Blue Seed Episode 22

    Episode 22 begins with all members of the TAC on board a chopper. Mr. Kunikida is worried about Momiji. He begins to express his disbelief about the death of Kusanagi but Ryoko stops him, afraid that Momiji will hear him. Ryoko tells Kunikida that Momiji still believes there is a chance the Kusanagi might be alive. Meanwhile, Momiji is dreaming of Kusanagi. They are flying together. She dreams that Orochi attacks them and Kusanagi falls into darkness away from her. She goes after him, screaming for him not to go, not to leave her, but it is no good. He is gone. She wakes up and peers out the window, mourning his loss.
    The chopper lands in Tokyo and the group is met with a nightmarish scene: the entire city has been covered by dense foliage, and Kunikida notes that the moon looks too red. In another part of Japan, a group of scientists at an observatory discover that the moon's orbit has changed and they debate the ramifications of the shift, predicting geological disasters such as earthquakes and tidal waves. We discover that an eclipse that was scheduled to take place over Indonesia will now occur in Japan in approximately thirteen days. The scientists then speculate that the plants that are popping up all over Japan are a result of the astronomical shift.
    Japan is over run with this giant plants and the Self Defense Force is having no success in fighting them; not even with the weapons that Ms. Matsudaira developed to combat them. Matsu herself is perplexed at how quickly the Aragami were able to adapt themselves to her weapons. Japan appears to be virtually helpless to the threat of the Aragami and the Prime Minister debates his next move. He summons Kunikida and tells him that they intend to use the Kushinada as a sacrifice. Kunikida tries to argue with him, but the Prime Minister's mind is made up.
      Unaware of the change in the government's plans, Momiji is back at the lab being tested by Ms. Matsudaira. The active level of the Kushinada's power has increased to over five times what it was, and Matsu surmises that it is because of Susano-oh. Momiji shows little reaction to Matsu's observation, privately concluding that if her power was greater and Kusanagi was still alive, then she would be able to feel his presence now more than ever. But then, her mitama starts to glow, and she becomes excited, believing that she is sensing Kusanagi. She bursts out of the lab into the main office and asks that someone take her somewhere. She wants to go look for Kusanagi.
    While they are in the car, Ryoko gets a call from Kunikida. He is warning them to get out. The government officials have set up a road block to take Momiji into custody. Ryoko slams on the brakes and they all get out of the car. They resist giving up Momiji and Kunikida arrives. He pulls his gun, telling the officials that he won't let them take her. One of the officials shoots him, but before they can recover Momiji, they themselves are taken out by an unlikely ally: Murakumo.
    He tells the TAC to take care of Momiji, because if she were to die it would be rather inconvenient.   Momiji demands that Murakumo tell her where Kusanagi is. He in turn tells her that Kusanagi is dead and then says that the humans will all be turned into plants in the darkness that will come. Then he disappears, and Momiji goes berserk, shooting out the light posts until she runs out of bullets. Kome takes the gun from her and tells her to snap out of it. They have to get Momiji into hiding before more officials come after her.
    Once back in the car, Momiji remembers Murakumo's words about Kusanagi. She opens the car door while the car is still in motion and falls to the pavement. She is turning herself over to the government. She has lost the will to go on, saying that she must allow herself to be sacrificed.
    Deep underground the city, Susano-oh undergoes the last ritual, moving from an adolescent to an adult. He then speaks telepathically to Kaede issuing her some orders to which she humbly complies. She leaves to carry them out and Susanooh then enters a giant mitama that has roots extending from it; roots, that stretch out all over the city. It appears that he has become the heart of the mitama and the focus of energy for the roots.
    Back at the TAC headquarters, the group makes the decision to go after Momiji while at the same time the Prime Minister goes to visit Momiji in the underground temple where she is being held until it is time for the sacrifice. He commends her for her bravery and tells her that she will be saving the lives of one hundred, thirty million people. Momiji doesn't have anything to say to him. In fact, she appears to be oblivious to his presence. He leaves, his heart full of regret for what must be done, but resolved nonetheless, and after he is gone, Momiji breaks down, her heart focused on her own pain. As her tears begin to fall, she begs for Kusanagi to come and save her like he always used to, wanting to see him again.
    The story then switches focus, and we see Kusanagi lying on a bed of green, his eyes closed, with little sparkles of light hovering in the air around him. Is he alive? Is he dead? It is unclear at this point, and after the brief glimpse, the episode continues onwards to a dscovery that Matsu has made regarding the Kushinada effect. She and Yaegashi realize that with this new data, they might be able to develop a system that would stop the Aragami without having to sacrifice Momiji.
    While Yaegashi and Matsu are working in the lab, the rest of the TAC are carrying out their plan to save Momiji. Ryoko and Kome manage to make it to the underground temple where they are caught - but not before Momiji tells them that she doesn't want to be saved. Matsu slaps her then and demands to know what was the point of Kusanagi giving his life trying to protect her, if she was just going to throw it all away. Momiji starts to reply, but then her mitama begins to glow again and she senses his presence. The government officials arrive to stop Ryoko and Kome from taking Momiji, but the TAC members are saved by the appearance of Sakura who uses her talismans. She stops the men dead in their tracks and the girls flee.
    Again deep under ground, we see Kaede standing in front of Kusanagi. It appears that she is resurrecting him. In the shadows, she is being watched by a very disgruntled Murakumo who is no doubt questioning her current action. Why would Kaede resurrect their enemy? A puzzling question indeed.
    Once Momiji is again reunited with the team, Kunikida tells them that the Prime Minister is shutting down the TAC. Bbut he vows that he won't stop fighting. Each member agrees to keep fighting despite orders to cease and desist. The episode ends with Momiji sensing the fading energy which she believes to be Kusanagi and the view of Kaede standing over Kusanagi's inert body, a soft smile on her face as she watches him.