#**Episode 4 – [Does Genius Come When Least Expected?](https://i.imgur.com/7PGsBcs.png)**
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[Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G24H1N3J4/back-arrow)
—–
***The more impossible something seems, the more I want to do it.***
**Questions of the Day:**
1) What did you think of Shu Bi and Kai’s backstory?
2) Which of the Four Fiends did you think looked the coolest?
**Wallpaper of the Day:**
[Kai Rhodan](https://i.imgur.com/ZgQY8Y6.png)
—–
Rewatchers, please remember to be mindful of all the first-timers in this. No talking about or hinting at future events no matter how much you want to, ***unless*** you’re doing it underneath [spoiler tags](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/q28ulr/announcing_changes_to_spoiler_tags/). Don’t spoil anything for the first-timers, that’s rude!
by Shimmering-Sky
10 Comments
**BAKAYAROU Rewatch Host, subbed**
[Welcome back, everyone!](#michaelwink)
[Here’s “Back Arrow Fourth Impressions”](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/o2blj8/casual_discussion_fridays_week_of_june_18_2021/h2ttcb0/), for my first-timer thoughts on this episode.
—
– [That… sure is something…](https://i.imgur.com/W2ER2za.png) [](#kumikolook)
– [Bruh, if Kai could do *this* as a child, how strong is he *now*?](https://i.imgur.com/VT6XERR.png) [](#whatdidijustread)
– [Back Arrow]>!<
– [Chivalry!](https://i.imgur.com/mOlA0ij.png) [](#neat)
– [Oh, they even said “beginner’s luck” in Engrish here.](https://i.imgur.com/2l3HYIb.png)
– [Nope, that thing ~~has mass~~ is a full clone.](https://i.imgur.com/KXXO7ke.png)
– [But Arrow doesn’t have one, so…](https://i.imgur.com/jIETRz0.png) [](#indexsmugshrug)
– [Aaaaaaaand there’s the twist.](https://i.imgur.com/Q05u1rG.png) [](#crazedlaugh)
– [Oh, Shu Bi.](https://i.imgur.com/kkfaFaA.png)
– [Oh so *now* the Edger peeps refuse to work with someone who attacked them.](https://i.imgur.com/F0L8K39.png) [](#bruh)
**Rewatcher, Subbed Arrow**
[Place your bets below on why there is an eyeball in the gruel.](https://i.imgur.com/SPWx5NC.jpeg)
[Not quite shitennou.](https://i.imgur.com/dBV1sUc.jpeg)
[Does that sentence make sense..?](https://i.imgur.com/E3xBxf3.jpeg)
[No surprises there.](https://i.imgur.com/md6F1Hc.jpeg)
[Try flapping harder.](https://i.imgur.com/4hUDuJ2.jpeg)
[“Yes!”](https://i.imgur.com/6oluwfd.jpeg)
[Probably because people in the capital have shit taste.](https://i.imgur.com/SX7Y4hU.jpeg)
[Hence why they all look pretty similar.](https://i.imgur.com/q5TQJ4I.jpeg)
[“Afterimages with mass!”](https://i.imgur.com/LcG7KXc.jpeg)
[#crazedlaugh](https://i.imgur.com/29RZO3D.jpeg)
[Plots within plots.](https://i.imgur.com/Ct3PGkR.jpeg)
[It’s all maglev here.](https://i.imgur.com/NIlObtY.jpeg)
[“You remember, when I betrayed you all?”](https://i.imgur.com/n2ranaE.jpeg)
**First-Timer**
**On today’s episode of Back Arrow:** [“I have never even once betrayed anyone, Ren.” -Shu (probably)](https://i.redd.it/cwpr53usgk0a1.png)
– I love seeing the silhouettes in the OP fade in as the characters get introduced. That is very fun. [](#binoculars)
– Supremely fucked up to seel children into slavery as a way of paying taxes. [](#watashiworried)
– Holy crap, Kai was strong even as a kid. [](#mugistronk)
– There are historical examples of slaves getting noticed by nobility/royals and using that to rise up the ranks. The main example I can think of off the top of my head is [Ibrahim Pasha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pargal%C4%B1_Ibrahim_Pasha), a slave who was a close friend of Suleiman the Magnificent and became the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire.
