[ooc] canon events

[jadedlynx]

Notes

◦ These are all events we see happen, or are implied to happen, during the current story timeline. If you're looking for a detailed history, you can find it here.

◦ There are contradictions between the official timeline and things said in the series. Some are hardline contradictions, some just don't make sense in terms of narrative flow. I try to work to mesh these as much as possible, but sometimes, I just had to choose what I felt best fit in with the story we see.

◦ Among these contradictions is Ash's age. We're told he's 17, but this was later retconned to make him 16, having not yet turned 17. This was done because the authoress wanted him to share her birthday, which is in the latter half of the year. Since this was changed while the series was still ongoing, it does affect the age he is during certain key events so I'll be going with the 16-year-old age. As a note, even though this was known by the time the anime was created, the contradiction was left in.

◦ The original Banana Fish manga was set during the 1980s. The anime has been updated for a modern feel, though the year is unknown. While some characters do change a bit, and some events change in detail, Ash's events and their impacts on the story and his life are roughly the same. I play largely from the anime and thus, the anime will be my main focus. However, when not in contradiction, I'll be using the manga events to fill in some blanks. That said, since Ash would know the year, I'm going to say 2016 to best adjust for the timeline events.

◦ A quick explanation on the Banana Fish drug: when a subject is injected, they'll be driven to extreme paranoia and hate toward the subject they're given and won't stop until their target is dead. Once that happens, or their target is removed, they're then left with nightmares so intense that they're unable to function. The result is an awake but vegetative state being assaulted by nightmares no one knows about. Further in the series, a new variation is developed which allows for more traditional mind control, but which degrades a person's intelligence sigificantly.

【Please read so as to be warned. There will be no more warnings past this point. Ash's history is littered with sexual abuse, both by a single individual and as a larger ring, including the distribution of illegal images and DVDs. There will also be mention of the following: child death, children being forcefully drugged, child neglect to a sickening degree, and physical/mental abuse of children. To a minor degree, there will also be talk of war, gangs, and abuse of power.

There will be no graphic descriptions, but there will be mentions of canonical abuse. If you'd prefer a condensed, summary version, the wiki offers a decent skim of it here. 】

New York

◦ Banana Fish - 03/2016

〉 Canon starts with Ash seeing an injured man in an alley. Running to his rescue, Ash receives an address and an odd capsule. Soon enough, two members of his own gang run up, and it's discovered they're the ones who killed the man on Dino's orders. Ash tells them to run away as the police come, though he does punish them later.

〉The next day, Ash visits Dino in his mansion and confronts him about using his guys for murder. Dino writes it off and reminds Ash who he 'belongs to'. With nothing resolved, Ash leaves. Back at his place, Ash messes with the locket and discovers a strange substance inside. The next day, he takes the powder to the back alley doctor he uses for his brother Griff (who is comatose and has seizures thanks to what they'll soon learn was Banana Fish), asking him to analyze the substance.

Meanwhile, Dino discovers he was the last one to see the man alive and he's summoned back, though Ash lies and says the guy gave him nothing. During this time, his room is searched and nothing is discovered. As a precaution, Ash asks the doctor to look after Griff so that Dino can't learn of his existence.

〉Photographer Ibe and assistant Eiji arrive to do the piece Ash previously agreed to do in order to appease the cops. They meet with the leader and finds him intense. Eiji and Ash have a small talk, but then the place is raided by a rival gang with the secret intention of kidnapping Skip, the child that Ash cares for. In doing so, they also kidnap Eiji. Though Ash shoots one of them, they escape.

〉Since the real goal is to lure Ash away from his gang, he soon receives contact and arrives at the place Eiji and Skip are being held. It turns out to be a joint plan between Marvin (one of Ash's abusers and Dino's employee) and Arthur (a gang member who lost to Ash in the past). Ash is beaten by Marvin and placed into holding with Skip and Eiji. However, since Marvin is still interested in Ash, he hints that they can be freed in exchange for sex. Pretending to agree, he then knocks Marvin unconscious.

〉The three run, but soon, they find themselves at a dead end. Knowing their trapped, Eiji grabs a nearby pole and jumps the large brick fence, using the skills he required during his career as a professional in vaulting. Landing on the other side, he's injured by manages to make his way to a cell phone and call for help.

〉Ash and Skip are drugged back to the warehouse. Just as Skip is about to be killed and Ash taken away, Shorter (Ash's best friend and the leader of the Chinese gang) arrives with his men. Directly after, the police also arrive. Realizing he's about to go down, Marvin shoots at Ash, but Skip jumps in front of the gun, resulting in his death. Terrified, Marvin jumps into a car and drives away. Infuriated, Ash follows after.

〉Unfortunately for Ash, this too ends up being a setup. When he arrives at Marvin's apartment, Marvin is already dead and the police arrive to find Ash standing over the body. He's taken in by a crooked detective under Dino's payroll. Taken to an interrogation room, the detective shows Ash videos they found in Marvin's room - videos of him being raped by Marvin as a child. Deciding that's a motive and thanks to Dino's other connections, Ash is sentenced to prison after he gets released from the hospital, where he's sent next for treatment.

〉In the hospital, the cops encourage Eiji to visit Ash to discover what he may have that Dino is after. The two have a talk in Ash's hospital room, but he's not able to ask, instead finding Ash's past too tragic. Ash is sent to Falkner Prison.

