#takaban

Would it have been nice if Henpeita and Matako and even Zura and Sakamoto got to see him one last time before he passed on? Naturally; it would have been lovely if each of them had an opportunity to offer their last words to him, but at the same time, if I really think about it, that really would have only served as closure for them, not Takasugi. Takasugi doesn’t need that. With Henpeita and Matako, when he left them two years ago, he had probably already made up his mind to never see them again. He has already closed the book of the Kiheitai in his life, I’d like to think he probably did it when Bansai died. That’s why he was able to leave them and carry out his personal mission these past two years without looking back once. With Zura and Sakamoto, they have already led completely separate lives, so their intertwining chapters have also been closed. What has always remained open were the chapters involving Gintoki and Shouyou, and therefore it is absolutely fitting that his last two people he would get to see and essentially say good-bye to would be just the two of them.

I can’t deny that a small part of me still wishes that Takasugi had survived so that he could live out the rest of his life with Shouyou now that he seemingly is back with the world. It would have definitely been a fairy-tale ending for Takasugi. But at the same time, I do understand that he doesn’t deserve such a happy ending since, despite the warmth we feel about him now, for the majority of Gintama, Takasugi has unquestionably been the villain. Most of his earlier plans were put into motion without any regard for the innocent lives that would be lost in the process. Just because he wasn’t completely successful since his schemes were thwarted, doesn’t make his intentions any less heinous. By your grace we have grown to love Takasugi and forgive him of all the questionable things he’s done because we know how much he has suffered internally, but that doesn’t mean his cosmic scales has been balanced. With this sacrificial act of his, I think his scales are more than balanced; they’ve probably been tipped into light. Takasugi died as a hero, in the arms of someone who is important to him. He could not have asked for a more noble and fulfilling death.

As for Utsuro, I still would’ve really loved to see a 10-on-1 pile up on him; if I have one complaint it would be that I wish the final fight against him could have lasted just a little bit longer and with more outside contribution (and I’m saying all that under the assumption that Utsuro is finally, truly dead), but in lieu of that, having Oboro make an appearance one last time and actually contribute to his death was a fair consolation prize. I must admit I don’t completely understand the sorcery involved that led to Utsuro being tricked and defeated—I can only gather it mostly had to do with Takasugi creating an illusion of Shouyou’s death when in fact he had stabbed himself, and thereby weakening Utsuro to the point where he can be killed—but I’m sure Gintama fans smarter than me will either figure it out so that it all makes sense or dismantle it to prove it doesn’t. Personally, I don’t think it matters anymore. After all, Utsuro’s defeat was a long time coming. If being stabbed by the entire gang and then melted in the Altana stream didn’t do it, then he might as well be felled by an illusion. I’m not going to lie and not say that the whole thing doesn't have a whiff of deux ex machina about it, but then again, you are the god in this machine so why not. I just hope that he is actually, truly, permanently gone this time and that all that remains is Shouyou, completely untainted by any of Utsuro’s darkness.  It would be nice if he still had a smidgen of Takasugi and Oboro in him, but I could live with Shouyou being just Shouyou. But please, Sorachi-sama, no force ghosts. I know you love Star Wars, but I hope you refrain from paying homage to it in that way. I’m fine with not seeing them lined up behind Shouyou. If you are going to give us any more ghosts, give us Bansai, leading Takasugi to the afterlife. In fact, I am still hoping we will get to see that in the next chapter.

I know the word is out that the next chapter will be your last, but I honestly wish it wasn’t. And I promise it’s not ONLY because I want to be in denial and I am being greedy: I know you have been MORE than generous with us, to ask for more is downright disgraceful at this point. But if you were to end everything by the next chapter, I just hope that you have a very long chapter planned, perhaps one that is at least a hundred pages long, including a meaty epilogue as well. I hope that you are not rushing to the end because of outside pressure. I know it’s odd of me to say that considering the time you have taken with this final arc, but so much of the last couple of chapters have just been our beloved characters running around and fighting, I hope you reserved time in the next chapter for some quiet, significant conversations. I am actually most concerned about Gintoki’s state of mind since he was once again forced to strike down someone he loves. I know he had Takasugi’s blessing and he at least got to say proper last words to him, not to mention this time, he didn’t do it under extreme duress, but the fact remains that Takasugi still died by his hands. I hope we have time to see how he will recover from this event, if he needs recovery at all, or if this has provided him with closure as well since it did seem that way. Honestly, the more I think about it, the more one chapter sounds woefully insufficient to cover everything. I can only continue to have faith in you as I always do, that you will give Gintama as noble and fulfilling an end as you have blessed Takasugi with. 

Yours truly,

A silly fangirl with yaoi dreams