Starisa

So we're already greeted with the premise, Ai is meeting with a version of herself who's committed suicide. This creates a very clear dichotomy of an Ai who had and has something to live for, and one who did not, This is how we get to the core of Ai as a person.pic.twitter.com/q6yyNH4pk1

Another key difference, This Ai had no Koito, this is actually the most significance Koito has had as a defined Role. The presence she had in Ai's life is the difference between her life and death. She is what made Ai's life worth living before.pic.twitter.com/v3bhwQc85N

This is contrasted further as we see that Ai finally having social connections is what defines her happiness, just being asked how happy she is, she starts to cry. her reflection even aligning and overlapping her doppleganger's silhouette. She's a bigger person for it.pic.twitter.com/hoK2TIyRfk

Backing up, this mirror scene tells us a lot, the two Ai's are at a difference, Our Ai being able to show both her eyes, while Other Ai is only able to show the blue. This Ai is incomplete, but when Ai shows us how happy she is, we see both, She's shown a potential future.pic.twitter.com/vIOfpgQpQh

As our Ai proclaims she's gotten stronger, we see other Ai reflected in the mirror, but with the opposite eye color shown very similar to how our Ai is presented within her. We see that other Ai has this potential to. To be Strong. Koito gave the way but this Ai can be strong toopic.twitter.com/7lGftp9GHm

Though that is very closely punctuated by other Ai recalling her own suicide, an unfortunate happenstance of Ai's dream world taking place in her school. We see that she drowned herself in the pool. A slow and painful death. This aspect of drowning herself will recur a few times.pic.twitter.com/AS8MSAlWCn

Immediately following this, we see other Ai believing herself to hear the voice of her mother but it turns out, it's just her mom! This immediately signals how far our Ai has come, becoming much more mature to be a guiding voice to her lost self. So much progress.pic.twitter.com/NHeuS4Y3zc

As our Ai describes Koito to other Ai, we see the mere act of being talked with makes our Ai Lucky. That's the sheer difference between happiness for Ai at her core I feel, is having that person who comes to talk to her and people she is able to call out to and help.pic.twitter.com/2sZ9mp640P

I love how their body language differs, other Ai's cupped hands that don't touch, she's trapped but not letting anything come in, or connecting with herself. While our Ai is stretching and intersecting her fingers, showing her willingness to work with herself. It's her growth.pic.twitter.com/ggyC936b1c

And this feels massive to me. Ai doesn't know much of anything about Koito, she's simply someone that she spent a lot of time with. A girl who talked to her and nothing else and even if that means the world to her. Koito is just a random girl. That's her emotional dependency.pic.twitter.com/8DhLjsJh3D

And we finally meet other Ai's Wonder Killer, Sawaki! A pale beheading that's being drained of it's color to be used in art. And he immediately introduces himself as the Fiance of Ai's Mom. This is what other Ai breaks down Sawaki into, a drained husk of a man.-pic.twitter.com/z6YdbyGkSP

Who drains his humanity away into his art, and as we soon see, her views paint him as extremely predatory. This is actually really similar to how Sawaki was introduced to us in the beginning of the series. Through Ai's perspective he was very much this horrible Wonder Killer.pic.twitter.com/uloSkCWPrw

Quickly though, for the congruent flash back that goes alongside this fight, the way Ai's mom bang falls down a bit as it slips from her tied back style, we see the reverse relationship, her bang falling to imitate Ai as she readies to talk personally with her daughter.pic.twitter.com/O8y7r5Xjpq

On another note, I really like Ai's show of confidence. Taunting Sawaki as a Wonder Killer while avoiding his acidic paint before tripping her up with Yellow! I've talked about it a lot but it's the dastardly color that's represented Ai's fear that trips her up, now literally.pic.twitter.com/YMMetRoOV0

Our Ai denies this to be Sawaki, in which he responds to being Ai's First Love. So we can see before Ai seemed to both have feelings for Sawaki, but also immensely fear him. This is again countered by Ai proclaiming that the Sawaki she knows isn't this guy.pic.twitter.com/uGvYnIgcJr

Sawaki dips and dodges, imploring that his niceties are all falsities, only something he's able to do because he's born handsome, before trying to dismiss Ai, treating her like a bug to swat. Ai deflects this by creating a blockade of pool water. The pool acting as a shield.pic.twitter.com/ZeJ4lDOphA

Ai again denies this because unlike other Ai she's confronted Sawaki and knows him better at this point. Another core difference between them, the ability to address their trauma's head on and clear the ambiguity.pic.twitter.com/UzAFE8tFfH

Other Ai being completely stunned by the show of Ai flinging herself around Sawaki as our Ai tries to throw her into the safety of the water. I feel again she's having her eyes opened as our Ai shows her how she could've addressed Sawaki before. Instead of making a boogey man.pic.twitter.com/K57q8wGZnz

With both Ai's being thrown in the pool, and Sawaki dropping his strange blue paint in to drown the both of them. We're shown the Ais both sinking, Our Ai strong enough to reach out before being overtaken. It seems all hope is lost for the two as they'll drown again.pic.twitter.com/bagn2Z76WZ

This is why I talked about the pool so much. This shows us that our Ai had attempted the same suicide but that social connection in Koito gave her someone to be saved by. And it's why I bring up the pool so much, not only does this pool and resurfacing represent Ai's obtaining-pic.twitter.com/Uxyxzt4S8s

We see Ai grab Koito's hand before taking off and leaving her shoes behind, following after Koito as they go somewhere else. Of course a cruel scene as Koito is leading Ai to the roof, where she presumably planned to have a dual suicide with Ai. A terrifying relevation.pic.twitter.com/03vaE95qF6

We also hear Sawaki's Narration, Sawaki explaining how Ai's love is blind and that she loved him but with these scenes, I feel like Sawaki is voicing Ai's feelings on Koito, who she also knew nothing about and wanted to trust. Each wereAi's closest comfort, so she loved it. Cont.pic.twitter.com/Via7mPc2a2

We even see the narrator of Sawaki, now returned to his human self, hinting at this, as Koito is a love unsullied by the adult. Ai sees Love as Dirty and the pure opposite of what she felt for Sawaki, as I believe other Ai felt deep shame for loving Sawaki who was kind to her.pic.twitter.com/MCa93Mu7Oi

But this is countered by the fact our Ai had Koito, who she held much less shame in loving, even if it was equally as unwarranted. We see that other Ai shows this distaste towards it as we flash to her, stuck on the roof with Sawaki. Proclaiming it's dirty.pic.twitter.com/D8BMCmwtYn

We find out the motivation for Other Ai, and by extension, Our Ai's suicide, she outright feared becoming an adult and being introduced to a selfish world. Giving herself to others was her only way to feel legitimate joy. A world where she's a kid forever. Ai feared Maturity.pic.twitter.com/ekASnFIAE6

As Ai is again tempted by Koito's suicide, Koito ready to jump once more, We see Ai Tightens her grip to stop Koito, a re-enaction of what may have happened, thoughts of her mother spilling back as we go back to the talk they had before.pic.twitter.com/B8A8X8LIkq

Ai's mom grants her a reason to live, a reason to not waste it with Koito, so of course, she asks if Koito regrets it, then if she herself regrets it. Asking both her past self, and that inner self that still believes it all. If she regrets throwing herself away like that.pic.twitter.com/YVa4aSKyGH

Other Ai is implored to shout, cause if she doesn't then Ai won't be able to get her second chance like she did. And we see at her core, Ai regrets throwing her life away cause she misses her family. Her mom is a reason to live. So much more brought to those times wherepic.twitter.com/LfTzd567YL