English Dub Review: Listeners “Real Me / The Real Me”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

After Mu somehow became an antagonist at the end of the previous episode, this one explains things by reversing course where we left Echo and Mu back in episode 6. They learn that Jimi  may have last been in the company of officials from Londinium. They plan to travel to the city in order to learn more about what transpired and potentially locate Jimi’s current whereabouts, but before they can set off, a swarm of helicopters arrive to transport them there personally.

The man running the show in the city, Tommy Walker, escorts Mu as a royal princess, being the closest thing they currently have to Jimi. They explain to her what happened at Project Freedom — how Jimi stopped fighting the Earless and passed through a mysterious gate. And now that Mu has arrived, Tommy finally has all he needs to bring Jimi back — one way or another.

Our Take:

After an out of place flash forwarding sixth episode, Listeners gets things back on track this week. While the previous episode wasn’t necessarily bad, it did feel very out of left field, and perhaps didn’t really justify the need for messing with the linear continuity. Since we already know the end game, this episode’s climax never quite feels as dramatic or high tension as it should, although Mu undergoes what is likely the toughest challenge she’s ever faced.

When the helicopters from Londinium arrive, the development is at first welcomed by Echo and Mu. Despite the warm welcome, though, it’s clear that something is afoot. Tommy Walker isn’t totally forthcoming with Mu, and works to separate her from Echo and keep her busy studying her script for the upcoming Christmas festivities, in which she’s accepted the role of Jimi. It’s not only a great way to get her focused on things other than the true plan of the final act, but it also serves to get her questioning exactly who she is and what her relation to Jimi means for her and Echo’s relationship.

Echo claims that he doesn’t care who she really is or what her past is, because either way, she’ll still be the same Mu he’s come to know. She isn’t so sure, though, especially once she hears from Tommy that Jimi stopped his attack on the Earless and followed one of them through the weird portal gate thing that may or may not be a metaphor for death.

Once the final act arrives and Tommy’s true sinister dealings are revealed, it starts to look like Mu might have good cause to worry. According to an inner monologue that occurs once Mu is drugged up by Tommy, she starts to assume Jimi’s spirit, and realizes that Jimi/she was originally an Earless that was chosen to be reincarnated as a human! It’s a pretty stunning revelation that caps off an already lore heavy episode.

Not only does Real Me / The Real Me boast plenty of answered questions about Jimi and the end result of his time at Project Freedom, but it also puts the spotlight on Mu, Echo, and their feelings for themselves. While Mu grapples with self doubt about her true self and purpose, Echo is battling with whether or not he’s okay with letting Mu go after they find Jimi and get the answers to the puzzles they seek to put together. It’s still unclear if he’s going to talk to Mu or not — especially now that this latest debacle has forced her to commit a violent act. But one thing’s for sure: if they do get through this latest trial, they’ll come out stronger than ever on the other side.