I think this is the point where the series really makes you understand the ideas of hope and despair, to the point that you'll wonder how everything could end or turn around. That said, I do think the contrast between the two should've been introduced more clearly from the beginning, since some of the later scenes feel a bit meaningless without that proper context. Still, this part does a great job of making up for the lack of substance in the earlier episodes and delivers a satisfying comeback.