– A set of enemies based on the four elements should make for fun fights.
– Of course the Iki president is still screwing over the villagers as much as he can.
– It is amusing just how casually Shu stops by to say hello before the battle starts.
– I love the Rekka tradition of always introducing yourself before a battle. It’s a very hot-blooded action series thing to do. Atlee was especially cute, bowing and politely introducing herself. [](#anko)
– These four truly are single-minded. But I guess it’s easier to have strong convictions when they are very straight-forward.
– [Arrow can clone himself!?!](#maxshock) Oh no, that means we have to deal with four Arrows at once! [](#panic)
– Being a fool with no convictions seems like it’s overpowered with all the extra abilities it gives Arrow.
– Yet another betrayal! Shu really is throwing in his lot with Arrow. I figured Shu really did want to see beyond the wall more than anything else. He’s eager to bring about the prophesied “destruction” of the world.
– Shu does make a great point. It seems highly unlikely that anyone from Edger Village has much of a brain to work with.
– This is probably why Ren is depicted the way she is in the OP. This betrayal by Shu is hitting her very hard.
– Edger Village may be dumb, but pulling guns on Shu immediately was a smart move.
– There’s liquid metal underground and that’s why things can levitate? What a piece of lore for Shu to drop like it’s common knowledge. [](#spinning)
– Good job on Bit for being especially untrusting of Shu. That’s nice character continuity.
– I love that the ED is updating as well, with more characters and now Shu being paired with the Edger Village characters.
Shu joining up with the villagers is a nice twist that fits perfectly with his character. He’s seemed especially eager to learn more about the possibility of what is beyond the wall after learning about Arrow, so him joining makes sense. Of course, this now leaves the question of what will happen with Kai and Ren. It’s clear that Ren sees this as a betrayal and is taking it quite personally. I assume Kai’s reaction will be quite similar, since it seems to go against the promise that he and Shu made as children. So we’re probably headed for a very personal conflict down the road between them (though I assume they will make up before the end of the series).
**QOTD**
1) Being sold into slavery for the imperial court is the kind of thing that doesn’t surprise me about not-Imperial China. It does explain why they have their own agendas and are not totally loyal to their government. They’re used to being treated like garbage and are going to change things.
2) Their Briheights are a bit too same-y for my liking. I guess I’ll go with the fire-themed one.
**AMUSED FIRST TIMER**
[This show was written by some true degenerates and men of culture.](https://i.imgur.com/JHlftFw.png)
One of the greatest lines of dialogue in history. IYKYK.
[](#azusalaugh)
**First timer, subs**
* That just seems excessive for children. Do y’all not have rope?
* Children aren’t really worth a whole lot, even as slaves.
* Ah, the old abuse = toughness.
* How do mercenaries “go astray”? Did you not pay them? Did you pull a Catalan Company?
* Oh, they’re just power-mad idiots. Carry on.
* Are we looking at the same map? The south looks pretty damn open.
* Why do you keep announcing yourselves before engaging?
* They’re both white, call it the blue one!
* What kind of an idiot doesn’t agree on a price before hiring mercs? Unless them losing was the point the whole time.
* Poor Atlee keeps getting hard countered.
* […Mittosis?](#shock)
* Why does your side cart even have that feature?
* Metal rivers are fun. This is sounding more and more like a space habitat.
* At least they have the good sense not to trust him.
### Idiot Rewatcher
[](#heavydrinker)[](#heavydrinker “Holy shit, I am drunk”)
Oooooh it’s the ShuKai backstory episode!
– [God, I wish that were me.](https://i.imgur.com/kqbuvv1.png)
– You know, [this reminds me of something my grandfather said about the Trail of Tears.](https://i.imgur.com/CZ73Y2M.png) I’m from Oklahoma, and my grandfather was able to interview an actual survivor of the trail (interpreted through her granddaughter). [Traumatic]>!She said that she and the other children would chant “don’t fall. don’t fall” to each other while they were marching. This was because if a kid fell, the soldier would run them through with a bayonet and carry them the rest of the way.!< In comparison, I think Shu Bi and Kai had it pretty good, in all honesty.
[](#hardthink)
– [I love the idea of a hand-crank-aimed laser cannon.](https://i.imgur.com/3UMw4RP.png) It’s mixing technology levels in such a delightful way!
