S3E12

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<< Season 3 Episode 12 >>
Inner Demons
First aired May 27, 6972
Case ID 3-1
Victim Mikaela
Culprit Mai Kawasumi

The search for Mikaela's killer takes a sudden tragic turn.

Synopsis

Kip leads the Champions through the door by the pool and out to the courtroom, where they recap last episode clarify the situation for a confused Junpei. Sleeping through the investigation doesn't seem to have impacted his deductive skills: while the others get bogged down pondering the flower language meaning of the silver dollar hibiscus that Choromatsu found, Junpei simply points out that the color is a close match for Clarith's hair. It's saddening, but not particularly helpful information. Similarly, news of Angel, Finn, and Rhys's experience in the garden only leads to confusion.

Before long, however, more useful evidence arises. Roland brings up the piece of plastic he found, and Church suggests it might have come from Mai's plastic sword, prompting Mai to admit to having fought a demon last night. All the evidence is quickly connected to this incident--the jagged gouges are the demon's claws, while the smooth cuts are from Mai's sword, and Arianna finds remains of the rose petals on Mai's back. Everything points to the demon being the culprit, but the Champions worry that Mai will be blamed for it following her to the mansion.

The truth is much worse, as revealed by the appearance of a little girl wearing a familiar pair of bunny ears--a younger version of Mai. The demons, the Champions come to realize, are Mai--she's actually a repressed reality bender, and they're a subconscious manifestation of her self-hatred, which began to appear in the mansion once her powers were restored. Clarith flies into a rage, but calms down upon understanding what truly happened. Choromatsu and Roland declare P.A.L. the real culprit, while Angel connects the situation to the part she played in her mother's death. Mai calls for the vote herself over Arianna's desperate objections, and is executed via being killed by her own inner demons.

At Ardyn's urging, the remaining Champions meed in the dining hall, reflecting on the day's events. Yuuri plants memorial flowers in the garden, aided by Nari's powers. The seeds of romance are planted as well in the wake of this tragedy, as Rhys and Angel, Yuuri and Junpei, Arianna and Clarith, Church and Ardyn, and Nishitani and Queenie seek each other out.

Quotes

"This is the trial stage, where the goal is to find the true culprit and... Well, Kipsqueak already spoiled the stakes for you."

-P.A.L. doesn't get to do a dramatic reveal.


"So not only do we have the mysterious invisible monster, but there was also some clawed creature that attacked Dame Mikaela."

-Arianna has trouble putting two and two together.


"Mai didn't do anything but EXIST."
"Her existence is not my concern."
"YOUR existence isn't gonna be your concern anymore either when I find your mainframe, you scrapheap!"

-Finn isn't pleased with P.A.L.'s evasion.


"I-It's fine. I like sweet things..."

-Clarith on Arianna the marshmallow vodka.

Notes

Vote tally

  • Clarith: Champion Scapegoat
  • Ardyn: Champion Scapegoat
  • Church: Champion Scapegoat
  • Arianna: Champion Scapegoat
  • Roland: Champion Scapegoat
  • Rhys: Champion Scapegoat
  • Nishitani: Champion Scapegoat
  • Nari: Champion Scapegoat
  • Finn: Champion Scapegoat (entered by Nari)
  • Angel: Champion Scapegoat
  • Queenie: Champion Scapegoat (entered by Nishitani)
  • Heart: Champion Scapegoat
  • Lee: Champion Scapegoat
  • Mai: Champion Scapegoat
  • Takumi: Champion Scapegoat
  • Junpei: Champion Scapegoat
  • Yuuri: Champion Scapegoat
  • Choromatsu: Champion Scapegoat
  • Mary: Champion Scapegoat

Surviving cast

  • Champions: Mary, Arianna, Church, Clarith, Finn, Queenie, Heart, Takumi, Ardyn, Mai, Choromatsu, Nishitani, Nari, Rhys, Roland, Angel, Junpei, Yuuri, Lee
  • Overseers: Kip, Cece
  • Other: P.A.L.

Errors

  • Arianna gets angry at Church and Heart for not telling her about the "ghost" when they talked with her... except Church did tell her.

Trivia

  • This episode's execution is the first successful one in the series that does not involve ejecting the culprit from the airlock.