Senjougahara and the essence of humanity

(A thread on Senjougahara's mini crab arc)

Assuming this arc is commonly critiqued, I decided to make a thread on why I think it's brimming with beauty, emotionally evoking, and the heavy and emotionally resonant themes it tackles. You can just link it to whoever critiques it or whatever. Anyway, let's start.

First off, let's start with the themes that this arc tackles, which is the theme of retribution, the essence of humanity/emotions, and the necessity of family bonds. Senjougahara prior to gaining her memories back was a shell of her former self. She was weightless, devoid of

emotions and empathy due to what to her in the past. She was terrified of what happened, berated herself for it, as it caused her mom to be punished for it, and felt anxious about the fact that she can't really.....feel any strong emotions towards her mom's loss.

Senjougahara lived her whole life, shouldering this monumental amount of regret and guilt, as she looks for a way to bring her mom back and to get her emotions, thoughts, and weight back. To Senjougahara, this fight was going to determine the worth of her suffering in guilt

throughout her life. This fight was her retribution, her responsibility. She fights for her memories and feelings, because she's willing to shoulder them all, to get her emotions back, to feel the warmth of a family bond again.

Upon regaining her emotions, Senjougahara cries in gratitude and happiness, because she's just glad that now, after all the suffering she went through, she can finally feel human again, she can finally feel the desire to want her mom back.

Even if nothing will change, Senjougahara is glad that she's able to feel nostalgia. Senjougahara, after the fight ended, thanked Araragi for his help and looked at the bright side, something that she never did for the longest.

This ties back to the theme of humanity and its necessity. Senjougahara's change in nature is even reflected by the lighting of the final scene, signifying that Senjougahara is optimistic and, from the bottom of her heart, finally genuinely happy :)