human minds?

    I imagine Hiro riding with K-Princess and Zero Two together in the final form of Strelizia.

    Squad 13, autonomous mode.

    Came on, Hiro show them the human potential!
    Cue Unicorn music 😛

    Entering a documentary segment?
    Yeah!
    Ok, so the VIRM came after the Klaxo inhabited Earth.
    No prior bout causing Klaxo to flee to Earth then.
    Protoculture!

    Klaxo vs VIRM then Humans vs Klaxo, its like a repeat cycle.

    Huaman and Klaxo join forces to kill VIRM!
    Dr Franxx return sane from the euphoria of being beaten.

    A lot of hort-blooded shounen talk solves anything?

    Oh…so the Pastel Mops are just clones of Zero Two.
    And they are all high and mighty, must be they didn’t know.
    Would like to see their faces when they know.
    Pure animosity to their original?

    And we see the Nines.
    Behaving as they are the highest in this battlefield.
    I suppose they are.
    At least they care for each other.

    Ok, love conquers all?
    Love, love VIRM killing finger!

    And the whole gang comes in 🙂

    Kanousei! (keyword that triggers Unicorn music!)

    Its like a game where your hair color denotes your HP, lol.
    So the gang sets up barricade, hope they live.
    Would be nice to see their descendents in a future modern Shibuya crossroad.

    Hmm, or they can overwrite the VIRM hive mind?

    The Klaxo had millions of years to evolve to the battle orientated form they have now.
    Hiro wanted to compare 😛

    Hiro starts the hot-blooded shounen talk.

    H-Horni goes purple, VIRMed?

    Dr Franxx DNA arm!
    That snake, wonder who is it?
    K-Princess’ father?

    Dr Franxx knew the bad he did, felt guilty.
    Guilt plays on whims.

    Now I feel sad for the snake T^T

    KISS HIM!

    Damn, feels like Zero Two won’t make it.

    …now it feels like Zero Two and Hiro will become inhumans and leave for deep space or something.

    The epic!

    …Zero Two…

    3 more episodes.
    Both sides reorganize for the final bout.
    Dr Franxx is dead?
    Can Hachi stand in?

    iron2000
    Reply

    1. Poor Dr. FraXX. Hiro’s toughness/chadness/kindness/collness and his speech touched 001’s heart and broke her ice, until the point that she fell in love with him and had multiple orgasms that made their blue parts shine, and in the end She sacrificed herself giving her life force to Hiro so that he must rise again from the dead.In short, Hiro got everything that Dr. FranXX always dreamed and wanted for him.

      Kinai
      Reply

      1. Poor Dr. FraXX. Hiro’s toughness/chadness/kindness/collness and his speech touched 001′s heart and broke her ice, until the point that she fell in love with him and had multiple orgasms that made their blue parts shine, and in the end She sacrificed herself giving her life force to Hiro so that he must rise again from the dead.In short, Hiro got everything that Dr. FranXX always dreamed and wanted for him.

        Curios. I don’t remember to have written that. Or I have problems with my memory, or somebody is using my nick. Uh! ^^U

        Kinai
        Reply

      2. lol, I don’t think Hiro had time to notice Dr Franxx down there and aim the debris 😛

        Wonder what Hachi will do?
        Finally freak out and go to let out Nana for help?
        Nana goes Misato and whip the remnants to a viable force.

        iron2000
        Reply

  8. Now the OP makes more sense

    – Zero Two trown into Water, into an Ocean. Perhaps the last Picture suggest us, her mind is going the same way now like in the OP. An Tsunami took her away, perhaps when she calmed down from the firing, many voices of the ancient began to talk inside her and such and that are the Tsunami i am talking about

    – Do you remember how Ichigo found his Hollow powers in the anime? Imagine here something similar. She need to find the Hiro drop in this big Ocean now

    – Let’s see. As long her Body (shell) is intact there is hope (Expel from Paradise do not work here, they do not have the “grown a body for the soul” technique)

    – Seems like not all living Humans turn into “light” and gone to space… perhaps there is still hope for some side characters.. like Nana and even the old Lady

    – Humans that wanted to be like Gods, turned out that they where tricked..

    Worldwidedepp
    Reply

  10. There is one thing that is bugging me about this episode.

    If VIRM can force the ‘soul’ of the humans out of their bodies without their approval, as it seemed with the humans of APE. Why didnt they do the same with the klaxo sapiens and the pilots of Franxx? It would have finished everything if without any need of fighting.

    Kinai
    Reply

    2. Might come down to the telepathic powers the klaxos have. If the princess is any indication all klaxo sapiens were psychic to some degree so I’d imagine it made the Virm’s assimilation strategy difficult.

