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I certainly didn't expect that ending. I suspect Harleyquin is right about Chris's intended action with respect to his sister. He's not quite following his father's example, however. His Dad only sacrificed himself. Chris obviously doesn't scruple to avoid dragging other people into the sacrifice.

Can't say that High Card has been too effective in its mission. It's been around at least 25 years and still isn't close to collecting all 52 Cards.

#11

I guessed right about Chris's intentions, but there's a lot of this series which remains unexplained if that's the case. The biggest points being:

1. All of the cards were held at the Royal Court before the start of the series.

2. When the previous generation of High Card was active, some of the cards weren't yet reclaimed.

3. When did the first generation finish collecting High Card? They certainly succeeded as all 52 were in that briefcase, before the Klondikes botched the heist.

4. Why is a four-of-a-hand with the 5 cards the only valid hand for resurrection? Maybe because Chris saw that hand and assumed only that particular X-hand would work? High Card at this juncture have accumulated quite a few cards by this point so another 4-of-a-kind should have been possible?

5. Why did Owen (the older Pinochle son) choose to kill Chris with a sniper rifle when it would have been easier to ambush him before he could successfully kidnap his sister?

6. The Klondikes are quite happy to let Chris save his sister since he's going to die and the remaining cards can be easily collected, but how would they know where to find him after he's done the deed?

If next week is the last episode of this series, a lot of questions will remain unanswered. Even the big Klondike vs. Pinochole showdown is reduced to a sideshow as the series focuses on Finn and Chris. Finn might be fired and not in possession of his card, but he's not going to let that stop him from stopping Chris anyway he can.

@ Harleyquin - you have made the same incorrect assumption that I did. In fact, all 52 cards were not in that briefcase, the contents of which got scattered. I discovered this when in the course of beginning research on a different issue I went back and watched the first episode again. That Klondike raid happened - according to the subtitles - one month before "present day" in the show. Finn, for one, has had his Card for years, so it could not have been in the briefcase. The female Klondike operative involved in the raid used a Card to actually get into the palace so again, it could not have been in the briefcase. We know that the woman that Finn and Chris encountered after the train derailment had her card for years so it wasn't in the brief case. The current members of High Card all have cards and although it is not explicitly stated, I think it's safe to assume they've all had them for longer than a one month period.

It has never been stated exactly how many card were in the brief case.

Now that you've explained it like that, I have to accept that was a misunderstanding on my part. So how many cards were in that briefcase? Certainly quite a few of them as they were scattered all over. Most likely the cards collected by Pinochle and held by the court, leaving the remainder kept by the Klondikes and lone actors such as Finn.

I don't know if I will actually ever finish the research project I started and I wish I had thought of doing it right from the start, but I'm thinking of going back and actually recording every card that we see being used in the show in terms of who wields it, what it's called, what it's power is, etc. That still won't tell me how many cards were in the briefcase but at least I'd have a list of the cards we as viewers know about. Chances are excellent however that I'll never actually finish this project.

And that was the final of High Card, an entertaining anime with lots of style and very uneven pacing. The concept of playing cards with powers is fun and they managed to make nearly all of them have interesting powers (sorry, Fin's card still sucks). Every episode oozed style and the world seems interesting enough (though I do want to know more about the origin of the cards).

As for the pacing, the show kind of seemed a bit lost on what it wanted to do. It started with some hefty card action, then goes into a mix of character introduction episodes and a few episodes against the Klondikes, then remembered that we need an exciting arc to complete the season with. The Chris arc was fun, but it felt very rushed.

Hopefully the second season focuses completely on the war of cards (and probably a belated introduction for the plant guy).

Episode 12 (Finale)

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away and know when to run
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealing's done

Sorry, couldn't resist. I can't say this show gripped me for its entire run. There was even a very brief time when I thought I'd drop it, but changed my mind and ultimately I'm glad I did. It's nothing amazing but it has its moments. I mentioned my prospective research project above and the fact there will be a second season gives me more impetus to actually do it. We'll see. In any case, I rate the show as Decent.

