Anime Review: Dr. Stone, "The Two Scientists" (Season 4, Episode 7)
Who would’ve known that Senku Ishigami and Xeno Houston Wingfield had a past together?
Revealed at the end of episode 6, Senku realizes that Dr. Xeno is his mentor from when he was younger. Episode 7 of Dr. Stone delves into the lives of the two of them before they were petrified. It starts with young Senku trying to build a rocket with a goal to get it to fly. The entire time, Taiju is by his side.
When Senku sends out a mass email with information asking for help to build a rocket, it catches Xeno’s attention, who is a NASA scientist at the time, and he decides to help him. He replies with an email recommending that Senku should get a heat sensor and ends it with his signature phrase, “SCIENCE IS ELEGANT.”
In order to buy the equipment he needs, Senku flies to the United States to ask his father, a NASA scientist, for his NASA card that allows him to get scientific equipment for free. Senku makes it clear that his sole focus is science, not even visiting his father who desperately wishes he would come see him more.
After he acquires his science tools, the two exchange emails with Xeno giving Senku advice on how to advance his scientific research. Senku even expands his knowledge of science by taking Xeno’s online courses. The question remains, why is Xeno helping Senku in the first place? Would he still be set on killing him if he knew his true identity?
While Senku’s goal was to build a rocket ship, Xeno’s helium proposals kept on getting denied. It is still unknown why or what they were about. I wish that information was uncovered.
It’s an “oh no” moment when the audience finds out that Xeno would build scientific weapons and be a dictator if he was sent back to the Stone Age. Why is that a problem? Well, that’s what is happening right now. To make it worse, he said he would take down fellow scientists as he wouldn’t want competition.
A few years later, Senku visits his father in Japan at the space station. While he is looking at one of their scientific gadgets, Xeno walks up to his side and doesn’t say anything. Even though no words were exchanged, it’s as if they both knew each other. They shared a passion for science that others would never understand.
When social media posts started circulating of petrified birds, both Senku and the space station began to look into it. Neither of them were able to reverse the effects of the bird’s petrification. Soon after, the entire world was petrified but Xeno, Senku and a few others reminded themselves to stay conscious in hopes that one day they would be revived.
While this episode lacks the action that some anime fans are looking for, it does a great job at developing Senku’s backstory and the lore between him and Xeno. The two shared a deep bond which lasted throughout all of Senku’s childhood. Maybe Xeno saw himself in young Senku. Also, it explains the events that led up to the petrification, filling in some blanks about the world before everyone was turned to stone.
Still don’t think they have a strong connection? Even though they were on opposite sides of the world, they woke up from the petrification at the same exact time.