WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Season 2, Episode 22 of Fire Force, "Plot for Extinction," now streaming on Crunchyroll.
As much as Fire Force's Shinra Kusakabe looks to stop the Evangelist and White-Clad, he's just as committed to rescuing his brother Sho from their clutches. Sho hasn't appeared in the series since last season during his fated clash in the Nether against Shinra. Now, after Dr. Giovanni's teasing words about him, it's revealed he's in a catatonic, controlled state.
Though Shinra is unaware of where and how his brother is being kept "as though he were a puppet," Giovanni's words spur him on and push him to surprising speeds. While he and Arthur continue fighting Giovanni, the rest of Company 8 works to find a way to nullify the impending explosion from Ritsu as she detonates countless Infernals to destroy the Nether and collapse the Tokyo Empire above.
What Happened to Sho?
Giovanni's reference to Sho garners an expectedly aggressive response from Shinra, who seems to reach a similar speed to what he could achieve with the Adolla's Grace, momentarily vanishing before pummeling Giovanni. The White-Clad member explains that Sho is "where the Pillars need to be, prior to the coming of the Great Cataclysm" and hints he's being toyed with by Haumea.
When Sho last appeared, during the Fire Force's previous trip to the Nether, he shared a unique Adolla Link with Shinra, which revealed some of his brother's memories from when their family was complete. The experience has a significant impact on the younger Kusakabe brother, who begins to question the lies he's been told by the Evangelist. Unfortunately, before he can act on his changing mind, Haumea uses her ability to send an electrical shock through his nervous system and control him.
Haumea plays with Sho's catatonic body, treating him like a doll, which seems to make even Arrow -- Sho's White-Clad protector -- uncomfortable. Nonetheless, Haumea's power has likely kept Sho in this state since his fight with Shinra to stop the Pillar from rebelling away from the Evangelist.
Maki's Unsurprising - Yet Welcome - Return
Meanwhile, thanks to Ritsu's Necro Pyro ability, she has turned all of the corpses in the Nether into Infernals that she can explode at any moment. With the help of a powerful second-generation pyrokinetic, controlling the ensuing flames is possible and could redirect the blast elsewhere. Thankfully, the 8th has remained in contact with Maki, who steps in to shoulder that burden.
Despite Takigi's reservations of having his sister putting herself in harm's way, he eventually relents and works with Maki to force the explosion downward. With Maki's expert control and Takigi's knowledge of the Nether's structure, they combine to successfully push the flames down to the ground, extinguishing them and saving themselves and the city above.
Giovanni's Further Revelation
With his insect body modifications, Giovanni can detect and avoid attacks by sensing someone's pheromones. However, Arthur zones out to such a degree that he reaches a personal "nirvana,' slashing Giovanni from behind without detection. Unfortunately, it's still not enough to keep the White-Clad down, whose head sprouts legs and flees.
Before running away, Giovanni and Shinra discuss their previous Adolla Link, which surprises the former, who was unaware it happened. He becomes wildly excited after learning this, telling Shinra that only those with an Adolla Burst or a connection to the Adolla are capable of experiencing a Link.
After Giovanni's escape and Ritsu's failed explosion, the Fire Force returns to the surface. Juggernaut is shown to have survived his injuries but suffered a loss of limbs. Shinra reflects Giovanni's words and wonders how he also shared an Adolla Link with Company 7's Konro, curious what his connection to the Adolla could be.
