the dust settles from the concert attack and the show starts mapping the new conflict properly. the FIS — Fine Instrumentation Section — and their connection to Dr. Ver and Solomon's Cane starts coming into focus and the more you learn about what they're actually trying to do the more complicated the moral picture becomes. Maria, Kirika and Shirabe aren't straightforward villains and the show is smart enough to start showing you that early. Kirika and Shirabe's dynamic is immediately compelling — Kirika's bright chaotic energy against Shirabe's quiet intensity creates a contrast that makes every scene they share interesting. the Nephilim's presence as a growing threat adds urgency to what could otherwise be an expository episode.