Why did Kain murder Achika?

On the other hand, “GXP” is part of the title for the OVA spin-off Tenchi Muyo! GXP: Galaxy Police Transporter. One could presume that the “X” somehow stands for “Transporter”, perhaps “crossing” in some sense, but it does not belong as part of the abbreviation for “Galaxy Police” unto itself. aquateencarl1

Now, back to the point of discussion. qt1

My speculation on Kain knowing of Tenchi and his mother would be when Kain attacked the GXP HQ. The defeat of Kagato and the group responsible for saving Jurai is obviously known at the end of Universe. Tenchi’s lineage would have brought to light to the public as he is of Royal Juraian Blood that came and saved Jurai. The Royal family would have questioned Nobuyuki, Yosho, Tenchi, Ayeka and Sasami to fill in the gaps as well as GXP doing their own inquiring to identify a lost member and his continued bloodline of the Royal family of Jurai to make sure all members are accounted for. I mean after Kagato impersonated Yosho, then It would be natural to ask Tenchi how is he related to the Royal Family, so his mother’s heritage would have been made known through questioning.

I agree that both the hierarchy of both Jurai and the GP would want to know what was happening, considering the grandiose amount of corruption involved. After all, Kagato had control of Jurai and had inside help with the GP.

The extent of the corruption actually is part of why I think remnants of Kagato’s faction might still exist, perhaps even be the ones who would order a temporal assassination. woooo1 Also, there was a significant amount of news coverage after Kagato’s regime fell.

As such, I would expect most of the galaxy to know the broad strokes of what happened. The Operative even mentions Yosho and Achika by name as Juraian nobility when he is holding Ryoko at gunpoint.

If Kain was being tactical, then not only he attacked the GXP to prevent them from stopping him, he also stole info on all Jurai lineages from their databases: past and current and covered his tracks. He would have obtained all the necessary info from them and known who to attack to eradicate all who could pose a threat to him. Tenchi and the gang is THE force to oppose after saving the Jurai Empire from an imposter, escaping and fighting Jurai forces and the GXP along the way.

I agree that taking out the GP eases Kain’s task, but I see no evidence for if Kain took their data or how he would have done so. The opening of the film, as well as the Operative’s flashbacks to it, show Kain stationary, causing some sort of distortion wave that seems to implode the GP headquarters. Ships fall into the station, and those in command at the headquarters merely describe spacetime moving into the past, ripping the facility apart. One could probably argue that the wave was gravitational in nature.

Now, could Kain have extracted data from the husk of the headquarters when it reappeared? I could see the possibility, but I see no evidence either way. Considering he just used spacetime to crush and scatter the GP headquarters throughout time, it could be possible the servers with the data he wanted were destroyed, erased, or sent to another era altogether.

Even then, if Kain got the information himself, he could have gotten information about other more significant targets than Achika. Extracting data still does not explain his motive for murdering Achika. Instead, it begs the question as to why he chose her from all the other potential targets for whom the GP no doubt has data.

Lastly, “covering his tracks” is a moot point. He just destroyed the headquarters for the peacekeeping force of the galaxy. Washu states that the energy released at the moment of Achika’s disappearance matches the energy released when the GP headquarters vanished.

Moreover, the commander states Kain is the only one capable of such a feat, and Yagami‘s database lists Kain as a “characteristic energy form”, “characteristic” being a synonym for “typical”.

Anyone investigating the wreckage of the headquarters with the right equipment would likely realize he was the culprit. He was hiding nothing.

Being imprisoned for a hundred years in the space time prison made with the GXP and Jurai might combined would have taken a lot of Kain’s energy just to break out of. Kain took a beating before being imprisoned and probably slowly forced his way out of the prison, his energy must diminished some which would explain why he only went back to Tokyo, Japan 1970 instead of Jurai thousands of years of ago before the first emperor. Washu had a bit of difficulty getting the gang to 1970, for Kain it would have been easy a short jump in time, but the energy needed for a long jump thousands of years probably would have severely drained him.

I had considered this before, that the temporal travel might have weakened Kain. It could explain why he was able to be killed, rather than just incarcerated like in antiquity. I like the idea, particularly the bit you said about Kain’s original capture weakening him as well, but no data to support or discount this hypothesis can be found in the film. blush1

Although the whole theory of what kain is and where Kagato got his power might have been in a place where the realities and dimensions might have converged or been slightly exposed to Tenchi Universe’s Universe. It would explain why Kain is abnormally high powered and how Kagato boosted his own Juraian power, they were in a place where different energies and environments came together to change them.

Exactly what do you mean here? What evidence do you have to support the conclusion that Kain and Kagato were at some sort of dimensional nexus? Both characters exist in the Tenchi Universe continuity, so neither of them were “exposed” to it. They were native to it.

