Blue Rose: a Cowboy Bebop Fansite

Session #5: Ballad of Fallen Angles

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This ballad was truly a ballad for Spike. It is the most artistic episode, especially with the showdown in the cathedral and Spike falling out of the window. I do not know if words can do this episode justice, but I will try.

The foreshadowing in this episode is that of the tension between Spike and Vicious. We know they will meet again and have another showdown. But in the meantime, the contents of this episode are pieces of Spike's past. Hints, almost teasers for the audience, but Spike is seeing his whole life flash before his eyes: his past relationship with Julia and his teamwork with Vicious. That picture with Spike and Vicious back to back, both of them smirking, made me cry the first time I saw it. They used to be friends-comrades-but now they are bitter enemies.

Spike went to challenge Vicious because of Mau. The more I see it, the more I realize that yes, Spike was enamored with Julia, but that was not the reason he was hunting Vicious. He was trying to pay Vicious back for killing Mau. This goal was not completed, but Spike will be back for revenge.

Posted by Marilyn on October 25 2002.

Discussion

Comment by Bas Dorenbos on 12:14 pm 21 Jul 2007:

I think you are wrong about the fact that Spike wanted revenge for Mau's death. In the flashback you can see the history between Spike, Vicious, and Julia, and something went wrong. That is what Spike wanted revenge for.

Comment by Gareth Beazley on 6:45 pm 18 Mar 2008:

Does anyone know the name of the song playing when spike gets thrown out the window?

Comment by Marilyn on 4:54 pm 21 May 2008:

The song playing when Spike gets thrown out the window is called "Green Bird."

Comment by Rone-n on 2:29 pm 03 Sep 2009:

I agree that this is one of the most artistic episodes. also one of my favorite.
#@*spoilers Galore#*@

I think there were many things going on in this episode. For one Vicious and Mau had a history: He calls Mau and Spike " a beast with no fangs," ie. someone that doesn't want to kill. Vicious must see the syndicate as becoming weak, and is trying to take over hostly. This is a personal score for Spike because there is no bounty involved and he goes through much harm to get at spike.
when Vicious ask if spike is begging for his life in the cathedral Spike answers: Begging doesn't work on you even for the man who took you in and made you who you are(Mao). Since Spike and Vicious were in the same syndicate and worked together, its a safe bet Mau also helped Spike as well.
Mau and Annie were also close, as shown by the picture on her counter of Annie's store, and the fact she alluded to "only two men can call me by that name (Anastasia) and both of them are dead." Spike had a good friendship with Annie since she helped him. He also took a shot of alcohol in memory of Mau.

I think Spike was also fighting with Vicious because of Julia. We know that Spike wanted to get out of the syndicate, and tried to take Julia with him, but she never came. If you watch carefully in the Falling Spike/Green Bird montage there is a scene with julia in bed with a man that looks like vicious. I think Julia ended up staying in the syndicate to protect Spike and be with Vicious.

I think it is also interesting how they tie Julia to Fey through singing to an unconscious Spike. Although I never see any type of romance between Fey and Spike. Perhaps it is a poetical way to say that the present can never be romanticized like the past. Fey can never be emotionally to Spike what Julia was.

Another poetic point that I appreciated was the stand off scene where spike has a gun to Vicious, and Vicious has a sword to Spike. This is a fulcrum of conflict. both use killing machines. One is an ancient weapon that is bloody, brutal, and hands on. While the other is a modern, quick, efficient and distant way of killing. yet here they are in close combat. I have yet to see a series pull off this contrast as well as Bebop.

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