WARNING: The following contains spoilers for takt op.Destiny Episode 5, "Equitation -Valkyrie-," now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Episode 5 of takt op.Destiny has a slightly more sinister air to it when a Conductor sets his eyes on Takt and Cosette. After all, an unregistered Musicart and Conductor are virtually unheard of, so it's not shocking this Conductor is interested in the two. A surprise is also revealed about the series' world: there are Musicarts who don't have a bond with a Conductor -- and the one Takt meets is none too fond of him.
The Symphonica Conductors are lauded as protectors and the only ones who are able to defeat the D2s. Yet strangely, Episode 5 shows the Symphonica transporting crystal that lures D2s. As it turns out, music isn't the only thing that draws D2s in.
As takt op.Destiny continues, the next stop on the trio's journey to New York is New Orleans, but unfortunately their car breaks down along the way. However, Cosette finds them another form of transportation when she stops a Symphonica train carrying Black Night Siderites in its tracks -- literally.
The three of them are greeted by Schindler -- the Head Commander of the Symphonica -- his Musicart Hell, and a Valkyrie Musicart named Walkure who is Conductor-less. Schindler immediately recognizes Takt and Cosette as the ones he had been interested in. Rather than seeing Musicarts as partners, Schindler thinks of them as weapons or, more accurately, pawns on a chessboard that have no mind of their own. This immediately raises a red flag for Takt.
Although Schindler is not Walkure's Conductor, she seems to be loyal to him -- or at least to the Symphonica, which is why Takt and Cosette grate on her nerves. They do whatever they want and have very little discipline. When Cosette realizes that D2s are following the train, she and Walkure go on the attack.
Unfortunately, the train stops due to the railway tracks needing repairs, further incensing Walkure who sees this as interference to the mission. Hell, who watches everything unfold with a cruelly delighted air, offers a piece of advice to Takt: if he wants to get closer to Walkure, he should use force. Hell has some creepy similarities to her Conductor. She doesn't see Cosette as a fellow Musicart -- she calls her eyes "accessories" and wants to take them for herself because they're pretty.
The Black Night Siderites on the train attract a horde of D2s. As Cosette still doesn't have much control and Walkure weakens due to the lack of a Conductor bond, the two Musicarts are barely able to hold them off. For a second it looks like they're going to be overwhelmed, but Takt has an idea: he orders Cosette to shoot at the two cliffs overlooking the chasm. The blast causes the rock to break off, killing the majority of the D2s.
Although Schindler evidently holds very little regard for Musicarts, that sentiment doesn't extend to his own. Hell has a casual, nonchalant air where she will only do something if it entertains her. She obliterates the last D2 with her discs, disgruntled that Cosette and Walkure are the only ones "having fun." Schindler makes one last offer to Takt to work with him, but he flat out refuses.
After the fight, Walkure has more respect for Takt and even blushes when he recognizes that her name comes from Wagner's Ring cycle. But that same level of respect isn't given in return when Schindler coldly dismisses her. Walkure is back to her lone wolf status but now that her attitude toward Takt has changed, will we see another companion join takt op.Destiny's trip to New York?
