Endless Game

is the forty-fifth and final episode of Kamen Rider Ex-Aid.
==Synopsis==
Though Gamedeus was finally destroyed at the cost of Poppy Pipopapo and Parado when they extracted the Bugster from his body, Masamune Dan survived and takes advantage of Emu no longer being able to use Hyper Muteki. The Kamen Riders are at a huge disadvantage, while Cronus doesn't hold back, and initiates Pause. All of the Kamen Riders' movements are frozen in time, and he prepares to kill them, starting with Emu…
==Plot==
Parado has faded away, leaving Emu unable to transform into Ex-Aid Muteki Gamer and the Riders thusly helpless against Cronus' power, Masamune taunting them that their fates have led to the bad ending, that they are bugs of the game that must be erased. He transforms into Cronus Chronicle Gamer armed with Gamedeus' weapons, and though the Riders transform to Brave Legacy Gamer Level 100, Snipe Simulation Gamer Level 50, Lazer Turbo Proto Sports Bike Gamer Level 0, and Genm Zombie Action Gamer Level X-0, they are all fought back, getting knocked down during Pause. The Riders persist: Genm so he can't be used by Masamune any more, Lazer Turbo to settle the score for the lost, Snipe to not lose anything else, and Brave because doctors fight as long as there are lives to save; despite this, they are all knocked out of their transformations by Cronus' shield's whip arm, their Gashats flying loose and Kuroto fading from another life lost. Emu rushes Cronus but is knocked down, losing his strongest Gashats; Cronus mocks Parado and Poppy's noble but useless sacrifices and triggers Pause, turning day into night, but before he can strike, Emu's Bugster-fueled rage lets him move long enough to punch Cronus' Driver, restarting time and damaging his Driver. Emu, Hiiro, Taiga, and Kiriya use their remaining Gashats and become Ex-Aid Action, Brave Quest, Snipe Shooting, and Lazer Bike Gamers Level 2, launching an all-out assault on Cronus, Genm Action Gamer Level 0 joining after a delayed revival; despite only being Level 2, they quickly gain the upper hand, Ex-Aid explaining that Parado's sacrifice suppressed Masamune's virus and power. Ex-Aid's Mighty Critical Strike and Cronus' Critical Crews-Aid hit each other, and Ex-Aid breaks through, defeating Cronus and reverting night back to day. The Riders untransform and confront Masamune, Emu saying the Ministry of Health will decide his fate; however, as one last act of spite for opposing him, Masamune stabs the Kamen Rider Chronicle Master Gashat into himself. In a burst of green energy, the Gashat shatters and he fades, the only key to access the Bugster virus victims' data within the Proto Gashats gone forever. The final judgment has been passed.
On the Seito University Hospital roof, Emu reports events to Director Hinata; despite the end of Kamen Rider Chronicle, scraps of the Bugster virus still exist, and CR will be needed as long as they do. Emu asks a favor. Meanwhile, Doctor Kagami assigns Kiriya to a new partnership program with Genm Corp. to develop specialized treatments for each Bugster virus strain, also reporting that Taiga's clinic has been reinstated as another center to treat the game illness. Looking around his office, Taiga finds a Bang Bang Shooting pin left behind by Nico, who has returned to school, admitting to a pair of friends that she'd used all of her pro gamer winnings to invest in Genm Corp.'s stocks.
A press conference has been called, and Emu addresses reporters: Kamen Rider Chronicle is over, but those erased haven't been revived, still being trapped in the Proto Gashats. He refuses a suggestion that they are dead, instead believing that erasure is simply an advanced symptom of the infection that converts life to data, and can still be cured; Bugsters are as alive as people, and the victims are equally so. Medical treatments improve every day, and however slim the odds, whether it takes five years, ten, or longer, CR will keep working until they find a cure, as that is a doctor's duty. He then lists the victims in their honor and memory. Of Kamen Rider Chronicle: Kenjirou Tsuji, Keisuke Asou, Ryouhei Izumi, Shinsaku Kinoshita, Shinji Ooshima, Reiko Ichinomiya, Tetsuhide Nakamura, and Shou Nomiya. And of Zero Day and its results: Haruo Takaoka, Genta Uesugi, Jiro Maki, Saki Momose, Kiriya Kujo (to Kiriya's surprise and amusement), Sakurako Dan, Masamune Dan, and Kuroto Dan. Emu vows that CR will bring back smiles to everyone. Back in his digital holding cell, there is something Kuroto refuses to accept, and gets to work.
