There is something about the way that this episode plays out that feels wholly immaculate. Every step of the way, it knows what it's doing, but leaves you a few paces behind in order to keep the excitement level high. The characters are as well-rounded as they can be, and have never felt more realistic in their responses to distinct situations. It's one of the better things BONES has ever done. I often question if the best anime episodes should be labeled as such because they are winning standalone pieces of work. I believe the answer to that varies, as this episode is not singular by any means. The show has been accelerating at a remarkable pace and this pre-showdown venture feels as if it's the culmination of quite possibly the most drastic 180-degree series tone and execution turnarounds in recent memory. I've had doubts that the ball would be dropped at some point, but those hesitations are now vacating. There may very well be a filler here or there, but, as we've seen in this last arc, even Heroman's filler has become on-point.

I invite all rugs to be pulled.
--Me, last week's Annotated Anime

Somewhere out there, my sh*t got RSPVed, because "Sortie" is one hell of a trip. All kinds of luxury removable carpeting was getting yanked out from under me throughout the course of this episode. I can hardly recall a time when episodes of Heroman were uneventful at best. My, how things have changed. The first task I have at hand here, aside from trying to explain how perfectly executed 99% of this outing is without foaming at the mouth and educing trolling from those of you who aren't riding upon the Heroman bandwagon, is to admit that I was wrong. I was wrong when I said that Skrugg Will is essentially the enemy, and will most likely be killed at the hands of Joey. I found out at the exact same moment that Joey did: Skrugg Will's mission is not to collect the remnant alien weaponry and use it for his own maniacal plan, but to destroy them so the Skrugg, currently re-mobilizing and attempting to resurrect their fallen Lord Kogorr via a giant spider incubation chamber...thing (I don't know what the f*ck else to call it), can not use them for their maniacal plan for world destruction or whatever it is they were trying to do the first time. There was something in the back of my mind during the beginning of this arc that was telling me If Skrugg Will is evil and wants to commit mass murder and/or enslavement on Earth, he would need to kill Joey and vanquish Heroman...because they will be his biggest obstacle in accomplishing this goal. Yet, Skrugg Will essentially wants to avoid Joey at all costs. The only reason he ended up having to fight him was so that he could obtain the remnant weapon that Professor Denton recovered.

At the same time Joey and Psy are being briefed about Skrugg Will's true motivations, they also are informed by Agent Hughes and Denton that the plant monster on the government island is directly related to the Skrugg. As far as I'm concerned, it is the Skrugg. The White House, it turns out, has an underground bunker laboratory where scientists are doing similar tests to the ones that were being conducted on the island. Guess what happens to that bunker? The vine monster shows up out of wherever beneath the planet's surface the Skrugg are gaining strength and numbers (the kidnapped animals and humans, Joey didn't save them all apparently--there was even a Skruggorilla here) and tears it right up, killing poor lab assistants just trying to make it big in D.C. When word of the White House attacks reaches our heroes, Hughes informs Joey that it's time to head to the source and shut this underage drinking party down; the time for backfield idling is over. A helicopter awaits outside Denton's workshop for transport to the airport (Denton and Psy decide to hang back, as Denton has another task in mind for them while Joey and Heroman take care of the hands-on portion of their approach), and Joey does something anyone could have expected: he, without saying it directly ("How much time do we have before we leave?"), asks Hughes for a moment to say goodbye to his girl. Hughes gives him an hour. The following scene is one of the best, emotionally, and maybe even slightly comically, that the series has issued out thus far.

Joey, foolishly, runs all the way across town to Lina's house reducing valuable make-out time. Why he did not opt to take Hughes' helicopter over there or ask for a ride is something I cannot answer. I can guess that it's more dramatic if he runs, as running is always dramatic; the fact that Joey looks like a girl supports my theory. Joey finally arrives at Lina's place, panting, and rings the buzzer. He informs Lina that he has something important to tell her, and she says the same thing. I thought the dreaded L word was coming up quick, and everything would be all nice and wrapped up in a lovely little package. Incorrect. Lina, uncharacteristically, goes off on Joey for not telling her that he had encountered her brother in a less-than-friendly manner. As Joey tries to explain himself, Lina does an about-face and more or less tells him to f-off. I was shocked--not just at Lina's attitude towards Joey, who did nothing wrong, but at how easily Lina succumbed to her brother's foreboding words outside her bedroom window. Skrugg Will had told her to stay away from Joey, and, if you think about it, knowing what we know now, he's absolutely right. Lina should stay as far away from Joey as possible, as he's going to be fighting an insanely difficult battle against the league of reformed Skrugg and their reborn overlord. As Joey is walking away from Lina's house, there is a great moment as he stops dead on the sidewalk, turns around with a determined look upon his face (I actually yelled out, "F*CK THAT" in his favor--how could he leave the situation like this before going off to war with jacked up humanoid-animal-hybrid aliens?) and sprints back to Lina. Right as the bomb is about to get dropped again, Agent Hughes swoops down in the NIA helicopter and unknowingly cockblocks Joey. Joey yells out something in Lina's direction to the tone of "I will always protect you!" but his words are muted by the sound of the hovering helicopter. Lina strains to hear him, but Joey grabs a dangling rope and flies away into the moonlight. Joey is smiling and satisfied, his attempt was good enough for him. Lina is left wondering and confused. Poor girl.

On the ride to the airport, Hughes lays down a massive NIA manual on top of Joey and tells him to study up on the plan of attack: Operation Thunderbird. The book probably weighs as much as Joey. At the runway, Hughes informs Joey that Professor Denton has been working in coordination with NIA to build a special device for Heroman; this device is key in the new tactical assault. That's it. I can't hold it in any longer. Several long-ass paragraphs and now I can say it. HEROMAN CAN FLY.

Well, he kind of glides around for a beat, but man, it's pretty damn cool. Denton's device is a massive suit of armor complete with detachable wings, along with some kind of optical scanner. This suit looks like it is packing some serious firepower as well. Joey also goes bluetooth with a spiffy earpiece for communication with Hughes. All this, and we still have Heroman's new ability waiting backstage. The episode concludes with Joey and Heroman charging the Skrugg army head on, as the plant monster, now fully engulfing The White House in its grasp, is firing energy projectiles at the NIA helicopter. The final shot of the episode is Skrugg Will, just discovering the New Skrugg's underground lair (where the giant spider incubation structure is) getting jumped by...something. This was one hell of a penultimate episode. Next episode preview insanity level = high. Hopefully Heroman's new ability will make its debut.