Dedicated to the memory of Bob Kulick
1950-2020
Hello everyone, and welcome to my look at the penultimate episode of Cowboy Bebop before the two-part series finale. I will be doing the latter as one review post, so for now, let's open up "Hard Luck Woman!"
After the title sequence, we open on the Bebop en route to the next destination as Faye Valentine looks over a recording of her younger self; on a Betamax tape and player that were the subject of a previous episode. The tech is so old even when this first aired (both in Japan and stateside) that the remote is a wired one that plugs into the deck!
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| "Oh no: Beta!" |
A sleepy Edward may or may not recognize the waterfall in the tape, and as the two wrestle; I mentioned last time that both Faye and Ed would be important to this episode review; so let's go.
As an energetic Ein greets Spike and Jet; it turns out the Bebop has made landfall back on Earth, and I must say given what's transpired since I first saw this; depicting the 2070s like this isn't much of a stretch... anymore. Make your own assumptions.
Ed helps Faye find where the waterfall is located... as she's strapped to the outside of the shuttle. Once again, enjoy this moment while it lasts.
As we get some great shots of how Earth has changed since humanity left for space, Ed finds Faye's "waterfall..." in the form of a watering can in a junk pile. Now that is just wholesome.
When Faye tries to leave, she is then accosted by some more kids who seem to know Edward. One of them asks for Faye's fingernails, and another has built a robot out of scraps.
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| "This generation rules the nation!" |
A nun then starts hosing down Faye when she recognizes Ed. It turns out that she was part of this convent before she started doing some of her best work behind a keyboard. She's apparently been in and out of this place like a mischievous cat by the nun's own admission.
On that note, the nun has something for Ed in her drawer. After shuffling through more robots, she opens it to find her father in a wallet-sized hologram! She definitely takes after him, and I will explain why over the course of this review.
Elsewhere, her father is scavenging alongside a colleague; as he sets up a communications beacon amid all the rubble.
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| Still a better dad than the one from "Cry Wilderness." |
As Faye's search continues, another person recognizes her: an old woman in a wheelchair! They apparently went to high school together, even being in the same class when they graduated! As more memories from the Beta tape flash, Faye asks if she's all right. The woman continues on to say that Faye was in an accident and subsequently went into cryosleep; hence why she's still so young.
When the woman's granddaughter comes to pick her up, Faye and Edward then continue their search as we enter the second half of this episode.
While Spike is reading a copy of "Walking on the Moon," Jet berates Faye for the unauthorized change of course; to which the latter doesn't even bat an eye. Ed then has Ein sniff the image of her father, trying to track his scent in more ways than one. Jet ponders as everyone goes to bed if Ed and Faye "have a big secret or something." Not just a big secret, Jet: THE big secret.
It also turns out that her father also has a bounty of 50 million Wulongs on his head, and his rap sheet includes breaking into and robbing a bank, and bodily injury resulting in death! His name is Appledelhi Sinez Hesap Lutfen: now that's a mouthful, so I will just call him ASHL for short from this paragraph onward.
We then cut right to him poking a hole in a freshly-laid chicken egg; and drinking the ovum for breakfast. ... Yeah, pass the toast, yogurt and Mini-wheats.
His assistant is also called Macintyre, though he keeps calling him "Macintosh." Just glad that my experience with Catalina is going over smoother than what I've heard about Windows 10.
The next day, we see Faye in the archetypal "shower of angst," and though I've really been adjusting to the COPPA situation since last November; you have my word about her... figure looking great in this HD remaster.
Faye then has an epiphany about her past, and tells Ed that someone is waiting for her as well. Finally realizing where she belongs, she leaves on the words "belonging is the best thing there is." I agree with that, especially knowing what lies ahead.
Spike and Jet confront ASHL about the bounty on his head, demanding he come with them. ASHL and Macintyre reply they're surveying the changes of the planet over the torrential meteor showers to make maps of the Earth. This also explains why ASHL has been so hard to find.
The ensuing fight scene is another fantastic piece of animation, full of energy as they all trade blows; with ASHL tossing eggs at Spike and Jet. Just then, the Bebop makes landfall on the shore!
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| "Everybody remember where we parked!" |
Giving Spike and Jet a basket of eggs, Edward decides to rejoin her father and chase meteors. As Faye continues looking for the truth about who she is, and Spike and Jet boil and eat the eggs they were given; we close on Ed leaving the Bebop alongside Ein to go be with her father. The episode even has the sign-off phrase, "see you cowgirl, someday, somewhere!" ... That part always gets me.
As the penultimate episode before the two-part finale, "Hard Luck Woman" is another spectacular example of the impact Cowboy Bebop continues to have long after its initial airing. Both Faye finding out more about her past and the departure of Edward and Ein are a fittingly bittersweet experience to what's one of my favorite anime series ever. The animation and music have held up marvelously over time, and they did a fantastic job with the remaster (definitely planning on picking up the complete series DVD/Blu-Ray in the future). I once again apologize for the delays, so I'll see you all in June with my look at the finale, "The Real Folk Blues, Parts 1 and 2." See you cowgirl, someday, somewhere.
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