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Fire Force season 3 episode 5, titled Chance Meeting with an Arch-Enemy, was released on Friday, May 2, 2025. The episode witnessed Akitaru Obi's undaunting courage and resolve as he spoiled the White-Clad's plans to Infernalize him with a clever move. On the other hand, the episode showcased the highly anticipated battle between Arthur and Dragon.
Arthur's self-image helped him evolve as a firefighter against an opponent with unfathomable strength. Likewise, the episode explored the despair that Dragon brought with his sheer presence. Overall, David Productions has done a commendable job of portraying the major events from Atsushi Ohkubo's manga in this episode.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Fire Force season 3 episode 5.
Fire Force season 3 episode 5: Akitaru Obi defies fate
Picking up the events from the previous episode, Fire Force season 3 episode 5 begins with Akitaru Obi screaming in agony as he is implanted with the Infernal Bug. Shinra Kusakabe tries to get close to Obi, but is kicked away by Leonard Burns, who wants him to watch his Captain's misery from a distance.
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At this moment, something astonishing happens. Fire Force season 3 episode 5 shows Akitaru Obi hardening his flexed muscles to prevent the bug from entering his body. Obi tells Burns and the White Clads that they have made a mistake by putting him in jail, as he prepared his muscles for this specific moment. Hinawa Maki, Vulcan, and others notice Obi from a distance and wonder what he's up to.
Akitaru Obi further flexes his muscles to break free from the metal chains. Hinawa feels it's an emergency and they must assist the Captain. Meanwhile, Akitaru Obi continues flexing his muscular physique. As he does that, the White Clad soldier frees more bugs on Obi's body. However, Obi snaps them by tightening his muscles.
Licht feels they should start cheering for Obi, at this rate. Meanwhile, Leonard Burns realizes that Obi's "Superfire" won't work for too long, as his muscles are bound to weaken with time. That's why he intends to finish it off quickly. However, Shinra has other ideas. He won't let his Captain turn into an Infernal.
Fire Force season 3 episode 5: Arthur takes on Dragon
On the other side of the spectrum, Fire Force season 3 episode 5 shows Arthur Boyle facing an intimidating figure, who calls himself Dragon. Maki urges Hinawa to step back, while Tamaki senses a powerful energy radiating from their opponent. She thinks Dragon must be on a different level from the opponents they have faced so far.
Meanwhile, Arthur's delusions run wild as he hears the name, Dragon. As the Knight King, he looks forward to slaying a Dragon. The Destroyer asks Arthur whether he is intimidated by his appearance. Arthur doesn't respond to Dragon, but rather tells his comrades to step back, as only a limited soldiers can face a Dragon.
At this moment in Fire Force season 3 episode 5, Dragon takes a battle stance and releases sheer pressure. Barring Arthur, others from the 8th Company are simply blown away by the pressure. Arthur realizes that it's not an average Dragon. He decides to give his Excalibur a new title: Dragon Slayer. Arthur's fantasies increase the power level of his Excalibur.
He lunges forward to demonstrate his Violent Flash at Dragon. Even though it's Arthur's best attack, it does nothing to Dragon. Rather, the Destroyer counters with his sheer strength. The other Destroyer present at the scene comments that Arthur's attacks won't work on Dragon.
That said, Arthur's powers impress Dragon, who thinks he is rather interesting for a human. Dragon's sheer strength and belief in his own identity make Arthur tremble in excitement. He acknowledges Dragon's endurance and realizes that he must swing his Excalibur more than once, which otherwise deals a one-shot attack.
Fire Force season 3 episode 5 then shows Arthur Boyle swinging his Excalibur at Dragon, who endures them with sheer might. The boy even slashes at Dragon's heart, but the attack does nothing. Dragon commends Arthur's skills contrary to his age, but he reminds him that he's facing a "Dragon."
Meanwhile, Iris wonders whether Arthur will be fine facing a tough opponent. Licht mentions that the strength of Arthur's Ignition ability depends on his self-image. Since he has found a worthy opponent, his image will grow more and more. Elsewhere, Lisa asks Hinawa if he could back up Arthur with his bullets.
However, Hinawa tells her that he has already launched multiple lethal attacks, but they did nothing. Hinawa then advises everyone to lower their stance. At this moment, Maki senses something strange. Even though Arthur's attacks are one-sided, he's the one getting injured.
At this moment in Fire Force season 3 episode 5, Dragon breathes in and lets out a devastating attack at Arthur. The Dragon's breath obliterates everything in front. Hinawa and others become worried about Arthur, who stood at point-blank range. Yet, as the dust clears off, Arthur is seen standing unfazed, protected by a plasma cloak.