The theory I put forward was that Kagato, who was Juraian, was exposed to something like or connected to Kain, which is in natural direct opposition to Jurai’s very existence. As a result of such an antipodal blending, Kagato’s power was altered, corrupted, or enhanced. In the same vein, since Kagato and Kain’s goals were similar, message could have gotten to Kain through parties unknown that Kagato had failed, instigating Kain’s break-out and subsequent attack on Achika. Again, this is a theory, but my evidence for said theory was cited in my original post.

What is sweet to my ear is that “everything is linked” feeling. The possibility that Kagato and Kain are somewhat together against Jurai is likeable.

I know, right? kiyonesmile1 The idea that some mastermind might be behind both, someone Tenchi is destined to face, just screams out to me. Perhaps the original Tenchi Muyo! in Love 3, before it was converted into Ai Tenchi, would have given us just that. gendo1

What could also support the fact that Kagato’s darkness is equal to Kain’s domain is Kagato’s sword. Aside from the “Oh look, my sword is black cause I’m bad”, this could be an actual link.

…

What if his shadow blade was made of Kain’s body?

However, the least we can say is that this idea is really based on thin things.

I really, really like that idea. iloveit1 However, I am a bit unsure on a direct link from Katsuhito’s line in the same episode.

If Kagato’s sword works on the same principles as Tenchiken, then the blade would likely be an extension of Kagato’s power, not Kain’s body. Now, that is not to say that perhaps what corrupted Kagato’s power was not some part of Kain’s body, or that Kagato’s sword obeys a different set of underlying laws from Tenchiken. Sadly, the mechanics of the keys, light or dark, are not a significant plot point in Universe, or even in the OVA after the first series. Hence, you are correct in saying that the basis of such a connection is fairly tenuous at best. tenchiahhhhhh

If there was such a link between TU and TMiL, I would expect a settlement in TMiL2. That said, Tenchi Forever is really different. Maybe if the two movies were alike, we would have gotten a similar feeling towards all three villains. We don’t get a look at a grand scheme of things, unfortunatly.

As much as I love Tenchi Muyo! in Love 2, I have much the same gripe, that it was tonally so different from what came before it. However, that is also what made it so special as well. butts1

But wait, how did Haruna die?

WANT1 K’s poisoning WANT1

I wish we had more elements.

That would be really cool, that Haruna was a casualty of Yosho’s feud with Kagato. badass1 However, Katsuhito does throw a wrench into that theory in his dialogue.

Now, it is possible that Haruna was poisoned and Katsuhito/Yosho never knew, but I do not see evidence to support that conclusion.

The other thing is “Why Achika and not another Juraian heir?”, well one first thing I don’t really know is : Do we know the exact date of Kain’s evasion? Is it happening exactly when we see the household for the first time in the movie?

Timetravel is really tricky.

One thing : Kain got his freedom at a time closer than we think to Achika’s youth, and didn’t actually travel through time (or not much).

I agree that time travel is a finicky concept, but I believe the film’s events reveal enough information to answer this. First, Tenchi’s body starts disintegrating while he is walking down stairs with a case, presumably the projector for the 8mm film. Since this is shown directly after the aurora over modern Tokyo, one could likely place them as concurrent. Admittedly, this is a bit tenuous.

Second, Kain buzzes Yagami on his way to Earth, and Kiyone receives an incomplete message about Kain’s escape. She is dwelling on it in 1996 when Ryoko fetches both her and Mihoshi to travel to 1970. Unlike the previous reference, I believe this one definitively shows Kain escape the GP in 1996, not 1970 or any historical point nearby.

Another thing : Can the GP Station move? Say yes, maybe Kain happened to be closer to Achika by both space & time interpretation. Hence why he felt her and not anyone else.

Yes, the GP headquarters can move, at least in one incarnation. In Ai Tenchi episode 49, the entire complex warped directly into orbit over Earth, the version where Junai Academy exists.

Now, that does not necessarily speak to the Universe version of the headquarters, but it does mean the possibility cannot be ignored outright. Considering that the GP headquarters in Universe has a subspace room, as well as equipment that could detect temporal misalignments, I could believe the headquarters had other temporal equipment, including the ability to move in spacetime.

That being said, I do not think the current position of the headquarters is stated in TMiL1, so its position relative to other targets for Kain likely could not be determined. Moreover, Katsuhito is on Earth, and likely a larger immediate threat to Kain than Achika.

Then, again, why not Yosho? …

…

Maybe he can hide his power just like OVA1 Yosho sealed Ryoko’s power away from Kagato?

Ah, there he is. mmhmm1 It is possible that he can, considering he hid his power from Washu’s detection, which she admits in Universe episode 22.

