REVIEW: ‘Fire Force’ Season 3 Episode 22 — “Hero Resurrected”

Fire Force Season 3 Episode 22, “Hero Resurrected,” sees several dopplegangers emerge to challenge their human counterparts. We also learn a critical truth about Sister Iris (Mao Ichimichi, Kaiju No.8) as she comes face-to-face with Amertarsu, only to discover she is more godly than she ever would’ve expected. 

Plotting out adaptations is one of the toughest elements of the job. When an original work spans years’ worth of chapters, fitting it into expected runtimes can be challenging. Making story arcs, or even single fights, fit into a new format takes careful planning. And sometimes, it just doesn’t fit. This feels like the core problem in Fire Force Season 3 Episode 22.

Several battles play out over the course of Fire Force Season 3 Episode 22, with each feeling like it should be a highlight moment. One even reveals the return of a character believed dead, but completely undercuts the potential magnitude of their appearance because the moment receives so little time. These fights between characters and their dopllegangers feel rushed through. One gets the sense that they are there only because they appeared in the manga, and therefore, they will be here, even if they are reduced to a handful of minutes among all of them. 

Benimaru’s fight in Fire Force Season 3 Episode 22 never underwhelms.

The only one of these fights that doesn’t feel underwhelming is Benimaru’s (Mamaru Miyano, Gamera: Rebirth). As everyone looks on in terror as the world’s strongest faces off with the world’s perception of the strongest, the hero dispatches his foe with a single strike. Everyone is flabbergasted until a simple point is made: How people perceive the world’s strongest is no competition for the genuine article. 

This clever reaffirmation of Benimaru’s place in the pecking order more than makes up for the brevity of the fight. Seeing his doppleganger rant about his superiority as he forges a ring of fire around the entire world, just to be cut down casually, lands perfectly. After the fight, Beniramu even scolds his people for not appreciating his true strength and creating such a weak image of him. A true shonen battle protagonist. 

The strongest element of Fire Force Season 3 Episode 22 comes near the midway point of the episode. Taking a break from all the action, the narrative joins Iris as she meets Aamaterasu in the Adolla. There she learns a startling truth: she is Amertarasu’s doppleganger. Having suspected she wasn’t normal already, Iris takes this revelation in pretty good stride. It’s not explained why Iris is the only doppelganger unaware of its status, which is the only confusing element of the pivotal moment. 

The truth surrounding who and what Iris is finally revealed.

That Iris forms a collective image of a protective and benevolent god tracks. She is always looking out for others, hoping to end suffering, and even pulls off the occasional miracle when she’s needed. Even what seems like a momentary plot hole in this reveal quickly makes sense with further consideration.

A knee-jerk reaction to Iris’ true nature is likely to be the question, “Why hasn’t she just fixed everything?” This seems fair on the surface. She is a god after all. However, upon deeper inspection in Fire Force Season 3 Episode 22, she would never be that powerful for one simple reason. How many people actually believe God will solve all their problems? Many religions preach the concept that problems are generally there to test us. If god simply fixed them, where is the test?

Beyond the elements of her power, Iris even plays her role well when Amaterasu verbally attacks her and demands that she take her place, thus ending her long suffering. Iris approaches the situation as one would expect of her concept. Extending understanding and help, rather than a violent end. 

Despite a couple of strong elements in the episode, things are still too rushed.

Fire Force Season 3 Episode 22 sprints through a pair of final threats as it gets Shinra and Sho to the Adolla in preparation for the final conflict. Greeted by an oddly behaving Haumea (Rie Kugiyama, Banished from the Hero’s Party…), compared to her normal attitude, the brothers brace themselves for whatever comes next.

Like the last several episodes, Fire Force Season 3 Episode 22 continues to stumble towards its finish line. A couple of strong moments can’t hold together the rushed pacing and manic energy of a show that feels like it doesn’t have enough time to do everything it needs to. Hopefully, all the plot condensing done here at least gave them the time to deliver a proper finish.

Fire Force Season 3 Episode 22 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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