Tendo Dies!!

is the forty-eighth and penultimate episode of Kamen Rider Kabuto. It features the origins of Kamen Rider Dark Kabuto, Negishi's true motive, the showdown between Kamen Riders Kabuto and Gatack, the apparent death of Soji Tendo, and the final appearance and death of Shun Kageyama.
==Synopsis==
After confronting Soji about the truth of the Worm necklaces, Arata doesn't believe that they actually turn humans into Natives. Soji and Arata once again fight, with Arata being the victor. Meanwhile, Masato is plotting with Negishi to overthrow Riku as the leader of ZECT. Sou is forced to kill Shun after he turns into a Native, due to the necklaces.
==Plot==
Continuing the events of the previous episode, Soji Tendo is regarded as an outlaw for having destroyed ZECT's necklaces, antagonizing Arata Kagami in the process.
In the present, a husband and wife are playing with their kid, but the wife's ZECT necklace reveals the husband as a Native. The Native attempts to attack the wife, just as Tadokoro and Gatack enter the scene to kill it. However, the commoners mistake Tadokoro for a Salis Worm and begin to shout at him. Arata defends his senior, but the commoners refuse to listen and throw something at him, making him bleed. Realizing what they have done, the onlookers leave. Right afterwards, Negishi, a leader among the Natives, appear before the two ZECT officials. He introduces himself, and confesses that he wants to create a world where Natives and humans can coexist in harmony without conflict and battle. Arata, admiring his goal, agrees to help him until the end. Just then, ZECT headquarters inform the two that Kabuto is running amok killing Natives and destroying necklaces again, prompting Arata to go and stop him.
Meanwhile, Kabuto has just finished off a horde of Natives. Yuzuki tries to tell Soji to stop, but the Rider points his gun at her. He tells her to back off, then switches his target to the boxes carrying ZECT necklaces, and proceeds to blow them to bits. He has destroyed all the necklaces and escaped before Arata can arrive at the scene in time. Seeing the consequences of Kabuto's actions, Arata declares him "unforgivable".
In a garage elsewhere, Masato Mishima encounters Negishi. The former compliments the latter on his schemes but Negishi tries to brush it off, saying he does not know anything. Masato rebukes and informs the Native that Dark Kabuto is currently in his possession. He also notes if Negishi's plans are to come to fruition, he will need his assisstance. Masato then strikes a deal with the Native leader to further the nefarious agendas of both parties.
Some time later, Renge Takatori wakes up in the hospital, finding a lunchbox with scrambled eggs inside. She realizes that Soji has made the dish for her as an apology for having accidentally hurt her earlier, and smiles in gratitude. Meanwhile, Soji himself meets Shun Kageyama on the street, with the latter wearing lots of ZECT necklaces on him. He tells Soji that the Hopper Riders are beginning on a journey to search for the "light" again and escape "darkness". Soji's only response is that Shun should take off the necklaces. He refuses, but he begins to transform into a Native Worm. Perplexed and scared, Shun runs away. Soji knows that destroying the necklaces is needed all along because he is aware of their effects on humans: Anyone who wears the necklace will ultimately be mutated into a Native Worm.
Back at the ZECT Headquarters, Mishima has assumed leadership of the organization. A handcuffed Riku Kagami kneels at his feet and begs him to let him continue working under his authority. Mishima coldly steps on the old man's hand, sarcastically asking how he can stoop so low to his feet. Negishi is revealed to be an ally of Mishima, telling Riku the Natives have already known all of the old man's secrets which includes the Red Shoes System. Riku quits kneeling and stands up, only for Mishima to knock him out cold. Mishima then takes Negishi to Dark Kabuto's prison. Negishi explains here that Dark Kabuto originally is a human, the very first human to be converted into a Native. The Natives would further use his body as a lab rat to create the Masked Rider System. Negishi intends to use Dark Kabuto's body again as a conductor for his ultimate goal: to turn the rest of humanity into Natives just like him. Unbeknownst to them, Soji is also in the prison, having heard everything regarding their plans. He transforms into Kabuto and escapes with the twin, leaving Negishi in shock.
Outside, Dark Kabuto quarrels with Soji, saying there is no point in freeing him because he has never been free in the first place. Soji affirms as long as Dark Kabuto does not harm other humans, he can live peacefully with the citizens orf Earth. He adds that Hiyori is also fighting the same battle as Dark Kabuto, finding her own place and identity in the world of humans to motivate his twin. However, Dark Kabuto runs off in anger when Soji mentions Hiyori. He attempts to chase and bring him back, but Arata and a squad of ZECTroopers shoot at him. They have come to confront Souji because of his actions against ZECT recently.
Dark Kabuto does not manage to run for long before he encounters Mishima and Negishi. Outraged with hatred, he transforms into his Rider form and attempts to kill the duo for having used him as a lab rat. However, Negishi has modified Mishima's body into the strongest Native, The Gryllus Worm.
