The psychological toll of Julia’s death on Spike is far more traumatic than simply the murder of a loved one. The thud was a hammer, bludgeoning him to reality. For Spike, this is not literally a dream, but the start of a grieving process that will end with his own death. It’s always been an upsetting scene, but that thud helps illustrate a disconnect in Bebop, one Julia points out in her final words to Spike: “It’s all a dream.” As she dies, Spike mournfully agrees with her. Then her skull crashes down to the earth.
Even in the rain, Julia looks angelically brighter than the scene around her. The ensuing firefight takes them outside, into the rain. Of course, minutes after they decide this, they have to deal with syndicate goons first. In the finale of Cowboy Bebop, “The Real Folk Blues,” she and Spike reunite for the first time in years and resolve to run away together - away from Vicious and from a life of violence. The thud of Julia’s head on the roof is what always stuck with me. 1 & 2įor one month, The Dot and Line is publishing essays, interviews, and discussions about each episode of Cowboy Bebop, which turns 20 this April.
Sessions 25 & 26: The Real Folk Blues, Pts.
