Episode 7: God
The production of ‘God Corn’ proceeds smoothly under the government, and Suzuki assumes the position of head of the new food production agency. In the midst of his work, he had been beset by fainting spells, and even lost consciousness and collapsed. Troubled by his condition, he finally undergoes a thorough medical examination. The results reveal that a part of his brain has atrophied. He is told by the doctor that it is ageing rapidly to the extent that he may lose most of his memory within the next six to twelve months. Learning that there is neither a precedent nor a known cause, Suzuki begins to suspect the cause to be his regular diet of genetically modified ‘God Corn’, and quickly reviews the research data.
The next day, Suzuki is subdued and preoccupied during a business meeting. Ogura picks up on his strange behaviour and tries to figure out the problem. Then, he is shown the research data from the third experiment by Suzuki who points out that three of 1,000 mice had exhibited unusual behavioural patterns and questions why he had not reported this finding. Ogura is momentarily speechless. “It was only three mice … not a number that required reporting.” At that moment, Suzuki breaks the news of his condition to Ogura.
On the other hand, Shuko is still haunted by the senseless deaths of Suzuki’s ex-wife and the former prime minister. Just as she decides to resign, she learns from Kumagai that skin tissue from a third party was found on Suzuki’s fountain pen and had matched a record in the police criminal database. When Kumagai shows her a photograph of the person called Zhang Ji Xiong, she immediately recognises him to be the man who had tried to strangle Ogura … Q!
Shuko starts to investigate the case of the charred body at Arakawa River again. She tells Suzuki about her intention to arrest Kira and warns that as a consequence, he will be charged for inflicting injury and covering up the crime too, “Whether you are a hero or someone else, if you have committed a crime you should be punished.” “I’m already being punished,” he responds. Shuko is bewildered, and then shocked to be told that ‘God Corn’ has defects. She tries to urge Suzuki to fight on until the end, but he seems weary and defeated by the hand that fate has dealt him. “‘God Corn’ is no longer a god …”
Knowing that his revelation to Shuko will eventually result in questions about ‘God Corn’s’ safety, Suzuki gives Ogura a recommendation letter for a life sciences research centre in Boston and tells him to leave before it happens. Ogura refuses because he was in charge of the experiments and he feels indebted to Suzuki. However, Suzuki tells him, “I created ‘God Corn’ on my own” and leaves to attend a function where he is to deliver a speech as the head of the food production agency.
Meanwhile, Kira, who has been overthrown by Suzuki, vows revenge. He orders Q to do one last hit job for him and offers one billion yen as payment. It appears that Q owes Kira his life, and he can only regain his freedom through the death of Suzuki or Kira.
Learning of Kira’s plan from Q, Ogura confronts him alone in order to protect Suzuki. He wishes to take responsibility for the events he had set in motion by inviting Kira to the research laboratory to discuss the commercialisation of ‘God Corn’, and asks Kira to go to the police station with him, but is mocked. “‘God Corn’ is no god. It’s just a money tree. You and Suzuki are suffering because both of you failed to understand this.” As Kira turns to walk away, Q suddenly charges at him, dousing him with gasoline. He ignites a lighter and is about to set Kira on fire …
At that moment, Shuko appears and tries to arrest Q, but he evades her and wildly splashes gasoline on Ogura before running away. Shuko gives chase while Ogura and Kira wrestle with each other. Then, the gasoline makes contact with a discarded smouldering cigarette and the two men catch fire. Shuko watches in horror as the flames quickly consume Ogura.
At the banquet venue, Suzuki broods on the rooftop. He had disclosed ‘God Corn’s’ defects to Muto and asked him to decide on the best way to make this information public. However, Muto had reasoned that there was no need to do so if 997 out of 1,000 mice were normal because it would shake the people’s confidence in the government. ‘God Corn’ is to be Japan’s trump card and Muto will not let him resign to resume research to identify and eliminate the defects.
Suzuki is wallowing in self-pity when Shuko finds him. He helps to identify Ogura’s charred body at the bank of the Arakawa River and learns that Ogura had intended to turn himself in to the police together with Kira. This turn of events seems to steel Suzuki’s resolve, and with a sense of purpose, he returns to deliver his speech at the banquet.
During the speech, Suzuki announces his decision to stop the cultivation of ‘God Corn’ and publicly admits that he was wrong about its safety. He had made a mistake in his hurry to bring the invention to the world, and his brain is now rapidly ageing. Furthermore, he has come to realise that a few people should not have to be sacrificed for the benefit of the majority.
This forces Muto to come out and address the country. Invoking a level 3 alert, he announces the government’s decision to halt ‘God Corn’s’ cultivation and appeals to the Japanese people to find the strength to overcome the food crisis that faces the country for they have created this looming hunger and starvation. Contrary to expectations, the people react calmly to this news and support ratings for Muto’s cabinet rises.
Some time later, Shuko visits Suzuki, who has returned to his research laboratory in Nagano and is now growing tomatoes. After Shuko greets him cheerfully, he asks, “Have we met before …?”
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