Fire Force is one of the most underrated shonen series currently streaming. The anime is easily a masterclass in battle series, but its third season has disappointing pacing issues. What was supposed to be the most engaging early-season battle has dragged on unnecessarily for three episodes. Leonard Burns escalates the conflict by using an Infernal Insect on Akitaru Obi, but it is ineffective due to his impressive physique. At the same time, Arthur Boyle is being noticeably overpowered by the adversary of his dreams. Dragon is easily one of the most powerful combatants in the White-Clad and is a perfect match for Arthur’s delusions.

Dragon ends their epic bout by brutally injuring Arthur and destroying his precious Excalibur. Although the weapon is only a way for Arthur to channel his Third-Generation abilities, there is not much he can do without it. Thankfully, Vulcan is one of the other fighters on the battlefield and could theoretically make Arthur a new blade. Elsewhere, Princess Hibana of the Fifth Fire Company gets remarkably close to uncovering the truth behind Internal Combustion. She has confirmed that the process has ties to the concept of doppelgängers and has significant ties to her childhood home. Overall, Fire Force Season 3, Episode 5, has the most explosive ending of the entire season.

Fire Force Season 3, Episode 5, Pushes Company 8 to Its Limits

Two of the Strongest Protagonists are Both in Unfavorable Positions

Fire Force Season 3, Episode 5 is easily the most action-packed episode of the season so far. Every member of Company 8 does their best to save their beloved Captain, and the operation has broken into two main conflicts. At the end of season 3, Episode 4, Leonard Burns notably escalates the conflict by attempting to infect Akitaru Obi with an Infernal Insect. Surprisingly, Akitaru Obi is saved not by his Fire Soldiers, but by his impressive muscles.

The Fire Captain’s impressive physique keeps the infernal parasites at bay, but there’s only so much strain his muscles can take. That said, both Fire Force groups are distracted by pressing battles. Even with Shinra’s training with Benimaru Shinmon, he has been unable to contend with the former Fire Captain. Their duel has labored on for three episodes, boasting a shockingly low percentage of the season’s screen time. Just as the rest of Company 8 moves to back up Shinra, a new White-Clad appears named Dragon.

Dragon is the perfect opponent for Arthur Boyle. The Company 8 rookie even previously states how desperately he wishes to fight a Dragon. Arthur’s delusions are entirely based on his perception of himself concerning the King Arthur legend. If Arthur Boyle believes he is acting in line with Arthur Pendragon, he can grow almost infinitely stronger. Several enemies have attempted to exploit this ability, but Dragon’s powers are seemingly a perfect match for the “Knight King.”

Unlike any other character in the series, Dragon becomes more like an infernal with relative ease. Throughout his fight with Arthur Boyle, he rarely fights back and uses his infernal scales to block Arthur’s attacks. Arthur and Dragon grow stronger throughout their impressive battle, but Dragon barely needs to move. This is one of the first signs that Arthur might be unable to defeat his draconic adversary.

Arthur Boyle Loses His Beloved Excalibur Against the White-Clad, Dragon

Arthur Is Gravely Injured and Appears Unable to Continue

Arthur Boyle demonstrates some impressive new techniques against the White-Clad destroyer. Excalibur grows to a shockingly large size and is effortlessly wielded by the eager Company 8 rookie. Arthur even dons a cloak of his plasma to help protect him from attacks. Yet, as his enemy becomes closer to an infernal, Arthur starts struggling against the defensive powerhouse. None of Arthur’s attacks seems to have a significant impact on his enemy.

As Dragon becomes almost completely draconic, Arthur grows progressively more overwhelmed. Very few characters can take on a horned Infernal alone, especially without an Adolla Burst. That said, the battle didn’t go in Arthur’s favor. He attacks the White-Clad destroyer with everything he has, but he suffers a tragic loss in the process. Even with his new abilities, he is unable to truly combat the White-Clad destroy.

