WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Rust-Eater Bisco Season 1, Episode 8, "Fiendish Trap," now streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
Episode 8 of Rust-Eater Bisco picked up on the same tense beat that the previous episode left fans on. Milo has gone to take on Kurokawa alone, only to realize that the Governor is far more a formidable opponent than he could have planned for. Even with the arrival of Bisco, and then Jabi, the episode showed fans that the chance of everyone escaping Kurokawa's base alive may be smaller than imagined.
The previous episode featured Governor Kurokawa chiding Milo on his broadcast, calling for his and Bisco's capture and announcing that he had already captured Pawoo. That was certainly enough to drive Milo to such drastic measures, but Episode 8 showed that Kurokawa televised Pawoo's torture on screen, leaving Milo with no other choice but to attack. Under Bisco's tutelage, Milo has become adept not only at archery but in using his medical prowess to understand how to best work with the various mushrooms at his disposal. It proved incredibly effective in his encounter with the Governor, but it's short-lived when Kurokawa suspiciously revealed he's far more knowledgeable about weaponizing and combatting mushrooms than he's so far let on.
Even though Kurokawa managed to turn the tables on Milo, Bisco surprised the two in battle. Still suffering from the effects of the rust bullet, he managed to let loose some devastating attacks before succumbing to Milo's rust arrows, shot while under the manipulative effects of the puppetshroom. As the threat of their deaths quickly approached, Kurokawa explained why he is so skilled at weaponizing mushrooms and nullifying their effects. He was himself a Mushroom Keeper, but his desire to perfect their destructive qualities quickly saw him exiled. He also admitted to being responsible for creating and spreading the lies that led to the eradication of the Mushroom Keepers, as well as engineering the scarcity of a cure for the Rusting so that he can monopolize the business of life-saving treatment.
Episode 8 was filled with moments that left fans wondering if this would be when a character finally meets their end. Fortunately, Jabi came to save Bisco and Milo, even letting Milo know that he freed Pawoo and that she is safe. Though Jabi kept Kurokawa at bay long enough for the three of them to escape, it's not long before the rest of Kurokawa's pawns appear for a full-on onslaught. With Bisco and Milo in critical condition, they've no choice but to run and leave the rest to Jabi, despite his own injuries. A crucial question left hanging following their escape is why didn't Jabi mention that Kurokawa was once a Mushroom Keeper? The way they exchanged quips in battle hinted that this was of no surprise to Jabi, but would his word have been too weak against Kurokawa's machinations, even with Bisco's hot-headed antics on his side?
Throughout Rust-Eater Bisco, it's been made clear just how determined both Bisco and Milo are when it comes to protecting their family. Milo's even-tempered nature has been pushed to its limits as he's met with the desperation that comes with fighting against the clock to save a life, be it his sister's or Bisco's. Still carrying the anger of how the Governor tricked the families of Tetsujin Town, Milo is willing to do anything in his power to get justice for everyone who's had to suffer at the hands of Kurokawa and his lies.
By the end of the episode, fans are left to wonder just who will survive to continue the journey. Will Jabi be able to hold off Kurokawa's army and make it to Bisco and Milo in time, or will his death come before the Rusting can claim it? Milo, who's been pummeled with every step of his escape, is nearly dead by the time the episode ends, leaving Bisco in tears as he struggles to figure out what to do. Even with Kurokawa's confession, if no one survives to find a way to tell the world, nothing will change. Surely, Pawoo's got her own trouble to deal with following her escape, but the survival of everyone else might very well hinge on the possibility of her return.
