Dr. Stone Chapter 109 Review by Belserion
Chapter Title: Great EscapeThis week we begin with Suika sneaking around the ship, devising a plan that would see her and Ginro get the lab to Senkuu and the others. Senkuu prepared a camo cover beforehand to protect the lab from wild animals, something he knows Suika will realize as she’s also a pro at blending in with nature. Soyuz is skeptical since the camo cover doesn’t turn it invisible, and Senkuu backs this by saying Suika and Ginro will have to bust out by force, a feat Kohaku is sure they can pull off if they work together. While Gen believes in Suika, he doesn’t have the same confidence in Ginro, but Kohaku believes in Ginro and assures him that Ginro always comes through when it counts.
Meanwhile on the ship, Ginro is happy that someone has come to save him and doesn’t think anyone would mind if he skedaddled. He utilizes his ultimate move “
Not my problem” as he runs away, using the soldiers’ distraction with goats as a cover to go over the opposite side of the ship. He reasons that it’s the right thing to do since he was lucky enough not to get petrified. However, he suddenly realizes that he’s now alone since Kinro has been petrified and has some sort of mental lapse since he’s suddenly gotten it into his head to take Kinro’s statue with him as he’s making his escape. Ginro talks to Kinro as normal, making it seem like he’s just sleeping, promising him that they would escape together and that he would carry Kinro since he was being lazy. All while he’s doing this, Ginro is crying and it’s a really sad moment because we know Kinro and Ginro have always been together, from the time we first met them until now.
There’s a sudden crash and Ginro finally notices Suika who is in the process of causing a diversion. She reasons that while she gets the soldiers’ attention, Ginro can escape with the lab. Her watermelon helmet is actually a good distraction since the soldiers are busy trying to figure out if it’s a fruit or a beast. Suika has a lot of faith in Ginro considering she’s already put the plan into motion without Ginro’s consent. He’s still hiding and deduces that if Suika gets caught they will petrify her and she’ll die. He’s totally ready to ditch her, telling Kinro they couldn’t worry about her since it was time to escape, seeking confirmation that it would be the right thing to abandon Suika.
This is where it gets interesting. We get Kinro’s point of view, as he seems to have some sort of consciousness despite being petrified. He knows Ginro wasn’t on the ship when they were attacked and petrified, but where he is right now he can’t see or hear so he can’t be sure what exactly is happening. He encourages Ginro to think hard about what he’d say to him now, telling him how much he believes in him. Ginro smiles as if he somehow is aware that Kinro is talking to him and doesn’t have to think too hard because Kinro’s serious face says it all. He apologizes to Kinro and asks him to wait a while longer because he would be back with Senkuu to save everyone who was petrified. Ginro’s face is super serious here and we know he means business because there’s no trace of his usual goofy scumbag ways.
Ginro reaches the lab and, along with Suika, launches an escape to the bafflement of the soldiers’ who were still distracted by Suika’s helmet that she’s now officially abandoned as she and Ginro make it off the ship with the lab which is equipped for both land and sea. They make it to Senkuu and the others who congratulate them on a job well done. They have a new problem since they’re now surrounded by the soldiers who are in pursuit of the lab. However they think it’s some sort of beast since as Soyuz mentions, they would not be able to conceive of a vehicle that moves on its own. Senkuu has it in mind to use their confusion to the group’s advantage, but Gen reminds him that the exhaust fumes would clue them in that it’s a machine. Senkuu suddenly notices a flower that Amaryllis confirms is Jasmine. Senkuu as usual is plotting and decides since there will be exhaust no matter what, they would give it a smell to be excited about using Jasmine and rotten seashells. The Amine in seafood along with the Jasmine will yield a compound called Skatole. All they have to do is wrap the rotten shellfish in the jasmine flowers and heat them, and doing this, poop is acquired much to everyone’s disgust. While Ginro complains that he could have just gotten it from butts like normal people, Senkuu clarifies that it’s the stench he was after and not actual poop. With the finishing touch of sulfur added to the wrapped Skatole, a smelly stench is released into the air. With Gen making noises, it comes off as if the lab was a big smelly beast after all. The soldiers run away and Suika proclaims the great escape a total success.
This chapter was entertaining.
8/10. The Kinro/Ginro part especially was sweet. I’m not sure if it was the moment or there really is some sort of consciousness inside the petrified statues, but it’s an interesting concept that hopefully will be confirmed when our petrified heroes are changed back. What I did note was Ginro thinking Suika would be dead if she's petrified, something he should know better about since he knows a petrified person can be changed back, even ones broken to pieces. But that was probably him panicking and not thinking clearly. I’m guessing Kohaku’s makeover and the subsequent infiltration of the Master's palace is up next, along with round 2 of Kohaku vs. Kirisame so that’s something to look forward to in the coming weeks.
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