The story behind Utsuho Reiuji(Okuu)'s "third leg" has been bothering me for quite some time.
A while ago I remember reading something, the wiki or perhaps the wikia, about Okuu or something related to Okuu(it was a long time ago). It say said that Okuu's 3 legs represented 3 attributes of nuclear power. Her left leg, encased in concrete, a reference to Chernobyl, represented fission, her right leg, orbited by an "electron", represented fusion, and her right arm encased by a hexagonal prism represented control. I was very happy with this. It was a good way of representing the 3 legged crow, a good set of things to associate with each leg, and I really liked how it referenced mankind's role the nuclear age. It got even better when I learned this was all a plot by Kanako who wanted Okuu to control a nuclear power plant. I even entertained the idea that the rod was a mechanical device and Okuu's fingers are in the control rod, constantly operating a series of pulleys to adjust her power output, and that of the furnaces of hell. Something that would take so much of her concentration, that she came off as stupid. Okuu's design was brilliant to me and she became my favorite character. However, a number of canon sources are beginning to make me think my interpretation may not just be different from other people's but down right false.
The wiki calls the third leg "a device reminiscent of a nuclear control rod" which is true but doesn't actually mean it's a control rod. The bigger problem however comes from a later paragraph.
On the Interview of Cara☆Mel vol.8, ZUN mentioned that he tried to keep her from being indecent during the design process by adding a cannon on her arm instead of having an additional leg, thus solving the analogy of the third leg of the Yatagarasu.
He calls it a cannon right there, so that kinda puts an end to discussion, and Okuu's arm is a gun.
Does anyone share my interpretation of Okuu's third leg, not being just a gun but a control rod? Is there any canon to support my interpretation?
The following may be a bit more of a rant and assumes that ZUN hasn't just outright said that the third leg is a gun and nothing more. I'm going to try a personal appeal, as to why my interpretation is better then considering the third leg as a canon, and why we should try to interpret the canon to follow something more along the lines of my idea. That may sound a lot more twisted then I mean it too. I don't mean to say canon is wrong, just misinterpreted.
First, this doesn't sit too well with Kanako's plan to produce a nuclear power plant. Control is key in a nuclear power plant because, if things go wrong, they tend to go really wrong, and so it makes sense for her to make controlling this power plant a key point in her plan. Especially considering that Okuu isn't the brightest operator and might not be able to regulate these things with just hear head. The solution was to make the third leg a simpler interface for Okuu to control her massive power. Perhaps one of the worst ideas Kanako could have would be to make a key point of her plan giving the bird brained operator of massive power a gun with which she could use to channel energy into a life ending laser.
Second, considering the third arm to be a control mechanism doesn't stop Okuu from pointing it at things and shooting lasers. All we have to do is say that Okuu is manipulating her power to focus energy at the tip of the control rod and then releasing it in a controlled direction. The only difference is that now, the rod itself isn't just a gun that fires lasers.
Third, arm cannons are dumb. No really. Compare holding a gun in your hand, with replacing your lower arm with a gun. Without your writ, you louse a whole degree of motion. In order to deliver an accurate shot you need to manipulate this hulking thing on your arm into place. How inconvenient is that?
Finally, I just think that the third leg being an arm cannon as appose to a control rod just lacks elegance. Guns, weapons, for the most part, these things are meant to hurt things. Is that really all that we, as fans and as people, can think of? Nuclear power is a hugely helpful tool that would revolutionize the world. To reduce it to just a simple weapon is unimaginative and barbaric.
If you agree with my interpretation and assuming ZUN hasn't just outright said the third leg is a gun and nothing more, the least you can do is stop referring to the thing on Okuu's arm as an "arm cannon". Call it a "control rod" or the "third leg". Hopefully some day, my interpretation will catch on more.
