Board 8 > Gauntlet Crew Ranks the Cowboy Bebop Episodes

(+) Yeah! (+)

v_charon posted...

You get plenty of looks at Spike's backstory and personality in non-plot episodes, I'm not sure what you mean there.

Not really. Spike never came across as all that dynamic to me. I mean, he's basically the too-cool-for-school slacker who's a total badass when it comes to CQC and gunfighting. That's fine...but it doesn't do a whole lot for me as a character.

The problem for me is that, you're doing an episodic show that has 22 minutes (I'm assuming you take off 3 minutes for the intro and ending). In that time, you need to establish the central plot of the episode. Then you need to establish any secondary plots. And when you do this, you're cutting out a lot of the time necessary for fleshing out the characters. Faye and Jet each get more character-centric episodes. Spike gets the main plot stuff, but that mostly feels like "wow, what a fucking badass. Check out this fight scene!"

It just doesn't work for me.
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The "filler" is part of the point of the series. The bounties are all just distractions for Spike, Jet and Faye instead of them tackling their own problems, which they only deal with when it shows up, except for Faye in Hard Luck Woman which is part of her development.

Also, your "summary" of Spike is only surface-level. While yes, he is those things, his attitude is part of his facade to hide the state that he really is in after the failed escape with Julia. Spike goes into the bounty hunting business to try and forget his past and to get some thrills in a near-suicidal way since he feels like his life is essentially over. He can never forget his past though because of the eye given to him. The eye makes it so that Spike will always be fixated on Julia and that he can never move on.

It feels like you're the only one in history to have the problem of the show needing more time, so I think it might be a problem just for you.
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Now that my top three are all out I'm really pulling for Hard Luck Woman to "win" this ranking. I love every session left, but Pierrot le Fou doesn't feel like a worthy winner, and Real Folk Blues Part 2 would be so damned clichd. Obviously Part 1 is going to precede it so it's not even in the running.

Go go Hard Luck Woman!
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JONALEON1 posted...

It feels like you're the only one in history to have the problem of the show needing more time, so I think it might be a problem just for you.

I feel like that's kind of a stretch

I don't really agree with Inviso's perspective but I definitely get it
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4. Pierrot le Fou
Total: 81 pts.

Johnbobb - 1
KBM - 1
Snake - 1
Inviso - 2
Karo - 2
scarlet - 3
JONA - 6
Gen - 7
charon - 8
Wickle - 12
Stifled - 17
Ermine - 21

Johnbobb - As much as I enjoyed the show overall, no episode stood out quite like this did. Terrifyingly memorable villain, excellent music, gorgeous visuals, compelling lore, intense action. It was everything the show does right compressed into a single bizarre and horrifying episode that, despite having literally no connection to the overall plot, feels absolutely necessary to drive home the wickedness of the world that the show taps into. Possibly my favorite shot of the whole show is Spike's startled and confused face as he watches Pierrot disappear into the parade.

Mickayla's thoughts:
Jesus fucking christ, Spike is so badass and reckless and that clown is TERRIFYING.
4/26

KBM - Holy fucking shit. This episode was creepy, atmospheric, fucking disturbing a straight-up horror show, featuring a genuinely unnerving villain and some hauntingly good animation. A downright terrific episode that stands completely on its own. I loved it.

Snake - Pierrot le Fou is a masterclass of psychological horror, an episode that invokes the dark deco of Batman: The Animated Series to craft a dark, taut, stylishly directed piece that pushes the boundaries of this show to intense heights. Mad Pierrot himself is a like a rogue straight out of a Batman comic, complete with a cloudy comic book origin that gives us just enough nuggets to understand Pierrots plight, a creepy, Joker-like laugh that digs right under your skin, and a sense of whimsy that comes across as desperately sad and a cry for help, adding to the tension the epiose has. We see Spike pushed to his limits here, brushing shoulders with death, and nearly losing his cool composure looking down the barrel of Pierrots gun, something not even his archnemesis Vicious can even manage. The beginning of the episode is almost the best part, with a score that reminds me of Silent Hills industrial grinding, aloing with Pierrots surreal and unnatural movements letting us know this is unlike any episode of Bebop we have yet to watch. However, its the ending, Pierrots haunting wails of agony and calls for his mommy thats the true horror here, this insane killer crippled by the trauma of his past, his desperate cries going unanswered as he succumbs to his own mechanizations. Its a hopeless sort of ending, and one I could even barely watch unfold. It feels like a private moment were not meant to witness, but Bebop does not shy away, and the episode is made all the more memorable for it.

