the Nephilim eating Hibiki's arm at the end of this episode is one of the most genuinely shocking cliffhangers in the whole franchise. the build to it is well constructed — Hibiki fighting the Nephilim with the show making it feel controllable before pulling the rug out completely — and the visual of her arm just being gone is deliberately disturbing in a way Symphogear doesn't always go for. the episode also does good work developing Nastassja's position as the adult figure behind Maria's group — she's clearly not simply a villain, she genuinely believes in what she's trying to do, and her relationship with the girls has real maternal weight to it. excellent episode that earns its brutal ending.