– Hooray for the four baddies!
– [I enjoy Elsha](https://i.imgur.com/3JPo1Zx.png). Camera angles? [What are those?](https://i.imgur.com/VQfP8xR.png)
– [This feels like far too an academic sentence.](https://i.imgur.com/qM6WTtT.png)
– [We love Sugita characters here!](https://i.imgur.com/m9y1rLP.png)
– [DO ALL THE THINGS!](https://i.imgur.com/EyfYQzf.png)
– [God, I wish that were me.](https://i.imgur.com/z7lunzw.png)
– [Fuggit; we’re Naruto now!](https://i.imgur.com/FxpUx9i.png)
[](#grandhype)
– [God, I wish that were me.](https://i.imgur.com/Pw3g5bc.png) I love Shu Bi!
– SHU FUCKING BI!
[](#utahapraises)
– [Meanwhile, drawing guns on strangers is the wild west way!](https://i.imgur.com/MnjFBvZ.png)
– [I adore some of the BS science in this show!](https://i.imgur.com/OreJah2.png)
**Rewatcher, Subbed**
Who could today’s episode title be referring to? Will Back Arrow or Bit surprise us with their intellect?
Wait, The episode title is “Is Today Yesterday’s Tomorrow?” but Crunchyroll says its “Does Genius Come When Least Expected?” Looks like it has things mistakenly flipped with next episode.
Flashback time! Childhood for Shu Bi and Kai?
Robot overlords!
Is that an eyeball in their food? Yikes!
These two haven’t changed in 15 years!
Four Fiends? That doesn’t sound good.
This map is from President Garay? Are you sure you want to trust this?
Shu Bi’s got a lot of armaments here.
Oh wow, a phone too? How does that work in the middle of nowhere?
Elsha should detatch and take part in the fight since she can’t move the ship.
So polite to say their names before the battle starts! LoL.
Blast everything! Bury everything! Burn everything! No wonder they got together, they’re all unoriginal with their conviction!
Now he can clone himself! Anything is possible when you don’t have to think about it!
Shu Bi sabotaged his own forces? He gonna switch sides? For someone interested in knowledge and what will happen next over acquiring power for himself, makes sense.
A sensible scientific explanation for how the ship can move.
Alas, Tyrone ruined things for Shu Bi. Bit won’t trust him! And we all know how important Bit is!
Episode 4:
[“Ah, those days when I was a *Yuu-Gi-Oh!* character.”](https://i.redd.it/n8nvhimxr3zc1.png)
[No, they did not get model kits.](https://i.redd.it/44f4bnmxr3zc1.png)
[“I’ll just flap my arms while the camera takes on a curious angle.”](https://i.redd.it/s5fvfkmxr3zc1.png)
[“Yes.”](https://i.redd.it/8ppc7mmxr3zc1.png)
[It’s tough being the brains.](https://i.redd.it/dkbbwnmxr3zc1.png)
[It’s always elemental attacks.](https://i.redd.it/vht7hkmxr3zc1.png)
[“I’m just making this up as I go!”](https://i.redd.it/u6qq5kmxr3zc1.png)
[“All according to keikaku, or something like that.”](https://i.redd.it/oomq8rmxr3zc1.png)
[“I’m worth at least forty of you rubes in the brain department!”](https://i.redd.it/1ponsqmxr3zc1.png)
[“Nobody trusts a traitor.”](https://i.redd.it/2rjvnsmxr3zc1.png)
*****
Shu and Kai had a dream! Dreams that didn’t include sudden but inevitable betrayals! Until they did! Or something.
Shu Bi is *unquestionably* the sharpest tool in this shed, though he’s not *quite* used to dealing with the scruffy folk of Edger Village.
And ~~BAKAYAROU~~Back Arrow continues to succeed through whatever crazy idea pops up in his head, because they do just *manifest* for him.
The writing pulled off the neat trick here of giving the audience events that aren’t unexpected, but not necessarily so soon or so obviously. It’s definitely Shu Bi who’s doing all of the work and stealing the show at this point, but the Edger crew is at least *learning* as they go.
Well, some of them.
*****
1. Surprisingly normal in a series such as this.
2. We’ll go with Fire.
**First timer**
– [Livestock? Livestock for what? For who?](https://imgur.com/a/LKoGqgw)
– They went from child slave to high positions of power under the same government? Yea no. Cheap victimization is cheap.