Inviso - The story for this episode is simple and sweet. Spike walks in on a super-assassin committing one of his many hits, and wouldnt you know it, but this particular assassin has a rule about not letting anyone live that sees his face. So for the rest of the episode, hes hunting Spike down, and Spike is just trying to keep him busy long enough to figure out a way to break through his shields. Turns out hes just a police experiment gone wrong, and this all culminates in an amusment park showdown not unlike something you would see from the Joker and Batman. Just the mere fact that you have such a memorable villain makes for an interesting plot to follow. This was a definite bright spot for me.
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Karo - The first of Bebop's truly great villains, Pierrot is this rotund assassin with a lot of superhuman powers and not a whole lot of sanity. He is very memorable and carries the whole episode on his shoulders. In many way he feels like a rouge straight from Batman: TAS.
A minor gripe is that Jet and Ed's lengthy inquires into Pierrot's past should have actually been, y'know, helpful, rather than just 'hey good job guys, but I killed him already'.
Still, this is one of the best episodes in the series and it shows what the show can really accomplish when it tries.

scarlet - One of these dark episodes that summons up the grim gravity of the relationship between Vicious and Spike, the horror-like stylings of Pierrot le Fou are a welcome tonal change in the series. That change lands well, and proves to be appropriate for this heavier subject matter that has firmly entrenched itself as the main baseline of the shows narrative. As we start rocketing to the conclusion here, it feels like the show is really picking up in quality - a tall order for a show this good!
Rating: 88/100

JONA - Probably one of the first things to note is the different animation style here. It really helped with the atmosphere and fit the comic booky villain of Mad Pierrot. It helps that the animation studio, Sunrise, has worked on Batman the Animated Series before. Mad Pierrot's intro scene is really great at how unsettling it is. The cut of Spike playing pool and leaving the bar and then to Mad Pierrot just killing a bunch of guys. Spike and Mad Pierrot have a great fight, but Spike gets combo'd and Spike ends up in the familiar situation of being wrapped in bandages at the Bebop. It's interesting that Spike is actually running from a fight and for him to lose the fight so badly. Spike has some good banter with Faye right before going back to finish the fight with Mad Pierrot. The flashback scene of Mad Pierrot is just incredibly well done. I love the contrast of the theme park setting, the animatronics and music with the great action in Spike and Mad Pierrot's second fight. It's great to see Faye come and help Spike. Mad Pierrot's death scene is fantastic with him acting like a child after being distracted by Spike's eyes which resembled the cat and then being crushed. Really great stuff.

Favorite Song: On the Run

Gen - The Mad Pierrot is such a frightening concept: a being whose body is almost invincible yet whose mind is constantly regressing to ever-increasing insanity. At the point when he encounters Spike he's not even aware of his actions. He treats murder like it's some sort of game. As terrifying as that is, his abilities make for some amazing action and chase sequences. I love that Spike's heterochromia ends up saving his ass. I also love that, in a rare moment of selflessness, Faye attempts to save Spike despite her insistence that she doesn't care what happens to him. I might not like her much as a person, but she can be sweet at times.

charon - This to me is the darkest episode in the series. The antagonist is brutal and there's a great amount of gore and blood shown here. It's fun to see Spike have a real fight that he cannot win on his hands and the supporting cast fits perfectly into roles around Spike in this episode. This one is kinda what I'd like to have seen more of; sinister stuff, Spike at the helm and the rest of the party serving their roles while providing quality interactions with one another. Very cool.

Wickle - Ever wanted to see Humpty Dumpty after he fell off the wall? Well, he gets the killer instinct of Joker but still has the mentality of a child, and his name is now Mad Pierrot. It was crazy and a little fun, seeing someone push Spike to the limit, though his talks of maybe thisll be the day gets a little annoying. Heard it two eps in a row.
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Stifled - It was pretty jarring to see Spike get the unholy hell beaten out of him in such a one sided fight. Weve seen Spike take his lumps, but never like this. Pierrot is a frightening antagonist that I both wish we got more episodes featuring him and also am relieved we didnt. Finding out hes basically just a tortured child is both sad and interesting, adding a unique dimension to the character. Coupled with a ridiculous final battle at the amusing park, this episode is a roller coaster ride, pun fully intended.

Ermine - Well that certainly was an episode. I can only hope I never hear that creepy laugh again. Too much spooks for me.

4.5/10
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Outlier

Stifled - 176
Wickle - 174
Karo - 156
Johnbobb - 146
Ermine - 136
Inviso - 103
Snake - 102
Gen - 85
KBM - 85
charon - 84
JONA - 83
scarlet - 45

Stifled manages to surpass Wickle but will he get the last laugh?
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I said from the very beginning I would win outlier and I still stand by that
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Well my #1 went out like 10 episodes before anyone elses
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This might be it, after having such a lopsided last ranking because of me disliking most of the humor of it, I've dropped back from the lead in outlier, and with Karo with two nearly 20 gains incoming, it's my time to say...

Once again... See you, space outlier.

At least I'm pretty sure what's left for me is 1,2,5 so I'm pretty good on that front.
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damn, I figured that was coming next, but I'm really sad to see it fall after coming so far

*high fives Snake and KBM*
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I downloaded the Bebop soundtrack yesterday.
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scarletspeed7 posted...

I downloaded the Bebop soundtrack yesterday.

man I think I might do the same
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It's honestly up there with LOST, Scrubs and Game of Thrones as the soundtracks that most matter to a show.
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I gotta say, I am a bit surprised both the finale episodes are in the top 3. I too am hoping for Hard Luck Woman, even if that's a bit of a spoiler. Not that I disliked the finale but eh, there are things that could have been different.
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If you asked me before this I would have said I 100% expected this as the final 3
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Ermine who will win SMFFFC
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you don't wanna know
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Kinda figured.
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3. The Real Folk Blues (Part 1)
Total: 80 pts.