Episode 5’s conclusion begins with Arthur suffering a grievous injury and losing Excalibur forever. He lies tattered among the decrepit remains of his favorite blade. Although he has just demonstrated that he does not need Excalibur to conjure plasma, he is still at a significant disadvantage against his opponent. The battle ends with many fans assuming that Arthur is completely out of the fight. Yet, the anime is probably using this moment to debut one of its most foreshadowed power-ups.

After their training with Benimaru Shinmon, both Arthur and Shinra become stronger at the brink of death. It’s entirely possible that Arthur could get up stronger than ever before. Since Vulcan is also on the battlefield, there is a definite possibility that he could always receive another sword. Vulcan is a gifted engineer and has created alternate Excaliburs for Arthur in the past. He has since learned a lot about his fellow Fire Soldier and could create an even more powerful weapon for Arthur.

At the Same Time, Shinra Is Running Out of Time to Save His Beloved Fire Captain

Leonard Burns Remains Unmoving, and Shinra Kusakabe Is Running Out of Options

As Arthur’s fight with Dragon appears to wrap up, Shinra’s fight with Burns remains just as stagnant as it began. The duel has consisted of over three episodes, but features very little fighting in comparison. There is only so much dramatic tension an anime can build before its pacing is irreparably ruined. Shinra’s battle with Leonard Burns has been mostly vocal, as Joker has dissuaded Shinra Kusakabe from directly confronting the corrupt captain.

Shinra’s internal monologue has notably shifted between episodes. He clearly feels conflicted about his feelings concerning Burns. He is one of the first Fire Soldiers that Shinra ever meets, so it is soul-shattering to see him effortlessly fall to the enemy. Then again, Shinra also hates Burns for lying about his family and keeping the truth from him for so many years. Shinra is content to battle Burns to a standstill, until Joker makes a terrifying observation: Obi is getting tired.

A person can only flex for so long. Akitaru Obi is at the peak of the human physical condition, but even he does not have pure control over his muscles. At this point, Shinra and Burns have been fighting for hours, but very little of their conflict has been shown. Nevertheless, Shinra grows more and more desperate as Obi grows noticeably tired. Shinra’s companion, Joker, attempts to help but is unsuccessful in battling the former Fire Captain.

Towards the very end of Fire Force season 3, Episode 5, Leonard Burns demonstrates that he doesn’t even need to dodge Joker’s attacks. He takes several of his fiery cards head-on in an attempt to make himself even stronger. Burns’ Fire Abilities only grow stronger by coming into contact with intense heat. When Shinra realizes that prolonging the conflict any longer is pointless, he makes a desperate attack on Burns.

Shinra Ends the Episode By Executing a Desperate Attack As Hibana Nearly Uncovers the Truth Of Internal Combustion

Hibana’s Revelations Will Likely Have Immediate Consequences For the Series

Shinra’s final attack is truly explosive, and gives fans a taste of what they could have been receiving the entire season. It makes no sense why the majority of their important fight have been off-screen. The anime foreshadowed the significance of their clash before season 3 even began. Yet, the entire battle has ultimately failed to live up to fans’ expectations. Hopefully, the next episodes will cause the season to shift in a more positive direction.

Throughout their entire conflict, Burns has remained mostly unscathed by Shinra’s onslaught. Despite the protagonist’s intense training, there is a clear disparity between their skills. If the anime is smart, it will wrap up the explosive conflict within the next episode. Nevertheless, during these important battle moments, Hibana makes invaluable discoveries about he ideas behind human combustion.

Princess Hibana, of the 5th Company, manages to link the idea of dopplegangers to the church where she and Iris grew up. Interestingly, the first season antagonist, Rekka, visited that same monetary several times before his defeat. It’s possible that Iris could have some larger importance to the story based on these discoveries. The following episodes will likely demonstrate why this seemingly insignificant reveal is so crucial to the story.

Overall, Fire Force, Season 3, Episode 5 has the best ending out of any episode so far. The ending brilliantly sets up the conclusion to what will likely be the most important battles of the series. Both Shinra and Arthur appear as though they are out of options and will be swiftly defeated, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Each protagonist has yet to reveal their true overwhelming abilities.