Original artwork, not a still
I'm not going there to die. I'm going to find out if I'm really alive.
— Cowboy Bebop · 1998
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is the line that explains why a man who has always seemed half-asleep walks into certain death: for him the past is a dream and this fight is the only way to wake up. Fans treat it as the emotional centre of the finale, the answer to Faye's question and to the show's central question of whether Spike was ever living in the present. It is quoted whenever someone takes a risk that has nothing to do with winning.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Cowboy BebopShow the scene
Cowboy Bebop, Session 26, "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)", the series finale (aired 24 April 1999). Julia has just died in Spike's arms, and he returns to the Bebop to tell Jet a story about a cat that died a million times. As he turns to leave for the last time, Faye blocks his path with a gun, accusing him of being tied to the past. He shows her his artificial eye, which he says lets him see the past in one eye and the present in the other, and gives his reply. Faye fires into the wall as he walks away to the Swordfish II and a final showdown with Vicious.
Sources (2)
- Cowboy Bebop Wiki: The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)Plot and infoboxReference checked
- Cowboy Bebop Wiki: Memorable Quotes from Cowboy BebopSession 26 exchange between Faye and SpikeReference checked
Context reviewed
