The final battle between Arthur Boyle and Dragon has arrived in Fire Force Season 3 Episode 21. Fans are calling it one of the most impressive fights in the entire series. The episode, titled “Dragon and Knight Surge Toward the Heavens,” aired on March 6, 2025, and is now streaming on Crunchyroll .
The Rematch Years in the Making
Arthur Boyle, the Knight King of the Special Fire Force Company 8, finally gets his rematch with Dragon. Their first fight in Season 3 Episode 5 ended badly for Arthur. Back then, Dragon broke Arthur’s sword Excalibur and left him defeated . Dragon, a commander of the Evangelist’s Destroyers, proved too strong for Arthur to handle. He used his power to Infernalize his body at will, creating “Dragon Scales” that reflected damage back at Arthur .
This time, things are different.
In Episode 21, Arthur challenges Dragon to settle their score. Their battle moves across land, sea, and sky. It eventually reaches the strange moon hanging over the world . The fight takes place in the vacuum of space with extreme cold. Arthur struggles at first but refuses to give up .
Arthur Reaches His Full Potential
The episode shows Arthur moving past his old self. In earlier seasons, his King Arthur act was often played for laughs. It mixed comedy with actual fighting. But in Episode 21, it becomes completely real .
Arthur’s self-image as a knight reaches its peak. His delusions about fighting a real dragon make him stronger. His plasma sword Excalibur transforms into a true holy sword meant to kill dragons . The anime studio David Production delivered stunning animation for this fight. The colors pop and the action flows smoothly without too many interruptions .
The episode handles Dragon’s backstory early on. Then it stays in the present for the rest of the fight. This avoids the common shonen anime problem of cutting away right before a big moment .
A Victory That Costs Everything
Arthur achieves something incredible. He lands a blow so powerful it cuts through the entire Earth. Everyone watches as his strike connects . But the victory comes at a cost. Arthur cannot continue fighting after this battle. He tells Shinra to finish the war without him .
This moment makes Arthur special as a side character. He never tries to take over the protagonist’s role. He knows Shinra must complete the mission to save the world. Arthur completes his own arc while respecting his place in the story .
Fan Reactions and Ratings
Fans are reacting strongly to this episode. On IMDb, Fire Force Season 3 Episode 21 debuted with a perfect 10/10 rating . Other sources show it scoring 9.9, making it one of the highest-rated anime episodes of 2026 . Social media posts show fans calling it one of the most insane fights in the series .
Some viewers note that the outcome is predictable. But they say the execution makes up for it. The battle delivers exactly what fans wanted to see .
Where to Watch
Fire Force Season 3 Episode 21 is available on Crunchyroll . The episode released on March 6, 2025, in Pacific Time and March 7 in Eastern Time . Viewers in different regions can check local streaming times. The episode airs in Japan on March 7 at 1:53 AM JST .
The Connection to Soul Eater
Fans continue to notice connections between Fire Force and Soul Eater, both created by Atsushi Ohkubo. The moon in Fire Force resembles the one from Soul Eater. The final chapters of the Fire Force manga make this link even clearer . Some fans hope this will lead to a full remake of the Soul Eater anime that follows the original manga more closely.
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What This Means for the Final Battle
With Arthur down but victorious, the focus now shifts fully to Shinra. The Great Cataclysm continues to unfold. The other Special Fire Force companies have united to stop it . Episode 21 sets the stage for the final confrontation. Arthur has done his part. Now Shinra must finish what they started together.
The episode proves that Fire Force can deliver serious, emotional moments when it matters most. Arthur Boyle transformed from a comic relief character into a true hero. His battle with Dragon will be remembered as one of the series’ finest moments.