◦ Behind bars

〉A cop who feels sympathy for Ash asks Max, an inmate on the inside and former cop, to look after Ash in prison. Pulling some strings, they become cellmates, and Max discovers Ash has read some of his work as he's also a journalist. However, Ash, being Ash, has harsh criticisms for the work.

〉During breakfast, Ash receives some unwanted attention and starts a fight, hiding a fork in his sleeve to use as a weapon later. However, due to the fight, he's sent to solitary.

〉Ash is lured into the library where he's assaulted by three men who were hired by Dino to get information about Banana Fish (the drug) from Ash. However, somehow making it worse than the assault, they decide it was too fun and don't worry about the information, planning a later assault. None of the men realize Ash allowed the assault to happen in order to be sent to the infirmary.

〉Max visits while Ash is being treated. While there, Ash asks for medicine and pretends to take the capsule and instead, never places it in his mouth. Taking it apart later, Ash slips a note inside and invites Eiji to visit.

〉Between the planning and the visit, Ash learns that Max Lobo is actually Max Gleenreed, the person Griff wrote about in his letters. During their time together in the army, Max and Griff were best friends. However, one night, Griff turns his gun on his unit and begins to fire, forcing Max to shoot him in the leg. In spite of the understandable situation, Ash blames Max for Griff's current conditions and swears to kill him as revenge.

〉Once Eiji and Ibe arrive, Ash greets them. Approaching Eiji, he pretends they're dating and kisses him, using the opportunity to slip the capsule with a note inside of his mouth. The note asks Eiji to have Griff moved and hidden. Unfortunately for Ash, Arthur finds out about Eiji's visit, guesses it to be significant, and has Eiji followed.

〉Though Ash won't discover the events until later, Arthur follows Eiji to the doctor and Griff. Here, he retrieves part of the Banana Fish drug and plans to take Eiji to Dino. However, Shorter's also followed them and manages to save him. Unfortunately, Griff is short in the ensuing battle and dies.

> Back in prison, Max requests and is granted a cell change. However, after moving out, he learns that Bull, another large, dangerous inmate, managed to become Ash's cellmate. Adding to the danger, Bull plans to attack Ash immediately in front of a group of men. Max runs to the cell to stop it, only to find Ash in the midst of winning his fight with Bull. After this, Max moves back.

〉The three men working for Dino soon lure Ash away with plans to make him talk. While they attack him and demand answers, Max gets a call from the cops, who are his friends, and learns that Griff has been killed. Though he's asked not to say anything in worries it will set off Ash, he immediately runs to find him.

〉Without receiving the answers they want, they decide to once more sexually assault Ash, only to have him pull the fork from his sleeve and threaten to stab it into the leader's throat. Max rushes into the room, begging Ash not to kill them, and lets it slip that Griff's been killed. After stabbing the leader in a very sensitive area, causing the group to run, Ash confronts Max. The two begin to fight, even using fists, but both aren't trying to hurt the other so much as vent the frustration they're feeling.

〉That night, they bond over Griff's loss. Ash admits he needed somebody to blame, and Max was the easy target. Sharing a drink, the two grow a little closer.

〉Soon after, Max's lawyer, who'd been working with Ash, manages to get him out. He's released without the police knowing Ash is aware of Griff's death.

◦ Confrontation

〉Eiji, Ibe, and one of the cops friendlier with Ash arrive to get him from prison. On the way back, Ash grabs the gun and demands they all leave the car. However, the cop and Ibe manage to grab him, only for Eiji to help Ash, and the two drive off. Though Ash doesn't want to involve him, the two go to find Shorter and begin their plan to stop Dino.

〉 Shorter introduced Ash to a member of the Lee family, one of the largest crime families in China and head of Shorter's gang. They agree to help Ash defeat Dino since the result will be one less competitor to them. Ash requests weapons and a large truck.

〉The day of the attack, the three prepare outside of Club Cod, the front for the pedophilia ring that Dino runs. Due to the illegal activities that take place beneath the club, Dino attracts as little attention to himself as possible and thus travels with less security, making it the best place to attack him.

〉With Shorter driving and Eiji riding shotgun, Ash rides atop the truck as they drive toward Dino and his men. However, just as Ash takes aim, he's shot in the arm by one of Arthur's men, since Arthur has taken a more active role working with Dino. Though he manages to fire just after, the resulting jerk in his body has his bullet injure Dino but not kill him. The return gunfire has Shorter crash the truck.

〉The trio takes fire, but Max and Ibe show up to help and they all escape by jumping into a nearby river. After knocking out an irrational Ash, Max takes them to his hideout and performs first aid.

Cape Cod

◦ Not so sweet home

〉Without knowing the kind of past that waits for Ash, Max suggests they return to Cape Cod to look into the letters Griff sent Ash in hopes of finding more information on Banana Fish since, to their knowledge at this time, he was one of the first people injected.

〉Though the trip to Cape Cod happens without incident, the truck begins to have problems once they arrive. They'll be stuck until Max can get the part to fix it.

〉To get into the house, Ash takes the five of them to meet his dad, who has the key. The reception is not only cold but cruel as Jim (Ash's father), asks him if he's sleeping with the other four men and says it's fine if he is, as long as they're paying him. Pretending to brush off the comments, he receives the key and they go to the house. Here, we see them followed by Jennifer, Ash's stepmother, who gives him a warmer welcome and invites them to the bar the next morning for breakfast.

〉There, they discover Griff knew one of the men who broke into the doctor's office with Arthur: Abraham Dawson, who lives at the same address given to Ash by the dying man. They decide this is the next logical step to their path in discovering more about Banana Fish, but they're not able to leave until the truck is fixed.

