Platinum End episode 19 brings all the candidates together and ends on a thrilling note. The final God candidate reveals himself to the world and makes claims that shake the status quo to its core. Let’s talk about this week’s key talking points in a spoiler-filled discussion!
In the last episode, the God candidates were asked to explain what they would do should they become God. They each do so individually. Their little spiels shed some light on who these characters are at their core. Susumu is just a kid who wants to play games with people. Temari is rather lazy and lackadaisical and wants to surrender responsibility so long as she gets to keep her power. Nakaumi is as edgy as ever and wants to allow people to off themselves without hassle. And Saki isn’t sure what to do.
Yoneda watches these answers from afar and is disappointed. However, Mirai’s answer is what catches his attention. Mirai bafflingly declares that if he were to become God, he would do nothing. Huh? Nothing? What kind of an answer is that?
Apparently, it’s an answer that’s good enough for Yoneda, because it’s upon hearing this answer that he uses his wings and makes an appearance in front of all the candidates. It’s a moment that cements the personalities of these characters and provides an intriguing look at what appeals to Yoneda as a candidate.
In front of the world, Gaku Yoneda explains his theory on what gods are. He explains that while God exists, he doesn’t exist in the way humans believe he does. He posits the belief that God exists purely thanks to people believing in his existence. And thus, should people cease to believe in him, he would fade. He also reasons that this is why the candidate selection process has commenced, as it would lead to people once again believing in God and repeating the cycle.
Yoneda also presents his belief that if people do wrong, they should not seek God for forgiveness, but rather should try and fix things by themselves. This is why he was so drawn to the answer of Mirai. Mirai allowing humanity to continue undisturbed is something that is perhaps rather in line with what Yoneda believes. However, Yoneda then reveals that he knows of a method where none of the candidates have to become God in the end.
This throws confusion into the mix and leads to the candidates arguing among themselves. It brings them all at odds with one another, with Mirai trying to find some way to justify God’s existence, and Yoneda trying to explain to them his logic. It’s some pretty interesting stuff, tackling subject matter that is both relevant and delicate in the modern-day. However, everything that’s brought up here is mere surface-level stuff, and if the show really wants to say something on this matter through its text, it will have to do so to a more concrete degree later on in the show.
Platinum End episode 19 ends on a dramatic note. Susumu notices snipers with their guns trained on the candidates. While asking what he should do, a gunshot rings loudly, and it appears as though Susumu has been shot.
It has to be said, this moment is kinda questionable, given how just a few minutes earlier, Yoneda was talking about how the angel wings let them move faster than light. So no way he should have been hit with a bullet, right? Oh well, either way, Susumu’s fate will be up in the air until next week’s episode. By then, we’ll also get to see how the rest of the candidates deal with this surprise attack.
Platinum End is streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation. Episode 20 will air on February 25th, 2022.
© Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata/Shueisha, Platinum End Production Committee