Blue Lock: How Kuon Redeemed Himself After Betraying Team Z

Wataru Kuon made a shocking decision: he chose to betray Team Z after their grueling struggle against Team Y. Meanwhile, Team V had effortlessly crushed Team Y with a staggering 8-0 victory, cementing their status as the undefeated powerhouse in the stratum. They were slated to be Team Z’s final opponent.

Pessimistic after seeing Team Z barely survive Team Y, Kuon completely doubted their chances against Team V.

Therefore, Kuon decided to ally with Team W, acting as their covert 12th player to ensure Team Z’s defeat. While Blue Lock’s rules only advance the top two teams in the standings to the Second Selection, they also offer a lifeline: the top scorer of a losing team is still permitted to advance.

Here is a breakdown of Wataru Kuon’s betrayal and his eventual path to heroism:

1. Kuon Succeeds as Team Z’s Top Scorer

During the match between Team Z and Team W, Kuon stole the spotlight by scoring a spectacular hat-trick in the first half. This gave Team Z a commanding 3-0 lead and secured Kuon’s position as the team’s top scorer.

However, in the second half, Kuon actively began assisting Team W, completely shifting the momentum of the game. With his help, Team W orchestrated a massive comeback, taking a 4-3 lead.

Even though Kuon leaked Team Z’s strategies and individual weaknesses to the opposition, the match ended in a shocking 4-4 draw.

This outcome infuriated Team W, who took out their frustration by ganging up on Kuon. They felt deceived; Kuon had failed to warn them about Hyoma Chigiri. Previously known to be nursing a leg injury, Chigiri suddenly unleashed explosive, world-class speed on the pitch. Chigiri became Team Z’s savior, scoring the equalizing goal. This shattered Team W’s hopes of victory, leaving them bitter and frustrated.

2. Kuon Refuses to Help Team Z Against Team V

Later, as Team Z held a strategy meeting to prepare for Team V, Kuon bluntly stated that he would not participate.

He boldly declared that his advancement to the Second Selection was already guaranteed, thanks to his three goals securing him as Team Z’s top scorer. He promised to do absolutely nothing during the match against Team V, choosing instead to watch the inevitable defeat in silence.

Yet, as the match unfolded, Kuon was struck by Team Z’s sheer tenacity. Despite falling behind by three goals and effectively playing with only ten men, they fought back to close the gap to 3-2 by the end of the first half.

In the second half, Team Z miraculously leveled the score at 3-3. Frustrated by Team V’s sudden vulnerability, Kuon lost his temper. He shouted insults at Team V from the sidelines, mocking their incompetence for losing ground to a ten-man squad operating without him.

When Seishiro Nagi scored, putting Team V ahead 4-3, another unexpected twist followed. Team Z brilliantly equalized at 4-4, courtesy of a goal from Rensuke Kunigami, who emerged as an unstoppable force for his team.

Team Z’s fighting spirit continually captivated Kuon. Even so, he remained reluctant to step onto the pitch, clinging tightly to his guaranteed ticket to the Second Selection.

However, the breaking point came when Nagi bypassed Yoichi Isagi—Team Z’s last line of defense—leaving Nagi in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The goal seemed inevitable. Suddenly, Kuon, who had been idling on the sidelines, launched himself at Nagi just outside the penalty box, tackling him to the ground. The golden scoring opportunity vanished in an instant.

This blatant, aggressive foul shocked every player on the field. In that moment, Kuon became an unlikely hero emerging from the shadows, shutting down Nagi’s lethal attack and offering Team Z a desperate lifeline.

3. Kuon Risks His Spot in the Second Selection

Although Kunigami had tied Kuon’s goal count for Team Z, an important caveat remained. If Team Z failed to secure a top-two finish in the standings due to a draw or loss against Team V, the player who reached the top-scorer mark first would be the one chosen to advance to the Second Selection.

However, if a team has two top scorers tied in goals, Blue Lock utilizes Fair Play Points as a tiebreaker, favoring the player with fewer yellow or red cards.

Team Z was stunned by Kuon’s desperate tackle on Nagi, a serious offense that resulted in a straight red card and his immediate ejection from the pitch. The irony was palpable: Kuon’s advancement to the Second Selection had been absolutely secure since he was the first to reach the top-scorer milestone.

But destiny shifted the moment Kuon received that red card. His Fair Play Points plummeted below Kunigami’s. Now, if Team Z lost or drew against Team V, it wouldn’t be Kuon advancing to the Second Selection—it would be Kunigami.

4. The Real Reason Kuon Helped Team Z

During high school, Kuon was the lone driving force trying to lead his school’s soccer team to national glory, harboring deep dreams of wearing the Japanese national team jersey.

Unfortunately, his teammates lacked his fire; they only played for fun. They found Kuon exhausting, viewing his intense ambition for a national championship as overbearing.

When faced with defeat, his teammates felt none of the agonizing frustration that consumed Kuon, who poured his entire soul into the sport. As a visionary dreaming of the World Cup, Kuon never let his passion die. He was prepared to fight entirely on his own, willing to do whatever it took to achieve his goals.

Flashing back to his high school days on the sidelines of Blue Lock, Kuon chose to follow his heart rather than stand idly by just to secure his own advancement. With fierce resolve, he gambled his guaranteed ticket by destroying Nagi’s scoring chance.

Surprisingly, the true motivation behind this reckless foul wasn’t purely for Team Z’s sake; he did it for himself.

Earning a red card meant Kuon forfeited his individual safety net. Stripped of his guarantee, Kuon pleaded with Team Z to win the battle against Team V so they could all advance to the Second Selection together. Filled with conviction, Isagi promised that Team Z would secure the victory.

Ultimately, Kuon felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude when Team Z achieved a glorious win over Team V. The joy was so immense that Kunigami even invited Kuon to join in their celebration of advancing.

However, Jingo Raichi delivered a hard punch to Kuon’s face—a swift penance for his past betrayal. Yet, rather than creating a rift, the punch solidified the bond between Kuon and Team Z. They acknowledged his controversial but vital sacrifice against Nagi, which ultimately paved the way for their triumph.