Platinum End episode 14 features one of the most thrilling moments of the show thus far. I’ve ragged on the show quite a bit in the past few weeks, but I am so happy to report that this latest Platinum End episode offers quite a bit in terms of entertainment. It features an exciting sequence that caps off one of the show’s biggest conflicts and progresses the plot significantly. Let’s talk about what went down in a spoiler-filled discussion!
Platinum End episode 14 sees the end of the show’s main antagonist. Metropoliman, who had always seemed to have the upper hand in the show’s conflict, gets outplayed by Mirai and finds himself at the mercy of the other God candidates. With his hands bound and his vision blocked, he can do nothing as Mukaido lines up a machine gun in front of him.
What makes this sequence so gripping is seeing how Metropoliman acts once he realizes he’s at death’s door. The man who typically acts in a condescending and arrogant manner is reduced to a pathetic groveling state. He begs Mirai and Saki to let him go, appealing to their humanity and love for life in what is an ironic sequence. The two, however, choose to ignore his pleas.
A weak and wounded Mukaido then finds the strength in himself to pull the trigger. What results is what will surely be one of the most memorable moments from Platinum End. With his angel wings out, Kanade, the boy in the Metropoliman suit, sees the bullets hurtle toward him in slow motion. One can only guess that he feels the bullets pierce his body in slow motion as well. Hearing his bloodcurdling cries as this occurs, this might not be too much of a stretch.
The rain of gunfire finally tears through him in real-time, carving up Kanade and bringing him to his end. It’s honestly a pretty epic way to go out. It also feels quite satisfying seeing Metropoliman meet his demise in this manner, especially given how evil he has been throughout the show. That’s what good comeuppance looks like.
Platinum End episode 14’s deaths don’t end with Metropoliman though. Unfortunately, Mukaido also meets his maker in this episode. Maybe it was cancer, or maybe it was the result of the battle or some combination of both; either way, Mukaido ends the episode in critical condition and is rushed to the hospital by Mirai and Saki.
It’s quite sad to see Mukaido go this way. Having used up all his strength to finish off Metropoliman, he can’t even manage to look at his wife before his angel picks up his soul. As a final gesture, Mukaido’s wife tearfully takes his last cigarette from him and places it gently into his mouth. It’s a firm reminder of the man Mukaido was; one who didn’t fear death, but was willing to accept it, even down to his final breath.
Mukaido was perhaps the best character Platinum End had so far. He was the most compelling, and he was easily the best-written one. So it’s incredibly sad to see him go here. It’s a satisfying death nonetheless, and his heroics mark one of the show’s biggest moments yet. Goodbye, Mukaido. At least you won’t have to deal with Mirai anymore.
This episode, while offering a satisfactory ending, offers up some interesting questions moving forward. For one, it’s revealed that Metropoliman had a red arrow inside of him this whole time. This means that he hasn’t always been the mastermind behind all the goings-on in Platinum End. Might this have something to do with the mysterious child that appears at the end of the episode? It almost certainly does, but perhaps there’s more to him than meets the eye.
Either way, it’s an interesting direction to move forward. The road ahead seems like a strange one without Metropoliman, but going in a new direction promises bounds of potential for the show moving forward.
Platinum End is streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation. Episode 15 will air on January 21st, 2022.
© Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata/Shueisha, Platinum End Production Committee