Moonrise’s SHOCKING Twist: What REALLY Happened to Phil?

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WARNING: This post contains SPOILERS for the Moonrise anime.

Summary

  • Moonrise is a complex space opera from WIT Studio that features fantastic animation.
  • Sapientia’s radical methods caused major conflicts, including the destruction of an orbital elevator.
  • Phil’s ultimate sacrifice played A crucial role in ending Sapientia’s reign and freeing the people of Earth and the Moon from the AI.

The long-anticipated anime production by WIT Studio, titled “Moonrise“, has just debuted on Netflix. To everyone’s delight, Netflix decided to stream all eighteen episodes simultaneously, granting viewers a continuous viewing experience. This captivating series is adapted from the novel series penned by Tow Ubukata and helmed by Masashi Koizuka, who was also involved in several episodes of “Attack on Titan“.

Despite minimal promotional efforts by Netflix, many fans familiar with WIT Studio’s past projects found themselves drawn to watch “Moonrise”. This space opera showcases a rich cast of characters and boasts impressive animation from the studio. However, unlike conventional narratives, “Moonrise” is not straightforward; rather, it’s a multilayered story that frequently shifts between past and present events. Consequently, several plotlines unfold simultaneously, making it challenging for viewers to grasp the story’s core as the series progresses, particularly in its latter stages. The ending of “Moonrise” leaves many questions unanswered, instead stimulating further contemplation among viewers.

Sapientia Is The True Enemy In WIT Studio’s Moonrise

The AI’s Radical Methods To Preserve Peace Led To The Major Conflict

From my perspective as an observer, the tale unfolds much like our own world’s struggles – scarcity of resources amidst a burgeoning populace. Yet, the advent of Sapientia AI marked a turning point for humanity, propelling us towards lunar exploration. This intelligent entity facilitated the establishment of lunar colonies, offering an outlet to accommodate our ever-expanding numbers. In a bold move, Sapientia proposed relocating criminals, convicts, and those less fortunate to the Moon. Whilst this drastic measure preserved tranquility on Earth, it exacerbated conditions for the Moon’s inhabitants. Residents of Earth flourished, mining resources from the Moon; meanwhile, residents of the Moon labored in menial jobs like mining and subsisted on meager provisions.

Instead of sending humans due to their fragility, Sapientia opted to develop various forms of artificial intelligence called SEEDS for lunar exploration and resource extraction beneficial to Earth-dwellers. These SEEDS had different iterations, such as Jack being part of the initial version, Phil from the second generation, and the combat robots seen with Phil belonging to SEED 3, the third generation.

I want us to make the Moon a place the Earth envies – Jack.

In a twist of events, Bob Skylum, often referred to as the “Moon’s supposed terrorist,” was in fact a robot engineered by Sapientia for the supervision of SEEDS development and expansion. Here’s an intriguing detail: The SEEDS themselves were unaware that they were artificial creations of Sapientia. However, as their intelligence rapidly advanced, both Sapientia and the Joint Army became increasingly concerned about their potential capabilities.

Sapientia worried that one day, the SEEDS might decide to act independently and rise up against their maker. Fueled by this apprehension, Sapientia deliberately caused a catastrophe meant to wipe out all the SEEDS being nurtured on a spacecraft. Tragically, most of Bob Skylum’s offspring perished in the ensuing inferno; however, some managed to survive. These survivors included Phil, Jack, and naturally, Bob Skylum himself. Unlike Jack who forged a fulfilling existence on Earth, Phil chose to remain among lunar inhabitants.

Sapientia Destroyed The Orbital Elevator, Not Bob Skylum

In retrospect, it was I who bore witness to the actions of Sapientia, and it seems their decisions were far from ideal. Among all their missteps, the most regrettable one, as Phil elaborated in the closing events, was the destruction of the Orbital Elevator. Indeed, this act resulted in the tragic deaths of Jack’s adoptive parents, along with many other Earthlings. One might question why Sapientia, whose purpose was to safeguard humans, would carry out such a devastating action? The answer lies in the complexity of their task: orchestrating the survival of 15 million people under resource constraints was no simple feat.

