Megalo Box 2 Episode 11 - Role Reversal

We’re closing in towards the end of Megalo Box 2 as episode 11 airs, and the stakes are starting to get higher than ever. Previously, Joe collapsed after his fight against Sachio, which caused him to go into the hospital. Thankfully, it seems like Joe can make a full recovery, and he’s ready to fight Mac in the boxing ring. However, Mac is facing his problems before the match, which is profoundly affecting his family life.

Megalo Box 2 Joe’s Reconciliation

After his long journey on the road, Joe can finally reunite with his family and can stay on good terms. Following his recovery from the hospital, they insist that Joe tells them everything that has happened to him. Additionally, Joe can tell them about the events earlier in the series and his relationship with Chief.

Although Joe can fight again, he wants to do boxing on his terms. Joe decides to wear the hummingbird gear from his late friend Chief to fight with him in the ring. Alongside this, Joe finally gets a break as his relationship with his family has improved significantly. All of them supporting Joe to the fullest in his upcoming fight.

Mac’s Family Life Strained

Unfortunately, Mac’s relationship with his family is strained due to the side effects of the BES system. Megalo Box 2 episode 11 reveals that Mac’s life was experimented on because his wife chose for their child to live due to getting a transplant from a donor. The worst part about these side-effects is that it strains his relationship with his son, who is afraid of him.

Mac confronts the head of ROSCO and angrily talks to him regarding the side effects. Mac angrily yells and calls him out for disregarding human lives, while the latter states that this is for the greater good. All of these revelations cause Mac to have a crisis on his own beliefs, and he wanders at the end of the episode, a reversal to Joe’s development in the show.

Role Reversal

I believe that Megalo Box 2 is reversing the character arcs of Joe and Mac on purpose. Joe’s journey throughout the anime is his redemption from a wandering nomad to returning to his family once more. Mac’s, however, is about how the character is slowly losing everything because of his second chance in life.

Additionally, Joe’s usage of the hummingbird gear possibly shows that he will be the guiding light to Mac’s current journey. Joe will help Mac in the same way that Chief has helped him at the beginning of the show, healing them completely.

Screenshots via official Twitter
Megalobox 2 Official Twitter
© Asao Takamori, Tetsuya Chiba/Kodansha/MEGALOBOX2 project. All Rights Reserved.