Baki: Season 3's Love Triangle Just Turned Baki Into His Own Worst ...

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Season 3 of Baki, now streaming on Netflix.

Netflix's Baki follows the wrestling prodigy's trajectory as a hero-in-the-making after his success in the Maximum tournament. There, he proved someday he'd be ready to rival his wicked father, the world's strongest man: Yujiro Hanma, aka the Ogre.

While his dad is obsessed with winning at all costs, even if it means inflicting death, Baki isn't as bloodthirsty or corrupted as his old man. It's what we thought would help hone his craft and push the teen to greatness. However, Season 3 throws this notion to the wind when an unexpected love triangle turns Baki into his own worst enemy, robbing him of his compassion and seemingly, his humanity.

RELATED: Baki: Everything You Need to Remember Before Part 3

In this season, Baki's struggling with being poisoned by Yanagi, causing his body to wither away. However, when he goes to the Raitai tournament, where the USA and Japan team up to fight China's best, it's his girlfriend Kozue that brings him back to his best form. Her tears during a fight and her overall love mentally unlock Baki's healing prowess, and he becomes himself again. Initially, it was their intimacy that helped him evolve, as losing their virginities to each other made Baki more relaxed and comfortable -- in that war stopped being the only thing in his life. This seems to be the next step that'll unite the couple even more.

Now that he had Kozue, he could leave fighting behind at any time, which his dad realized made Baki better. Sadly, it seems Baki just used Kozue as a means to an end because, as Season 3 progresses, he grows cold and distant toward her. He displays narcissistic tendencies and his ego makes him ignore her when it's clear she needs him to reciprocate her love for him. After they shared such intimate moments together, he's apparently too scared to show his emotions now. When Mohammad Alai Jr. enters the mix, Baki grows robotic in ways we didn't see coming. It seems like his pride is dented.

RELATED: Baki: Season 3's Ominous Ending, Explained

Alai Jr. tries to romance Kozue but his wooing is rejected. She's loyal to Baki, but the star acts like a jerk, laughing off the idea she could love someone besides him. In fact, he doesn't behave as though he cares at all, showing no interest in fighting for her to stay with him. Kozue realizes this and it pushes her bit by bit to like Alai Jr. -- albeit initially just as a friend. And though it's superficial at first, Alai Jr.'s pursuit of her isn't to throw Baki off: he's doing it because he loves her. And this is what has Kozue gravitating towards the third party.

This is where the series starts to trade on the teen angst and drama of a CW-esque, young adult series. Kozue finds Alai Jr. making a platonic dinner date with her time and time again, even after a bunch of veterans keep beating him down when the Raitai ends. Baki, on the other hand, doesn't make any attempt to make time for her; infatuated instead with leveling up to take the Ogre on at long last.

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What makes it worse is when Kozue embraces Alai Jr. after Baki beats him up in the tournament, making it clear that she feels more vulnerable with the boxer than she does with her childhood crush. The fact that Baki also tried to kill Alai Jr. via submission, and Alai Jr.'s dad had to butt in says a lot too. Maybe Baki's hiding his jealousy; maybe he was careless in battle, or maybe he was just showing Yujiro up. What we do know for sure is that Baki's not as virtuous as we once thought, and heroes and villains alike are already gunning for his arrogant head.

KEEP READING: Baki: Season 3’s Most Brutal Battles, Ranked