REVIEW: ‘Trigun Stampede,’ Episode 5 – “Child of Blessing”

After Wolfwood joined the group in the last episode, the group set out across the desert once again. When their attention is drawn to a seemingly abandoned town centered around a giant windmill, Vash and company stop to investigate. But what Meryl, Roberto, and Wolfwood don’t know is that Vash has a history with this town. And that history may be the death of all of them in Trigun Stampede Episode 5.

One of the most universally relatable things a protagonist can face in a story is failure. After all, who hasn’t failed? How we move past, overcome, or learn from our failures is one of the most defining aspects of who we are. And the more we care about what we strive to accomplish in our lives, the harder failure tends to hit us. And for someone like Vash, who often takes the lives of others in his hands, failure hits far harder for him than it does for most.

How this series frames its protagonist has undergone a rapid shift. In the initial couple of episodes, we were introduced to a goofy hero who seemed to be able to always come out on top, no matter how desperate the situation may appear. Much like we saw in episode 3, Trigun Stampede Episode 5 continues to crack that visage, as we are shown another moment in his life where he came up short for someone in need.

The most poignant aspect of Vash’s failure in this episode is how it comes about. Rather than simply falling short as he did earlier in the series, we see Vash unknowingly aiding in actions he would never condone. While it is unclear if Vash is aware of his full participation in what has transpired, he knows he failed someone who needed him, which is heartbreaking enough for the would-be hero.

As Vash struggles with his failure, as well as the deadly obstacle to the group that has grown from it, Wolfwood delivers his take on Vash’s situation. Just like in the last episode, Wolfwood sees Vash’s hero complex as an unhealthy and dangerous facade that is used to gloss over how the world truly works. While his methods in addressing Vash could easily be considered harsh and poorly timed, given what Vash has already been through and how stubbornly he clings to his vision of the world, any other delivery would probably completely fall on unhearing ears.

While the philosophical occupies the center of Trigun Stampede Episode 5, there is plenty of action to propel the narrative forward. Guns are blazing throughout much of this episode, keeping the threat in the here and now ever-present, even as the story jumps back and forth between what is happening here and what occurred in the past. The animation does a great job of capturing this threat. The intimidating nature of the opponent is crafted wonderfully as the visuals always go out of their way to amplify how massive this latest foe is.

Trigun Stampede Episode 5 delivers a great tale that blends the show’s action and emotion wonderfully. I hope the series can continue to deliver so much from each episode as it moves forward.

Trigun Stampede Episode 5 is streaming on Crunchyroll.