〉In the upcoming days, Ash has another cold interaction with his dad before leaving the bar. Eiji snaps and asks why he can't be nicer to his own son, and then Max steps in to reinforce the question. After prodding, both with anger and with reason, Jim reveals more information about Ash's past: when he was 7, he was attacked by his Little League coach, who was also a well-loved veteran within the town. Because of his popularity, Ash's attack was dismissed and blamed on him, leaving him an open target for the man. Jim told Ash that if he tries again, to let him do it, but to take payment. This continued for a year until Ash stole Jim's gun and shot the man during yet another attack. After the police searched his house, they found the bones of children in the basement. Unable to handle the gossip after, Jim sent Ash to live with his aunt in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but runs away to New York instead.

〉Now knowing a bit more, the group returns to the house with plans to leave the next morning now that the truck is fixed. However, Dino's men find Ash's location and take Jim and Jennifer hostage. Ash surrenders himself until Shorter joins in the fight. Unfortunately, Jennifer is shot and killed in the crossfire. Jim also receives a shot to the shoulder and tells Ash and friends to leave before the police arrive, planning to take credit for shooting the men under the guise of self-defense. Upset, Ash runs to the truck and the five men leave for L.A.

Los Angeles

◦ The origins of Banana Fish and the dangers of the Lee family

〉On the way to their destination, Max makes a surprising pit stop: that of his ex-wife Jessica and their son, Michael. Though Max and Jessica don't seem to get along and have only stopped a custody battle, it's Michael's birthday. They're invited to stay for dinner, where the two continue to bicker in front of Michael, prompting less than kind comments from Ash.

〉Eventually, they make it to the mansion and discover it's under attack and a member of the household is being kidnapped. Saving the boy, the group finds out that the home belongs to Alexis Dawson, Abraham Dawson's brother and the boy is Alexis' adopted son. Though Alexis is currently missing, they're invited to stay and given access to all of his files.

〉Ash hacks the computer and they begin their research. It seems Banana Fish experiments are much older than originally assumed and go high within the government. Worried for Ash, Max asks him to stop, and the two fight.

〉Meanwhile, Shorter is approached by the Lees who have orders for him: kidnap Eiji and bring him to Dino to use as collateral against Ash. If he fails to comply, they'll kill his sister who's still in New York. Alexis' adopted son is actually a plant from the Lees and is the youngest brother within the family. Angry but feeling he has no choice, Shorter reluctantly agrees.

〉Ash suspects nothing, but he does feel something is off about the boy, if only because of how efficient he is in his movements. He asks Shorter to keep an eye on him, not realizing his best friend is under the control of the Lees, even if he'd otherwise be completely loyal without the threat.

〉The bad guys strike; as a distraction, Dino's men attack Jessica and Michael, sexually assaulting Jessica in the process. Receiving the call, Ash and Max run to their side and leave Shorter to watch Eiji and Ibe. As they comfort the two, Yut Lung (Alexis' fake son, the actual youngest brother in the Lee family) drugs Ibe and Eiji and kidnaps Eiji. At Jessica's house, Ash takes Michael outside to comfort him and give Max and Jessica time alone. However, as the boy tells Ash what happened and Ash realizes they were Chinese, he's able to recognize what happened. Running toward the truck, Max jumps in, and they rush back.

〉It's too late. Eiji and Shorter are gone, though a drugged Ibe is left behind. Alexis shows up, and they're taken to the secret room which holds all the real information on Banana Fish. Angry at the man for making such a dangerous drug, Ash and Max both fight with him, but they're interrupted by Dino's men, who take them at gunpoint. The four of them are kidnapped, the information is taken, and the house is burnt.

New York

◦ Dino's mansion

〉Arthur's plan is revealed: as revenge against Ash, Eiji will be taken and sold as a prostitute just as Ash was in his youth. Eiji is 'given' to Dino in hopes of earning him favor. Shorter swears to kill them both before allowing it to happen. However, they're separated, and Shorter is given the Banana Fish drug with Eiji shown as his eventual target.

〉Dino is then shown to be getting physical with Yut Lung, who was 'loaned' to him, in his bed, with Eiji tied to the side. Thankfully, Ash and the others arrive at his mansion, and he leaves to prepare for dinner with them, saving Eiji from his attentions. Yut Lung despises Eiji for living such a peaceful life until now and not understanding what guys like him and Ash have had to do in order to survive. Nonetheless, he frees him from the ropes.

〉In the dining room, Dino, Yut Lung, and Arthur sit for dinner, forcing Ibe and Max to dine with them. Ash finally arrives, having been delayed so his ear could be pierced in order for him to receive Dino's 'gift': a jade earring worth $400,000. Ash is less than impressed. It's here we also see that Ash is trained in fine dining, including an ability to identify a wine based on taste and smell. After Dino decides to tell the others of Ash's past at his club — he was Dino's most popular 'piece' — likely in order to shame Ash, Ibe, Max, and Ash are taken and chained in an antechamber-like room, with Ibe and Max chained against a pillar and Ash chained by his arms from the ceiling.

〉They release the now-drugged Shorter and Eiji to fight with the drug forcing Shorter to try and kill Eiji. Though Eiji manages to dodge for a bit, it's obvious he's not willing to fight back with the knife he's given and even if he was, Shorter is more experienced in combat. Ash begs Shorter to stop, but he's unable to find much of a voice, and Abraham Dawson reminds Ash that even if he does, even if he doesn't kill Eiji, Shorter will now spend the rest of his life much life Griff and now, they know that Griff was suffering immensely inside of his head.

