Dr. Stone season 4 episode 8: Dr. Xeno discovers the truth as Senku is shot

Dr. Stone season 4 episode 8 was expected to immediately return fans to the present following the focus on Senku and Dr. Xeno’s relationship via flashback. Officially released on Thursday, February 27, 2025, the installment did indeed return to the present, but spent some necessary extra time on the flashback before doing so.

Dr. Stone season 4 episode 8’s eventual return to the present was, at least, incredibly exciting, with the first shot in Senku and Xeno’s exchanged assassination attempts having been fired. While Senku comes up with a last-minute plan as he always does, the episode’s final scene also teases that he won’t escape this encounter unharmed.

Dr. Stone season 4 episode 8 sees Xeno hesitate before authorizing Stanley to fire on Senku

Brief episode recap

Dr. Stone season 4 episode 8 began with the unexpected continuation of Senku Ishigami and Dr. Xeno Houston Wingfield’s flashback. This focus was given to Dr. Xeno, who realized he was unpetrified thanks to a water source carrying nitric acid from a nearby cave to his body. He then got to work on reviving others, starting with Stanley Snyder. They discussed how much time had passed before discussing what Xeno’s plan was.

Xeno recalled Byakuya’s words to him about those pursuing science always emerging to learn the world’s inner workings, with Xeno declaring the race on likewise. He did so due to viewing this as a race to become the indomitable ruler of the stone world by achieving scientific supremacy at a much higher level and earlier point than others. Likewise, the pair started by reviving several others with nitric acid.

Dr. Stone season 4 episode 8 saw some concerned that others weren’t waking up, but Xeno said they should wake up eventually. As they discussed the unlikeliness of civilians staying awake, one such civilian woke back up in Carlos. He then coughed up the ring for Luna which he swallowed, with Xeno realizing that it was made of platinum and getting excited. He explained that finding platinum meant they could make nearly infinite gunpowder.

Dr. Stone season 4 episode 8 opens up with Xeno starting his own Kingdom of Science (Image via TMS Entertainment)

Xeno added that they’d look for a spot to grow yellow dent corn and set up a base there once they were ready to move forward. He also added that they’d work on refining metals and the skill of precision machining in order to create legitimate firearms in this Stone World. Stanley, meanwhile, got to work on farming tobacco and manufacturing cigarettes, with his and Xeno’s compound shown to have been fully set up by this point.

Dr. Stone season 4 episode 8 saw the flashback end shortly thereafter, returning focus to Senku and co in the present. Ryusui Nanami commented on the irony of their different uses of science, while Luna tried to figure out the connection Senku and Xeno had while being excluded from the conversation. Thankfully, Taiju saved her from much spying by revealing that Xeno is the one who taught him and Senku how to build rockets as children.

She likewise braced herself to identify Taiju to Stanley, but she found herself unable to do so. Senku, meanwhile, commented on this intel giving them a key advantage, arguing that they can use the Medusa Device to negotiate with him given his love for science and weaponry. In other words, the Medusa’s value here was not in its usability as a weapon, but purely as a means of both intimidation and attraction to Xeno.

Dr. Stone season 4 episode 8 saw Luna still struggling to point out Taiju in the meantime, clearly hesitant to betray those who so genuinely helped her. After deciding she couldn’t do it, she asked why she feared success before trying to tell Stanley that Xeno and Senku somehow know each other. Carlos and Max were able to read her lips and get Senku’s name, calling Xeno themselves as Ryusui noticed what Luna was doing.

Minami Hokutozai then picked up this transmission, alerting Senku to the noise she heard from Carlos and Max’s transmission to Xeno. He realized the transmission was encrypted, and that it wasn’t as simple as just deciphering the encryption code being used. Ryusui, meanwhile, realized what was going on due to having seen Luna make those gestures, eventually deducing that their enemy was nearby watching them.

Dr. Stone season 4 episode 8 then saw Stanley take aim at Taiju despite Luna not pointing him out. As he was about to pull the trigger, Xeno told Stanley to hold his fire, revealing that Taiju was a decoy and that their real enemy was Senku Ishigami. As Stanley tried to deduce who Senku was, Xeno mused on his history with Senku and revealed they had Senku’s voice, which he’d use to determine his height via an algorithm.

Luna seemingly makes her choice to join Senku and co in Dr. Stone season 4 episode 8 (Image via TMS Entertainment)

Xeno eventually gave Stanley the information needed to narrow down his targets, eventually identifying three. However, Ryusui shouted out that there was a sniper nearby at that moment, with Luna wondering if she had been caught. She looked right at Stanley likewise, which Stanley used to identify Senku when he tried looking where she was. He then retreated to the perfect cover, prompting Stanley to give Xeno one final opportunity to call off the hit on Senku.

Dr. Stone season 4 episode 8 saw Xeno briefly muse on his history with his former student, trying to think of a way to convince Senku to join him. After dubbing this impossible, he told Stanley to fire as Senku got to work on making something with a floury substance they had. He poured water into the bag and mixed it before using it as a shield against Stanley’s bullet. However, the episode ended with blood still splattering from Senku as the bullet tore through his makeshift kevlar.

Final thoughts

Dr. Stone season 4 episode 8 is overall an exciting installment which accomplishes several significant objectives. While it obviously progresses Senku and Xeno’s war via Stanley’s attempt on the former’s life, it also further characterizes Xeno by seeing him hesitate giving the okay to kill Senku. Likewise, fans can expect the next installment to focus on how Senku’s allies will respond in the wake of the apparent damage he sustained here.