Johnbobb - 2
Stifled - 3
Inviso - 4
KBM - 4
scarlet - 4
Ermine - 5
Gen - 5
Wickle - 5
charon - 6
JONA - 8
Snake - 13
Karo - 21

Johnbobb - Going into this, I was worried it would be another Jupiter Jazz Pt. 1, where everything in it was technically good, but primarily for setting up the second part. That was absolutely not the case here, as this episode turns out to be what the show's been building up to the entire time. The rose, the fish, Faye and Julia wordlessly joining up, Vicious' BRUTAL takeover of the Red Dragon Syndicate. Even the Big Shot hosts got a surprising and oddly satisfying wrap up here. It's the type of episode that's SO close to the end but not there yet that you just end up wanting to slow down and savor it.

Mickayla's thoughts:
Good, but sets up for the finale. Super happy Spike and Julia are back together, I ship it so hard.
20/26

Stifled - Oh shit (EDITED BY JONA) this is getting serious now! Up until now, besides some encounters with Vicious, it appeared to the viewer that Spike had freed himself from the syndicate. We quickly learn this is not the case. This episode is full of wild shootouts, coups, and even the introduction of the mysterious Julia, who had been a big question mark up until this point. Faye and Julia kicking ass together was really cool. All in all, this was a perfect setup for the brilliant finale, and easily one of the best episodes of the show.

Inviso - This was solid. After spending an entire series getting to know the characters (though granted, backstory has been drip-fed to us SO slowly), when the crew gets attacked by Syndicate goons, the stakes feel raised. Spike and Jet getting attacked out of fucking NOWHERE carries that much more weight, because suddenly theres a whole war going on, and all the fighting feels urgent and in desperate need of conclusion. Faye randomly hooking up with Julia is interesting in and of itself, but then again, her willingness to help this blonde stranger is perhaps a sign that shes grown and become more trusting of others. All in all, this episode sets up a conflict that leaves a LOT of intrigue, and makes me want to see more.

KBM - The two-part finale to Cowboy Bebop is a triumph of editing and pacing. Part 1 in particular has a dreamlike, surreal quality to it as we finally discover the full story with Spike and Julia, cross-cut with present-day events involving the Syndicate and the brief-but-memorable scene where Faye and Julia team up. Vicious proves once again what a great Big Bad he is with a beautifully-executed coup sequence.

scarlet - The climax is here, and the show feels like it truly has built to a strong conclusion by the end of the first half of this two-parter (although I have no idea if this really aired in two parts; I would hope it didnt). The pacing is strong, the writing is fantastic, and the tonality is pitch-perfect.
Rating: 88/100

Ermine - Everything is finally starting to come together. I enjoy Julia's character. She's a pretty cool gal. I think my favorite scene by far is when Spike and Jet are talking together on the ship... well it's mostly Jet talking about the little story, but I really enjoyed that scene and was definitely a highlight. Overall a pretty good episode leading into the final ep.

7.5/10
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Gen - Once again I'm having a hard time coming up with a writeup for the first of a two-parter. It was cool seeing Faye and Julia bond, each having an idea of who the other woman is. This session is the first time we get to see Julia outside of flashbacks and she comes across as pretty cool. I hate to keep using the same word, but it was also really cool to see Vicious live up to his name and kill the old syndicate leader in the most brutal of fashions. Oh yeah, who would willingly go get drunk at a place called the Loser Bar? That's just pitiful. Though I guess the only loser bigger than someone that drinks there is that bartender. Damn!

Wickle - Here we go, the conclusion begins. Faye meets Julia, who knows she knows Spike and then gives him a message. Spike and Jet get attacked, the trio have to defend the ship and we get quite a few really good battles with the space one and Viciouss coux. Also I love how we even had what the dude from the outlaw show is doing now.

charon - I have a lot of thoughts about the way the series ended. The penultimate episode does a good job with setting up the major characters to embark on their final journies. We see Vicious finally cornered by his Syndicate masters, Spike's unwavering resolve to face him until one or both of them are no more as well as Spike's closest friends and allies interacting with him in various ways. It's hard to judge Julia much because until this episode, really it has been all word of mouth or brief flashbacks. I did like the brief team-up she had with Faye, and I was curious on how Julia seemed to still know so much about Spike at this point when he knew next to nothing about her.
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JONA - The beginning of the end. We finally get to see Julia in the intro with her getting a voice message warning her that she's in danger. Vicious is ambushed because a fortuneteller told the Red Dragon elders about his betrayal. Since another syndicate was shown to have a fortuneteller in "Boogie Woogie Feng Shui," it would make sense for the Red Dragon to have one as well. Spike and Jet start the episode drinking at the Loser Bar, which is appropriate in both definitions of the word. They are still drowning their sorrows about Ed and Faye. They end up in a shootout with some Syndicate goons. Lin's brother, Shin, shows up and ends up doing the opposite of what Lin did by helping Spike. We see another flashback of Spike showing him with Julia wanting to run away from the Syndicate. I really like the look of the scene with the rain, dark colors and silhouettes. The scene shows Julia's concern for the future and how Spike says that they will just live and be free and how it will be like watching a dream. The last part of that line intrigues me especially when you compare it to Spike's line in "Brain Scratch" of "If you want to dream, dream alone." Then, Julia has a flashback of Vicious telling her that either she killed Spike or that the both of them would die. I like the dialogue of the Big Shot host's mom at the airport. It's very fitting of Spike's situation. I find it pretty interesting that Spike seeks out Faye for help. He's never asked for her help when she was gone before and usually, Spike didn't want Faye's help. It shows a bit of desperation from Spike which is something that is shown rarely. I like Faye's justification of not helping by saying that Jet is not alone and that Ed and Ein could help him, with her not realizing that they left and also that they couldn't really take care of Jet's leg even if they were there. It's an interesting word choice with Faye focusing on Jet being alone rather than his injury. I like the conversation Faye with Julia. Faye offering to partner up with Julia shows that Faye is still lonely, despite rejecting Spike's offer to help. The dialogue about their names being common is also a good callback to Jupiter Jazz. Jet's story is great and serves as a warning to Spike. I really like Faye's hesitation of telling Spike about Julia, knowing that he could possibly die. When Spike asks her about info, Faye responds with "it's gonna cost you." Faye doesn't actually want any money; she wants to prevent Spike from knowing and thinks that the money would help act as a barrier. It's also a good foreshadowing line if you don't think of the cost in financial terms. Faye eventually does tell Spike about Julia when the ship's in danger. Spike's escape from the syndicate is reminiscent of Asteroid Blues, even with the same song "Road to the West" playing. The episode ends with the cliffhanger of Julia meeting with Spike at the graveyard with a gun pointed at him. I like the imagery of Spike still holding on to the rose at the end. It helps symbolize how Spike still holds on to the past despite it being responsible for his death. Great setup for the finale.

