EPISODE CONTEXT

Coming off Episode 5's battlefield confrontations between Tactical Armors and Symbol's Fakes — and the retrieval of a critical sample — 'The Puppet' shifts focus inward, processing the fallout of those clashes through character and consequence rather than combat. Sitting at roughly the quarter-mark of the 25-episode run, this episode functions as a bridge, deepening the political and supernatural undercurrents established in the opening arc. It directly sets the stage for Episode 7, 'Return,' as characters reckon with the implications of what has been set in motion.