Psycho-Pass - 20

"Where Justice Lies"

Without further ado, this is the week Akane finally steps up and inherits the mantle of bad-assery from Kougami.

This has been the most Akane-centric episode in a long while, and I'm honestly surprised at some of the changes in her character. There aren't many, to be sure, but this series has remained static in terms of character development for so long that the differences are all that more striking and even jarring, in some ways. There was no question that Akane would become a real force to be reckoned with by the end of the series (the fact that the manga version is titled "Inspector Tsunemori Akane" says about as much) but some of her decisions seem a tad out of character, or, at least, reflect on the desperation of the situation at large. Contrary to my earlier premonitions, Sibyl doesn't seem to want Akane for her criminally asymptomatic disposition, but rather for use as a puppet, like Ginoza, for the purpose of capturing Makishima alive. In an attempt to bring her over, Akane is shown the true nature of Sibyl, which she is understandably repulsed by. However, here's where I think we got the most interesting insight into her psyche.

For the majority of this series, Akane has always been an idealist, someone who believed wholeheartedly that she was doing the right thing and that Sibyl was the best representation of justice they had. Her faith in the system is what drove her actions and her beliefs, so it's understandable that she would receive a huge shock upon realizing that the system is no more than a self-justified aggregate of criminal human brains. Yet instead of rejecting the system with all her being and taking a stand on the basis of her idealism, Akane has no way to denounce Sibyl as much as she emotionally wishes she could. She's seen the practical side of it all and doesn't know of a better alternative to the peace the system has established. In other words, she's become more pragmatic and sensible, even if the idealism is still nagging at her consciousness. I suppose you could say that this development has been in the works since she first came in contact with Kougami, but compared to the earlier subtlety of that growth, seeing her change so suddenly into what's basically Kougami himself is almost startling, though necessary for the final showdown the series is working up to for its final two episodes.

As for Makishima and Kougami, things are just as bloody and complicated as they ever were. It's somewhat ironic that the facility Makishima needs to infiltrate for his plan is so old fashioned that it requires fingerprints and eye scanners to enter rather than the usual Cymatic scans; the lack of high tech security reflects the arrogance of the system, which just may ultimately lead to its downfall. The brutality of the method Makishima uses to gain access also seems to underlie his distaste of modern technology, though it's interestingly mirrored by Kougami's rather grotesque method of leaving behind a message for the CID team. While their confrontation is inevitable, it will be interesting to see what Akane will do once she's placed in between them. For now, she's made a deal with Sibyl to guarantee Kougami's safety, but can she really ignore her idealism and let Makishima live on as a part of Sibyl? Will she (and by extension, Kougami) leave behind their perceptions of safety and play a part in destroying the oppressive system? Or will they simply live on with the guilt of knowing the truth?