The Eminence Unveiled: John Smith Sets His Plan in Motion

Article Key Points

John Smith and Yukime are planning to bring down Shadow Garden and the Major Corporate Alliance before rebuilding it from scratch.

Gamma, a member of the Seven Shadows, lacks athleticism and coordination, often leading to disruption during missions and relying heavily on her magical abilities instead.

Mitsugoshi and the Major Corporate Alliance uncover the counterfeit currency produced by Yukime, sparking a fierce confrontation between John Smith and the Shadow Garden.

Attention: The content listed below contains spoilers for Episode 24 of The Eminence in Shadow, titled "He Who Pulls the Strings." The episode can now be streamed on HIDIVE.

In The Eminence in Shadow, John Smith assumes a new disguise and sets out with Yukime, one of the leaders of Lawless City's three towers, to wreak havoc. While masquerading as a highly skilled secret agent, John Smith conceals his true identity from the members of Shadow Garden. His intention is to bring them down, along with the Major Corporate Alliance, before starting anew. However, as The Eminence in Shadow series progresses, the question remains whether his plans will ultimately succeed.

Meanwhile, while John Smith and Yukime plot and carry out their next move, the process of devising and disseminating counterfeit currency is already underway. Additionally, Gettan appears to have a strategy to sabotage Mitsugoshi, but can he triumph?

The Unathletic Member of The Seven Shadows

The Seven Shadows, being the elite members of the Shadow Garden, showcase remarkable expertise and talent in their respective domains. Although they excel in various areas, they possess a superior combat sense and magical prowess overall. However, there is one among them who stands out for their exceptional ability to unleash awe-inspiring combat maneuvers.

Gamma, the third member of the Seven Shadows, plays a crucial role within the organization. However, her combat skills are not utilized due to her abundant magical abilities being hindered by her clumsiness. In season one of the Eminence in Shadow series, Gamma's lack of athleticism was evident as she stumbled during a conversation with Cid. Fans may have underestimated just how unathletic she truly is.

In the series' final episode, the Clovers, a team of elite assassins chosen by Gettan himself, were tasked with assassinating Luna, the leader of the corporation, in Mitsugoshi. While Alpha assigned Nue to intercept them, Gamma took it upon herself to confront them instead. Rather than executing the task in the usual stylish, swift, and efficient manner of Shadow Garden, Gamma causes chaos by continuously tripping and inadvertently destroying her surroundings, instead of her enemies. Additionally, it appears that Cid didn't help matters, as he recognized her lack of combat talent involving athleticism and instead taught her to rely on her immense magical powers to overcome opponents.

Alexia’s Hunger For Power

Following the incident caused by Gamma, which was cleverly disguised as an explosion at Mitsugoshi, Alexia is observed honing her sword skills with Cid. Despite Cid assuming the role of a supporting character, he quickly succumbs to Alexia's superior abilities and notices her significant improvement within a short span of time. While contemplating whether her progress stems from a sudden realization or a change in mindset, Cid mumbles to himself. In response, Alexia expresses her dissatisfaction with her recent growth, yearning for even greater power. She elaborates on her determination, driven by feelings of helplessness and frustration over her inability to assist her friend Rose Oriana, who has vanished into uncertain territory amidst the chaos within the Oriana kingdom. As Alexia delivers a soliloquy regarding her perceived powerlessness, Cid, being true to his character, simply responds with a nonchalant, "Uh-huh..." Frustrated by Cid's carefree attitude, Alexia expresses her wish for him to maintain such a demeanor for the rest of his life. However, beneath her words, she conceals a cunning smirk that may hint at a hidden agenda.

The Fake Bills Get Exposed To Mitsugoshi And The Major Corporate Alliance

While John Smith devises schemes in secret and Cid carries on with his daily life, the production of counterfeit bills is now complete. Yukime and John Smith have formulated a plan to initiate distribution. Making use of an old abandoned mine situated on the outskirts of a region governed by an indifferent local magistrate, Yukime is able to print the forged bills. To conceal the true source of the counterfeit currency as well as the distribution channels, the bills are temporarily transported to Lawless City. This strategic move aims to impede any early discovery of the fake bills. Subsequently, the bills are transported to the Royal Capital of Midgar. As the distribution of the counterfeit bills commences, Yukime discusses her personal mission to bring down Gettan, thus attracting attention to the potential identity of the Sword Devil and his relationship with her. Meanwhile, once the counterfeit bills reach the capital of Midgar, Mitsugoshi promptly uncovers their existence and makes the Major Corporate Alliance aware of the situation. Interestingly, it is revealed that Gettan, a member of the Major Corporate Alliance, had also conceived the same plan as John Smith and Yukime, thanks to the Cult of Diablos. However, the execution of the plan was postponed due to the substantial amount of the Cult's funds still held within the Major Corporate Alliance. Instigating doubt in the credibility of credit at this juncture would result in catastrophic losses for the Cult. Fortunately, unaware of the Cult's intentions, John Smith unintentionally thwarts their plan to bring down Mitsugoshi while sacrificing the interests of the Major Corporate Alliance to further their own goals.

John Smith On The Move

As anticipated, Shadow Garden were the first to uncover the method by which the counterfeit bills were being distributed to the Royal Capital of Midgar. The task of retrieving the bills from the train fell upon operatives 664, 665, and 666. However, their encounter with the train's sole guard, John Smith, proved to be a formidable challenge. Armed with a magically reinforced thread, John Smith swiftly neutralized all three operatives. Despite the quick thinking and efforts of number 666, she proved to be no match for John Smith. Having witnessed their superiority, the group's leader, number 664, issued a strategic withdrawal, acknowledging their inability to defeat John Smith. Meanwhile, number 666 grappled with a sense of powerlessness. Little did she know that the very person who had granted her newfound abilities to confront her adversaries was the same man who effortlessly overpowered her.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I have mixed feelings about the latest episode of The Eminence in Shadow. On the one hand, I am excited to see John Smith finally set his plan in motion. He has been planning this for a long time, and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out. On the other hand, I am worried about Gamma. She is a valuable member of the Seven Shadows, but her lack of athleticism is a liability. I hope that she can overcome this weakness and become a more effective fighter.

Overall, I think this was a good episode of The Eminence in Shadow. It was action-packed and full of suspense. I can't wait to see what happens next!