©Tower of God 2 Animation Partners
I have mixed feelings about this episode of Tower of God. On one hand, this episode features a member of our supporting cast, Horyang, and fully fleshes out his backstory, giving him a lot of much-needed development. We not only learn the source of his powers, but also his tragic past as an orphan who was used as a test subject for human-demon fusion.
This is something Bam’s team has needed for a long time. At this point, we’re nine episodes in and we know next to nothing about these characters. Their power levels, histories, and even motivations remain largely a mystery. The idea that they’ve been traveling together for years but never made it public seems crazy at the time. But then again, it’s possible they were off-screen, in which case the recent skip has robbed us of a lot of important information.
However, while welcome, that doesn't change the fact that Horyang's story is more than a little predictable and clichéd, the whole experiment-the-kids-only-a-young-woman-gets-treatment-their-setup-pleases bit is nothing new, nor is the estranged-fake-brother-with-mirroring-powers bit. However, while the plot is simple and straightforward, Horyang's actions are not.
While the team is eager to help Horyang find his friend, Horyang instead decides to run off in the middle of the night to find him alone. His stated motives don't really make sense, however. There's nothing to suggest that Cassano is dangerous—him using Horyang's alias as his own is a clear indication that he's trying to leave a trail for Horyang to follow. Still, even if he's hesitant for some reason, bringing Bam along seems like a smart play at least.
But while Horyang’s reasoning for going it alone is a bit confusing, Bam’s acceptance of it on the surface makes perfect sense. Bam has always been in a state of fear for his old and new friends. Their association with him has put their lives in danger. Horyang’s unwillingness to put his friends—that is, the rest of the team—in danger due to his personal baggage is something that has a profound impact on Bam. So Bam hiding Horyang’s departure from the rest of the team is completely in character. It’s a negative thing Bam has learned from his new FUG allies—how to lie and keep secrets—and something tells me that Horyang will likely pay the price for that new character flaw.
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Tower of God Season 2 is now streaming on Crunchyroll.