Favorite Song: Adieu

Snake - Its kind of hard to separate part 1 from part 2, seeing as Part 1 is mainly about setting up what transpires in part 2. As such, its the intrinsically weaker half by design, but thats not to say its a bad episode. It was interesting finally seeing what really happened in Spikes flashback, and also seeing Julia in the present for real this time. The action is also a lot more tense and involved, befitting of a finale. You can also feel that Jet and Spikes relationship has changed drastically, thanks to the last episodes crew break-up. Theres a lot more quiet between the pair and you just kind of feel sad it ended up like this. For a set-up episode, its quite powerful and touching, but still, it cant match whats to come in part 2.
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Karo - In the finale, Edgar Allen Poe attempts to take over the crime syndicate where Spike used to work and the elders go after everyone who was associated with him in the past including Spike and we get drawn into his stupid backstory again involving the dumb bitch with blond hair and the dumb bitch with white hair.
Like with any episode involving this storyline, Spike transforms from a laid back rouge into some lovesick emo teenager moping about his girl, and it not only destroys his character it makes every scene with him excruciating to watch.
Anyway, by some weird twist of fate, Faye runs into Julia randomly, and instead of acting in Spike's best interests and keeping her mouth shut she makes the mistake of telling him about this and he runs off chasing after her again.
To be fucking continued, pardner!
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Outlier

Stifled - 176
Wickle - 176
Karo - 174
Johnbobb - 147
Ermine - 138
JONA - 88
Gen - 87
charon - 87
KBM - 86
scarlet - 46

Stifled and Wickle are currently on top with a stalemate, but Karo's starting his plans to reign on top of the Outlier Syndicate.
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"I hate stories like that. Men only think about the past right before their death, as if they were searching frantically for proof that they were alive."

The last three episodes of Bebop are just something else. And Hard Luck Woman still has a chance for #1!
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Fully expected Real Folk Blues Pt. 2 to be close to the top for me after the two Jupiter Jazzes, only for Pt. 1 to beat it for me (not that Pt. 2 isn't great). Definitely the best I could hope for from a setup episode, to the point that it feels like a disservice to call it that
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Go go Hard Luck Woman

*insert Power Ranger theme guitar rift here*

Go go Hard Luck Woman

*insert Power Ranger theme guitar rift here*
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JONALEON1 posted...

Johnbobb - Going into this, I was worried it would be another Jupiter Jazz Pt. 1, where everything in it was technically good, but primarily for setting up the second part. That was absolutely not the case here, as this episode turns out to be what the show's been building up to the entire time. The rose, the fish, Faye and Julia wordlessly joining up, Vicious' BRUTAL takeover of the Red Dragon Syndicate. Even the Big Shot hosts got a surprising and oddly satisfying wrap up here. It's the type of episode that's SO close to the end but not there yet that you just end up wanting to slow down and savor it.

@Johnbobb
The... fish? What are you talking about? Also someone please refresh me on this: I know the Big Shot dude is shown picking up his mother from the airport here (sadly I never put this together until I looked at a wiki), but when does the Big Shot babe appear? That one must have flown completely over my head.

JONALEON1 posted...

Mickayla's thoughts:
Good, but sets up for the finale. Super happy Spike and Julia are back together, I ship it so hard.

Personally I don't ship Spike with anyone. Julia, while she has a generic sort of coolness about her, is absolutely terrible for him, and though Faye is a step in the right direction I feel like Spike isn't at a place in his life where he can be in a meaningful relationship.

JONALEON1 posted...

Karo - ...
Anyway, by some weird twist of fate, Faye runs into Julia randomly, and instead of acting in Spike's best interests and keeping her mouth shut she makes the mistake of telling him about this and he runs off chasing after her again.
To be fucking continued, pardner!

I think this shows how far Faye has come as a person since her introduction. Relaying Julia's message to Spike despite it not being in her own or his best interest is the penultimate selfless act she commits in the series, the last of which is attempting to stop him from acting on the impulse to charge off into battle. It would be really out of character for her at that point to say nothing. That would be something the immature Faye of Honky Tonk Women would do.

