WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Season 1, Episode 17 of Fire Force, "Black and White and Gray."

The latest episode of Fire Force wastes little time cutting right to the action, which is some of the quickest and fiercest we've seen yet in the anime. This comes courtesy of two characters -- who have long been lurking in the shadows -- finally stepping into the light.

Following Dr. Giovanni's invasion of Vulcan's workshop -- the master blacksmith that both he and Company 8 are trying to recruit -- Shinra is finally able to come to the defeated inventor's rescue, having been bested by the Company 5 Captain last time. After being freed from his bindings by a sympathetic Captain Hibana, he blasts, quite literally, through the White Clad troops fending off Arthur outside the workshop and, once inside, knocks Giovanni down to size.

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He's not so lucky against Lisa, Vulcan's partner-turned-traitor, who swiftly ties him up with her flaming tentacles -- which are apparently able to "latch on to the faint magnetic fields living things produce." Shinra is only able to wiggle free with assistance from a weakened Vulcan and his animal-themed contraptions that throw his treacherous assistant's Ignition Ability off the scent. His hardest match-up, however, is just around the corner: Shō, the younger brother he thought had perished in the fire that ravaged his family's home 12-years-ago.

Shō was secretly spared from the blaze that he and Shinra's mother died in and was raised to become the Evangelist's perfect right-hand man as the Commander of his Knights of the Ashen Flame. We've only see glimpses of him up in previous episodes, but now he's out in the open for the first time, highlighting how badly the Evangelist wants to take Shinra -- along with his Adolla Burst -- in. Shinra is tipped off to Shō's presence when his Adolla Link is triggered and, upon recognizing the white-haired boy, he's overjoyed to see the rumors about his survival are very much true. He even gushes about how angelic Shō looks compared to this own unwanted, demonic reputation.

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As you'd expect, Shō doesn't exactly greet his older brother with open arms. In fact, he calls the sensation of finally meeting Shinra "digusting." Quick as a flash, he moves within striking range winds Shinra with the barest flick of his sword. Arthur valiantly tries to intervene but Shō, again, lashes out with inhuman speed. Luckily, Arthur is responsive enough to lean away in time, avoiding a fatal injury but still having his chest sliced open.

Dr. Giovanni reappears to inform his superior that he's found the key to the Amaretsu power station that Vulcan's family kept hidden in the workshop, giving the White Clad invaders cause to leave along with their victory spoils -- Shinra included. Just in the nick of time, Company 8's newest recruit, Inspector Licht, arrives on the dire scene in a getaway vehicle, already loaded with Vulcan and Iris, and pulls the bloodied teenagers on board. Shō pursues them but is interrupted by another surprise appearance: Joker.

Kusakabe Brothers fire force

The gothic vigilante -- who has been keeping a close eye on Shinra since the series began -- erupts as a black spiral from the ground, distracting Shō long enough for his older brother and the others to escape. "What a shame," Joker drawls as he engages Shō in a blindingly fast duel. "You can't have him yet." Their fight is more intense than anything we've seen on Fire Force so far, even more so than perhaps the Force's "greatest" hero, Captain Benimaru and his impressive feats of strength. The two combatants part ways once Joker is certain Shō's goal is long gone; acknowledging how evenly matched they both are.

New episode of Fire Force are released every Friday on Crunchyroll, as well as on Funimation as SimulDubs, and as part of Adult Swim's Toonami block.

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