A Villain with Promise

When Lage9 first showed up in Kamen Rider Gavv, he gave off that kind of quiet, dangerous aura that made you pay attention. He wasn’t loud or cartoonish like some past villains. He was calculated, confident, and powerful. Even before he got a Rider form, it was obvious he was more than just another goon for Stomach. That vibe made him feel like a real threat, something different. So when he finally got a Rider power-up, I was hyped. Here we go, I thought. Finally, a villain that could challenge Shouma on a deeper level. But then... something weird happened. Within what felt like two episodes, Lage9 flipped. Just like that, he was on the good side. It wasn’t even a slow burn or reluctant alliance. It was a sudden shift. One moment he's an enemy, the next he’s an ally. And that honestly bugged me.

Where Was the Build-Up?

Lage9's motivations are built around his younger brother, and that alone could have been a powerful emotional thread. But it was barely explored. We got a backstory, sure, but it almost felt like a shortcut to justify the switch. There was so much room to develop this. Imagine if he spent more time fighting the Gavv team, slowly showing hesitation, maybe starting to question his side—that would've made the eventual redemption hit a lot harder. Instead, the writers seemed to speed-run his arc. And that's the real issue. We were told why Lage9 switched sides, but we weren’t shown the emotional journey. We didn’t see him wrestle with that decision. It just... happened.

Is He Really on the Good Side?

Something that’s been bouncing around in my head lately is whether we even got the whole truth about Lage9. What if the story about his brother wasn’t completely real? What if it was all a setup to get closer to Shouma? That would be wild. He’d be playing the long game, slowly eroding trust from the inside. It sounds far-fetched, but it's not impossible. Lage9 has always been just a little too smooth, too calculated. His Rider design, the pudding-themed gear, even how he carries himself—it all feels like a mask. And given how much Shouma relies on emotion and heart, someone like Lage9 exploiting that vulnerability could shake things up. Of course, as of Episode 22, he’s still on the side of good. He fights with the team. He seems sincere. But there’s a part of me that can’t shake the feeling that something’s coming. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe he did have a change of heart. But if this is it for his arc? If this was the full journey? Then yeah. It was way too soon.

Comparing Him to Other Riders

Lage9 could've been one of the best anti-heroes in recent Rider history. Instead, he's hovering in this gray space that doesn't quite stick. We’ve seen characters like Kaixa (Faiz) or Chalice (Blade) walk the line between ally and enemy far more effectively, giving us long-term conflict and resolution. Lage9 had that potential. He had the look, the power, and the mystique. But they gave us a sprint when we needed a marathon.

What Could've Been

There’s still time. The season’s not over. Maybe we’ll see another twist. Maybe there’s more to his story than we realize. But for now, his rise and fall feel less like a powerful arc and more like a missed opportunity. If I could rewrite it? I would’ve let him stay an enemy until at least the mid-30s. Give him time to truly clash with Shouma. Let their ideals conflict. Then, when the turn happens, it hits like a freight train. Instead, we got a detour that could've been a destination. Until Next Time.