Short dives in for a killing blow, but Ash finally manages to yell, begging for his best friend to stop. Momentarily frozen by Ash's voice, Shorter manages to break from the drug — something that's thought to be impossible before now — and turns to him, begging Ash to kill him. The lapse breaks, and he returns to attacking Eiji. However, Arthur throws Ash a gun and informs him there's a single bullet. The chains are loosened enough for him to grab said gun and shoot Shorter through the heart, who now has Eiji pinned and is about to stab him, saving Eiji from death and Shorter from the nightmare that would have been his life. Shorter's body is removed, Ash's chains are tightened, and Eiji is taken to a room. Though he's told Dino didn't feel like it tonight, the implication and Arthur's words indicate the plan is still to sell Eiji now that he survived Shorter.

Arthur spends the rest of the night torturing Ash.

〉The next morning, Arthur and Dino leave for a pressing meeting with Arthur being unhappy that Dino didn't kill Ash as planned (Dino's very bad at actually wanting to kill Ash), but is shut down. Meanwhile, having learned about Banana Fish and having plans of his own, Yut Lung puts the key to Ash's chains in a place that, while accessible, isn't easily accessible so that he has time to leave now that Ash is willing to kill him the moment he can. Freeing himself, Max, and Ibe, he then goes to the weapon storage room and prepares himself for an assault on the mansion. Sending Max and Ibe to escape, he then has a very Rambo-like sequence before (and after) finding Eiji, killing a lot of men along the way. Notable, since the man who raped Jessica was among those that took Ash to Dino's mansion and bragged about it, Ash takes a moment to let him know it was personal before shooting him.

〉After managing to get Eiji outside, a comment from Eiji prompts Ash to go back inside to destroy Shorter's body in hopes of assuring they won't use it for anything else. While setting fire to the medical room, Sing enters. Sing is the next in line for boss in Shorter's gang and discovers Ash killed Shorter, though he doesn't know the details. Though he attacks Ash, it fails, and he's left realizing the difference between himself and Ash before leaving. Ash escapes as well.

◦ Regrouping

〉While Ash has been gone, Arthur's been killing his men and stealing his territory. Now that Ash is back with his remaining men and Eiji, it's time to attack back. After doing some research and selling the jade earring for weapons, Ash has a little downtime as his plan begins to roll into action. During this time, we learn a little more about both characters, including Ash's fear of pumpkins. He also confesses some of his past to Eiji, not knowing his father has already told him.

〉While Ash has been gone, Arthur's been killing his men and stealing his territory. Now that Ash is back with his remaining men and Eiji, it's time to attack back. After doing some research and selling the jade earring for weapons, Ash has a little downtime as his plan begins to roll into action. During this time, we learn a little more about both characters, including Ash's fear of pumpkins. He also confesses some of his past to Eiji, not knowing his father has already told him.

〉In order to win, they need money so Ash finally puts one of his long gambits in play. While Dino had been abusing him throughout the years, Ash had been collecting information, including passwords, plans, money routes, and such. Using Dino's own passwords and routing schemes, Ash is able to steal 90 million dollars. In addition to gaining funds, Dino's superiors now believe Dino stole the money for his personal use, forcing him to leave the country and answer to them.

〉Ash meets with Max to have him sign the paperwork to buy a penthouse right beside one of Dino's buildings, one often used for business. We learn that Ash is 17 now, but is not yet a legal adult and thus can't buy it himself. During this time, Ash uses the guise of Christopher Winston and Max pretends to be Eddie Winston, his father.

◦ Arthur

〉While Ash was gone, Arthur claimed much of the area, hunting many of the men who stayed loyal to Ash. Now that he's back, the target is the same, but they're able to hit back. During one of the bloodier, colder stretches of the anime, Ash and his men work to systematically kill many of the men who'd worked against them, slowly widdling down Arthur's researches. They also visit Cain, leader of Black Sabbath, an entirely African American group. While he doesn't want Cain's help, he does request that Cain stay out of the conflict and leave the downtown area to him. Impressed by his bravery and respect in coming alone, Cain agrees but warns he'll get revenge if his men are killed. Ash agrees.

〉Arthur also visits Cain with a different proposition: work as a third, neutral party who supervises a fight between Arthur and Ash. Cain passes along the message to Ash, who decides it's a good idea. A time and place are set, and when Ash and Max next meet, Ash asks that he continue the quest to stop Banana Fish even if something were to happen to him.

〉The night he's meant to meet Arthur in the subway station, Eiji surprises him with a Halloween party, complete with pumpkins. At first, he's reluctant but eventually concedes and they enjoy themselves. After the others have fallen asleep, Ash and Eiji are left talking. We learn that Eiji's never had a girlfriend, but Ash has been in love. At the age of 14, he loved a girl who was killed by his enemies who believed her to be his girlfriend.

〉Ash meets with Cain and Arthur underground. However, Sing and some of his men show up as well, stating he has a right to watch the match. The two begin their fight with the knives but soon, Ash hears a train, though it should be impossible by the usual schedule. Arthur's men ride in on a train and start to shoot, killing some of Cain's men. Sing is able to get Ash a gun, allowing him the chance to fight back. Realizing the ambush didn't go as planned, Arthur gets on the train and it leaves, but not before Ash jumps on board.