I've gotta say I have really enjoyed the disparity between @PrinceKaro and @Vengeful_KBM in regards to Vicious and his characterization (or lack thereof). I'm somewhere in the middle myself so it's been hilarious that two people are so passionate about him in antithetical ways. I don't feel strongly about him because not enough information is given about him for me to care. I think he looks cool and he does cool things but I must admit that's a pretty generic assessment. Ultimately he doesn't have much weight because Cowboy Bebop isn't his story: it's Spike's and the Bebop's supporting cast's to a lesser extent. As to why Vicious and Julia- two extremely important figures in Spike's past- don't have expansive backstories like Faye or Jet I suppose there just aren't enough sessions for all that. While I would appreciate more, Cowboy Bebop does an excellent job of giving just enough information through its concise story to remain engaging.
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GenesisSaga posted...

but when does the Big Shot babe appear?

She doesn't appear but she does get a wrap in the form of dialogue from Punch. She's mentioned to have married her agent or manager I think? I think that's what he is referring to.

I don't remember what the fish is though.

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For the fish I was referring to the sillouhette of what looks to be a fish-shaped decoration on the windowsill, since it frequently appears alongside the rose

https://marukosu.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/cowboy_bebop_838_001.jpg?w=838

And yeah the woman never appeared, just the guy, but they reference her when hes talking with his mother
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Not every character in fiction needs to have some big expansive backstory. Do we really need to know exactly how Vicious got to be what he is? Or does everything function perfectly well, potentially even better, by having him remain mostly a mystery?
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Huh I never realized that was a fish. I always though it was another fallen flower.

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Snake5555555555 posted...

Huh I never realized that was a fish. I always though it was another fallen flower.

Maybe it is, I just always thought it looked like a fish
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NBIceman posted...

Not every character in fiction needs to have some big expansive backstory. Do we really need to know exactly how Vicious got to be what he is? Or does everything function perfectly well, potentially even better, by having him remain mostly a mystery?

This is the saddest part about modern fiction. We can't allow the magic of mystery to fill in the gaps for us ever. We need spoonfeeding apparently.
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I'm with Snake, I thought it was another rose. In 6 or 7 complete watchthroughs now I have never once seen "the fish" until that screen shot haha.
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scarletspeed7 posted...

NBIceman posted...

Not every character in fiction needs to have some big expansive backstory. Do we really need to know exactly how Vicious got to be what he is? Or does everything function perfectly well, potentially even better, by having him remain mostly a mystery?

This is the saddest part about modern fiction. We can't allow the magic of mystery to fill in the gaps for us ever. We need spoonfeeding apparently.

I'm weird in the case where I like mysteries in some things, but only if it spawns viewer discretion of fanfiction. Granted, there's things where I like a completed story, unlike Patema Inverted, but there's times where someone else can create their own version of what happened, and Vicious is one of those.

I'm just also in the middle on Vicious since I don't really understand him as a character.
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2. Hard Luck Woman
Total: 72 pts.

Wickle - 1
charon - 2
Ermine - 3
JONA - 3
Karo - 3
Gen - 6
Inviso - 7
scarlet - 7
Snake - 7
Johnbobb - 10
KBM - 10
Stifled - 13

Wickle - In this ep, you can really see it coming to a close. We learn about Eds father and get to see Faye actually recall her past, rather than just this joking around. We Ed, Ein, and Faye all leaving the Bebop, though who knows whats permanent or not, obviously Fayes seen post credits and shes never lasted long off the Bebop since joining it.

charon - As the series drew to a close, I guess the writers knew it was time to end certain stories. I figured with the introduction of Ed's actual guardian figure, we'd see her go off and have a somewhat happy ending with him but it turns out he's way too much of a spaz to have a daughter, which I guess explains a lot of Edward's own character. Still she ends up leaving, just sort of journeying off into the unknown once more as it's implied she already did once or twice before. Faye's memory angle is also wrapped up and though it's implied both are gone I kinda knew that wasn't going to happen. It's a little melancholy, but very well made. I like the way it wraps things up for some of the characters.

Ermine - Finally some Faye stuff that starts to hit with me. She's much better of a character when she isn't actively making things difficult for people. Really enjoyed the flashbacks with her as well. Honestly though, the real strength of this episode is the last 5 or so minutes. God dammit, the music and scenes playing with both Ein and Ed leaving got me misty eyed, especially when Ein hesitated. I always hate goodbyes for characters I love (Not talking about you Ed). Ed was at least a lot more tolerable this ep and was actually pretty cool in the last few minutes as well. See ya cow woof woof :(

