Quick Summary • Best Moment • Setup • Delivery • Other Posts
Fire Force Season 2 Ep 12 Review – Quick Summary
In Fire Force Season 2 Ep 12, “Shadows Cast by Divine Light,” Joker and Benimaru Shinmon pushed deeper into the Holy Sol temple. Benimaru noted with suspicion that Joker seemed to know an awful lot about the church, including some of its darker secrets — like what was under the main altar. Benimaru finally asked Joker about it, and Joker’s answer was as cryptic as usual. But as they pressed on, Joker had to confront his past, and it was dark indeed. How does Joker know so much? What happened to set him on the path he’s on now? The answers were surprisingly intertwined — and deadly.
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.
Favorite Quote from Fire Force Season 2 Ep 12
Remember the end of the previous episode? Some Holy Sol temple acolyte had fired something at Benimaru and dropped him like a stone. Before the assailant had even finished gloating to Joker, Benimaru stirred, his body steaming. The acolyte exclaimed that the dart had had enough poison to kill huge animals. That was right before Benimaru punched the assailant into oblivion.
When Joker asked why the poison didn’t work on him, Benimaru answered (01;20), “Hell if I know. What doesn’t affect me doesn’t affect me.”
Nonchalant badassery at its finest!
Best in Show Moment for Fire Force Season 2 Ep 12
I’ve never thought to do tongue weight training. Maybe that’s why I’m not a hero! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Setup: Joker Not as Ready As He Thought?
Before getting into my favorite moment, I’d like to praise the art and sound in this episode. It’s especially easy to see the creativity in the scene portraying a mind on psychedelic drugs, but even minor things like lighting and scene composition were just wonderful this week. I mean, take a look at the shot of Joker simply standing opposite the screen from the acolyte before entering the temple (00:41). It was suitable for framing!
Art played a role in my favorite moment, and Joker’s badassery was front and center. After telling Benimaru, “I’ll take the Commander. You can have the rest,” (14:13), Joker launched his attack against his one-time trainer. We had just gotten a glimpse of Joker’s back story, and we knew just how personal this fight was going to be.
That is to say, very personal.
Joker began the battle using his flaming cards. His enemy, the Commander of Holy Sol’s Shadows, used a sword that reminded me a lot of Renji Abarai’s sword (from Bleach).
The sword gave Joker some trouble early on. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
The Commander (who was unnamed; I just called him the Green Eyed MF in my notes, which makes sense given the flashbacks — I really hated the guy) seemed to slice through the card easily. His sword technique had Joker on his heels from the very start of the fight. For a moment I wondered if Joker had started a fight he couldn’t finish. Or survive.
Delivery: Oh, Never Mind! Joker’s Ready
Using a move named “Zigzag La Bamba Bomber,” Green Eyed MF slammed Joker to the ground. The impact seemed to daze him. He tried to get up, but his opponent stomped Joker’s face into the ground. All the while, the Green Eyed MF continued to berate his former student.
Trying to grind Joker’s face into the ground, he asked if Joker was ready to surrender.
His grunt of surprise was of the first signs that no, Joker wasn’t ready to surrender. Joker surprised his opponent not by some fancy flaming card trick, or special arts move. It was something much more simple. In fact, it was something I don’t recall seeing before.
Joker pushed himself up. Using only his tongue (17:31).
Think about that for a second. Sure, the human tongue is strong, but I’ve never seen it used in anything but verbal combat (at least in a family-friend review)! Joker used his tongue to push his face off the floor, despite Green Eyed MF pushing down with all his weight.
Don’t get me wrong. This punch was a great moment! But I choose the tongue push up based on its novelty! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Sure, the subsequent punch Joker landed was cool. His statement that “Game hell, you idiot. You know I didn’t come here to play” was also cool. And the psychedelic scenes that followed? An absolute blast to watch. But it was Joker escaping a takedown using his tongue that showed me something I hadn’t seen before. And I’ve seen a lot.
What did you think of the Beni-J’s battle before they even got into the Temple? What was your Best in Show moment? Let me know in the comments!
Fire Force Season 2 Episode 12: Other Posts
Other Anime Sites
- Reddit: Enen no Shouboutai: Ni no Shou – Episode 12 discussion
- DOUBLESAMA: FIRE FORCE SEASON 2 EPISODE 12
- I Drink and Watch Anime: Fire Force 2 Episode 12 – Beni-J
This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 1 Review: A Fire Soldier’s Fight
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 2 Review: Flames of Madness
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 3 Review: A New Flashpoint
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 4 Review: Groping through the Fire
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 5 Review: Corna (Sign of the Devil) / A Secret Plan
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 6 Review: The Time to Choose
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 7 Review: Road to the Oasis
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 8 Review: Smoldering Malevolence
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 9 Review: The Core
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 10 Review: The Woman in Black
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 11 Review: Dark Hero
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 12 Review: Shadows Cast by Divine Light
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 13 Review: A Pair of One-Eyes
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 14 Review: The Ashen Reaper
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 15 Review: A Three-Way Melee
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 16 Review: Mind Blown
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 17 Review: Boys, Be Weak
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 18 Review: The Holy Woman’s Anguish / The Man, Assault
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 19 Review: The Oze Family
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 20 Review: Weapon of Destruction
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 21 Review: Enemy Contact
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 22 Review: Plot for Extinction
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 23 Review: Firecat
- Fire Force Season 2 Episode 24: Signs of Upheaval