Now, an interesting and dark theory would be that Kain murdered Achika to draw Katsuhito out. After all, Washu states that the Masaki family died out in the altered timeline. She never says when Katsuhito died in that alternate reality. Perhaps he died coming to avenge his daughter’s murder. butts1

If Kain could see the moment of his death, or his own future in general, would he not see the dimensional cannon, or at least its blast, killing him? I openly admit that Achika likely dealt a mortal blow to Kain, and he was probably dying. However, the fact stands that she did not kill him. Makibi Kiyone did.

Therefore, why did Kain not change history by killing Kiyone first? Kiyone’s history in Universe is never definitively stated. The only real backstory for her is in Hexagram of Love, where she openly admits to being a Juraian commoner.

“Excuse me.” Kiyone interrupted. “I am a Jurian. There is a ship dedicated for use only by those from house Jurai. Setting foot on the ship is impossible if you are not a blood relative of someone from house Jurai. Intruders are automatically obliterated. If the ship is attacked from the outside the Light Hawk Wing shield deploys to defend it. In terms of defense, it is unmatched. House Jurai has put their absolute trust in this ship.”

— Hexagram of Love, p. 45

Since Kain is known to hate Jurai, this fact could galvanize him to murder Kiyone. Now, I admit that Kiyone’s history in Hexagram does not directly affect her history in Universe, but it might explain why Kiyone knows about the Juraian line of succession in Universe episode 15.

Even disregarding Kiyone’s heritage, the point still remains. Detective Makibi Kiyone killed Kain to save Achika. If Kain could see the future, even only his own death, why does he not target the one who actually killed him?

What he did not expect was the Grandfather Paradox which he had created as a result of killing off Achika.

As a result of his anger at the Jurain Royal Family, Kain had overlook some factors such as Achika’s own son Tenchi.

Again, show some evidence or reasoning as to why Kain can see the future at all, let alone only seeing certain portions of it.

Washu had detected the paradox while she was doing research on Time Travel.

Washu does not say she was researching time travel. The subtitles state she occasionally detects misalignments in time.

Also, K.T. Vogt’s English dialogue states that Washu was merely “working in (her) subspace laboratory”, nothing about research into time travel. Now, Washu has obviously researched time travel since she has at least a prototype of a time machine.

However, I would not state as fact that she was working on time travel the moment she detected the timeline shift.

Likely, Universe’s own Tsunami had sense what Kain was going to do, too.

This is possible, but Tsunami is never mentioned throughout the entirety of Universe, TMiL1, or TMiL2. The companion manga to TMiL2, Eternal Memory, has some images that look like Tsunami, and I have argued for Tsunami’s existence in this continuity now and again. If Tsunami existed in this continuity, I could believe she knew well of Kain’s existence, since he is the polar opposite to her pet nation’s innate power. She might even know his motives, perhaps because she would be a god.

However, how does that matter to the question at hand? Nowhere does Tsunami warn Tenchi and his friends about Kain. Nowhere does she intervene on their behalf. Tsunami does not seem to be involved in this incident at all.

Compare this inaction to Manatsu no Eve, where she is at least mentioned.

Yet, that name-drop serves a purpose as it spurs Ayeka to visit the tree Funaho, pushing the story forward.

However, in the same breath, Manatsu no Eve has nothing to do with TMiL1. Moreover, I currently argue that Tsunami likewise has no direct connection with TMiL1.

Members of the Jurain Royal Family do have long life spans in Universe’s own universe.

I have actually argued at length to the contrary in my previous threads on the topic. Demonstrate proof to your claim.

Katsuhito was aware of what Achika had to do to defeat Kain.

Again, demonstrate proof.

Universe’s own Katsuhito/Yosho wants Tenchi to be his successor.

Nowhere in any continuity does Katsuhito state that he wants Tenchi to succeed him. However, Ayeka offers the throne to Tenchi twice. In episode 23, she explains that his lineage demands that he take the throne, and that he would then be always by her side.

In episode 26, she extends the offer one last time, almost tempting him with the power he would have.

Yet, Tenchi decided to return to Earth. He haad felt thst he was not fully to prepared to become Jurai’s next Emperor. Also, Tenchi had felt that he was simply up to the job.

This is false. Tenchi openly says he does not want to be emperor because he does not want the responsibility. Moreover, he says that he is like his grandfather that way, which implies Katsuhito would likely never push him toward the throne at all.

Furthermore, I argue this is a defining moment for Universe Tenchi. He makes a decision, one that hurts a close friend and love interest, but stays his course. Few, if any, other incarnations of Masaki Tenchi can say the same.

I have watch the movie Tenchi Muyo in Love many times.