#12

It would have been a shame if the franchise had ended in just one season, since so much remained unanswered and only the situation with Chris was (somewhat) resolved at the end. With a second season announced, viewers might finally find out who the Black Knights in Finn's dream really are as well as a proper conclusion to the feud between the Klondikes and everyone else.

The animators did their best to fill the episode with whatever budget remained for action scenes. The duel between Love-P and the telekinesis Klondike wasn't half bad, while Finn's final shot of this season was played up for maximum dramatic effect. It was indeed a gamble, but that is what the Playing Cards are meant for and what the Players need to do to maximise their potential. There won't be a long-term solution to Michel's issue, but Finn has bought enough time for them both that it won't be an issue again for the next season.

This episode probably showcased Finn's greatest ever pickpocketing feat, doing it to both the black suits AND the police officer while pretending to be unconscious and not in full control of his faculties beggars belief, but it isn't the first time this franchise has pulled off such flights of fancy. He did his best to repay Chris for the help rendered this season, and in the end he even won back his position at Pinochle (and he's now above Chris in the hierarchy to boot).

Chelsea is a recurring character who has more secrets to uncover. That jump she made was superhuman in its height, so I wonder if she's hiding other aspects of herself in that facade of hers. Her reaction at the end was probably finding out from Pinochle that Chris didn't die, so those two might still end up together. Probably something to find out for next season.

I've had fun with this show. Don't have to think too much, and just watch the spectacle unfold. Hopefully the second season will answer the questions remaining from this season, and delivering more of the same action-wise.

The second season starts of strong and stylish this week. Seems like they are ramping up the story a fair bit and picking up on all the many loose ends the first season left unsolved. This particularly goes for mr black knight who seems to not be fully human or human at all.

We also had Chris showing of a nice death flag and there seems to be an end date to seal the cards away again.

Episode 13

Agreed, that was enjoyable. I love when a show is set in London... for some reason the background art always seems to have an extra zing.

#13

I wasn't expecting the continuation to air so quickly, but here we are. Straight back into the action, so viewers who forgot what happened the episodes before this might want to watch them again.

I have a feeling the youngest prince is going to be the Klondike's favoured pawn for taking over the country. Although all of the princes were targets, it was the youngest one who has that misplaced air of arrogance even though his eldest brother's funeral had just concluded. Too early to tell, but the difference between the two when they passed the Pinochles was played up by the animators.

No idea how someone with rapid flight for a playing card can use his powers without dying from lack of oxygen due to how thin the air is so high up, but the show was never about realism. Too bad we didn't see much more than just the jump off, but the Five got the job done. The same couldn't be said for their next target, since it appears the transforming player was caught unawares and then run through with the Black Knight's weapon. The Klondikes are aware of who or what the Black Knight is, and I doubt they're going to share what they know with their foes. They don't seem too worried about the Knight going after them the same way Finn and Chris were almost obliterated by that energy blast, so another point in favour of the Klondikes and their more skilled players.

Chris was lucky not to die when he used the X-play to revive his sister thanks to Finn's heroics, but season one already emphasised how powerful and dangerous using more than one card's power simultaneously is. As it stands, it's at best inconvenient and at worst lethal if he's incapacitated by the card's blowback at inopportune moments. His story may have been told through to season one's finish, but it looks like it doesn't have an ending yet.

Just how many years ago was it when the cards were split during the Klondike's failed bid to grab everything? Everyone certainly had cards after the split, but not all of them may have been the suitcase to begin with. After all, last season's retired agent kept hers despite quitting High Card and enjoyed a quiet retirement until Finn showed up. The issue of when Finn's family received theirs needs to be answered, as I suspect it's going to be important to answer the question of the Black Knight and why Finn survived that inferno.

#14

The show seemingly reverts to the template it used for much of the first season: there's someone using the powers of a X-card and High Card are mobilised to retrieve it. Unlike the first season, this episode tries to bring together the overarching main storyline with the Black Knight and the Klondikes as well as the true background to the 52 cards everyone is after. There's also the small matter of Chris losing the power of his immortality at the most inopportune moment.