Fire Force season 3 episode 5 showcases the power of Arthur's unstoppable delusions, as they further evolve his abilities, granting him a Knight King's cloak. Dragon the Destroyer appears as an actual Dragon in Arthur's eyes. Thus, he desperately wants to slay it and become a Dragon Slayer.
Arthur lunges at Dragon with his enhanced Excalibur, but the slash does nothing, yet again. Instead, Arthur gets injured in the process. At this moment, Dragon reveals his "Dragon Scale." While Licht can't see it from afar, he thinks those Dragon Scales must be similar to an Infernal's body. Meanwhile, Dragon has finally had enough, as he retaliates with a brutal punch.
Interestingly, his arm momentarily becomes dark like an Infernal's body. Following that, the narrative for Fire Force season 3 episode 5 shifts the focus to Dragon telling Arthur that he was on the right track by strengthening his abilities via his self-image. However, he reminds him that he's yet to grasp the power of Adolla.
Thus, he thinks Arthur won't ever win against him with only one ability. Fire Force season 3 episode 5 then shows a fascinating scene, where Dragon Infernalizes his body at will. Elsewhere, Karim investigates Rekka's past records and finds out that he frequently visited an orphanage — where the 5th's Captain Hibana and 8th sister, Iris, came from.
Karim realizes that Rekka was somehow connected to dopplegangers. Meanwhile, in the 5th Company's HQ, Hibana is engrossed in her research about the doppelgangers. She speculates whether the Demon Infernals are trying to kill the real people and replace them. Hibana feels she can solve the mystery of Spontaneous Human Combustion if she can identify what the Doppelgangers really are.
Following that, the narrative for Fire Force season 3 episode 5 returns to the Arthur vs. Dragon battle. Vulcan approaches Arthur to help him, but the boy tells him to stay back. At this moment, Licht and others cheer for Arthur to help him maintain his self-image. Arthur's delusions run in frenzy, as he thinks that the Dragon has finally used his extreme "Dragonic Pressure," making the outer Dragon possess the Inner Dragon.
With his heightened delusions, Arthur increases the size of his Excalibur, turning it into a Dragon Slaying Holy Sword. Meanwhile, Vulcan, Maki, and others continue cheering for the boy. Fire Force season 3 episode 5 then shows Arthur Boyle charging at Dragon with his new sword.
However, before he can slash him, Dragon infernalizes his body and shatters Arthur's Holy Sword. Dragon's final attack also leaves Arthur with grave injuries, as he falls to the ground. Maki quickly goes to check on Arthur, who lies helplessly. Meanwhile, Dragon exclaims that nothing can stand in his way.
Fire Force season 3 episode 5: A clash of ideologies
On the other side of the spectrum, Akitaru Obi maintains his hardened muscles to prevent the bugs from turning him into an Infernal. Shinra Kusakabe doesn't know how long his Captain can hold on. Leonard also tells him that he doesn't have time left to save Obi. At this moment, Shinra uses his flames to close in on Leonard. Likewise, Joker throws four cards at Leonard, which pushes him back.
Leonard says that he intends to take every attack head-on. Joker mocks him for being bound to his duties. Yet, Leonard Burns asks Joker whether his freedom after escaping the empire's constraints has changed the empire. Joker replies that the ones to change the empire won't be the dark heroes like him who live in the shadows, but the "real heroes."
At this moment, Shinra Kusakabe charges at Leonard Burns with another burst of flame. After enduring the blow, Leonard says that the weak obey the strong. The First Company Captain asks Shinra to surpass him if he truly wants to break the system. Fire Force season 3 episode 5 ends with Leonard Burns unleashing Voltage Nova.
Conclusion
Fire Force season 3 episode 5 was a visual spectacle, which witnessed one of the major battles from the manga: Dragon vs. Arthur. The episode perfectly captured the power of Arthur's delusions and self-image, as he continuously evolved during his battle against the fearsome opponent.
However, despite the evolution, Arthur stood no chance against the Dragon's unfathomable strength. On the other hand, Fire Force season 3 episode 5 saw Akitaru Obi's never-say-die attitude, as he hardened his muscles to prevent himself from being turned into an Infernal. The episode also continued Shinra's battle against Leonard.
Also read:
- Fire Force season 3 episode 4 full highlights
- Fire Force season 3 complete release schedule
- Will Fire Force season 3 be the final season for the anime? Explained
