Our favorite warrior princess from Amphipolis has struck again. This time she has some unfinished business with a certain polarizing wind sorceress who is infamous for wanting to be free from Naraku's grasp but is still willing to kill people for her own volition.
Yes, yes. I am fully aware that there are many of you people who are fans of Kagura and I used to like her too. There is no doubt that I see her as a much stronger and more capable fighter than Sango and Kagome combined and she was a complex character who was yearning for her freedom from Naraku's grasp, especially considering that he was in possession of her heart. Additionally, I envy Kagura's signature powers with the use of her fan Dance of the Dragon, Dance of Blades, and Dance of the Dead because of how powerful those attacks really are. However, the nefarious deeds that she inflicted upon Kouga's fallen comrades, Miroku, Sango, Kagome, and many other characters I could barely name in Inuyasha cannot and should not go unnoticed, which has further stained her "good" name.
Furthermore, I am fully aware that some of you might think I am being insensitive towards Kagura, considering her tragic demise in Inuyasha: The Final Act. Yet, as I stated before, her nefarious deeds cannot and should not go unnoticed no matter how many times she has been painted as a bit more anti-heroic and slightly more sympathetic in the later episodes.
Let us not forget that in the second Inuyasha movie that Kagura, while being free from Naraku due to his supposed death, ended up serving another villainess in the form of Princess Kaguya of the Moon for the promise of eternal freedom. And what did Kagura do? She did not do the wise thing and walk away. She instead served her while still being cruelly arrogant towards Inuyasha during their battle for his fire rat robe and damaged the burial place of the fallen demon slayers to obtain the cowrie shell all while attacking Kohaku who she supposedly kept under her wing before regaining his memories only for her to realize that Kaguya manipulated her and Kanna all along before being drowned.
In terms of her desire to be free, she tried to use Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha as a means to accomplish that for her. The only reason why she was ever "in love" with Sesshoumaru was because she saw him as her supposed savior, even though Sesshoumaru was peeved at her chiding and throwing a childish hissy fit at him for not being man enough to free her. Therefore, she could not be able to free herself on her own terms and tried to manipulate other people to do that for her, thus making her not so great in my eyes.
Looks like Xena will meet her match among the women combatants because in stark comparison to Sango and especially to Kagome, Kagura has her tricks up her sleeve, thus proving herself a challenge to the warrior princess of Amphipolis.
There will be a hard, long, and excruciating fight going on between Xena and Kagura, as she is literally and figuratively blown away by Kagura's signature attacks. However, thanks to Xena's superb athletic prowess, she finally pins down Kagura.
Xena would express her gratitude and honor to Kagura for being one of the worthiest opponents she has ever fought. However, Xena will not go easy on Kagura, as she will remind her of the awful deeds she has done, yet is willing to give her a chance of obtaining freedom by putting her out of her misery. Xena simply stabs Kagura in the chest, thus silencing her and stating that she is one with the wind.
Perhaps, next time, Kagura should decide that if she chooses freedom, she should be able to discard her old, callous ways and embrace the anti-heroine route. Unfortunately, with all of the horrid deeds she has done, it is too little too late.
Yes, this is sort of Anti-Kagura, but let this serve as payback for all of the inexcusably nefarious deeds she has done and, at least, she was able to discover freedom through Xena's blade.
I hope you all enjoyed this and I will see you in the next submission. Take care and stay safe, everybody.
Xena: Warrior Princes belongs to John Schulian and Robert Tapert.
Kagurai from Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Sunrise.