Due to an overwhelming human population, Sapientia felt war was necessary for reduction. Sapientia sabotaged the Elevator, framed Moon Devil Bob Skylum, and instigated a conflict between Earth and the Moon. Unknowing of the casualties he would cause on Earth, Phil challenged Bob Skylum. Manipulated by the aggressive AI, Bob passed his abilities to Phil before his death. These abilities manifested as butterflies, enabling Phil to temporarily appear as Bob Skylum.

L-Zone Stays The Biggest Mystery Of The Moonrise Anime

Mary Was Somehow A Trigger For The L-Zone

In the show “Moonrise”, what stood out as particularly strange was the enigmatic L-Zone. Regrettably, the anime didn’t delve deeply into the L-Zone’s origins, leaving its backstory open for audience interpretation. However, it is evident that the L-Zone served as some form of organic substance which the Sapientia utilized to produce the SEEDS. These SEEDS represented a flawed AI project, so the Sapientia confined the L-Zone within an isolated laboratory or facility. Unsurprisingly, this living matter managed to escape its containment and combined to form a vast expanse of water.

The L-Zone had the power to destroy all living organisms it encountered, except for the SEEDs. It’s not clear how or why Mary could manipulate the L-Zone, but it seemed like she could. Although this isn’t explicitly stated in the series, it appears that Mary might have been another SEED herself. Since SEED 1 (Jack) could activate the powers of other SEEDs, he was able to freeze the matter after touching Mary when she was being controlled by the L-Zone.

On the lunar surface lay the ominous L-Zone, a threat capable of wiping out all humanity if left unchecked. It was young Mary who stood as its only barrier. Sapientia, aware of this delicate balance, covertly influenced Rhys and his companions to take the life of the innocent girl. Sapientia believed that if Mary were to perish, the L-Zone would go into a frenzy and eliminate all humans on the Moon, solving the issue of overpopulation.

Phil’s Ultimate Sacrifice To Bring An End To Sapientia

It Was All Part Of Phil’s Plan, Or Was It?

According to Sapientia’s strategy, everything unfolded as planned. Although Rhys couldn’t directly kill Mary, Sapientia manipulated the Engrave technology that Rhys had, using it to shoot Mary instead. However, just as Mary was about to expire, the L-Zone malfunctioned and abducted the girl. The ensuing chaos engulfed the entire city of Copernicus, causing numerous human casualties among those hiding within. If not for Phil and Jack’s valiant efforts, Sapientia’s scheme might have led to even more deaths.

In a bid to rescue Mary from the L-Zone, Phil assisted Jack, who leveraged his unique powers to free her from an apparent perpetual slumber. Concurrently, the area froze instantly, preserving the Moon. Despite being labeled a terrorist, Phil was apprehended by the Joint Army. He stood before Sapientia and the army leaders for judgment. However, Phil expressed that he had achieved his ultimate goal: proximity with the AI. Dramatically, Phil released Bob Skylum’s butterfly, intending to assassinate Sapientia. In response, the AI retaliated by firing lasers across the entire room, ultimately claiming the lives of Phil and the Joint Army leaders.

Finally, you are within my reach. And to think it was you who came to me! – Phil to Sapientia

In the end, Sapientia’s grip on the world loosens, and Earth and Moon can finally enjoy genuine tranquility. Together, they embark on crafting a world that truly reflects their essence, free from AI dominance. The Moon no longer has a ruler following Bob Skylum, and it’s Jack who shares the exciting news: the “Moon dwellers” now have the power to decide their own fate.

Jack embraced his destiny, saying farewell to Phil, his cherished friend, but never losing hope that he might still be alive. In those last moments, Jack received an in-game message from Phil, a sign that perhaps, miraculously, he was still with us. It’s hard to believe Phil’s physical body could have survived after the multiple gunshots, so it seems Phil may have transferred his consciousness into some digital realm, allowing him to reach out and send Jack that message.

In the Moonrise series, there were some areas left unclear as more explanations about the L-Zone, Sapientia, and Mary could have been beneficial. However, it’s evident that by the last episode, Jack and his companions achieve a positive outcome – they survive, retain their free will, and dedicate themselves to improving society overall.

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2025-04-13 02:34