      Pancakes
      Reply

  11. just finished watching da ep. what can i say but wow what an anime its too dam amazing. i wana knw wat happenz next but at da same time it well worth waiting for da new episode. dare i say will Darling in the FranXX reach legendary status like Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagan, only da next episodes will tell

    Drake50s
    Reply

    1. Hmm.. i see it like this:

      – Zero Two is 50%-80% Klaxosapien
      – Hiro is 25-40% Klaxosapien

      But right now, Zero Two’s mind is somehow out of her body… or she burned all of her Klaxo blood and she become Human.. we saw her horns fall apart

      Worldwidedepp
      Reply

      2. We learn that Humans are just a subspecies of the klaxoursapiens that gave up their powers to retain the ability to reproduce. Hiro has evolved from a human into a klaxoursapien, he follows the process of natural evolution, that’s why he’s a pure klaxoursapien and has the same color as the princess and all the other Klaxxosaurs, while 02 is an artificial hybrid and an attempt to clone the princess, that’s why she is red and the princess called her a ”Fake”.

        Mimey
        Reply

  14. So let me get this straight:

    -Apus was rigged to overload 001’s stampede.

    -but because Hiro is a klaxosapien capable of linking with her and an unknown factor for VIRM he ended up interfering in the process and slowing it down.

    -VIRM also had traps in case 02 will try to fool them.

    -Hime got to know Hiro better which rekindled her hope, when 02 managed to reach both of them Hime sacrificed all her life power to heal Hiro hoping that he will take over controls.

    -he managed and VIRM says that that no programs installed on Apus are responding which means it’s Hiro who is controlling this shit right now.

    -02 is seen in comatose condition which most likely means one of VIRM’s traps got her and removed her consciousness from the body the same way they did with APE.

    omar235
    Reply

  15. I wonder how this series can do its two main characters so well and so badly. Hiro is extremely useful and intelligent, he manages to think and act simultaneously even under intense pressure and situations of life and death. In this episode he sees all all of Hime’s pain and decides to connect with her by interfering and slowing it down the detonation, he also cuts his own hands off on Hime’s tentacles to stay awake. Hiro has also done a wonderful speech, which led to princess to know him better and rekindles her hope, by taking her to sacrifice all her life power to heal him. 02 is a nice girl with a one track mind, but, unfortunately, she’s utterly useless and manages to do absolutely nothing without Hiro.

    mira-pyon
    Reply

    1. You could call it the usual self-insert strategy with Zero Two acting as a damsel in distress (at times), but it’s probably down to the writers trying to stick with the fairy tale motif that’s playing out almost page for page. In effect Zero Two has to suffer for wanting to be human, and for that to occur she has to struggle to defy her fate.

      Pancakes
      Reply

  18. Add: kinda wish they did not go that route – at this point it looks like a cargo cult version of Childhood’s End. Has all the superficial similarities but nothing of what made the original a disturbing Sci-Fi classic.

    durask
    Reply

  19. These last few episodes have really made me examine things. Having nothing but nonstop lore and info dumps every episode to justify and set up a conflict that comes out of literal left field hasn’t helped this show at all. The VIRM are not compelling as an antagonist because they just weren’t a part of the story until last week. Papa and his creepy cabal made more sense as a totalitarian regime that was forcing humanity down the path of stagnation.

    We had this entire Brave New World thing going on with humanity living in seclusion and forcing themselves to be happy through brain prodding and the idea that what will really help the world is the youth of the world regaining their desire to bone. Now all that time wasted on kokoro and her desire to be impregnated is potentially going to be for nothing, or just a dumb epilogue speech.

    Dr. FranXX makes no sense anymore and now that he’s dead he was a waste of a character. Why wasn’t he 100% down with VIRM since they wanted to accomplish his goal of uplifting humanity to higher levels? Why was he more invested in Klaxo sapiens over the VIRM and why didn’t that create a moment of crisis for him when he realizes aliens are here? Was he genuinely sad for what he did to 002 or was he an amoral and athiest scientist with no morals or scruples. Did he ever really change?

    Why didn’t he design his arm to detach so he could avoid bleeding out and crippling himself in pain so he wouldn’t get flattened by a rock?

    Why were the 9s non-characters to the point that I don’t care when one of them gets an Asuka and torn to shreds?

    I don’t hate this show, but I’m left with more questions about what the point of some of this series was supposed to be doing because we have a month of this left and it feels like the writers either didn’t have enough episodes to tell the story they wanted too, or they never had a strong outline and were winging it. How does one studio squander a premise like this so badly?

    AndyArm
    Reply

    1. The series itself is nothing extraordinary, like you said it has a lot of holes, but what intrigues me is how everything is setup to stir the audience. Nowadays I only praises for it because how it was developed in the 2 last episodes by the same people who said horrible and mean things about it before.

      cvb
      Reply

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