8/10
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JONA - Time to say goodbye to Ed and Faye. It's neat seeing all the kids with their own quirks when Ed and Faye go to the landfill. I also like Ed tricking Faye by going where she wants to go first and how the waterfall in the landfill was just Ed pretending to be wacky, which is something that you wouldn't expect out of Ed. Being on the Bebop definitely changed Ed. She became a bit more normal as the series went on with her using the computer with her hands instead of feet and generally being more restrained compared to her intro episode. She even gets at an empathetic line at the end of Brain Scratch. However, she also became more passive, only really doing things when asked. In this episode, she becomes active, forcing the Bebop crew to help find her father. I always found it interesting that Spike loses pretty badly to Ed's dad before Ed comes by with the ship. Ed reuniting with her father only for him to leave was funny yet sad. Ed takes Faye's words about "belonging" to heart and decides to leave the Bebop, with Ein following her. It's sad to see them go because of how great their interactions with the rest of the gang are, but it would be better for her since she won't be just stuck helping with bounties and barely scraping by. Having both Ed and Ein leave help show how serious the final two episodes will be. Anyways, Faye's part of the episode is also great. Like Ed, she also becomes active when it comes to her past and not just dealing with it when it comes up. I like Sister Clara's line about people cherishing whatever ties they have and how it was meant for Ed but actually applies to Faye. It's interesting that when she meets her old classmate that she doesn't really press further on about learning about her old life. Just learning about her past wouldn't make Faye feel like she belongs. The classmate's grannddaughter coming in helps solidify that for Faye and she returns to the Bebop. She ends up remembering bits of her old life and that gives her the motivation to continue pressing on. She even kind of reverts to her old self when she bumps into Spike by acting shy and apologizing to him. The scene of her running to her mansion alongside her younger self is so great. It's devastating to see that there's nothing there and even more sad seeing her draw on the ground acting like it's where her bed is. Seeing Spike and Jet in this episode is also hard to take in. Spike and Jet actually believe that both Ed and Faye are gone for good and try to ease the pain by just stuffing eggs in their mouths. I like that it's also a callback to the first episode with Jet looking out to the lounge with nobody there and Spike being by himself in a different room looking out. I also like the detail of how Jet made four plates of the meal on instinct. It's just incredible how much was fit into this episode.

Favorite Song: Call Me Call Me

Karo - At long last, we not only get Ed's backstory, but we also get Faye's backstory elaborated on! It's two for the price of one!
Any time we get this kind of character development it is very good (except for with Spike because his backstory sucks ass) and here is much the same.
The episode ends with the crew of the Bebop bittersweetly going their own ways off into the sunset, which honestly would have made a decent ending to the series rather than what we actually got, but more on that in a writeup that has hopefully already appeared.

Gen - Bit of a brilliant misdirection with the title card and episode description here. The session leads you to believe that the entire focus will be on Faye, but in reality it could refer to both her and Edward. The orphanage and the Bebop crew are the only family Edward has ever really known, and the second an actual biological link reemerges in her life she loses him again. It's clear she doesn't really belong with any of them. Poor girl. At least she has a good boy to keep her company on her journey.
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Inviso - I havent really felt compelled to mention the truncated runtime in the last few episodes I watched, but given the finality of Hard Luck Woman, and the assumed conclusion to the stories of both Edward and Faye, I feel like this needed a little extra. Thats not to say the episode doesnt work. Edward finally gets reunited with her father (not that this was ever painted as a big deal before), which inspired her to once again trek off on her own. And Faye finds the place where her old life once resided. The ending is emotional and I appreciate just how hard it hits when Jet and Spike are all alone again, having lost the majority of their mismatched family all in one, fell swoop. This was good. Not perfect, because again, it needed more time to breathe, but still good.

scarlet - I wanted to make a Bad Luck Fale reference, but this episode is actually pretty damn great and not deserving of a bad wrestling joke. Another calm-before-the-storm episode of well-written proportions.
Rating: 86/100

Snake - God damn that ending was sad. In fact, I think this whole episode was pretty depressing on the whole. Theres not a whole bunch of dialogue, and comedic moments do nothning but mask an uncertain sadness and future for both Faye and Ed. Just to see this family, which weve become accustomed to over the course of the series, seemingly break-up for good is Bebop at its most heart-wrenching. Jet and Spike eating eggs in total silence, refusing to acknowledge the deep sadness they feel, for fear of breaking their masks of apathetic indifference. At the same time, Ed and Ein find comraderie together, and Faye does get closure, as empty as it is. This wouldve been a fitting finale for the series, an episode that encapsulates all the themes that make Bebop as powerful and emotionally resonant as it is.

Johnbobb - Man I wish I cared more about Faye and her story, because I think tying the resolution of both Faye and Ed's stories into a single episode is a fantastic idea. It juxtaposes Faye's desire to belong with Ed's tendency to wander off. Faye's life goals coming to a disappointing close while Ed's goals are just beginning to form. That, and it's fucking SAD AS HELL.

Mickayla's thoughts:
THANKS I'M FUCKING SAD NOW. FUCK OFF SHOW.
5/26

KBM - This is kind of a hard one for me to rank. Faye's story gets some beautiful closure, and the montage at the end is a great, powerful moment, but Edward's departure from the series ends up feeling somewhat unmotivated for me, and as a result I honestly felt a little more emotional about Ein's departure than hers. Which, I suppose isn't the worst thing in the world, especially given my complicated feelings about Ed (sometimes she provided great comic relief, other times she was a bit annoying, and at times she just felt kind of extraneous). It is, however, a very nicely put together episode, and if Ed's backstory feels a little like an afterthought, her departure, juxtaposed with Faye mourning the loss of everything she used to know, still serves as a moving quiet moment before the shit hits the fan in the two-part finale.

