WARNING - SPOILERS (Pretty shocking bits this episode)
In any other anime, I would probably be completely annoyed at Embryo by now. The god not only doesn’t know when to quit, he continues to reveal how much power he has. If it isn’t poking somebody to send them into fits of pain/pleasure, it’s turning the very people he created a perfect world for into a zombified mass. I love it, it is well within the show’s very nature of being bonkers, and continues to make me look forward to finally seeing how somebody with all this power finally dies. If this is the intention of the story writers, then kudos y’all are doing an exceptional job.
This said, Embryo and Ange once again kindof take a backseat to the supporting characters. Chris surprisingly gets some backstory on her, revealing how far her inferiority complex goes. This may seem like out of left field (given how her flashback started over something so petty like a hair clip), but if you are think about it the show once again surprises with its own sense of consistency. I mean this is the same girl who not only revealed her insecurities after the Alpha Waifu died in Episode 3, but the one who hustled at the end of the Festa episode to win the prize for her, Rosalie, and Hilda, then had a love scene a couple episodes after where she hoped not to lose Rosalie as well. Add a manipulative Embryo into the mix and you’ve got a rather welcome conflict that’ll at least keep a good portion of the supporting characters on their toes. Well… that and the children Ersha looks after being inadvertent targets and all.
The other group taking the brunt of screentime consists of Momoka and Tusk. Ange was truly pushed to her limits the last episode, so understandably she is not yet in top fighting condition. This gives the two closest to her a chance to really shine. Momoka is kindof a boss being able to take care of Ange as much as she possibly can, and Tusk makes a solid effort to distract Embryo from capturing Ange despite his… Norma-lcy so to speak. Eventually this culminates into a markedly shocking finale of an episode where it is not just Tusk who dies trying to protect Ange, but also Momoka. I knew there was a death flag raised on last week’s episode preview but the maid (aside from a newbie Paramail pilot and half a dozen kindergartners) went down as well!?
Not gonna lie, I kinda got a bit sad when the maid gave up her life for Angelise-sama. Sure she was rather dim and somewhat annoying, but eventually that unwavering loyalty she had for the Princess won me over. Way to go like a badass, Momoka, even if it makes extinct the population of Mana users who don’t hate Norma with all their guts. Tusk I guess was fine too, but the way the episode concludes with the ED warming up and Nana Mizuki’s performance that really makes it clear how heartbroken Ange is a the double-whammy that started only minutes ago. What a way to put Ange at the lowest point before the final battle, and much crueler than what had physically occurred to her ages ago.
Sure you can argue it was all futile for them to try, but it is not as if they had the option to do nothing given Embryo’s ability to relocate. Yes more than likely there might be a possibility that Embryo will resurrect them to goad Ange into joining him, but how that will turn out is unclear as of yet. We only have three to four episodes left to deal with a number from things from the “Heisenburg” and “Homonculus” terms used by Tusk and Embryo to Salamandinay’s role in the final conflict. Given the series propensity to at least explain itself, I should have a little faith, but now we’re down to the wire.
Oh, the suspense.
Rondo of Notes:
- The moment where Embryo gives Chris a ring in the flashback then it just immediately shifts into the present was such a nice touch.
- Struck odd how the scene just cut after Tusk tried to reveal he had a bomb? Well so was Fukuda. I’d share the tweet he showed the rough drawings of what he wanted, but his Twitter account is protected for lord knows what.
- Seriously what’ll Salamandinay’s role be in all this? I like seeing her back but she was kinda underused this episode. Hopefully that’ll change.
