Mark Watches ‘Steins;Gate’: Episode 15 – Missing Link Necrosis

In the fifteenth episode of Steins;Gate, FRIENDSHIP. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Steins;Gate. 

Trigger Warning: For brief discussion of racism, specifically anti-blackness

Y’all know I love this shit, LET’S GO.

The Future

I honestly didn’t think we’d get to see what 2036 looks like. Granted, there’s very little shown to us of the world where SERN used time travel to give themselves power, and I think that’s ideal. I like that these characters are choosing to fight against a future they cannot imagine or picture. With the exception of Suzuha, of course. There’s an extra layer of motivation, too, since both Kurisu and Okabe are explicit in their desire to save Mayuri, too. Thus, this becomes a personal struggle for everyone rather than the immense scope of a dystopia. Given how this show has tracked the lives of these people in such intense detail, I love that even this conflict retains a personal stake in it. It’s a brilliant dynamic, and it allows the audience to imagine the worst from just a few images. 

On top of that, Suzuha’s characterization is given the meaning we were missing this entire time. First, I acknowledged this on video, but it bears repeating here: I just realized at the start of “Missing Link Necrosis” that Suzuha only appeared in the story once the “satellite” crashed. WHICH IS WHY NO ONE KNEW HER PRIOR TO THAT. Anyway, it made sense that she would travel to the time when Kurisu’s influence pushed the time machine to what it was in the future. However, it’s not that simple! She came to 2010 because she actually wanted to meet her father, the man who constructed the time machine and gave it to her, despite that they hadn’t met one another. She only got stuck there because Okabe Okabe’s world line jumping got her stranded there. WHICH LEAVES US WITH A GREAT PLOT IN THE PRESENT DAY.

The Missions

So, there are two major plots unfolding over this episode: Daru is tasked with fixing the time machine—which, interesting enough, resembles the phone wave in odd ways—in just 48 hours, and the others set out to reunite Suzuha with her father, based only on a strange badge that he used to own. It’s the second one that seemed to manifest the MOST feelings, and oh my god, this episode is OVERFLOWING with them. 

There’s Okabe’s inability to accept that in the future that he is a resistance leader. I can see why he can’t imagine that in his current incarnation! His whole mad scientist persona might have made it seem like he’d be a natural rebel, but the future that Suzuha presents to him isn’t pretend. It’s not a means of coping with grief, and having to make the kinds of decision you’d have to make while a resistance leader is a lot. It’s more than Okabe can fathom. How is he supposed to become that person when he can’t even save his best friend? Oh god, but then Suzuha is ready to shut that line of thinking down because just wanting to save Mayuri alone is powerful enough. RIGHT. And look, I still find Okabe to be a complicated character. He’s gotten better, and a lot of his more aggravating tendencies aren’t around as much. His dedication to Mayuri is a good thing, though, and a sign that he can care about the people around him. 

Friendship

I’m a huge fan of platonic, non-romantic friendships, and any of y’all who have been around here for a while know that this is DEEPLY IMPORTANT TO ME. This episode feels like such a beautiful bit of evidence that these characters have truly grown to be friends. Suzuha put aside her dislike of what Kurisu might do in order to work with her; Mayuri, upon realizing that Suzuha was going to abandon her quest to find her father, took it upon herself to try to find him on her own. Even when Mayuri’s plan hilariously backfires, there’s still such a tenderness in it. Even Daru begins to question his more gross tendencies when he realizes just how much Suzuha is saddened by not knowing her father. This group works together for a shared goal, and LOOK HOW WELL THEY GET ALONG WHEN THEY DO. It’s beautiful! It’s so seamless. 

But it’s Suzuha who really puts it into context for everyone, y’all. When she speaks to Okabe on the roof, I realized just how alone she must have been. She was from twenty-six years in the future, stranded in the past, unable to find her father, and unfamiliar with the world. She had to hide in plain sight from the very person who created the resistance she was part of. And through it all, Mayuri and Okabe were her friends. They didn’t have to be, and they still made it comfortable for her. THEY BECAME REAL FRIENDS. Help??? I have so many feelings?

The Vendor

While I don’t have any definitive opinions on this—I’m not black, so this isn’t really my lane—I felt really weird about how Okabe spoke to that street vendor. Like… was he just imitating Black American slang to communicate with him? I got the sense from the scene that we were supposed to think Okabe was being ridiculous because the guy just immediately started speaking Japanese to him. Plus, there could have been a weird translation issue, but I figured I’d bring it up for further discussion rather than say nothing at all.

The video for “Missing Link Necrosis” can be downloaded here for $0.99.

Mark Links Stuff

– My YA contemporary debut, ANGER IS A GIFT, is now out in the world! If you’d like to stay up-to-date on all announcements regarding my books, sign up for my newsletter! DO IT.