Casshern Sins 21: Meaningless, Hopelessness

Casshern confronts Luna about the "eternal life" she supposedly bestows and learns the truth about eternity, leading him to make the ultimate sacrifice....
EPISODE 21: Paradise of Despair
More Screencaps from Casshern Sins 21
Casshern, with Lyuze, Ringo and Friender, confronts Luna about her so-called healing. Luna says that a drop of her blood brings eternal life to people and adds that she hates death. She wants Casshern to replace Dune and take care of the flowers for her. But Casshern, who is disgusted by her unfeeling disregard for her bodyguard's death, decides to leave all together. Lyuze and Ringo likewise share his view and do not even bother to benefit from Luna's healing.
Meanwhile, Leda and Dio finally arrive in the outskirts of Luna's castle with their army of Bobs. At that moment, Lyuze and Casshern are standing over Dune's grave when Ringo suddenly collapses. Casshern picks her up. The four of them are setting out away from Luna's castle when Lyuze notices a piece of colored stone on the ground. A child robot then arrives and takes the stone from her. They follow the child to a small settlement filled with circus people who all seem to be eternally, hysterically happy.
Some of these circus people continuously do self-destructive things, laughing while they do it. Their acts are repetitive and always destructive. This group's leader tells Casshern and company to go to Luna and get themselves healed, adding that only after they are healed can they return to the settlement.
Later, Lyuze expresses her frustration at these people's actions. Casshern decides at that moment that they would bring Ringo to Luna the next day. Lyuze is disappointed by this and when Casshern reminds her of her own ruining body, she turns on him, wounding his cheek. Casshern, however, does not fight back and instead allows her to fall into his arms as she angsts about her fate.
The next day, they are heading back to Luna's castle when Oji suddenly arrives. Ringo tells him that they have seen Luna but that they have not asked for her healing yet. After hearing this, Oji is relieved. He then tells them about how Luna is not really healing people but distorting lives by giving them the hopelessness of eternal life. According to his research, the humans of a long time ago discovered a way to prolong their lives, but this ended when Braiking Boss rose into power and began exterminating the humans. Luna, at that time, healed the surviving humans and gave them eternal life. In time, robots likewise turned to Luna and because of this Braiking Boss sent an assassin to kill her. However, currently this "new" Luna is not only healing people but doing something totally different and unnatural, which leads Oji to stop Ringo from going to her.
At that moment, a small group of robots pass by them and Oji sees for himself the effect of Luna's healing on ruin. Lured by this sight, Oji suddenly makes a turn around and decides to bring Ringo to Luna himself. Casshern, Lyuze and even Ringo try to oppose him for they all sense the unnaturalness of Luna's healing. But Oji is blinded by the hope of stopping ruin. He says that anything is better than death and adds that Lyuze should go with him, too.
Meanwhile, Leda and Dio's army arrives within sight of Luna's castle. While scouting the place, they spot Casshern making his way towards them. The army immediately goes into action and Casshern's eyes glow green. But instead of fighting them, he offers himself up to them, and all the while his last conversation with Oji plays in the background.

COMMENTS:

And Casshern makes the ultimate sacrifice.

Uh, I hope he doesn't die. Not likely he died. We're still three episodes shy of the grand finale. And I want Lyuze to have a happy ending, preferably with him.

This is really turning out to be one thought-provoking, absorbing show. I'm going to stop speculating and just sit back and enjoy everything as it unfolds. It's that good.