It's pretty strongly implied by the phone conversation Touga has at the end that he kind had control over the events that Saionji and Utena witness.

Touga:  It's me.
Touga:  Yes, the letter sent to Saionji tonight was from me.
Touga:  Right, in your name.
Touga:  No, it's just a flesh wound.
Touga:  Well, just a few dramatics.
Touga:  Yes, Saionji will be punished by expulsion.
Touga:  Nonsense.
Touga:  Anyone who truly believes he has friends is a fool.

It's hard to say how much of it, but I kinda wonder at times if this wasn't the event Akio uses to draw Touga into his power-trap. Touga gets to control the illusions in the arena, or at least obviously knows what's going on isn't 'real'. After having inside information like that, Touga belongs to Akio.

It also, coincidentally, gets Saionji driven out of the school. Which is an advantage for Akio in dealing with Touga, since if nothing else, Saionji acts as his check and balance (or does so later on.) Touga probably thought it best Saionji get kicked out also, like a special bonus to keep Saionji, who on some level he does care about, away. Even so, Touga probably thinks he's proving to Akio how heartless he is by betraying a friend.

I think? Ooo, I wanna run with this.

Also, that leads me to another question: what authority does Mikage have to unexpell Saionji?

I think we're supposed to get the impression that powerful people owed Mikage favors. He didn't have the authority to get Saionji reinstated, but he had leverage on the people who do. The decision would have stuck even when Mikage vanished because Akio probably has that authority as acting chairman.

Last edited by 7scimitarroll (12-02-2011 05:36:55 PM)

Atropos wrote:

So, what is the relationship between these? Is episode 9 a preview for what will happen in the revolution? Is it a concept which was eventually passed over as production wore on? Is it an illusion designed by Akio to make Utena more determined to protect Anthy?

Well, here's Ikuhara's notes from the recent remastered DVD release:

Ikuni wrote:

We lined up plot development and visuals suggestive of the series climax. Our goal was to "get viewers anticipating the series' final scene."

Utena saves Anthy. Huh, so that's what the story's about. But what does she save Anthy from? That's the central issue.

In terms of authorial intent, the coffin scene in episode 9 is foreshadowing. It is probably also the last thing you mentioned - an illusion designed to make Utena more determined to win - since just about everything is overseen by Akio (and manipulated by Anthy) to push Utena towards winning the duels. Or so it sometimes seems.