REVIEW: ‘Fire Force’ Season 3 Episode 18 — “Incantation of Destruction”

Fire Force Season 3 Episode 18, “Incantation of Destruction,” sees Vulcan (Taku Yashiro, To Your Eternity), Yu (Shoya Chiba, Platinum End), Lisa (Ayaka Asai, Zenless Zone Zero), and Arthur (Yûsuke Kobayashi, Octopath Traveler 0) search for the heart of Amaterasu as they strive to prevent the Great Cataclysm. But a monster awaits, and it is looking to get under their skin. 

Within the twisting corridors of the heart of the Tokyo Empire, we see a good balance of lore and conflict play out. As the squad dives deeper into the reactor’s core, Fire Force Season 3 Episode 18 successfully builds ominous tension as an enemy stalks the group just outside the reach of their lamps. The only thing that hurts the opening build-up for the coming fight is Arthur’ aburpt departure from the group. 

Despite Vulcan’s acknowledgement of Arthur’s propensity to do dumb things like wander off, the group permits him to walk in the back of the party, creating the perfect opportunity for him to do just that. There is no difficulty believing that Arthur is dumb enough to do it, but accepting that the others are dumb enough to let it happen is a stretch. 

An oft-used shonen trope doesn’t land in Fire Force Season 3 Episode 18.

While having the team’s powerhouse wander off and get lost is a frequently leaned-on shonen trope, it’s just not fun anymore. Even as the series calls attention to the possibility, its acknowledgment of the obvious only heightens the annoyance. It’s like the show says, “We know you already know, so why try to surprise you?” 

With their would-be knight now wandering off, the remaining trio is left shorthanded when they reach the core, only to be confronted by the always unsettling White Clad, Giovanni (Yutaka Aoyama, The Elusive Samurai). The monstrous visage that Givanni wears as he towers over the protagonists is a perfect balance of threat and inhumanity. The amorphous shifting of his bug-filled mass feels like a fantastic “final form” for the ever-despicable character. And the approach he uses to reach his goal complements his physical appearance perfectly. 

Giovanni proves to be an incredibly creepy-looking and legitimate threat.

The underhanded tactics and glee he takes in the agony he causes quickly reaffirm why Giovanni is one of the most contemptible villains in the series. His confidence, as he forces Lisa to push herself to the limit to keep him at bay, builds him up to the perfect height to be properly knocked down. 

Even as the earlier moment with Arthur leaned into a trope to the show’s detriment, Fire Force Season 3 Episode 18 sets up Giovanni for a far different outcome. Despite feeling like the heroes have been set up perfectly to knock their foe off his high horse, a twist dismisses their hard-fought attempts to overcome their foe. Making the obvious setup go off the predictable course. And in the worst possible way for Vulcan. 

During the confrontation, as Giovanni threatens the trio, Fire Force Season 3 Episode 18 briefly detours to explore how Yu and Lisa became such central figures in Vulcan’s life. This touching sequence is executed wonderfully. It’s just long enough to get the point across, and the warmth of the sequence both contrasts the darkness of the present day, while also building up the stakes by showcasing the precious thing Giovanni is threatening to destroy. 

Fire Force Season 3 Episode 18 dives further into Lisa’s and Yu’s significance to Vulcan.

As Fire Force Season 3 Episode 18 comes to a close, it seems as if the villain is going to get his wish. As the key to Amaterasu slides towards its lock, there seems to be little chance left for the Fire Force to prevent the Great Cataclysm. 

With only one major stumble, Fire Force Season 3 Episode 18 delivers a fantastically executed conflict, filled with threat and emotional weight. All that is left is to see if doomsday has truly come. 

Fire Force Season 3 Episode 18 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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