Episode 24: The Prologue Begins With the End

"The Prologue Begins With the End" (終わりと始まりのプロローグ, Owari to Hajimari no Purorōgu), also known as "Achievement Point," is the twenty fourth episode of the anime adaptation of the visual novel Steins;Gate.

Okabe has one final chance to travel back in time, set everything right, and save the girl he never even got to love. His mission is vital, but it may mean the end for the mad scientist.

Synopsis
August 21st, 2010: 6:35 PM

As everyone makes preparations, Suzuha reveals that the time machine still has only enough juice for one more jump to the past and back. Okabe asks what will happen to her since can't go back to her own time, and Suzuha explains that, if the mission is successful, she will automatically go back because in the Steins gate world line there would be no purpose for her coming to 2010, although she is stuck if they fail. To that end, Okabe decides to cheer her up by saying that, if they do fail, she will still be under his wing as Lab Member No. 008. Okabe then declares the beginning of the operation, but suddenly remembers he forgot something and heads back to the lab to find it. He eventually finds the object, a glowstick lightsaber, with which he intends to use its liquid as a substitute for Kurisu's blood. Everyone else says that that plan might be too simple compared to what Future Okabe said, but Okabe says that that is just perfect, scaring everyone. Mayuri then asks Okabe if Kurisu used to sit in his chair frequently, and seems to remember Kurisu's time at the lab. Suzuha initially thinks that this is because Mayuri has a Reading Steiner, so Okabe explains that, if given the right push, everyone can have their memories shifted into another world line, so it makes sense that Mayuri has memories of Kurisu. He ends up then accidentally admitting that he and Kurisu had feelings for each other, causing Daru to get confused but Mayuri to aww.

That evening, Suzuha and Okabe prepare to use the time machine again, where Daru again asks who Suzuha's mom/his wife is, only to be turned down again.

July 28th, 2010: 11:51 PM

Okabe and Suzuha arrive in the past, where Okabe gives Suzuha instructions to use the glowstick. Okabe then heads to the seventh floor, where he decides to get the metal Upa so that Nakabachi's paper will get burned in the fire. He manages to succeed, and Past Mayuri gets a green Upa instead. He then heads for the fourth floor, where he has to imitate the first version of himself to go in the time machine in order to not alter Kurisu's memory; however, he ends up muttering that he is there to save her life instead of getting interrupted, much to Okabe's awkwardness. He then sees Kurisu pick up the green Upa, showing that Nakabachi stole it from Kurisu also. Okabe then goes back to the closet where Kurisu dies, and is shown to hold a taser, hoping to knock her unconscious after doing away with Nakabachi so that Past Okabe gets fooled again. However, as he gets the lightsaber ready, he discovers to his horror that the fluid has dried up just as Nakabachi appears. He quickly tries to think of a substitute, then looks at his own hand.

As Nakabachi throws Kurisu on the floor, Okabe jumps up from behind the boxes and gives a Hououin Kyouma speech. Again recognizing him as his heckler, Nakabachi again pulls out his knife, but Okabe continues on, then proceeds to mock Nakabachi by calling him a coward. Enraged, Nakabachi proceeds to stab Okabe in the stomach, causing the needed blood to leak out. Okabe then manages to kick Nakabachi on the ground, and from there take the knife out of his stomach. He begins threatening Nakabachi with the knife, prompting him to flee with the paper when Okabe's blood drips on his nose. Kurisu tries calling an ambulance, but Okabe takes out the taser, again saying he came there to save her, and knocks her out. Okabe then reaches into his stomach, thinking about all his adventures while doing so, and proceeds to pull out a sufficient amount of blood before getting Kurisu's body in the right position. Suzuha then manages to get to Okabe and carry him out. However, Okabe asks Suzuha to stay and watch behind a corner with him, to make sure Past Okabe gets to Kurisu. Seeing that he does, Okabe bids the best of luck to Past Okabe, as the next three weeks will be the hardest of his life.

Suzuha gets Okabe back in the time machine, where she shouts at him for being so reckless. She then prepares to head back to the present, where it appears the two can read each other's thoughts due to the time traveling. Okabe asks Suzuha if this means they reached Steins Gate. She says she does not know, but since the paper will get burned, World War III definitely will not happen. To that end, Suzuha again has no purpose to come, and therefore begins to fade away. She briefly says thank you before disappearing for good, promising to see him when she is born in 2017.

Back in the present, Mayuri goes to Okabe's hospital room with a huge bouquet of flowers, but discovers that he has left. Okabe is shown to have gone onto a roof, where he sees Nakabachi hopelessly complaining that his thesis is gone at his press conference, which will probably in turn lead to his arrest by the Russian authorities and the dissolution of SERN. Mayuri then goes out looking for Okabe, stopping at the shrine, Queen May's, and Mr. Braun's place. At each, she meets Luka, Faris, and Moeka (the latter of whom now has Suzuha's job since they are free of being Rounders), and all of them have gotten pins from the science conference Daru was supposed to attend in the other world lines as a symbol of them being lab members. Mayuri then goes up to the lab and finds Daru there, along with a lab member badge for herself. She notes that the letters on it say "OSHMKUFA", in reference to each of the lab member's last names. He is also shown to have stored the one for Suzuha in a box, planning to give it to her when she is born. Mayuri looks forward to that, wanting to have a lot of fun with all of the lab members and doubting anything will truly change.

Okabe is shown standing on the sidewalk, wondering what Kurisu is doing now back in America. He admits he has come to terms with the fact that Kurisu probably has no more memories of their time in the other world lines, and hopes she has made peace with her father. He then admits it took a while to cope, but he figures that, as long as she's alive and SERN is gone, everyone benefits. He then begins walking down the street in front of the now-intact science building, and has he does, he manages to pass by Kurisu, who has been spending her entire time looking for Okabe in order to thank him for saving her life. As they stop to talk, Okabe takes out his phone and begins talking to himself again, but encrypts a message saying that he wants to stay by Kurisu while ending the "call" with "El Psy Kongroo". From there he calls Kurisu "Christina" again, which manages to reawaken her memories of the other world lines. He then welcomes her back and holds out a lab pin for her, reaffirming their love. Okabe then thinks to himself that spacetime is infinite, and will always try to do the right thing as their reunion shows - and that is the true choice of Steins;Gate...

Characters

 * Rintaro Okabe
 * Mayuri Shiina
 * Kurisu Makise
 * Itaru Hashida
 * Suzuha Amane
 * Shouichi Makise
 * Luka Urushibara
 * Faris Nyannyan
 * Yuugo Tennouji
 * Nae Tennouji
 * Moeka Kiryū

Point d'achèvement