– [Thought so.](https://imgur.com/a/7nOC6GG)
– [I assume they are the “four fiends”.](https://imgur.com/a/SxqE5it)
– [Yup. Also, expositionary dialogue.](https://imgur.com/a/8IWJ0OZ)
– [I have an even better idea. You’re on a flying ship, just go higher.](https://imgur.com/a/QW3RV5d)
– [Ah, I get what Shu is doing.](https://imgur.com/a/IorYacX) He mounted a force that he knew probably wouldn’t be enough to stop Back Arrow and crew. That way, he can reaffirm his loyalty to the emperor and get him off his back whilst still satisfying his own curiosity. Failing would buy him time to investigate Arrow more and succeeding would help his own ambitions. Win win either way. Smart.
– [*You naive fool.*](https://imgur.com/a/JGCNzaS)
– [My man isn’t even trying to hide his excitement.](https://imgur.com/a/dO6EeKQ)
– [I guess there was a third possibility. Win, win, win!](https://imgur.com/a/8sqCYe2)
– [Of course, he’s smart.](https://imgur.com/a/5Nl3jFi) *Too smart even…* I wouldn’t be surprise if he ends up evil by the end from getting swallowed up by his own ambitions.
– [So the ship doesn’t fly, it just floats. Not as cool.](https://imgur.com/a/Pbvt7bE)
>QotD
– Not great.
– I find them pretty crappy looking. The blue/water one probably being the least bad.
**First <— Timer**
Me yesterday:
>I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up on the White Base before the first cour ends
Way to speedrun my expectations ~~this is Tekkaman all over again.~~
* [Spot the main character](https://i.imgur.com/2Lt5UhH.jpeg)
* [This explains Shu and Kai’s position well](https://i.imgur.com/QlOC7tT.jpeg) – they started out at the bottom and carved their way up to the top. ~~[I bet Shu’s the top though](https://i.imgur.com/NhlWgEQ.jpeg)~~
* [I mean… if there’s nothing beyond the walls](https://i.imgur.com/X7tCWpp.jpeg), why stop them? Let those morons go there and screw themselves over, when they fall off the wall and find nothing.
* “Hey Arrow, wait a few days in Edger village and I’ll come back”, [Shu coming back:](https://i.imgur.com/LRUjV3t.jpeg)
* [He does make a good point](https://i.imgur.com/9GkykkO.jpeg) [](#azusalaugh)
* [Wait, he can just copy himself?](https://i.imgur.com/lIJyzO9.jpeg) Definitely not how I expected the 3 vs 4 to go, but I guess his power really is mouldable, [he can make whatever out of it.](https://i.imgur.com/bIySKdO.jpeg)
* [Would I lie to you with this innocent face?](https://i.imgur.com/lSntF2P.jpeg) [Of course!](https://i.imgur.com/WM6bN2D.jpeg) [](#serialkillerlaugh)
* [Honestly, yeah this makes sense](https://i.imgur.com/SSW5PWq.jpeg), he purposefully kept Kai away so he wouldn’t crush Arrow, and instead got some chumps to [test things out.](https://i.imgur.com/9yUZnuI.jpeg) He wasn’t lying when he told Arrow to wait a few days for him until he prepared things.
* [Oh god, they’re in dire needs of this, welcome aboard!](https://i.imgur.com/fC1dWsN.jpeg)
* [Bit… please just stand aside](https://i.imgur.com/BdweqxS.jpeg) I get he’s learning the basics of using his head now, but even a broken clock should be right twice.
* I know the flashback at the start set up Shu and Kai’s motivation to change things from the inside, but I still hoped [Kai would smile at the end here](https://i.imgur.com/O1gmeKm.jpeg), as in “don’t worry, I get what that idiot’s going for”. This is just [sad…](https://i.imgur.com/zWARB10.jpeg) he should’ve at least taken Ren with him!
>Q1) What did you think of Shu Bi and Kai’s backstory?
I like how it built up a motivation for the two of them, only for Shu to betray that 20 minutes later. [](#crazedlaugh “to be fair, he’s still the same pragmatic kid from back them, jumping onto whatever ship suits him best”)