Humanity

Humanity (人間, Ningen) is the tenth episode of the Trigun Stampede anime.

Synopsis
Meryl and Roberto are taken by Zazie to the third city, July. There they learn why humanity has come here, to No Man's Land. William, the former leader of the Sinners and a researcher who has repeatedly altered the human body under the Eye of Michael, also appears and reveals all the mistakes that mankind has made and the plan they are pursuing. At the same time, Vash and Wolfwood reach the top floor a the tower where Knives is waiting for them. What fate awaits them at the end of their endless journey?

Summary
Vash and Wolfwood are heading towards July. On the radio, they heard that all the stolen Plants are being send to July, however the local government denies any allegations of them being involved.

Zazie asks Meryl and Roberto on who will benefit more this planet - humans or plants. Meryl asks him on which side he is on, but Zazie explains that the Worms take no sides and that they are the planet. He explains that Knives believes that humans can't use plants correctly and will devour them just like they did on their previous planet. Zazie guesses they know about the Last Run and Roberto realizes that's why they are gathering the red plants. Zazie asks them again on who will benefit the planet more. Meryl then states that there are people who are raising flora, a replacement for plants. William realizes she is talking about Luida, a geoplant specialist, and explains that she is pursuing her own way to save the human race on this planet, just like William, who is also pursuing his own way to save the human race. Meryl finds that hard to believe and William asks her to follow him.

Vash and Wolfwood reach July, the third city and the largest of the seven cities, due to their monopoly on water-producing plants. There they encounter Chuck Lee, who remembers Vash and starts chasing them. Chuck Lee and his men eventually corner them. They fear that Vash may do the same to Jeneora Rock. One of his men explains that his parents were in Jeneora Rock when it was destroyed and ends up shooting Vash.

William explains that Luida's plan will take a very long time to be realized and by that time, the human race may have been gone already. William's plan is to create humans who do not need food or water and can survive the temperatures in the desert. He then reveals some of his experiments like E.G. Mine, Monev the Gale, Livio the Double Fang and Nicholas D. Wolfwood.

Vash and Wolfwood manage to escape. Wolfwood then tells Vash to patch his wound. As he sees the scars on his body, he realizes its the price he pays for saving everybody. Vash explains that he can't help himself and his body moves on his own when someone is in need of help, which also includes Wolfwood. Meanwhile, William explains that all of his test subjects were people who were doomed and were either ill or going to die from poverty. He managed to save them and gave them new purpose. He managed to make them tougher, but they were failures as they still get hungry and thirsty. As he realizes he can't patch them, he decided to start altering them from before birth. With Knives help, and lab-grown clones, he was able to create a child, Elendira, that is neither human or plant, however its power is only around that of a supply gate. Meryl finds William arrogant and William tells her if she believes so, she can kill him, she will save some lives, but at the same time kill countless possibilities. He and Knives are looking much further ahead into the future, and is ready to pay any price. Meryl states she pity the children in the chambers, but in that moment Elendira wakes up, wondering who is she to pity her. She then creates a nail and shoot it, breaking the chamber. Elendira states she hates humans as they only judge what they can see. William tries to stop her, but Elendira refuses and creates more nails and attacks Meryl and Roberto, who start running.

Meryl and Roberto reach an elevator. As they wait for it, Elendira catches up to them. Roberto points his gun at her and Elendira acts innocent, proving that they judge her only by what they see. Roberto then tells Meryl that they will be running and jumping to the side as the elevator comes. As they do, Elendira starts throwing nails at them. In that moment, the elevator comes and Wolfwood comes out of it shooting down Elendira's nails. Vash leaves Roberto and Meryl get into the elevator and get down. One of the nails, ends up scratching Elendira's shoulder and she starts crying. Vash wonders if she is okay, but she tells him to leave her alone, calling him a traitor. One their way down the elevator, Meryl wants to go back up and help Vash, however she then sees that Roberto got hit by one of the nails and is heavily bleeding. Roberto calls her by her name, and tries giving her his gun, stating she is in charge now, before he dies. After crying for a bit, Meryl takes the gun and heads back up with the elevator.

Wolfwood states that not wanting to kill is a coward's idealism, as people only get to live, because others die. Wolfwood will do anything to protect those dear to him. Vash thanks Wolfwood for everything and the two split up. Vash then finds Knives, who keeps a dead plant as a warning to himself. Vash explains that people aren't exploiting the plants because they want to and that he is here to take back the plants. He tries to explain that they can live with the humans, but Knives stops him. Knives states that Vash isn't trying to save the humans because he loves them, but is trying to make up for causing the crash 150 years ago.

Wolfwood completes his contract with William, however Wolfwood states he will never forget what he did to him or Livio. As Wolfwood leaves, William wonders if he was able to lay down his cross, but Wolfwood wonders the same for him. William then recalls how he met Knives after the crash, however Knives knew about the Sinners' transgression and made him choose to live and atone for them or die. William then tells Wolfwood that his atonement is unending.

Knives tells Vash that the humans will never forgive him for what he did, and in their eyes he is still a monster. Vash states that humans are trying to move forward and he wants to believe it them. Knives feels sorry for Vash and states he will put him out of his misery. He then activates a door under Vash. Vash starts falling, but manages to shoot out a rope with a hook and hold himself. Knives then states he will remake him to be more like him, a perfect Independent, and then cuts the rope, letting Vash fall into the water.

Appearances

 * Nicholas D. Wolfwood
 * Vash the Stampede
 * Meryl Stryfe
 * Roberto De Niro
 * Zazie the Beast
 * William Conrad
 * Chuck Lee
 * Elendira the Crimsonnail
 * Knives Millions
 * Tesla (photograph)