Ep 7. Katerina - Cycle of Revenge

Katerina, the seventh episode of season one of Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino, centers around one of the cyborgs, Angelica. The episode begins with Angelica having a nightmare where she is reunited with her brother, Marco, who died in a car accident. In the dream, the siblings are at a park enjoying each other's company before Marco disappears, leaving Angelica alone.

Angelica's handler, Marco's father, Jean, notices that she's having a rough night and comforts her. Meanwhile, Katerina Savas, a former Italian intelligence agent, has returned to Italy and is being tracked by the Social Welfare Agency. Katerina's daughter, Elizaveta, was one of the original cyborgs, and she is seeking revenge for her daughter's death.

As Jean and Angelica are driving, they are attacked by Katerina's men. Angelica promptly takes control of the situation and saves Jean's life, but not without taking a hit herself. She is brought back to the Social Welfare Agency to be repaired while Jean goes to investigate Katerina's whereabouts.

The episode then delves into Katerina's backstory and how she became involved with the intelligence agency. She and her team were tasked with taking down a terrorist group, but things went awry when it was discovered that one of their targets was a young girl. Katerina's team disobeyed orders and tried to rescue the girl, leading to a tragic outcome.

After the incident, Katerina was forced to retire from the agency and fell into a deep depression. It wasn't until she learned about the cyborgs that she saw an opportunity to take revenge on those who wronged her. She believes that Elizaveta's death was a result of the agency's failures and that the cyborgs are just pawns in a corrupt system.

Jean tracks down Katerina and confronts her, hoping to reason with her and prevent any more violence. But Katerina is too far gone, blinded by her desire for revenge. She reveals that she has a bomb strapped to her chest and intends to take him with her, but Angelica appears and offers herself as a sacrifice instead.

In a moment of vulnerability, Katerina is reminded of her daughter and how she was once a part of the same program. She decides to spare Angelica and detonates the bomb, taking her own life instead.

The episode ends with Jean and Angelica returning to the agency, where they are met with a mix of relief and sadness. They reflect on the cycle of violence and revenge that seems to be never-ending and wonder if there will ever be a way to break it.

Overall, Katerina is a poignant episode that delves into the themes of loss, revenge, and redemption. It showcases the emotional depth of the cyborgs and how they struggle with their own humanity, which is a common thread throughout the series. The episode also adds a layer of complexity to the agency and the people involved with it, highlighting that not everyone is completely corrupt or evil.