86-Eighty Six episode 14 may arguably be one of the best episodes of the series so far. From a heartwarming reunion with an old friend to a brutal and unfortunate ending, everything compiled in this episode made it special in its own way.
There weren’t incredible scene transitions as usual. And while the symbolism and flashbacks were there in classic 86-Eighty Six fashion, it was rather minimal this time around. But episode 14 felt like it wanted to go beyond the little stuff so viewers can feel the impact of what was happening in the current moment, especially for a certain heartwarming reunion.
*WARNING: This article contains spoilers.
An Old Friend Returns
Moments in 86-Eighty Six that make the viewers genuinely happy are few and far between. This isn’t a series that is supposed to make you happy. It’s a sci-fi drama that portrays the dreadful realities of war and how the worst of human nature can be at the forefront of a story. But, like in episode 14, we’re given those little moments of happiness and we learn to treasure them just as the characters do.
At the beginning of the episode, the Spearhead Squadron is led to a memorial, in a sense, of their old juggernauts and a stone slab with all the names of their fallen comrades on it. With a sort of uncomfortable and disappointing feeling overcoming them, Frederica, like usual, uplifts their spirits and presents them with the return of an old friend — Fido.
The return didn’t feel out of place. In fact, it made plenty of sense as Frederica explained it. Now everyone’s favorite scavenger drone is finally back. Even Shin began to genuinely smile as if an old friend made their way back from the dead. But one thing that doesn’t hit you until you realize it is that this is the only friend the Spearhead Squadron will ever be able to bring back. So the fact their attention was focused on Fido rather than their old juggernauts and the stone memorial was really telling.
Fido and Shin Reunite
It was still the highlight to many despite being at the beginning of the episode. It’s not uncommon for the highlight of an 86-Eighty Six episode to be at the end. For those of us that remember, Fido left us an emotional video at the end of episode 10 that reminisced his memories with Shin and the rest of the Spearhead Squadron.
The reunion had a weird moment when Fido first revealed himself to the squad. Since he’s now a more updated model, everyone didn’t recognize the type of drone it was. Even Shin was skeptical at first, but then he quickly realized it was his old friend. The upbeat piano that starts playing in the background made the moment that much more impactful. The scene ends with Shin and Fido playing around like in the old days and it was a rare, heartwarming moment that made 86-Eighty Six fans everywhere happy—a truly captivating scene.
Next Week
Episode 14 of 86-Eighty Six had a lot of highlights that it’s hard to choose just one. But The Reaper is finally back. Fido is back. And the soldiers of Giad are finally starting to understand just how skilled the Spearhead Squadron members really are. Unfortunately, as one friend returns another is gone.
Episode 15 will air on Saturday, October 23, on Crunchyroll.
What did you think of the new episode? Let me know in the comments! Make sure to vote for 86-Eighty Six in our third weekly poll of Fall 2021.
Images via Crunchyroll
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