Tamal Kundu
Developed by André Nemec, ‘Cowboy Bebop’ is a sci-fi neo-noir action-adventure series. The story takes place in 2171, when humanity has found new homes across the solar system even though Earth has become uninhabitable. In episode 3, Spike Spiegel (John Cho) receives confirmation from Ana that Vicious (Alex Hassell) knows that he is alive. He and Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir) go after a killer and kidnapper preying on wealthy immigrants from Earth. Julia (Elena Satine) visits Ana seeking advice. Vicious temporarily shuts down his Red-Eye business. And Jet finds the perfect gift for his daughter. Here is everything you need to know about the ending of ‘Cowboy Bebop’ episode 3. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Cowboy Bebop Episode 3 Recap
In episode 3, titled ‘Dog Star Swing,’ Spike and Jet are in Tharsis City on Mars. The former learns from one of Ana’s agents that Vicious knows that he is alive. He asks the agent to find out whether Vicious conducts his business in the same locations as before. The agent tells him to stay in the city, and he will reach out to him when he has the information.
Jet still hasn’t managed to get a Walking Sally doll for his daughter Kimmie’s birthday, despite searching for it in all 70 toy stores in the city. This is the first time he is going to see his daughter since his marriage fell apart. He thinks that the reunion will be a disappointment for Kimmie as he will not be able to bring what she wants. Frustrated, he wants to leave Mars altogether. But Spike hasn’t gotten the information he needs from Ana’s agent and convinces his partner to stay by taking on a bounty worth 15 million Woolongs.
The perpetrator is apparently going around killing exclusively wealthy people from Earth. With the help of Woodcock, Jet’s long-time and special friend, the cowboys acquire raw footage of the crime and realize that the criminal is using a face changer to hide his real identity. Now an obsolete piece of technology, these types of face changers are now only used by prostitutes to morph themselves into what their clients desire.
The Cowboys deduce that the perpetrator got his face changer from one of the workers at the low-rent brothels of the city. As there are two of those, they each pick one to scout. Jet subsequently uses a frequency scrambler to mess up the face changer, forcing the perpetrator or Hakim to return to the brothel he bought it from to get it fixed.
Cowboy Bebop Episode 3 Ending: Why Doesn’t Spike Kill Vicious?
While Spike and Jet chase after Hakim, believing that he might have abducted the children of his victims for ransom, Vicious reluctantly shuts his Red-Eye plant and kills all the workers. Ana’s agent tracks his movement and reports to Spike. In the end sequence of the episode, Spike gets the chance to kill his bitter enemy with a sniper rifle, but he waits until Vicious is inside his car to take the shot. The bulletproof glass cracks but doesn’t break. A piece of glass flies through the air and cuts Vicious on the cheek.
Brotherhood is the primary theme of this episode. Both Jet and Spike look back on their past and reflect on the betrayal they endured from the people they consider their brothers: Jet with Chalmers, his former partner who is now in a relationship with Jet’s former wife, and Spike with Vicious. Spike weighs the option of killing Vicious throughout this episode but ultimately decides that he shouldn’t be angry at Vicious for what his nature compels him to do. So, for now, he just gives the other man a warning. Spike most likely knows Vicious will not heed it, and he (Spike) will have to deal with him sooner or later
Why Is the Perpetrator (Hakim) Abducting Dogs? Does Jet Get the Doll for His Daughter?
Like his victims, Hakim is from Earth. It is revealed that Earth was left uninhabitable by a hyperdrive gateway blowing up. Hakim’s parents worked for one of the wealthy families at the time. Instead of letting them leave the planet, their rich employers use the escape pods for their dogs. Hakim’s parents didn’t survive the disaster, and Hakim has harbored resentment for the rich and their dogs since then. His initial intention was to kill the dogs and make the rich feel the same pain he did. However, he couldn’t bring himself to do it, realizing that the dogs aren’t responsible for their owners’ actions.
Although the Cowboys calm him down, and Hakim even agrees to surrender, the ISSP arrives and kills Hakim. It becomes quickly apparent that the moment Hakim decided to act against the rich and powerful people, he sealed his fate.
No, Jet doesn’t get the Walking Sally doll for his daughter. Instead, he takes something that he thinks will be a better present for her: a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Although Kimmie is ecstatic to get the dog and even names it Ein, her mother doesn’t let her keep it. In 2071, owning a dog comes with a lot of taxes, and most working-class and middle-class families can’t afford it. As a disappointed Jet leaves, Kimmie comes out and asks him if she can visit Ein. Jet happily accepts, realizing that he now has a connection with his daughter. This scene accomplishes two objectives for the show creators. It fleshes out Jet as a character and introduces Ein to the live-action series.
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