〉Car by car, Ash pushes through, killing men and looking for Arthur. Though he uses tactics such as shooting out lights, Arthur's men attack from opposite sides, and Ash receives a graze on his arm. Arthur instructs them to hold out, that the sun is rising, and his darkness tactic won't work. Instead, eventually, Ash is able to confront Arthur. Instead of shooting him, he wants to finish their knife fight once they reach the end of the line: Coney Island.

〉Finally, they arrive and the fight begins on the track, which is elevated from the ground. A crowd gathers below, and the match seems even due to Ash's injury and subsequent blood loss. However, as Arthur lunges, Eiji arrives and calls out, distracting Ash. Since he'd had his men set up to take Eiji to the airport and thus Japan, he thought the boy was safe and away from this. Because of Ash's distraction, Arthur's able to achieve a very deep slice to Ash's side.

〉Now gravely ignored, they both know it's going to end soon. The two charge at one another, but it's Ash who manages to stab Arthur before killing him. The police finally arrive on the scene and begin to arrest many of the people below. Ash faints and is taken away by ambulance as Eiji and his other men are arrested.

◦ Aftermath

〉To note, we now know he's 18. The police arrive to let him know he'll be tried as an adult once he's released from the hospital. Though we don't know the exact date, we know this happened between the purchase of the penthouse and the fight with Arthur.
〉With a 50/50 chance of survival, the surgery is a success, leaving Ash weak but alive. However, he's now garnered the attention of US Senators who've been working with Dino on Banana Fish. Deciding he's too dangerous to be left alive, they send in an assassin to attack, but Ash already knows the nurse rotation. In addition to her lack of smell in spite of supposedly working in a hospital, he realizes what's happening and they fight. While he wins, the assassin takes her own life.

〉During his stay, he's also visited by a psychologist who gives him an exam to see if he can be considered suitable to stand trial. Instead of failing, Ash manages extremely high marks, landing him with an IQ of 180. This catches the interest of the doctors working with the Banana Fish project, and they agree to take Ash into their facility to use him for testing.

〉Corrupt FBI agents arrive, claiming the case is now theirs. Ash is transported to the hospital. However, false reports of an accident are fed to the press, and officially, Ash Lynx dies when the ambulance crashes, leaving him to no longer officially exist and now at their mercy.

New Jersey

◦ The National Mental Health Institute

〉 Outside of the hospital, Yut Lang bails out Eiji and Shorter, kidnapping Eiji and keeping him locked up. For some reason. Just in case? Idk, ask him. Meanwhile, Max, their lawyer, and the two cops on Ash's side (as much as they can be) arrive to see Ash's body to confirm the death. The other three stay outside of the glass window as the lawyer steps inside, confirming the body to be Ash. However, Max isn't fooled. Knowing Ash well after the time they spent together, he's convinced the body is one made to look like Ash, meaning Ash is still alive. Time to plan his rescue.

〉Ash's IQ is tested again, this time scoring over 200 now that he's healing and I assume off any kind of drugs. Excited about the results, the researcher shows Ash around the facility, which is populated by former criminals who have been given B1, a variant of Banana Fish. More like a typical mind-control drug, it leaves the subject without thoughts of their own and open to suggestion but at the extreme cost of intelligence. Alexis Dawson has been kept here as well, though now he's nothing but a shell of himself as multiple doses have left him a husk.

On a much sadder note, we find out that Shorter's brain was removed before Ash burnt the facility is now among the many samples they have.

Their plan is to inject Ash and have him work on the drug in hopes of finding a way to stop the loss of intellect.

〉Ash is prepped for surgery, which is apparently necessary for the drug in its current form. However, Dino's returned back to the states, learned of what's happening, and storms the surgery room. Though he tries to stop the surgery, they point out he's been taken off of the Banana Fish project. Luckily for Ash, the FBI agents (who are actually CIA) proceed Dino and let the doctors know Zakharev is now in charge and everything must be cleared through him. For now, the operation is postponed.

〉Dino visits Ash, who wakes up. After chastising Ash, Dino demands he fights back and stops being so pathetic. Not to be confused with worry, Dino currently doesn't have the power to control Ash, and he needs the boy to bring down those who do so that he can regain his power. Meanwhile, Max and Ibe sneak into the hospital as part of the tour.

〉For once agreeing with Dino, Ash fights back. Luring a guard into his room with the promise of a good time, kills him, and steals his keycard. Meanwhile, Ibe and Max use the ensuing alarm to break off from the group. What follows is a hilarious sequence of Ash's plans being continuously ruined by their rescue attempts in spite of them not actually see one another face-to-face. In spite of their 'help', Ash manages to escape with Alexis Dawson. However, Max and Ibe are caught.

〉After complaining, he heads back inside to save them. With sexy nurse Ash making an appearance, the three of them manage to escape. When asked about Eiji, he's told they're still looking. Stealing Max's clothing, Ash separates from the group, instructing Ibe and Max to hide Alexis.

〉In the compound, we see Dino Zakharev and retake control of the operation.

New York

◦ Reunion and familiar faces

〉While Ash was in the hospital, Eiji escaped Yut Lung and ran into Sing. Ash finds Cain and discovers his whereabouts. Upon arriving, he discovers Eiji told Sing his reasons behind killing Shorter. Sing and Ash fight, where he pressures Sing not to tell anyone since knowing about Banana Fish could get more people killed. After Sing angrily agrees, Ash confronts Eiji as well before they have a more proper reunion.

