Sachiel stops the missile single-handed. After it splits in three, he starts lowering his arm. Finally, the missile explodes.
felineki: Another one of my favorite shots from this episode… I love the way Sachi's claws rip the missile to shreds. The little “shock wave” when it comes into contact with his hand is cool, too.
Reichu: “Go from a gangly green giant to a buff bulging brute in seconds!” And this isn't the only time Sachiel pulls his “Instant Muscles” trick. Just to nitpick: According to production drawings , Sachiel's shoulder carapace is supposed to be rigid, not flexible as it is here.
HeWhoPostsStuff: It always looked more to me like his arm was just sort of "squished in" by the missile, and thus looked thicker.
Reichu: Now that I look at it, his arm DOES look kind of “squished in”… Maybe it's a combination of compressive tension and his inflato-muscles.
HeWhoPostsStuff: I don't even want to ask how much discussion there's been amongst fans as to how incorrect that missile's explosion is. I'm no weapons expert, but I've always been under the impression that missiles are designed to explode on impact; heck, everything else that hits Sachiel explodes on contact. Going by that, then presumably this missile would have detonated as soon as it hit his hand, instead of needing his arm to penetrate through the thing… Probably just done for dramatic effect.
Additional Commentary
HeWhoPostsStuff: I also find it interesting that the explosion starts at the rear end of the missile, where the propulsion engine is; apparently there's nothing else explosive any place else in the missile, heh. “Eat high-velocity utterly empty capsule, villain!”
Reichu: Do we need to quote the 11th Law of Anime again?
Kendrix: This scene simply makes for a better demonstration of destructive power than just another explosion leaving no effect.
