Casshern Sins 09: Another Form of Ruin

Casshern meets a damaged little robot that tries to fix anything that happens to come within its vision.
EPISODE 09: The Flower that Bloomed in the Valley of Ruin
More Screencaps from Casshern Sins 09
In a flower-filled valley found at the bottom of an abyss, a lone robot is busy tending to a flower garden and the dead robots that litter the entire landscape. Meanwhile, not far away from this valley, Casshern and Friender find themselves at odds once more with bandit robots. In the ensuing fight, Casshern, along with the Bobs, fall presumably to their deaths into the abyss below.
A moment later, Casshern wakes up, relatively unscathed while the only other survivor of the fall suffers from a broken leg. The little robot discovers the Bob first and tries to give it a flower. But the Bob acts all hostile and bitter, going so far as to crush the flower to pieces. Much later, the little robot also finds Casshern and tries to treat the wound on his thigh. Casshern explains that he can heal himself without help from anybody but the little robot does not seem to understand.
After she finished bandaging Casshern's wound, the little robot next goes to the Bob. This time, she attempts to attach a spare arm to the Bob's damaged leg with the use of bandages. Again, Bob tries to get her away from him, angrily declaring that it's useless. In the course of the one-sided argument, Bob flings the little robot away, the movement causing the prettified puppet on a chair nearby to fall. At this, the little robot crawls towards the puppet, picks it up and props it back on the chair, saying over and over that it's going to be alright. Casshern watches all this from a distance and wonders aloud why the little robot does these things. At that moment, Oji, who apparently has been following Casshern with Ringo, explains that the little robot must have suffered nerve damage. Casshern quickly realizes that this is just another form of ruin that he is responsible for. While Casshern angsts about this new sin of his, Ringo and the little robot frolic in the meadow and even manage to befriend the Bob, who has by now consigned himself to being at their mercy.
The little robot appears enamored by the Bob and calls him a king, which makes Ringo wonder if the puppet is the queen. But the little robot thinks that the puppet is higher than a queen. At that moment, the pink-haired girl, who shall heretofore be called Lyuze, arrive. To her surprise, she recognizes Casshern's new friend as none other than Nico, the robot who took care of Luna. Nico, however, can't remember Lyuze and when pressed to tell her story, she only breaks into tears, prompting Ringo to distract her with flowers. Left to themselves, Lyuze correctly deduces that Nico must think the puppet is Luna. At the mention of Luna's name, Bob the King reveals the rumor about Luna still alive somewhere. Lyuze is unwilling to believe him and even Bob the King himself thinks it's just a myth. To him, it was better if he joined Dio's army.
Later, a new group of Bobs find themselves in the abyss and start causing havoc. When one of these Bobs approach "Luna," Nico uses her own body to shield her from harm. Then as Nico lies on the ground, unable to move, her new friend Bob the King, who is actually called Boulden, comes to her rescue. Unfortunately, Boulden is on the verge of ruin himself and is barely able to keep even himself standing. Good thing Casshern is there but even he can't do anything to save Nico from her demise. Nico dies in his arms after hearing his promise of bringing Luna back to her.

COMMENTS:

I had a lump in my throat watching this episode. I thought Boulden and Nico's relationship was rather touching and Nico's death was the perfect clincher.

Putting that aside, I really wonder why some of the robots have humanoid appearances while the Bobs look clunky by comparison. Casshern the live-action movie had these things called "neo-humans." I wonder if that's what the humanoid robots actually are. Lyuze, I believe, is one of them.

Am I supposed to assume that Oji, Ringo and Lyuze have been following Casshern all this time? They seem to crop up everywhere these days.

So Dio is building an army. I can't wait for his eventual show-down with Casshern. I wonder if Luna really is alive somewhere and if the end of Casshern's journey of penance means his finding her (and salvation/forgiveness).