WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Dr. Stone Chapter 222, by Boichi, Riichiro Inagaki, Caleb Cook and Steve Dutre.
Ever since he awoke from the stone 3,700 years in the future, Senku Ishigami has spent all his time in the new Stone Age with one mission in mind -- reviving human civilization across the globe and restoring the human race, with no one left out. In Chapter 222, Senku stands on the cusp of confronting his final foe, and a wave of nostalgia hits him hard.
Senku has overcome many foes, from Tsukasa and his Empire of Might to the Petrification Kingdom and Dr. Xeno's armed nation in North America. By now, everyone stands united under Senku's banner, and Senku thinks back on how far he has come, from his first crude inventions to building a space-worthy rocket.
Senku and his allies have spent years building a space-worthy rocketship so Senku can directly confront his greatest nemesis on the moon -- the mysterious "why-man." The rocket represents countless hours of tough manual labor, advanced mechanical engineering, teamwork, and a great deal of optimism and hope that a Stone Age society can put humanity on the moon like NASA of old. Along the way, Senku shows off his generous spirit to his many loyal allies and friends.
Senku is better known for his cool and calculating personality than his warm and fuzzy side, but with his final mission at hand, he finds himself in the mood to build some gifts for his friends and enhance their everyday lives. He accepts a handful of requests, including building a washing machine for Yuzuriha and even a functional smartphone for Taiju -- a vast improvement over the walkie-talkies Senku used during his battle against Tsukasa's primitive army.
Despite taking pride in his work as a no-nonsense scientist, Senku still has his kind side, and he cannot help but express his fondness for his friends the best way he knows how. He's not the type to give flowers, write poems or even give a hug, being the non-romantic sort, but his kuudere personality finally presents its -dere half in a big way. And Senku has good reason to feel this way.
With his moon mission right around the corner, even the calm and calculating Senku can't help but feel nervous, excited and nostalgic as the biggest mission of his life approaches. This rocket and the moon mission symbolize Senku's hard work, ingenuity and optimism in the face of extreme odds and adversity, and he cannot help but feel proud of himself and his allies, even before the mission actually starts. This scenario is Dr. Stone's version of the heroes assembling outside the main villain's castle to fight one last battle, since Dr. Stone is, at its heart, a shonen story. Senku's moon mission is his version of Izuku facing All For One, Goku confronting Cell or Ichigo Kurosaki taking down Sosuke Aizen.
This moment's shonen flavor derives not only from the "final battle" overtones but also Senku's acknowledgment of how far he has come. Inventing new items and gathering precious resources are his version of training with a jutsu or mastering Super Saiyan form, and like any shonen hero, Senku started off with little more than confidence and a dream. One step at a time, Senku worked his way tirelessly to his ultimate goal, and that's something any shonen reader would want to see. Now, it's up to Senku, Kohaku and Stanley Snyder to make the most of this and finish the job. Nostalgia feels good, but it's no substitute for pressing the "launch" button and reviving the entire human race.