〉Though they're allowed some downtime in the following days, Ash eventually senses someone watching them. Being more cautious, he has Eiji more closely guarded. Meanwhile, Ash begins his research. After giving the results of his studies to Max — it's basically what he thinks is the chemical breakdown of Banana Fish — he decides to visit Kippard, the Senator who faked his death and an active client at the club. Dressing himself to look younger, Ash intercepts the boy meant to visit Kippard, and manages to get inside the hotel room as the boy's replacement.

〉After revealing himself, he holds Kippard at gunpoint and demands information on Banana Fish. Though the gun doesn't scare the Senator, Ash threatens to expose pictures of his illicit activities, which gains his agreement. However, before Kippard can talk, a sniper manages to kill him from outside of the building. Reacting quickly, Ash knocks out the light, leaving the room in darkness and removing the threat of the sniper.

〉Soon after, another Senator involved dies in a horrible crash. Ash, knowing about Kippard, knows it's no coincidence. Grabbing Max, they check out the building the sniper had to have used, and the distance means the sniper himself had to be very skilled. This allows Ash to guess his identity: Blanca, Ash's former teacher, the very one who taught him to fight.

〉Deciding to test the theory, knowing Blanca would have tracked him to the penthouse. Opening the curtains, he waits for a shot, but nothing happens until Eiji walks in. A bullet flies through the window, grazing Eiji's shoulder. Blocking Eiji's body with his own, Ash protects him until his men turn off the light, allowing the two to walk out of the room.

〉Realizing Eij's the target, Ash calls Blanca who answers and gives the phone to Yut Lang who gives Ash a meeting time and place.

〉After checking on Eiji the night of the meeting, who is in bed with a fever, Ash arrives at the warehouse, where Yut Lung, Blanca, and Dino wait for him. It seems like Yut Lung worked with Dino to help him reclaim Ash by bringing in Blanca, who's a trained assassin and someone who far surpasses Ash in skill. The conditions for Eiji's survival are proof of Banana Fish, Professor Dawson, and Ash himself, all three of which must be handed over to Dino. Painfully but without hesitation, Ash agrees.

〉Before the three part, Ash requests Blanca fight him. He agrees, but it's a short fight with Blanca the clear victor. As he checks on Ash, who now lies on the floor, Ash begs him to leave Eiji alone, but Blanca refuses.

〉Gathering the evidence on Banana Fish and Professor Dawson within the 48 hours as instructed, it requires him to hold Max at gunpoint, which he's very unhappy in doing. However, as requested, he soon brings himself, Alexis, and the paperwork to the demanded meeting place, and Ash walks into yet another living hell.

◦ With Dino

〉Though he'd been told that Dino would force him to work as a prostitute yet again, the truth is that Dino instead forces him to work on Banana Fish, selling its potential to other buyers, though Dino continues to rape Ash himself.

〉As a result of the guilt he feels and the misery he experiences living with Dino, Ash develops anorexia and loses the ability to eat. For two months, he lives on nothing but IVs in spite of Dino trying various methods to make him eat.

〉On occasion, Dino takes Ash outside. However, when that happens, he uses an eyedrop which dilutes his pupils to the point of being effectively blind. It's during one of these trips that Max sees Ash with Dino and understands why Ash robbed them of the evidence.

〉During Ash's time with Dino, he bribes a high officially to allow him to officially adopt Ash in spite of him being 18. To celebrate and announce Ash as his heir, he plans a party, which his men, Eiji, Cain's gang, and Sing's gang all plan to infiltrate.

〉Also during the time, Yut Lung takes an interest in Blanca. After digging enough to find out about his past and impress Blanca enough, he eventually agrees to work with him. However, Blanca has an ulterior motive: he agrees only to protect him. This comes into play later.

〉The night of the party, Ash arrives in a wheelchair, eyesight once again stolen. Blanca notices the rescue party and asks to push Ash. Here, he tells Ash that he now has a contract to protect Yut Lung, and he recognizes this means the contract with Dino is now over and for the moment, Eiji is safe.

〉Finally, the rescue begins. While the gang members begin to shoot and threaten those in the party, Eiji goes to save Ash. With a gun pointed at Dino, the older man puts a knife to Ash's throat. However, Ash is able to push him away, and Eiji shoots Dino in the shoulder. As they're escaping, Ash hears a gun being cocked, grabs a gun, and shoots the assailant.

◦ The struggle for freedom and The American Museum of Natural History

〉Everyone escapes to the tunnels under the city. Though Ash is uneasy, he manages to get some sleep and finally drink some soup. However, as more men arrives, Ash grows increasingly uncomfortable, and finally commands everyone to move out. However, it's too late; Blanca's directed Yut Lung's men to their location.

〉As they run, the group splits up, with Sing and some men taking one path, Ash and the others taking another. Though Ash plans to make the distraction, Eiji and some of the other men run off instead, allowing Cain to knock Ash unconscious and rescue him from the tunnels.

〉When Ash wakes, he's tied up. Cain insists he's the one who has to stay alive since he's the only one capable of ending everything. Instead, Ash breaks free of his restraints and convinces them of another plan. In the tunnels, all of the men are captured, though Sing's men push him into the water to give him a chance to escape. The rest are rounded up by Yut Lung's men, who plan to use them against Ash.