Trying to restrain someone who's effectively the DC comic franchise's Flash with just a pistol and immortality is the worst possible matchup there is, so it came as no surprise the rest of High Card had to come along and give a hand. It's a good thing our card of the week is actually a decent person who didn't abuse the card's powers for personal gain, so High Card didn't have to do anything drastic to get it off him. Rules are rules: the card's powers are too seductive to be used long-term even for altruistic reasons. Taking him unawares with the vines was the only method High Card had and they took the first available opportunity.

The story of the magician who created the cards in the first place is a big hint to the Black Knight's identity. Klondike have him restrained for now, but the one who caught him seems to have overexerted himself in the process. If the Black Knight isn't a player as Chris believes and is some kind of extension of the mage who created the cards, then absorbing them after killing the temporary wielder to later present the whole package to the long dead mage makes sense. Just as well the Klondikes and Pinochle won't give up their cards so easily, and the Knight at present can't do anything while it's restrained.

Pinochole's "vault" for holding the cards is basically maximising the power of one card for storage. Virtually impregnable, but if the wielder is incapacitated or killed then the cards stored are most likely available as a free for all. Surely Klondike know this, but they're not making any attempts to claim Pinochle's stash for now. Klondike for their part have split their cards amongst the Family members, which is more decentralised but makes it much harder for Pinochle to take them. The Black Knight would have a decent chance with this setup, assuming it can somehow escape its bonds.

Chris looks like he's out of commission for a while assuming he somehow survives. I'm guessing he swapped his health with his sister, so as time goes on she fully recovers while he takes her incurable disease. Probably a moot point now that he's at death's door; if Finn wants to save him they'll need the mysterious robed figure to help as he seems to be well versed in the nature of the cards and isn't siding with either of the two major factions.

Both sides are looking pretty shady right now. The Klondikes have never been anything else but a crime family who will do whatever is needed to get more power, the Royals and their dogmatic approach plus their possible altering of history do not make them seem any better. Then there is the black knight who may or may not do something when he has eaten/absorbed all the cards, hell maybe it will result in bringing back the wizard of old.
So....who to root for?

Indeed. Although I can see the rationale for not letting just anybody use a Card, even if they are doing so for good purposes. Just too easy to misuse the powers. For example, if I had a Card that let me see through clothing... well, never mind.

#15

Chris's condition is not a surprise: it had been hinted for a while that while Michelle was slowly recovering, Chris was slowly taking her place as the hospital invalid. This episode confirmed as much, Chris is out of action and Pinochle do not suffer hangers-on in their ranks. Rather than see Chris executed to keep state secrets, Leo opted to fire him so that they could continue treating him as a civilian.

On to the main event. I had wondered why the Klondikes never bothered to claim the Pinochle card stash when they had military superiority. Turns out they were waiting for the right moment. The card of illusions proves to be the key to unlocking the Pinochle card vault, which costs Owen dearly if his card is taken as well. Unfortunately for the Klondikes, their knowledge of the cards does not extend to Wendy's state of mind when Love P takes over. Thanks to her wanton destruction, they do not claim the suitcase like they attempted way back in season one episode one's flashback. High Card do not yet know the suitcase is on the loose, but it looks like it'll take them a while to realise it as next episode appears to be another flashback.

It's not a complete surprise the old butler is a Player, only that he did not intervene in season one when Wendy first lost it. Unfortunately for the others, his power appears to be solely used to nullify Love P's attacks to buy time for him to render her unconscious and loosen the card's hold over her. If Chris is out of action, can he act as a substitute? At his age, probably not but it might not be the last time we see him use his card this season.

Considering how down Pinochle are at this point, can the only way be up? Or do they have further to fall before they can mount a comeback? Or does the suitcase eventually ending up Klondike hands turn the tables when the Black Knight under their custody eventually breaks free with the help of the stranger who talked to Finn last week?

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