S3E03: Machinations

'''Another attack is made against Canterlot. But the truth is...?'''

Plot Summary
The Factory requests a status update from Arachnos. Arachnos says that EXE is complete, and suggests they use it to stage an assassination of Princess Celestia. The Factory agrees, and contacts the Princess right away...

Some time later, the Factory recalled Kanako from his search for Olyn (who had run off in the previous episode), and dispatched Orachnos and Tarachnos to the ruins of Canterlot. He told them that Executor had appeared again, probably intending to finish the job he started with Luna. He was alone this time, however, apparently having decided his army would be overkill. After the demonstration of his powers, this was deemed within the realm of possibility. Because they were all Nihility constructs, the Factory claimed it would be safer if Tarachnos and Orachnos went over to face him, alone.

They protested at first, but the Factory's orders remained firm. Uncertain, confused, and apprehensive, the two spider-like Anathemites headed for Canterlot. There they saw that it was still in ruin, with recovery efforts only just beginning, and the castle was little more than a glorified mountain of stone bricks. Before the castle's ruins stood Executor's mechanical form, with Celestia lying nearby, seemingly dead. Orachnos and Arachnos were horrified, and demanded to know how far Executor was willing to go.

"Executor" replied "all the way", stating that he had every intention to burn Equestria to the ground. He started with the Princesses, would scorch the planet, and would continue his campaign to every world he came across with the Nihilius Clan backing his every move. Orachnos and Tarachnos charged at "Executor", who answered with a powerful rainbow blast.

Throughout the battle, Executor continued to taunt the other Anathemites, further enraging and breaking them. In reality, Arachnos was controlling "Executor's" movements, while the Factory provided the voice. The opposing forces seemed to be equally matched at first, with the Anathemites holding back against EXE. However, when the Factory's remarks finally broke them down, they no longer held any qualms against killing their friend. Arachnos did not retaliate with more ferocity, however, despite the Factory's insistence that he do so.

Arachnos was worried about killing them, but the Factory reminded him that that was what they were aiming to do. To bring them to death's door to trigger their powers. And if it didn't work, then they wouldn't have stood a chance against the real Executor anyway. Arachnos conceded the point, and pushed EXE to its maximum limit. A flurry of multicolored beams, imbued with various special properties, was unleashed from EXE's horn. The "Arathemites," already wounded, could not withstand EXE's attacks for long, and were both eventually brought down. They struggled to get back up, but EXE continued the relentless beatdown, until finally a black light burst from their bodies.

Time seemed to stop for the Arathemites, and darkness fell over the world. High above them, in the darkened sky, they could see a vortex take shape. A mysterious voice talked down to them from it, as the spiders were unwillingly raised into the air. "Facing death has given you control over it... You were granted the ability to decide who lives and who dies... Now, you can use it. You have...Manifested." Black tendrils snaked down from the vortex into Orachnos and Tarachnos, feeding them power. The voice would not respond to the Arathemites' inquiries.

When the black world returned to normal, the Arathemites found that they had knocked Executor far from them. With their new powers, they proceeded to destroy the machine, tearing it apart and sending several of its parts into Nihility. When their rage and the danger was over, their powers seemed to switch off, and they stood over the remains of their friend...only to find it to be not Executor.

Arachnos and Kanako arrived shortly thereafter, with the Factory keeping in contact through their communication lines. The truth came out, then, and the Arathemites were informed of the plan with EXE. If the two were infuriated in any way at being deceived and almost killed, they did not show it. Likewise, its success proved that this was exactly what they needed to do. Now with the Arathemites in on EXE's secret, the Factory and Arachnos decided they could use the both of them against Olyn. Arachnos went to work on rebuilding EXE for just that, while the Factory ordered Kanako to continue his search for her full-time. Kanako also suggested that he be involved, possibly as a victim killed mid-love confession. This did not go over well with the Factory.

Soundtrack

 * 1) "Executor" - The Incomplete Stone -Acapella-
 * 2) Flawless Fake! - Final Boss (Sonic Robo Blast 2)
 * 3) Manifestation - The Last Judgement (Super Robot Wars 3)

Trivia

 * This was one of the shorter episodes of the season, only having one short battle and little else.
 * The Manifestation of Orachnos and Tarachnos marked the first appearance of the mysterious voice that would occasionally speak to the Anathemites over the course of the Season.