Stifled - What starts as more insight into Fayes backstory ends up adding Eds backstory into the mix. I was happy to get more development on Ed, even though it meant this would be where Ed leaves the Bebop. That ending scene where Ed and Ein leave always chokes me up. The song is amazing and the scene itself was just beautifully done. Its probably just as well the bailed considering all the crazy shit that is going to happen in the next two episodes
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1. The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)
Total: 58 pts.

scarlet - 1
JONA - 2
Stifled - 2
Wickle - 2
Inviso - 3
Johnbobb - 3
Snake - 3
KBM - 3
Ermine - 4
Gen - 4
charon - 9
Karo - 22

scarlet - How often do shows stick landings like this? The answer is never. The restraint shown by the writing team of Bebop is quite impressive here - we could have been handed a Faye that is in love with Spike. We could have seen nonsensical deaths rather than the measured hand of fate we receive. We could have gone out on a petering whimper rather than a thoroughly and emotionally satisfying denouement. In all honesty, you really cant expect better than this in a series finale.
Rating: 92/100

JONA - You know shit gets real when the opening doesn't play. Spike and Julia have a really tender moment at the graveyard, with her revealing that she was supposed to kill him but instead, ran and now that she wants to run away with him. I love the sadness in Julia's voice when she asks "Why did you have to love me?" There's a sad feeling of blame towards Spike who put her in this situation. I like how the shoe's on the other foot here with Julia asking to run compared to Spike asking in the past. I also found it intriguing that Spike does not have much of a reaction to Julia wanting to run away with him. This is what he wanted but he still feels betrayed and also responsible for this situation. I like the bit of dialogue with Shin and Vicious and it's a good callback to Jupiter Jazz. I like how Shin did the opposite of Lin but still ends up dying. Spike and Jet find Annie dying, which really shows how being involved in syndicates does not end up well for anyone. I love the awkwardness of Jet and Faye's conversation and how they try to not act like they're worried about Spike. Julia's death is a fantastic scene with the crows appearing as foreshadowing and the doves appearing afterwards. There are some more callbacks to the first episode with the return of Laughing Bull and Spike eating "green peppers and beef." Julia's death helped Spike to move on and he lost a dark part of himself with her death. When he goes back to the Bebop, he's the most honest and open he's ever been in the series with his conversations with Jet and Faye. The laughter shared between Spike and Jet is great. Faye's frustration is also great to see. The big fight scene through the building is fantastic and the arrangement of The Real Folk Blues is just the icing on the cake. The fight with Vicious is also really great. The ending is so iconic that it really speaks for itself and the fade up is a great callback to Jupiter Jazz. "You're gonna carry that weight" is the perfect phrase to end the show on.

Favorite Song: See You Space Cowboy

Stifled - Few anime end in such an amazing way. Everything from the action, to the music, to the way the final scene is presented is outstanding. Seeing just how close the Bebop crew was when Spike goes to leave is both heartbreaking and beautiful. Spikes backstory has been built up as one of redemption and being able to leave behind a bad past. But in the end, it turns to tragedy as he both reunites with and loses Julia all within the span of a day. Hes sucked back in for a final battle with Vicious that proves to be his last. And yet, similarly to Wens ending in Sympathy For the Devil, Spike seems to have found peace.
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Wickle - Scruffy boy met his final moments. Not much else to say, the final fight was a little underwhelming but everything leading up to it was great. It was nice to see that even Faye was a little emotional about Spikes farewell, and we had Jet visiting the indian from the first episode. Everyone syndicate related died, and ultimately, the main thing it lacked for me was emotional attachment. And Im pretty emotional. Good finale, I can respect a show that legitimately leaves no loose ends by killing most of its cast.

Inviso - This was a solid finale. Granted, Im GONNA complain about how this would have worked better for me if the series was more serialized instead of being MOSTLY episodic, but beggars cant be choosers. I think the storyline of this finale was simple, but it worked. After setting up that the Syndicate was going to war against its enemies (one of which is Spike, as established in Ballad of Fallen Angels), the only way this could end was Spike going to war in response. He loses Annie, he loses Julia, and he loses Shinbut the stakes being as high as they are just tells Spike that he has to finish what he started. He kills his long-term rival, and succumbs to his wounds right after, and its a graceful end to his arc. I just wish it was a LITTLE more fleshed out over the course of the series.

Johnbobb - Goddamn that extended shot of Julia falling. Goddamn the inaudible finals words because the writers know that YOU know exactly what she's saying. And it took me 26 episodes to figure out what it was that I loved about the show so much (aside from the music and cinematography, which are always great). The writers respect the viewer, which I can't say for a lot of shows. They know exactly how much they need to and ultimately should say, and then they leave it be, and the impact that's left because of that is just so much more powerful.

Mickayla's thoughts:
See you, Space Cowboy. Somewhere, somehow.
3/26

Snake - Its hard to put into words just how strong this ending is. Every bit of this episode is like a tragedy with the smallest of silver linings, where no one really gets the ending they want, but its an ending nonetheless, and they have to live with that. Jet loses his best friend, sharing one last meal, a story, and a joke before Spike goes off to face Vicious. Faye comes back to the Bebop, convinced she found her family at last, but finds it in tatters, desperately grasping on to the hope that Spike will give things up and just stay. Spike manages to slay his bitter rival, but loses Julia and possibly his own life in the process, the past finally caught up with him in the most brutal way possible. All these events that transpire break down all notions of masculinity, apathy, and belonging that the series has set-up to this point. For all of Spikes hyper coolness, it was a faade that kept him only running from his true self all this time, and his one chance at reality, at happiness, is shattered by a single bullet. Cowboy Bebop is able to make us laugh, cry, be frightened, and maybe even cringe a little, but ultimately, it proves life is nothing but a cruel joke, and maybe, I hate that story, but Im gonna carry that weight nonetheless.

