Obviously, the flower is from Haji, which has been reiterated several times in this thread. But overall, the episode (and ending) was completely lackluster in my opinion.
First of all, Diva's end was not that sad in the least. She had been an evil devious character throughout the entire series. Let's not forget she raped Riku.... Only after she has the kids do we see any sign of a heart in Diva, but that still doesn't change she and Amshell's plans for the rest of the world. Wanting to make a family is not the same as mass mutation of most of the people on earth.
Second, the character of Haji makes me so mad (and the main reason I write this comment, to get it off my chest). He is completely without spine and emotion. He is basically Saya's robot the entire series, and then finally, in the last 15 minutes, he decides to stand up to her? And Kai had to punch him in the face to do it! He and Saya have been together for over 100 years and he can't show any more emotion toward her throughout the entire series?? When he "died" in Operation D, I couldn't have cared less. Maybe if their relationship had been more developed as an understanding, caring, emotional relationship from the beginning (or as it appeared it was going when they were in Russia), Haji's "sacrifice" would have been more emotional. But it wasn't, because Haji's a robot and I don't care. Oh, and I usually like Crispin Freeman who played Haji. Actually, I usually like him a lot. But the complete lack of emotion and character development of Haji in this series really set me back on him. : (
Third, the ending was completely foreseeable... especially if you anticipate a happy-go-lucky, everyone-have-a-tea-party ending.
1. Diva had to die.
2. Saya had to live.
3. Either Kai had to become a Chevalier or Haji had to live, but not both.
4. Saya was going to raise the babies.
1 and 2 should be obvious. 3 is less obvious on its face, but here's why it should be. Saya lives forever. She needs someone to spend eternity with her-- and that person would have to be a romantic interest. That could only be 1 of 2 people, kai or haji. Either way would have worked, but not both. Otherwise it would have ended with this eternal love triangle that would have just made everyone upset. That's how you know the flower at the end is haji's (besides the obvious symbols). Saya needs someone to spend eternity with, and if its not Kai (he's not a chiropteran), then it has to be Haji. Also 4 has to be so because, let's face it, with the happy ending that was coming, no one was going to kill 2 babies.
Lastly, the ending was annoying for the "unique" twist with the blood. What an uninteresting and convenient turn of plot that Diva's blood was no longer effective after the pregnancy. Why not? What could have possibly changed? Her entire genetic structure and ways of producing blood changed with the babies? It annoys me that something like that could just happen for no reason except to add 30 seconds of plot drama and set up the everything-ends-happy ending.
The one redeeming characteristic about the ending was what ended up happening with the other characters-- specifically Kai, David, and Mao.
Mao and the journalist was a long time coming. I was waiting for them to start to get together since they first started their business relationship. It was strange to see her pursuing Kai for as long as she did when the obvious choice was to go after the journalist.
We can also assume that David and the doctor (i can't remember her name) finally do the same. yay.
And finally, Kai's ending was extremely satisfactory, but it took me a while to realize why. At first, I wanted him to be a Chevalier after Haji kicked the bucket. I figured he would be best to fill the role. But when he didn't and Haji is still alive (see point 3), I realized that Kai is just finishing being like George. Kai can know raise the queens and be the father to them that George was to Saya. The symbolism and symmetry is very powerful, especially since i found the relationship between Saya, George, Kai, and Riku as a family to be the most compelling and well done of the series. George's end was much more emotional than anyone else's in the whole series.
Thus, if anything, the ending was satisfying for the brief, 10 seconds that we see Kai playing dad. It finally comes full circle with the initial drama of the series, that of family and the power of connection that can develop within one. Kai is finally fulfilling the role that he was being prepped for the entire series--being George II. |