〉Per his plan, Ash lures the men now chasing him to The American Museum of Natural History. Yut Lung and Blanca follow, planning to grab Ash before Dino gets wind of his location. However, the location is intentional. In spite of Blanca's advice, Yut Lung sends his people inside and grows more impatient. As they go in to give chase, the darkness and odd feeling of the exhibits keep the men on edge, and Ash is skilled in fighting in darkness. One by one, he takes them down. Meanwhile, Yut Lung receives news that they've captured Ash's friends.

〉Growing confident, they're surprised when Cain's men drive buy and begin to shoot, creating the distraction Ash needs to grab Yut Lung. At the same time, they arrive with Ash's friends, though Sing's men are taken to a different location. Ash takes Yut Lung inside and forces Blanca to follow. Once they're alone save for the hostages, he makes the trade: Yut Lung for his friends. Though Blanca recognizes the imbalance for trading one person for many, Ash points out it's also Blanca's reputation on the line. After the trade, they all manage to escape.

◦ A new enemy

〉At the hideout, as they're all recovering, Sing arrives. Injured, he nonetheless begs Ash for his help in rescuing his men. Agreeing, he sends his men to search for their whereabouts, not realizing Yut Lung has enacted his next plan: get someone from the captured group to kill Eiji. They are, after all, technically under him and hate Ash for killing Shorter. Originally, his choice is Lao Yen, Sing's half-brother and a man who hates Ash very much.

〉The search is quick, and soon, he knows where they're being held. Getting a group together, they charge the building, killing the guards inside and freeing the men, though Ash feels uneasy about the ease in the operation (it really does happen that quickly; there are four episodes left, and a lot more happens).

〉When Ash returns to the penthouse to grab some things, Max surprises him, having been staking out the place. Though Ash tries to apologize, Max waves him off but does request a favor. Though he was fired for losing the story on Banana Fish, he's been given another opportunity by exposing a man named Frog. Ash does recognize the name as he was Marvin's partner who helped him gather up children, raped them, and recorded it all. Now, he owns a gay bar but is using the photos he took of others raping the kids as extortion.

〉To get the proof they need, Ash and Max go undercover at the gay club. While Max goes to the bathroom, Ash is approached by a man that will be much more important soon. Rejecting his offer for a drink, he waits for Max and soon, they follow Frog to the back room, where Ash confronts him. For a moment, Ash nearly loses it after having a flashback to the trauma Frog caused him. Before he's able to pull the trigger, Max brings him back to the moment, and they leave with the documents they need to expose his scheme.

〉Once they're gone, the man before enters and asks what they talked about. Soon after, we cut to Max, Ash, and Robert (who's also working the story with Max), who are going through the files to prepare the story. Ash asks them to just use his photos since he's dead, anyway. Instead, Max takes the envelope holding those pictures and burns them, shocking Ash that his own welfare would be put above the story.

〉What small peace they've found doesn't last. Soon, Cain's men turn up dead one by one, someone picking them off quickly. When the two go to investigate, they're attacked as well but are able to kill some of their attackers. After the rest leave, Ash grabs the man's phone, uses his fingerprint, and finds out that he's a military man thought dead. According to the story, he was part of a regimen who were all killed when their aircraft carrier was shot down. In actuality, they faked their death and have been for hire since. Dino's their most recent client. When Ash looks up the other members, he finds that their leader is a man Foxx, the same man who approached him in the bar and later killed Frog.

〉With the connection to the bar realized, Ash knows Max and Robert are in danger. Rushing over, he manages to arrive just as Max is being targeted. Shooting the men who came to kill them, they run inside to find Robert injured but alive.

〉With the enemy now more resourceful, Max tries to protect Jessica and Michael. However, when they try to bring Jessica in, she pulls a gun and doesn't come until Ash himself arrives; she's received training since her own attack. With Michael staying with her sister, she comes with the group.

〉Now, Ash is tasked with defending against Foxx. Though he initially has trouble figuring out which plan Foxx will use, he eventually realizes taking out the leader, himself, would be the most efficient tactic and confirms his plans by their movements. Three groups are created: Max, Fang, Bones, and some of his other men make up one; Sing, Cain, some of his men, Jessica, and Eiji are meant to escape; finally, Ash is his own group. Unfortunately, Max and his group are captured, allowing Foxx to use them as hostages to lure him out. Eiji's group, however, are bad at escaping and some of them run back, wanting to help. They see Max's group being taken away in one truck, and Ash being taken by Foxx.

◦ From bad to worse

〉 Foxx begins to question Ash. Originally, he attempts to get join forces with him and when Ash refuses to join him, then tries to figure out Dino's leverage over the government. When Ash still refuses to give him information, Foxx informs him he knows what Ash was to Dino. In threat, he begins to touch him as well, but Ash refuses to give in. Yet again, Ash is raped.

〉Once Foxx is finished, he offers his men a chance to do the same as revenge for what Ash did to the group. Originally, he seems too broken to move as Foxx was quite rough. However, Ash is able to use Foxx's discarded cigarette to burn through the ropes, still a knife, and kill both men.

〉Outside, Eiji, Jessica, Sing, and Cain are waiting. Once they hear gunshots inside, they rush in as well. Foxx, realizing he's being attacked on both fronts, retreats, allowing Ash to run free. Outside, Cain tries to comfort Ash, but he's slapped away. As he sits, shaking, Eiji approaches slowly and begins to comfort him.