At Genm Corp. in an office full of hamburger decorations, Kiriya meets with the newest new CEO, Tsukuru Koboshi, appointed by the new majority shareholder; they begin work on the vaccine for Salty's virus. As Taiga prepares to treat a game illness patient, a graduated Nico arrives and volunteers to become his clinic's wanted assistant. At the hospital, Hiiro demonstrates a surgical technique on a cream puff to two new interns; he quietly promises to the picture of him and Saki that he will bring her smile back. Emu finishes dealing with a patient before going down to CR, where to his surprise he hears Poppy. Racing to the main room, he finds that Kuroto has successfully revived Poppy from the sample of her virus that had absorbed into his hand, and she'd been reinstated to CR as before. He also says that Emu being able to transform after Parado disappeared means that he'd reinfected Emu from the speck that had absorbed into Emu's hand, Kuroto getting sucked into the Bugvisor II by Poppy for talking too dramatically; as Emu rejoices from the realization, Parado splits out of him, surprised and happy to be alive. An emergency call comes in, and Emu answers it.
===And Introducing...===
In CR, Kuroto had created a new Gashat. Emu snatches it in curiosity as Poppy and Parado join him, prepared to play this new game with everyone: Kamen Rider Build.
==Cast==
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*Narration, Gashacon Bugvisor II/Buggle Driver II Voice, : 
===Guest Cast===
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*High School Student: 
*Reporter: 
*Interns: , 
===Suit Actors===
*Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Level 2: 
*Kamen Rider Brave Level 2, Level 100: 
*Kamen Rider Snipe Level 2, Level 50: 
*Kamen Rider Lazer Turbo Level 0: 
*Kamen Rider Genm Level 0, Level X-0: 
*Kamen Rider Cronus: 
==Rider Gashat==
*Gashat Used:
**Ex-Aid
***Mighty Action X, Kamen Rider Build (preview for the next series, activated only)
**Brave
***Taddle Legacy, Taddle Quest
**Snipe
***Gashat Gear Dual β (Bang Bang Simulations), Bang Bang Shooting
**Lazer (Turbo)
***Bakusou Bike, Proto Shakariki Sports
**Genm
***Gamer Driver
****Proto Mighty Action X Origin, Dangerous Zombie
**Cronus
***Kamen Rider Chronicle
*Level Used:
**Ex-Aid
***Action Gamer Level 2
**Brave
***Legacy Gamer Level 100, Quest Gamer Level 2
**Snipe
***Simulation Gamer Level 50, Shooting Gamer Level 2
**Lazer (Turbo)
***Proto Sports Bike Gamer Level 0, Bike Gamer Level 2
**Genm
***Zombie Action Gamer Level X-0, Action Gamer Level 0
**Cronus
***Chronicle Gamer
==Errors==
*In the previous episode's final scene where Masamune proclaims the Riders to face their "bad end", he is seen raising his Kamen Rider Chronicle Gashat. However, in the recap of the same scene in this episode, Masamune is seen raising both his arms instead, and presents his Gashat much later.
*When Masamune transforms, the Driver's standby music doesn't play, and the "Gashatto" announcement plays before the Gashat is inserted.
==Notes==
*As part of Super Hero Time, this episode aired alongside episode 27, . Starting on September 3, 2017, Kyuranger would air alongside Kamen Rider Build in the Super Hero Time block.
*Viewership: 3.8%
*Closing Screen:
**Text Color: Pink
**This episode features two closing screens. The first occurs right at the end of the final scene, in the form of a text overlay reading "THE GAME IS FOREVER". In the teaser for Kamen Rider Ex-Aid: True Ending which plays sometime after, there is another closing screen presented, which reads "The Game Ends".
Ex-Aid 45 CS 1.png|THE GAME IS FOREVER
Ex-Aid 45 CS 2.png|The Game Ends
*Count at episode end
**Gashats in Ex-Aid's possession: Mighty Action X, Gekitotsu Robots, Shakariki Sports, Bakusou Bike, Giri Giri Chambara, Mighty Brothers XX, Maximum Mighty X, Hyper Muteki, Proto Mighty Action X, Proto Taddle Quest, Proto Bang Bang Shooting, Proto Bakusou Bike, Proto Gekitotsu Robots, Proto DoReMiFa Beat, Proto Giri Giri Chambara, Proto Jet Combat, Proto Shakariki Sports, Proto Drago Knight Hunter Z
**Gashats in Brave's possession: Taddle Quest, DoReMiFa Beat, Drago Knight Hunter Z, Gashat Gear Dual β, Taddle Legacy
**Gashats in Snipe's possession: Bang Bang Shooting, Jet Combat, Gashat Gear Dual β
**Gashats in Lazer Turbo's possession: Bakusou Bike
**Gashats in Genm's possession: Proto Mighty Action X Origin, Dangerous Zombie
**Gashats in Para-DX's possession: Gashat Gear Dual
**Gashats in Poppy's possession: Toki Meki Crisis
**Gashats in Ride-Player Nico's possession: Kamen Rider Chronicle
**Gashats in unknown possession: Ju Ju Burger, Doctor Mighty XX
**Kuroto Dan's Life Points remaining: 2
*Video Game References in this episode:
**Masamune mentions several times that the Riders are bugs that make the game glitch. As game-master, it is his duty to remove the bugs and ensure the players have adequate gameplay.
