REVIEW: ‘Fire Force,’ Season 2 Episode 18 – “The Holy Woman’s Anguish/The Man, Assault”

Fire Force is a shonen anime produced by David Production. With everything that has been happening lately, Station 8 has been struggling to keep up with some of its routine procedures. This includes keeping their equipment blessed. With so much to bring to the temple, Shinra is asked to help Sister Iris with this duty. While there, the matter of the worship of the Holy Sol Temple, and its potential connection to the Evangelist is brought up. What does it mean for those who believe? Has everything they dedicated their lives to be a lie? And worse, has it helped the Evangelist in their quest to destroy the world?

It has been said that everyone needs something to believe. A pillar on which they can always lean. While having such a structure can be helpful, there is an inherent danger in setting up such a faith. What if the thing you believe in should falter? What if the unbreakable breaks? The moment of loss can be sense shattering, and traumatizing. After all, if you could be wrong about even this, what could possibly be sure?

Fire Force Episode 18 centers the bulk of its narratives around just such questions. As the possibilities surrounding the Holy Sol Temple’s origins being linked to the Evangelist become known, many are having doubts about where their faith should lie. Station 8’s resident sister Iris is no exception.

As we were shown last season, Iris has endured a lot in her time. The destruction of the convent she grew up in at the hands of infernals would’ve been enough to shake most people to their cores. But Iris, despite being seen mostly as delicate, has her own sort of steel in her. It is because of this unwavering strength we’ve always seen her project that makes Fire Force Episode 18 so moving. Seeing Iris unsure of herself, and her faith is genuinely saddening. Luckily, she has someone there to help prop her up still.

Shinra, as always, looks to help those around him. The consummate hero. That it is Iris who needs him this time only doubles his resolve. Despite Shinra never seeming too close to the Temple, his sympathy for Iris is always genuine. He approaches her problem with the simplicity and genuineness that is always needed by those who are hurting. He shines for her, and through him, she finds a bit of faith still.

After, Fire Force Episode 18 finishes with Iris and Shinra it goes on a bit of a tangent. It reintroduces the White Clad Assault, who was last seen during season one’s big confrontation in the abyss. Having been beaten largely due to his unpreparedness for Tamaki’s trademark “Lucky Lechery” he has prepared himself to face her again. And again. And again as it turns out. This sequence feels like nothing more than an excuse to pump some fan service into Fire Force Episode 18. Like the creators realized we hadn’t seen Tamaki naked in quite some time, and that just couldn’t stand.  It doesn’t do anything Fire Force hasn’t done before with the character, it just comes off as too heavy-handed and unnecessary.

When all is said and done, Fire Force Episode 18 delivers the most warming story about holding onto the things you believe in. That the series continues to take time for these heartwarming moments is a wonderful change of pace for the story. Even if the episode stumbles at the end.

Fire Force Season 2 Episode 18 is streaming now.