English Dub Review: Blue Exorcist “Destiny”

OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)

True Cross Academy is in total disarray after the Illuminati’s declaration of war, while the Cram School class is still coming to grips with Shima’s betrayal and out of their minds with worry about Izumo. Despite this, Rin gets everyone back to their senses about getting both of their classmates back. Meanwhile, Izumo awakens at an Illuminati facility, where it’s revealed that both her and her mother have been part of experiments to house demons that an Illuminati doctor is conducting. With her mother now useless as a subject, Izumo is next, but not before giving Shima a huge slap.

OUR TAKE

We now properly begin the titular arc of the season, the Shimane Illuminati arc, and there has most definitely been a major tone shift. No longer are we in the midst of minor exorcisms or preparations for the dance, as the True Cross Academy is now literally at war with the Illuminati. How that war will begin its first battle is still unclear, but we do learn a bit about what their after regarding Izumo. We hadn’t had much of a chance to get into her backstory like we had with a few of the others, but now we get more than ever; revealing that her goal in becoming an Exorcist was mainly to be able to house a demon as part of someone’s research. Not sure if it was always meant to be in service of the Illuminati, but it certainly is now. We also find out that she has a younger sister who may get used if Izumo doesn’t play ball, so there’s plenty more on the line than simply helping them finish some experiment. As for Shima, he says that he’s fine with betraying everyone, but we’re still early in this arc, so who knows if that’ll turn out to truly be the case.

As for everything going on with the True Cross, they’re naturally still pretty shaken that one of their friends turned out to be working with terrorists, as anyone would be, not to mention another friend being kidnapped. Most shaken is Ban, who knew Shima growing up and yet had no idea this was happening. He even says he’ll kill Shima and then himself, but Rin sees right through that. Even though he’s never been a traitor, he knows Ban’s anger comes from a place of being hurt, and so knows that even the worst things Ban could say right now are still a sign that he wants Shima home and safe. So, even though they very likely plan to hold Shima accountable for what he’s done and still may do, the group is not about to let him die before then. This story arc, wherever it ends up landing, will make up the vast majority of the season, with six episodes remaining, so we definitely have plenty more story coming. This episode is just the reassembling of pieces after the Jenga tower fell, but we’re already back to putting them back together by the end.