KBM - A fittingly epic (almost operatic) bloodbath of a conclusion. It's kind of hard to separate this from Part 1, but suffice to say that Spike's takedown of the Syndicate is every bit as well-choreographed as Vicious' coup scene from the first part, and the final showdown between the two really sells how great they are as archrivals. By the time the series reaches its bittersweet conclusion there's a feeling of finality and inevitability, where it really feels like it couldn't have ended any other way.
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Ermine - Aaaaaannnd Julia is dead. Everyone is dead. Dead dead everyone's dead :(

It took 26 episodes for me to finally like how Faye was behaving. I actually enjoyed her character in this episode. I also really enjoyed Spike and Jet's final chat.

Even though this was a fairly predictable ending, I think it was still handled and executed quite well. Overall the anime was pretty decent, it had a couple fantastic episodes but more misses than I expected. Not bad but maybe slightly overrated hah... Maybe it's just not quite my thing but other than a few of the incredibly boring filler eps, Faye and Ed just really didn't click for me and hurt the anime as a whole, at least in my eyes. Fun ride though... See ya, Space Cowboy.

8/10

Gen - What a wonderful ending to a series I've spent half my life watching and rewatching. Some think it's ambiguous, but I'm of the opinion that there's no maybe to Spike kicking it at the end. He even tells that story about the tiger-striped cat, raising the biggest death flag of all after Julia kicks it. He's got nothing to live for at that point except revenge on the man or the system responsible for her death right? Anyway we get one last bittersweet moment of Faye trying to save Spike from himself before he goes off anyway. I don't ship them because she's kind of awful, but it's still nice. Spike's epic showdown with Vicious and the corpses he had to leave in his wake just to get to him was beautifully animated to the extended The Real Folk Blues song and I love it. Don't think the action distracted me from the irony of Shin dying in the exact manner his brother did but for the exact opposite reason escaped me because it didn't.

charon - Putting down my thoughts on the show's finale is difficult. On one hand, I appreciate that it wraps up the main storyline that carries over from episode to episode with Spike and Vicious. Another part of me feels like it was too soon, that there was more (especially for Vicious) to do. The ending being kinda ambiguous isn't a bad idea, though I think the creator only says it's ambiguous because people really don't want Spike to be dead. I'm not sure what I think; honestly he survived plenty worse in earlier episodes. Plus with leaving it this way, we don't get to see anything more between Spike and Faye. I know Spike is extemely aloof but I really enjoyed their interactions as the series progressed; I feel like Faye definitely had some real feelings for him and her plea for him not to leave was very sincere. Endings are hard for me because they're rarely the way I envision them myself, but I guess that's nothing to hold against the show since it's something I always tend to do with any medium.

Karo - Maximillion Pegasus activates his trap card and gains control of the syndicate, for all that matters because they are still trying to kill Spike and everyone regardless.
Anyway when they are fleeing Julia gets shot and they make as big of deal as if it were Aeris getting disk oned, complete with slow motion and fucking pigeons flying in the background.
The problem is that we've never been given any reason to care about the character of Julia, nor is she given any sort of personality in her small screentime in the series other than being the most generic femme fatale ever. If someone's most defining character trait is 'having blond hair', you're doing it wrong.
To make things worse, the show doesnt give any closure to anyone but Spike, hey guys its not like we might care about anyone else on the Bebop so lets just have this lame suicide revenge story ripped right out of some shitty 1970s chinese martial arts flick. Does Faye stay on the Bebop? Does Jet continue as a bounty hunter? Does Ed catch up to her father? If you actually want answers to any of these questions then fuck you I guess.
Chuck one more on the pile of good anime series with bad endings.
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Sad it had to end in my reverse order, but fair. Better than middle of the road thing for me like the past few projects for me.

In any case, was a show that's a far cry from my favorite anime, though my favorites won't work in this group. They're often simple in dialogue, and also laid back which shuts out over half the gauntlet crew. I really have such a short end of every stick in this group. Ah well, at least I get a bit out of my comfort zone when I watch these lists.

Either way, it's time for this list to go... "bang"
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Outlier

Karo - 196
Stifled - 188
Wickle - 178
Johnbobb - 157
Ermine - 143
Snake - 119
Inviso - 111
KBM - 96
charon - 95
Gen - 94
JONA - 90
scarlet - 51

Karo's gonna carry that weight of being the top outlier.
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yikes.

next project plz.
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Very surprised, given how the first half was ranked significantly lower, and Karo ranked them both down together.
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Pretty awesome winner!

Thanks for running this one JONA, I was not expecting to enjoy this show as much as I did, and the short eps made this one a breeze as well.

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It was nice to have the outlier lead most of the time, since I got those awesome JONA puns. But in the end, there was no way I could compete with Space Karo's Folk Blues blues.

Thanks for running this, JONA. Bebop is something I've watched a ton of times throughout my life, so it was nice to share that with other people.


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The real foooooooooooolk bluuuues
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