*It features the revival of Poppy Pipopapo and Parado since their deaths in episode 44, as well as the death of Masamune Dan.
*The title card and Sponsor spot play right over the Riders' fight with Cronus, the sponsor segment showing continuing events for the first time since episode 23.
*The episode's title is a reference to a line in the second chorus of the theme song's lyrics.
**This episode lacks an opening sequence, but the extended version of the theme song is instead played as an insert theme, albeit still omitting the referenced line.
*The short sequence in which Kuroto and Emu introduce the Kamen Rider Build Gashat is similar to the traditional between Super Sentai series.
*This marks the return of
**Ex-Aid Action Gamer Level 2 since episode 40.
**Brave Quest Gamer Level 2 since episode 38.
**Snipe Shooting Gamer Level 2 since episode 32.
**Lazer Bike Gamer Level 2 since episode 10.
*This is the only episode since its debut that Emu does not assume Ex-Aid Muteki Gamer.
*This is the only time Kiriya transforms directly into Lazer Biker Gamer Level 2.
*The scene where the four Riders gather in their Level 2 forms at night is taken from the opening of the series.
*This is the first season finale episode since OOO's season finale that feature a resurrection of their partners (Ankh for OOO, Parado for Ex-Aid) after their mastermind's defeat.
*This is the first season finale episode since Fourze's season finale that doesn't feature a special story or a full epilogue as the plot of the episode.
*It is the first season finale since Gaim's finale not to feature "Final Story (Special Edition):" before the main part of its name until the finale of Zero-One's finale.
*It is also the first finale since Gaims that lacks an appearance by the villains from the upcoming series.
*The making of this episode was shown in the variety show "Konna Tokoro ni aruaru ga. Doyoubi aruaru Bansankai" hosted by Kouji Imada and Rino Sashihara. The show also featured Hiroki Iijima (Emu Hojo), Shun Nishime (Takeru Tenkuji), Kento Handa (Takumi Inui), Hiroshi Fujioka (Takeshi Hongo), Toru Okazaki (Daisuke Yamamoto), and Tetsuo Kurata (Kohtaro Minami) as guests.Pre-Broadcast Report: Kamen Riders in Variety Show "Aruaru Bansankai"
**In the variety show, it is also revealed that the cast was shooting the scene for 12 hours and continued shooting the next scene on the next day early in the morning (5 a.m. JST).
*The final silhouette in the Gamer Driver's profile array returns in this episode, leaving it completely hidden for the entire series.
*This episode lists and reveals the names of all Game Illness and Kamen Rider Chronicle victims:
**Zero Day and related: Haruo Takaoka, Genta Uesugi, Jiro Maki, Saki Momose, Kiriya Kujo, Sakurako Dan, Masamune Dan, and Kuroto Dan. Notably not acknowledged is Jungo Aihara, who was afflicted with the Game Illness but was killed before he could succumb to it.
***The only perfected Bugster without a known host is the Lovelica Bugster. Even without considering Jiro Maki, there were still 2 Zero Day victims, named Haruo Takaoka and Genta Uesugi, from whom 2 perfected Bugsters should have been spawned.
**Kamen Rider Chronicle: Kenjirou Tsuji, Keisuke Asou, Ryouhei Izumi, Shinsaku Kinoshita, Shinji Ooshima, Reiko Ichinomiya, Tetsuhide Nakamura, and Shou Nomiya.
***Except Kenjirou Tsuji, Ryouhei Izumi and Shinji Ooshima, whose circumstances are known, the other five victims are presumably the Ride-Players vanished along with Kenjirou Tsuji by Para-DX in Start the New Game!. However, it is a bit complicated, as Reiko Ichinomiya is clearly a female name, but all 5 vanished people (along with Kenjirou Tsuji) were men. On the other hand, it is worthy to be noted that at least 1 people seen on-screen buying Kamen Rider Chronicle, is a female high school girl.
*The monthly schedule board on CR in the scene of Emu's press conference indicates that the press conference occurs in August, while monthly schedule during the final scene indicates that Parado's return in said scene takes place on March.
==DVD/Blu-ray releases==
*Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Volume 12 features episodes 43-45: White Coat License, The Last Smile and Endless Game.
*Blu-ray Collection 4 comes with 9 episodes.
Ex-Aid Vol 12.jpg|Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Volume 12, DVD
91F8ZR9rxIL SL1467 .jpg|Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Collection 4, Blu-ray
==External Links==
*TV Asahi's official episode guide for 終わりなきGame
*Toei TV's official episode guide for 終わりなきGame
==References==
Category:Season Finale
Category:Rider Death Episode
Category:Revived Rider Episode