High Noon at July

High Noon at July (HIGH NOON AT JULY) is the twelfth and final episode of the Trigun Stampede anime.

Synopsis
Twin brothers who have become sworn enemies of each other after discovering the truth about Tesla. Vash has been traveling for 150 years, loving and protecting the people of the planet. While Knives is carrying out his revenge against humanity in order to save his oppressed fellow plant.

The justice of each side penetrates through the city of July. What fate awaits them at the end of their endless journey?

Summary
Rem explains to Vash and Knives that the humanity had left their home planet and are looking for a new home and shows them Project Seed. Vash wonders why he and Knives can only live outside casings. Rem guesses they are gift from God to act as a bridge between humans and plants.

At present, Knives had went into the higher dimension. William explains to Meryl that Knives will connect with the plant core and artificially impregnate all of the plants to create new independents. After that, Knives will wipe out humanity and create a new world. Meryl wants to wake up Vash, but William states he is no longer the Vash she knows and the only way to close the gate is to kill him. The roots continue to spread outside July. Zazie the Beast is running away, but sees Wolfwood. He tells Wolfwood that at this rate the twins will destroy the planet. Wolfwood guesses that things aren't going according to plan as its rare to see Zazie flustered. As Wolfwood isn't running, Zazie leaves him and escapes.

Meryl doesn't give up and continues to call out Vash. Vash dreams of a time when he was young and with Knives, who tells him he will protect him. Vash then sees a red flower in his hand calling his name. He then remembers that it wasn't Knives who promised him that he will protect him and runs away. He grows older and Rem thanks him for protecting her dreams and hopes. Vash then hears Meryl calling him. William then notices that something is happening with Vash and the power start flowing in reverse, severing Knives connection with the core and sending him back through the gate. The gate closes and the roots start to return to Vash. Knives is angry and attacks Meryl, however Vash wakes up and protects her.

All the roots mass is returned into a cube. Vash tells Knives its over and his plan failed, but Knives doesn't accept it and starts attacking Vash. As they fight, Knives keeps asking Vash to take him back to the higher dimension. William realizes that the cube didn't converge, but was refined on a molecular level - breaking it into countless particles, smaller than air, and crystallizing it. William and Vash know that won't last for long and Vash wants to take it someone far away. The cube starts cracking. Vash manages to push away Knives and jumps out of the window. They continue to fight outside. Wolfwood comes and saves Meryl from falling. He then takes her away to safety.

Vash and Knives then fall off the tower, while continuing to fight in the air. Vash again manages to push away Knives and creates a wing from the root mass, allowing him to glide and not fall to his death. He sees some soldiers and tries to tell them to run, however they attack him blaming him for the dead ones and the destroyed cities. Knives then shows up and kills the soldiers, stating they have great powers and humans will never understand them and leave them alone. Vash still believes they can get along with humans. He knows that his actions and words are contradicting, but states he will do everything he can to until they believe him. He merges his gun with the cube, creating a larger gun and heads towards the sky. Meryl realizes that Vash is trying to release the cube energy into outer space. Wolfwood is surprised, stating that if he do that, he will it will blast him to pieces. Knives follows Vash and manages to reach him before he shoots it out. William asks Knives what he plans to do as he can't send him through the gate again and Knives explains he will push the energy back into Vash and open the gate again.

Knives tells Vash that they are at war and wants him to gather their allies and create a paradise for the independents. Vash then wonders since when they are so different than humans. Knives tells him that humans see them as slaves and have been killing plants for so long. He tells him that nothing had changed in the last 150 years and they keep hunting Vash. Vash is fine with that as he will keep running and when things calm down, he will quietly settle by humans side again. Knives is angry that this is Vash's best answer after 150 years. They reach outer space and Vash manages to push away Knives and then release the energy blast. As he releases the energy blast and starts falling towards the planet, Knives stands in the blast way, trying to reach the cube. Vash tells him that he will due, but Knives laughs, stating that Vash already killed him. He is burning away, but manages to reach the cube. He keeps talking that he wants to create a paradise for them with no hate, fear or humiliation, however as he burns he ends up letting go of the cube. Vash then falls in July, causing a blast and destroying the city.

On July 21st, 2 years after July was destroyed, people gather at the city to pay their respects to the lost ones. Vash is blamed for killing 90% of the city population and turning the city into a giant crater. His bounty has been raised to 60 billion. Meryl also pays her respect. Zazie appears and tells her that the twins cast a bridge across the void. Soon they will arrive from Earth, crossing over the wall of light. The headquarters contact Meryl and tells her to return as there is a newbie who wants to be under her, Milly Thompson.

A young girl asks a blond man, Eriks, if he remembered his past, but states its fine if he still doesn't remember as he is safe here.

In space a crew member is stating that Project Pieces of Earth is now entering phase two, and drain gate deployment is complete. Before they active a experimental warp drive, Special Ops Lieutenant Colonel Independent Chronica stops them and tells them to make some corrections, explaining that she sees a fluctuation in the gate and asks for readings from the entire solar system. Chronica realizes that the noise is coming from Project SEEDS.

Appearances

 * Vash the Stampede
 * Rem Saverem
 * Knives Millions
 * Nicholas D. Wolfwood
 * Meryl Stryfe
 * William Conrad
 * Zazie the Beast
 * Chuck Lee
 * Lina
 * Chronica (Voice Only)
 * Milly Thompson (Mentioned Only)