English Dub Review: BEM “Betrayal”

Overview:

The leader of the unseen council finally reveals herself.

Our Take:

Summers decides to keep on trusting Bem, following her revelation of what she witnessed last episode: that the humanoid monsters aren’t all that the government says that they are, and that she can think for herself. She does something similar to what happened last episode, in where she risks her own safety and reputation to help someone in need, especially someone like Bem who doesn’t have the public’s favor.

Despite the title, Summers never ends up betraying Bem. Her plan to reveal the truth of everything to the public and turn sentiment into Bem’s favor doesn’t end up coming true, but she has no intention of turning him in. What ends up stopping her is having her family’s safety threatened, and even then she doesn’t go to the stadium with the intent of turning Bem in, but to help her family. She doesn’t try to backstab him, but explains her situation so that he can help her. It works; she gains his trust.

We finally meet the leader of the unseen council, who basically is just the entire council herself; a humanoid monster named Vega. She was created by an alchemist a long, long time ago and is the true founder of Libra City. Her influence has persisted for 500 years, and she is the true culprit, the manipulator behind the shadows. She also seems to have some supernatural abilities as well, able to create psychic distortions. The doctor creating all of the monsters seems to be partnered with her, and the head of police answers to her as well. When Daryl meets her, it’s to get answers, even if what he leaves with are more along the lines of questions.

Vega can’t be killed. She is unaging, immortal, and eternal, and yet seems oddly tired of it all. She had considerable power and seems to be manipulating things towards some goal, but there’s something oddly dispassionate about her. Her main interest seems to be in Bem, who she has been sensing for years. She also takes an interest in the young girl from the circus, who she confirms to be human. The young girl has taken to Vega, and uses her powers to capture Bem.

At this point, it’s still unclear what exactly Vega wants, but she is interested in only Bem, not Bela or Belo. The latter two manage to escape while Bem is in captivity, so there is still hope that Bem can escape. Still, with the world turned against him, things look pretty dire…