Meanwhile, Soji informs Arata of the true nature of the necklaces and the effects they have on humans. Nevertheless, Arata does not believe in Soji anymore at this point, as Soji has killed too many Natives and destroyed too many necklaces, and ZECT has been kept in the dark about Negishi's true intentions. Arata wants to end Soji's life right there and then. The two transform and begin a duel. At the same time, the Gryllus Worm is casually overpowering Dark Kabuto. The latter charges his Rider Kick but even it is countered by the Worm, knocking the Rider out unconscious.
Back to Soji and Arata's duel. Kabuto still tries to tell Gatack to follow the right path, but the latter does not listen and the two match each other blow for blow. Arata's ZECTroopers interfere with the fight by shooting at Kabuto, creating an opening for Gatack to gain the upper hand. Just then, the Hyper Zecter appears before Soji. Arata says he will not lose even if Soji becomes Hyper Kabuto. Surprisingly, Soji throws the Hyper Zecter away, because he wants to have a fair and square showdown with Gatack. The two prepares a Rider Kick aimed at each other. However, ZECTroopers continue to shoot Kabuto when he is charging his Rider Kick, and Gatack takes this chance to land his own finisher, knocking Kabuto to the ground. The troopers still do not cease shooting Kabuto until Kabuto explodes and the ceiling collapses on him. Having been buried in the rubble, Soji is assumed dead.
After the duel, Arata is informed of the recent takeover in ZECT, and he rushes away to find his father Riku. At night, Arata, in Gatack form, finds his father when he is being transported somewhere in a car. He threatens to shoot the drivers if they are in his way, and successfully rescues Riku. The old man asks his son about Kabuto's whereabouts, only for Arata to tell him that Kabuto is an enemy and is dead.
Elsewhere, Shun comes to So Yaguruma to confess that the necklaces are beginning to transform him into a Native. Seeing that he can never reach the "light", he asks Yaguruma to end his life. After a moment of hesitation, Yaguruma transforms into KickHopper and kills Shun, while calling him "Brother!" for the final time to end his suffering. Yaguruma spends his last moments with his partner telling him that even in death, they will forever be "Brothers". He assures him that they will someday find the "light", something of their own that nobody can touch.
Arata is still trying to walk his injured father to a hospital. Riku expounds that while he has spent the last few years helping the Natives like Negishi, his heart has always been with humanity, which is the reason why he has installed the Shoes System in the first place. Arata finally understands Negishi's twisted view of peace: Turning all humans into Natives, after listening to his father. Riku apologizes to his son for having tasked him with such a responsibility to protect the world, but Arata only thanks his father for having given him such a noble mission. Riku states he is willing to die at the time because he believes he has failed, but he still urges Arata to keep on living and fighting no matter what.
Under the rubble, a fatally wounded Soji reminisces his memory of having saved Hiyori years ago and his promise to always be beside her. Now he understands that he does not actually "save" Hiyori, but it is actually Hiyori that has given him the motivation to live and continue fighting all this time. Soji tries to reach out his hand to a flower nearby, but is too exhausted from his wounds and seemingly dies. The rest of the rubble on the ceiling falls down on Soji's unconscious body and crushes him.
==Cast==
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===Guest casts===
*Worm: 
*Wife: 
==Forms Used==
*Kabuto - Masked Form, Rider Form
*Gatack - Masked Form, Rider Form
*Dark Kabuto - Masked Form, Rider Form
==Errors==
to be added
==Notes==
*As part of Super Hero Time, this episode aired alongside episode 45, .
*Viewership: 6.7%
*Final in-series appearances of So Yaguruma and Shun Kageyama.
**Hidenori Tokuyama (So Yaguruma) would later go on to play  in . A year before Go-Onger, Tokuyama would voice the Molech Imagin in Kamen Rider Den-O. He would later reprise his role as Kamen Rider KickHopper in the two-part World of Kuuga arc of Kamen Rider Decade, as well as Decade's summer film, and again in Kamen Rider Zi-O as both KickHopper and Another Kabuto.
**Masato Uchiyama (Shun Kageyama) would later reprise his role as Kamen Rider PunchHopper in the World of Kuuga two-part episode arc of Kamen Rider Decade. In Kamen Rider Zi-O, he portrays a different version of Kageyama.
*This is the only episode when Kabuto never assume his Hyper form
==DVD releases==
Kamen Rider Kabuto Volume 12 features episodes 45-49: Christmas Earthquake, Farewell, Tsurugi!!, Rushing into the Last Chapter, Tendo Dies!! and Path of Heaven.
Blu-ray Box 3 comes with 17 episodes.
Category:Kamen Rider Kabuto
Category:Episodes
Category:Rider Death Episode