〉At the same hospital Ash was hidden in, Foxx's men begin to torture Ash's men with an emphasis on Max. Though he won't give up information even after torture, a truth drug eventually has him reveal the location of the documentation they received from Frog. However, when they go to the lockbox to retrieve it, they find that Ash had already recovered it thanks to the information provided by Robert. Working with Jessica, Ash comes up with a plan to flesh Dino out and make it easier to save his men. By publishing the story on the child trafficking ring, he'll be forced to leave his mansion to act.

〉At the hideout, tension is thick. Ash manages to keep it under control, but the atmosphere is far from peaceful. As Ash and Eiji spend a moment alone while Jessica works on the story, they study Japanese on the possibility of Ash coming to Japan, Though Lao Yen backed out of killing Eiji stating he doesn't want to kill an innocent man, two other members of the Chinese gang agreed. Busting in, they shoot at Ash, but he's pushed aside by Eiji, who takes the bullets. As others rush in to treat the Japanese men, Ash runs out to kill the two attackers.

〉Eiji is rushed to the hospital, and Ash tries to follow. However, Blanca arrives and holds him back. Hearing of the plan and deciding he wants to help Ash after all, he left Yut Lung to be there. Not feeling particularly thankful for the assistance, Ash fights him until Blanca knocks him unconscious. When Ash wakes, his wounds have been treated, and Blanca waits for him. He points out that if Ash were to visit Eiji, the cops would question their ties and it would only bring trouble. Angry, he shoots at Blanca but intentionally misses before passing out.

〉Eventually, with Blanca now gone, Ash wakes again. With tensions already high, everyone is now at each other's throats. Eventually, Sing approaches him and says that while he understands why he should be punished, he requests Ash waits until after this over and the two can fight. Respecting what Sing is doing, Ash agrees, which causes Lao Yen to explode and leave the gang.

〉At the Lee estate, Blanca officially requests to be released from the contract. After a fight, Yut Lung finally agrees, and he catches up with Ash just as they're making a move. Here, he officially joins them.

〉However, before they arrive at Dino's mansion, Blanca takes a detour, and they end up at the hospital. Handing Ash a doctor's coat, he waits as Ash sneaks inside. Eiji is initially asleep, but as Ash leaves, he wakes and tries to make it to him. However, Charlie is there on official duty and tries to catch Ash, forcing Ash to run before they can reunite.

◦ The final showdown

〉Once they're outside of Dino's mansion, the story breaks. As predicted, Dino rushes out, ready to try and control the situation, only to be attacked by Ash's team. Successfully taking Dino hostage, the group makes their way to the psychiatric hospital to save their friends.

〉Upon arrival, Ash and Dino go in alone. As he makes his demands to Foxx, requesting the release of his men, Foxx surprises Ash by shooting Dino and thus removing the hostage. Behind them, the shutters begin to close, locking the others out as Foxx's men begin to fire, killing many members outside before Blanca causes the distraction that allows them to escape.

〉Inside, Ash is now hostage and Dino lays dying. Foxx tells him that he'll take control of both Banana Fish and Ash and have Ash take his place as Dino's heir. Knocking Ash unconscious and drugging him, he orders him taken to the helicopter along with the information on Banana Fish. However, the other gang members manage to get inside and begin the fight with Foxx's troops. Jessica is able to find Max, who proposes again.

〉Ash and Foxx finally have another confrontation. However, Ash is still suffering from the injury he received earlier and the drugs Foxx had administered. Around them, the building is being blown up per the explosives Foxx had planned early in hopes of destroying all evidence of him. Ash manages to win.

〉Nearby, the explosion knocked Sing from his feet and he now hangs from the side of the incomplete building. Ash quickly runs to help, but Sing's holding the recovered briefcase with the Banana Fish information that Ash was forced to drop earlier. He orders him to drop it so that he can be pulled up, his shoulder too injured after the fight with Foxx to do it on his own. Before he can pull Sing to safety, Foxx appears behind him, gun to his head, and tells him to drop the boy. Since Ash refuses, Foxx is about to pull the trigger, only for Dino to shoot him from the side. Now dead, Foxx falls to the flames below.

〉With Sing now safe, Dino and Ash face one another. After a moment's look, Dino dies as well, following the same fate as Foxx.

◦ Rest in peace, Ash Lynx

〉With the story broken, more and more political figures are exposed and taken into custody. While Banana Fish will always remain a secret, this particular line of abuse has finally been ended and the culprits arrested.

〉Enough time has passed that Eiji's finally being released from the hospital, but Ash hasn't been by to see him. After everything that's happened, Ash has instead decided it's better for Eiji if they stay apart.

〉However, he does meet with Blanca, who's ready to retire yet again. Blanca invites him to travel with him, but Ash points out he'd be using him to fill a hole and that wasn't like him. Agreeing, the two part on relatively good terms.

〉At the hospital, Sing visits Eiji to say hid good-byes. While there, Eiji gives him a letter and asks him to deliver it to Ash. Sing finds Ash and delivers the letter, which Ash reads a bit later once he finds a bench. Moved by the contents, which include a ticket to Japan, he makes a decision and runs to the airport.

〉Unfortunately, not all of Ash's past is behind him. As he dashes toward Eiji, Lao Yen steps from beside a building, knife in hand, wanting revenge for Shorter's 'murder'. Distracted by thoughts of Eiji, Ash doesn't notice in time and is stabbed, though he stabs Lao Yen in return.

〉His past will never be in the past, his life always his life; Ash now believing this more than ever, chooses to limp to the library in spite of the knife hitting nothing vital. Here, he lays his head down and bleeds out while the librarian assumes he's only taking a nap.