Fire Force season 3 episode 9 preview teases Arthur's dark discovery in the Nether as Shinra and Sho reappear

Following the start of Arthur Boyle’s counterfeit quest for a new sword, fans are curious to see how Fire Force season 3 episode 9 both wraps up this plotline and continues beyond it. While the episode is unlikely to leak in any capacity prior to its official release on Friday, May 30, 2025, the anime’s official website has released a synopsis and set of preview images.

While they don’t explicitly detail the events of Fire Force season 3 episode 9, there is a clear general focus to pull from them heading into the upcoming episode. More specifically, Arthur’s quest for a weapon seems to end with a dark discovery as brothers Shinra and Sho Kusakabe seemingly have an Adolla Link.

Fire Force season 3 episode 9 teases the Kusakabe brothers’ next conversation via Adolla Link

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Firstly, the Fire Force season 3 episode 9 preview establishes that the previous episode’s narrative of Arthur Boyle’s journey will continue here. The synopsis also confirms that Arthur and his group of Vulcan Joseph, Lisa Isaribi, and Yu do indeed go to the Nether as he implored them to. The synopsis also emphasizes that he does so while still under the impression that the Orichalcum he needs to create a new Excalibur is located somewhere in the Nether.

However, the synopsis ends on an eerie note, teasing that “he senses the presence of someone from the other side of the darkness” while exploring the Nether. While the preview images don’t tease what he discovers here, they do highlight the group’s journey to and through the Nether. One image shows Arthur still in Asakusa, looking back at the camera. This is presumably him speaking to Vulcan and co as he forces them to go to the Nether.

The Fire Force season 3 episode 9 preview also suggests that their arguing with Arthur is fruitless, as the trio is seen in a dark, industrial area, which is likely the Nether. However, despite their dark discovery, a preview image of Arthur holding what appears to be a new sword would suggest their “quest” is successful. While it’s unclear how Arthur obtains this new weapon based on the preview, the episode should clarify this.

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The other preview images are seemingly unrelated to the synopsis provided, with the two most notable featuring brothers Shinra and Sho Kusakabe. The shot of Shinra sees him looking forlorn with his eyes to the ground, likely ruminating on recent events such as his fight with Leonard Burns. An alternate, or possibly additional, explanation to Shinra’s apparent sadness is provided by the preview image of Sho, who is seen in Adolla with a shocked expression.

It’s likely that Shinra and Sho have yet another Adolla Link and communicate with each other accordingly, which is what leaves the former down in the dumps. The final preview image features Benimaru Shinmon seemingly looking down at and talking to someone at night. This is likely a fairly inconsequential scene, with Benimaru either speaking to Joker about the battles to come or Konro Sagamiya about how to protect Asakusa.

Final thoughts

The Fire Force season 3 episode 9 preview images tease Arthur finding his replacement for Excalibur (Image via David Production)

With the first part of the anime’s final season winding down, the Fire Force season 3 episode 9 preview suggests it will mainly focus on setting up upcoming events. This includes getting Arthur his new sword, seeing Shinra and Sho make contact one last time, and Benimaru preparing for battle with either Joker or Konro. Fans can find out with the episode’s official release on Friday, May 30, 2025, in Japan.

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About the author

Joseph has been working as an anime content specialist for Sportskeeda since the past 2.5 years. Primarily covering his core genre, he also contributes to popular culture writing news stories and cult classic features on older series.

Joseph holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Delaware, United States. His love of anime, combined with his background in literature, influenced his interest in engaging readers through the written word. He maintains complete accuracy in his content by verifying each and every piece of information regardless of how long it takes, and ensure that the output is impartial and free of bias.

Chainsaw Man, One Piece, Berserk, Undead Unluck, Re:ZERO, Tower of God, Jujutsu Kaisen, Inuyasha, and Fire Punch are some of Joseph’s favorite animanga. His exposure to 4kids' Sonic X series, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Dragon Ball Z on Toonami fueled his enthusiasm for the medium.

When not dissecting anime plots, Joseph likes to cook, play games, work on cars, browse new music, and watch pro wrestling, especially AEW. He also enjoys ocean-based activities - beach trips, fishing, swimming and watersports.

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Edited by Joseph Brogan