When the latest episode of Ultraman Nexus aired, Daniel sat eagerly in front of his TV, putting aside his game of Legend of Pokémon: Breath of the Wild. Even though the game was highly addictive, it couldn't keep him away from the latest episode of Nexus—he was too curious to see what would happen next.
Recently, the online discussions about Ultraman Nexus had been blowing up.
In the previous episode, Jun had been captured by TLT, the very organization he had been helping as Ultraman. The reason for his capture? To conduct experiments and uncover the secrets of Ultraman's power.
This turn of events enraged many viewers. After all, Nexus had been a hero, constantly fighting to protect humanity. And how did humanity repay him? By attacking him during his battles, and then capturing him once he reverted to his human form.
Fans knew that when Ultraman reverted to his human form, he bore all the injuries he had sustained in battle. On top of that, more and more Space Beasts kept appearing, wearing down Jun's body bit by bit. Now, to see him being tortured in experiments? It was heartbreaking for many.
The Seer had also warned Jun that his body was deteriorating. If he transformed into Ultraman one more time, it could kill him!
As Daniel thought about the predictions he had read online, he couldn't help but shake his head. Some people believed that Jun was going to die soon. Too naïve, he thought.
In many stories, the hero faces the classic dilemma: transforming one more time could be fatal. The hero usually transforms anyway, fighting against all odds and surviving in the end. Daniel was confident that Jun would pull through this time as well.
With the show's iconic music starting, Ultraman Nexus began.
Daniel sat up straight, grabbing his snacks—chips and soda. After all, what was watching Ultraman without some munchies? The crispy chips, the fizz of the soda, and the action on screen—this was the life.
As the episode began, Jun transformed and rushed to battle the Space Beasts, saving workers who had been under attack. But after the battle, he collapsed, confirming that his condition was indeed worsening.
However, as the episode progressed, something felt off. The atmosphere, the background music—it all pointed to a tragic turn. Even Ultraman's infant form, which had never shown a red light before, began to flash after Jun transformed again.
Then, in a pose reminiscent of a crucifixion, Nexus was bound, just like the heroes of old.
Recalling the Seer's words to Jun and the promise he made to Sata to return alive, Daniel began to feel a sinking dread.
Had he been wrong? Was Jun actually going to die?
This was, after all, the work of the Porter, who always managed to surprise the audience.
Daniel started to piece it together. Given the storyline so far, it seemed very possible that Jun would die in the coming episodes.
After all, the promotional tagline had been: "The light is a bond; someone will inherit it and make it shine again!"
From this, Daniel deduced that the story might be setting up a relay of sorts, where the Ultraman's power would pass on to someone else. And who was more likely to inherit this power than Komon, who had been portrayed almost like a main character?
But soon, Daniel was drawn back into the episode as the action unfolded.
The Night Raiders reached the final battleground, where they saw Nexus bound to a stone pillar.
Then came the intense, visually stunning battle between the Space Beasts and the fighter jets, accompanied by perfectly timed background music. The action was so riveting that viewers were left breathless, barely able to keep up.
This was one of the key differences between this version of Ultraman Nexus and the original series. In this world, Nexus avoided many of the pitfalls it had faced before.
In the original series, one of the reasons for its low ratings was the lack of action scenes.
Ultraman shows are primarily action-packed, with lots of fighting scenes, especially since a large part of the audience is children.
But Ultraman Nexus had focused heavily on drama instead.
While drama is essential, in a tokusatsu hero show, too much of it can be detrimental, especially when the audience includes not only adults and teens but also children who are more interested in the exciting battles between Ultraman and the monsters.
In this world, Ren's apprentice, Felix, had made the same mistake as before, but Ren had corrected it in time, balancing the drama with the action scenes.
For example, the battle scenes while Nexus was still dormant were now spectacular, with Picca Comics spending a lot on special effects.
The fighter jet battles were meticulously crafted, with Felix and his team even visiting a military base to observe training exercises. They then used this experience to create the tense and thrilling dogfights between the jets and the Space Beasts.
This was all done to ensure that the audience, especially those not interested in the drama, wouldn't lose interest before Nexus fully awakened.
Meanwhile, Jun found himself trapped in a dream.
It was a dream that felt ancient and distant. In it, he saw Serra once more.
This time, the dream continued beyond what he had seen before.
Serra didn't just smile at him—she spoke:
"I love your photos, Jun. They are proof that I lived."
"This power isn't a curse, Jun. You were chosen by the light."
"This time, use this power to protect the people who matter to you."
Finally, Jun found his redemption.
For the last time, he pulled out the Nexus transformation device. The silver giant awakened once more.
The viewers' excitement soared! Although the jet versus Space Beast battle was impressive, nothing beat the sight of Ultraman taking on a Space Beast in battle.
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