English Dub Review: Tower of God “Khun’s Strategy”

 

Overview(Spoilers Below):

The Regulars within the Tower get a chance to truly dig into their high stakes game of tag and it soon becomes clear that all of this is far from fun and games. Khun appears to meet his match when he faces off against Quant, Team B’s “It” person, who also happens to be a powerful Ranker within the Tower. Khun devises an elaborate strategy to stay ahead of Quant and his abilities, but this game of tag leaves much in the air and it’s unclear who will be the winner. Both Khun and Quant are pushed to go beyond their limits, all while Bam and his teammates watch the proceedings and hope to gain some insight towards what lies ahead for them. Once everyone engages in the game, the results become even more ambiguous, but it turns this latest test into a new opportunity for everyone to learn just who’s calling the shots within the Tower.

Our Take:

Now that Tower of God is officially past the halfway point of its first season it’s been easier to identify the number of tricks that the show routinely utilizes. Human nature and characters’ relationships with one another is fundamental in this series, but the other prevalent factor through all of this is that the tests that the Tower throws at its Regulars require thinking that goes outside of the box. Nothing is simple within the Tower and the tests that appear to be easy are usually the most deceptive.

“Khun’s Strategy” continues with the adrenaline-pumping game of tag that started in the last episode, but as Khun and his team are pushed into a corner, the resilient fighter needs to work harder than ever to figure out the right way to win. Several episodes have effectively illustrated Khun’s expertise at strategy development, but “Khun’s Strategy” shows just how many steps Khun thinks ahead in order to beat his opponent.

Quant starts to initiate some major power dynamics when he tells Khun and the rest of his team that he’ll give them a head start of nearly two minutes. Khun uses this time to put together a smart approach that attempts to block the exits and force Quant into an area where they’ll have him surrounded. However, Khun is also worried that Quant has only given them this advantage because he has a much more elaborate plan in store for them.

The larger fight that goes on between these teams is incredibly engaging and a satisfying centerpiece for this episode. There’s a war of Shinsu and spears that go all over the place as Khun attempts to get the upper hand and Quant continues to evade everyone. The Shinsu effects look great, but what’s particularly exciting about this skirmish is that it mostly goes on in a low-light environment. This makes the action a lot more chaotic and it carries an element of surprise to it all.

Spears and Shinsu appear out of nowhere and it’s an effective ambush where most characters are at a loss. Quant maintains control through all of this, but in spite of Khun’s discouragement, his many plans keep him in the game. This shows a nice development with Khun’s character and how he’s become more adept with improvisation when necessary. He’s still a brilliant strategist, but his growing ability to throw caution to the wind already starts to do him favors in this exercise.

There’s some nice synchronicity over how Khun and Quant’s fight ends in a very similar way to Anaak and Endorsi’s previous battle. As the two plummet to their doom, the best moment in the episode happens when Khun’s foresight allows him to hitch a ride on Anaak’s platform with the help of her vine. Khun doesn’t just survive the fall, but it also helps him take the lead in the game of tag. It’s a truly fantastic moment that’s pure badassery and it’s one of the first times that Anaak and Khun get to work as a team. It’s also yet another opportunity where the geography within Tower of God resembles the layout of a frustrating level in a Super Mario game, but in the best way possible.

It looks like Anaak and the rest of Team A have won, but Quant gets to the exit before Anaak does and this element of surprise allows him to steal back the relic and become “It” again. It’s also somewhat negligent that the previous episode has the other Examiners bill up Quant’s reckless nature in battle and how he may get overwhelmed, but it’s really not followed up on at all. There are a few moments where Quant might be worried, but he never really falters here and in the end he remains confident.

Khun struggles with the defeat that he faces, but it’s genuinely sweet to see the rest of his team take his side and focus on the positive rather than feed his negativity. Khun’s around the right people and they already see the value in him in a way where Khun feels truly appreciated. Khun values the moral support, but his “failure” is actually just another component of his larger strategy.

It initially appears that the episode’s title, “Khun’s Strategy,” refers to the character’s repeated efforts to pivot on the spot, but it turns out that it’s actually a nod to the long game that Khun plays through this installment. Just when everyone is ready to throw in the towel, Khun reveals that he hasn’t been entirely truthful here and that his plan isn’t as obvious as it seemed. Anaak is actually the real one who’s “It” on their team and most of Khun’s grandstanding has merely been a distraction. This last-minute twist helps give the episode’s final act a second wind as Team A gets another shot at victory.

The end of “Khun’s Strategy” finally throws Bam and many of the other characters into this game of tag. They’re able to learn a ton from what they’ve observed from Khun’s actions, which informs them that it’s fruitless to attempt to catch a Ranker. Instead they focus on a strategy that disperses their Fisherman and Wave Controllers, while the Spear Bearers secure the “It.” Unfortunately, before this admirable plan gets a chance to really get underway, Endorsi surprises Bam with a sneak attack, which leaves their team in a dangerous place. This last-minute betrayal stings slightly more than usual since Endorsi and Bam appear to bond during their time on the sidelines together. It’s another instance where Bam doesn’t know who to trust.

A lot of “Khun’s Strategy” focuses on the cat-and-mouse game between Khun and Quant, but some other supporting characters also get some attention. There’s a lot of fun to be had with Shibisu, who really commits to the tag proceedings. It’s one of the best episodes for the characters so far, even if it does mostly amount to positive energy over results. There’s also a sliver of character development for Serena, who spent her pre-Tower time as a cat burglar before her friends were all slaughtered by Rankers. Serena and Hoh still have a long ways to come as characters, but Serena’s tragic past doesn’t just help flesh her out, but it also reinforces the unbridled strength of the Tower Administrators.

It’s not a major part of the episode, but I’m finding it pretty funny that every time somebody refers to Rachel they go through the whole “Rach—I mean, Michelle” song and dance. I understand that the truth about Rachel is being kept under wraps, but the fact that this goes on every time makes it feel like more of a joke than an attempt to be careful with a secret. In a very twisty and serious episode, it makes for a fun source of levity.

“Khun’s Strategy” is an impressive and surprising episode of Tower of God that much like Khun with his grand master plan, doesn’t reveal its full hand until the moment is right. This episode is really Khun’s to own, but it’s also just as strong of a showcase for the Tower’s Rankers and the kind of threat that they’ll continue to pose. Khun’s plan is a real stroke of genius, but “Khun’s Strategy” is one of the better episodes to reflect that this won’t always be enough and that everyone has an elaborate scheme that they’re eager to execute. As the match of tag rages on, victory has never been more uncertain.

At least Rak is still able to fulfill his chocolate quota, even when in the face of all of this danger.