For Whom Do the Flowers Bloom

"It told you so...the sun gives nothing it's simply the way it is....just as the flowers bloom, not for anyone's sake..but their own"

- Dune

For Whom Do the Flowers Bloom (誰がために花は咲く, Dare ga Tame ni Hana wa Saku) is the twentieth episode of Casshern Sins. It originally aired on Februrary 16th, 2009 and the Funimation dubbed version on October 7th, 2012.

Plot
In a dying world, there is a well known ray of hope where anyone and everyone can be saved from death, Luna's Healing Grounds is such a place. It is a rumored field of rejoice where Robots and Humans alike can come to be healed by Luna's touch. Many seek for salvation at the hands of Luna but there is one who wishes to reach this place above all others, Dune. Formerly entrapped and driven to insanity by the memories of an unforgivable past, Dune is able to fuel them into his persistant drive to finnaly reunite with his love.

There are others who seem to mimic Dune's determination and reach Luna, those who wish to return the world to the way it once was. These are non other then Casshern, Lyuze and Ringo who have finnaly arrived to see Luna in order to uncover the truth of her healing. In a place where healing is supposed to be the salvation of the world, It does not appear that Luna has done any healing at all. Casshern and his group are puzzled by the silenced lack of life, until Ringo tells them that Luna heals by using her blood and because of this she can only heal a certain amount of people at a time explaining the absence of presence.

Before continuing to search the rumored land, they are surprised recognize someone who shares their ambition, they are surpised to see that Dune has made it to this land on his own, only drive to life by is indomidable and undying will. Dune appears different man who has escaped brink of insanity, rather seeming to be on the brink of depression, distancing himself from the others on the ground. Even so, Dune has always been known for this behavior, showing that he has returned to his old life. This confirms the groups suspicions, that this place is indeed a healing ground. They depart with Dune in order to seek out Luna, looking for both healing, and answers.

The group is stopped only by the many others who seek Luna's healing, cut off by those who wait the groups must maintain patience until they can meet with Luna. Casshern reuintes with Dune in wait, Casshern is shocked view conflict between Robots, who Dune reveals fight simply because they no longer fear death. Casshern is curious to know if Luna knows that her healing is forcing those around her to forget the fear of death, Dune fends her honor by explaining that people choose to take her healing selfishly so it is not her who is to blame, even so Dune realises this in his own right but refuses to confront it. Before returning to Luna's side he reveals that he has not taken Luna's healing, making the healing grounds slowly become more and more suspicious.

The city and even Luna are not what they had originally seemed, only those who present the prescent scent of life are chosen to represent life in eternity while others are rejected because they stink of death and will be outcasted. Luna simply wishes to erase the ideals of death as a whole and only those who she chooses will live forever to represent nothing but life. This truth is only evident to whom Luna holds closest, Dune, the man who once believed that all life meant something to Luna. Despite his suspicion Dune wishes to protect every aspect of Luna, especially her happiness. He destroys the life he once new to be beautiful, the flowers he once held close to his heart are now a conflicting force to him because eventually they die and anything that dies will make Luna unhappy.

Casshern figures out the truth through Dune's actions and fails to understand his loyalty, as Casshern still believes that all life is precious and must be held onto, not just those who have or will forget death. Before Casshern is able to convice Dune, they are interrupted by the arrival of Bandits looking for Luna for their own selfish gain. Even with his decaying body, Dune's undying loyalty leads him to prevent their selfish abuse of Luna's blood at all costs. Dune displays his love for Luna by fighting fearlessly against the army of seekers, but during the battle Dune finnaly realises that Luna is not the one he once loved, she is killing for someone who does not believe in death. Shocked by his realization Dune no longer defends himself, believing their is nothing left to protect leaving himself to be saved by Casshern.

Casshern protects the man who feels he no longer has something to protect, Casshern was indeed correct in believing that all life is precious, Dune also knew this but refused to accept it. Lyuze believes that Dune can still be healed by Luna, she is oblivious to the fact that Luna only heals those who do not fear death. But Dune still realizes the thick reality of death and apon Luna's arrival to the scene she picks up on this and refuses to heal Dune. Even though Duna gave up his entire life for her, Luna's overbearing hate for death leads her to abandon Dune. Dune accepts the reality that Luna is not who she once was, she is now someone who heals for her own desires and no one elses, although of course...he knew this all along. Casshern and Lyuze are highly upsettened by the news, but Dune finnaly chooses to accept the Sun for who it is, he peacfully passes on, having served his self made purpouse in a life he has to the fullest, all along...that is all he's ever wanted.

Quotes

 * "The Sun does not ever give, almost choose to take from it selfishly" - Dune
 * "For all the beings that inhabit this world, each and every one of them live for every breath they take!" - Casshern
 * "I am content with just being a Flower, bloming and withering away...thats all I ever needed" - Dune's last words.