When we last left off, we were told that we have an emergency on our hands: the negotiations with Falconia can’t proceed as planned. Well, it turns out the negotiations are in shambles because our newfound allies, the dragoons of Vankish, are a bunch of combat-thirsty battlemongers. As a result, Nanaka and Dios can’t get close to the elves hiding out in a nearby forest. They of course run to Scarlet for help. She then passes the information along to Alflame, hoping that he can rein his men in. Instead, he turns his body into a living nuke and genocides a bunch of mobs. Sure, it gets the job done, but this is why he’s always going to lose to Julius when it comes to winning Scarlet’s heart. At least the prince can serve as a counterbalance to our heroine. If she goes with the meathead instead, then it’s just too much of the same thing. Their kids would also be combat-thirsty battlemongers.
Afterwards, we get to see Nanaka and Dios in action. I’m not exactly keen for the story to focus on these two characters at the 11th hour, but it is a chance for them to make themselves useful. My only point is that the story hasn’t exactly been great at building up and developing its side characters. I’m not invested in these two or what ultimately happens to them. So they bicker, then they face off against an army that has clearly been charmed by Terenezza (that girl gets around). Eventually, the elf chieftain shows up to save their hides, but when pressed about Falconia’s invasion, he points fingers at the beastkin. Smacks of fantasy racism if you ask me, but that’s par for the course for most elves. Dios then uses his bloodline as a bargaining chip. Again, this part of the episode isn’t all that interesting to me. Luckily, it doesn’t last very long. In fact, the negotiations apparently occur offscreen, because Julius is eventually informed that the Falconian army are withdrawing. See? Even the story doesn’t care what happens with Nanaka and Dios.
Elsewhere, Scarlet has to come to Alflame’s aid. I guess he’s not as durable as he claims. Nevertheless, this just means our girl has to fight more generic fantasy mobs. Like I said last week, punching random orcs, ogres, and cyclopses means nothing to me. Scarlet started out as the people’s hero because she punched corrupt humans. Yes, she can still be the people’s hero by defending them against an invading mob, but it’s just not as interesting. Hell, it’s not interesting at all. These mobs represent nothing. You can stack their corpses as high as you want, but it won’t make for a compelling watch.
With two of the invading nations backing off, Julius takes this moment of respite to embrace Scarlet. The man has been staring down the dire possibility of losing his nation and his people, so I’m sure he must have been stressed out of his mind. Even so, it’s nothing that a lover’s touch can’t quell. Too bad they’re not exactly lovers yet. But to his credit, the prince is actually being earnest and vulnerable with Scarlet. It’s one of those rare moments where he isn’t taking advantage of the situation to tease her. If the moment would last any longer… Unfortunately, Alflame seizes the opportunity to spoil the mood. Ah well, you can’t kiss in the penultimate episode. You gotta save that for the very end.
Alflame then tries to work his magic on Scarlet, but I really gotta question his strategy. First, he claims that Scarlet has to go with him, because he can’t protect her once the fighting breaks out between Pallistan and Eldrand. Uh, does our heroine seem like the type of woman who wants to be protected? In fact, there’s nothing she would want more than to defend her homeland. Like what is Alflame even thinking here? Next, he argues that she belongs on the battlefield, which he and Vankish can provide. Wait, you want to protect her, but also claim that you can give her opportunities to fight? Huh? Plus, she’s already on the battlefield. She literally just saved his ass. Pallistan hasn’t held her back whatsoever! In fact, Julius actually encourages Scarlet’s bloodlust! But this whole section is a stupid dick-measuring contest anyway. As a result, Julius quickly steps in to mark his territory. Bleh. At least he admits that he has had feelings for her for a while now, I guess? Alflame retreats for now, but not without swearing that Scarlet will see him again. I’m not sure she’s impressed. She looks kinda bored if anything. Ah well, Alflame ain’t no Cyrano de Bergerac.
The lull in the fighting continues, because Eldrand is waiting for Terenezza to destroy yet another protective gem. We are simply told, however, that our villainess can’t work her magic in quick succession; even she has a refractory period. Even so, this is incredibly convenient for the good guys. Dios even makes a guess at how many days they have before she can take action. Sorry, but I can’t help rolling my eyes at this. It’s just lazy storytelling. Plus, we find out later that they’re wrong anyways; in another scene, Terenezza tells her goddess that she can charge her powers in just a day. Welp. Anyway, a small group that includes Diana will go after Terenezza, yadda yadda yadda, they will use Chronoa’s pocket watch to restore the girl her saintly powers. Cool.
Later, when Scarlet has time alone with Julius, she actually wants him to clarify his words from earlier in front of Alflame. I mean, what else could he have meant? Obviously, he likes her. This has been apparent since the start of the show. But I guess she has trust issues since 1) Julius has also been teasing her all this time and 2) his brother is a nasty piece of work. How can two brothers from the same family turn out so different, right? So why not get confirmation from Julius that he wasn’t just bullshitting Alflame? Unfortunately, the prince continues to be coy. Instead of answering her question directly, he basically asks her out on a date once this whole mess with Terenezza is all said and done. This is a very anime thing. Or rather, it’s a very Japanese thing. Rather than state their affections directly, characters in a romance will make plans for the future that all but confirms their feelings. For example, you’ll get to the end of a JRPG, and the main couple just goes, “I want you with me for future adventures! Let’s go on adventures together forever!” Fine, actions speak louder than words and all that jazz. Plus, I feel like this is a callback to the third episode where Julius showed Scarlet around a local market and bought her a bunch of stuff. I’m fuzzy on the details, but it feels familiar.
Elsewhere, Terenezza rages, because her evil machinations are teetering on the brink of collapse. Palmia then shows up to admonish her saint, because apparently, Terenezza isn’t completely evil. Surely, the anime won’t find a way to redeem this girl, right? I mean, instigating a war alone should be punishable by death. She’s also guilty of murdering the prime minister even if he was a slaver. Nevertheless, I kinda like this scene. If you recall, Palmia isekai’d some poor Japanese girl due to her uncanny resemblance to the goddess herself. So seeing them talk to each other right now is also like watching someone with a split personality argue with themselves. I’m pretty confident that this framing is intentional.
Anyway, Terenezza has one final card to play: it looks like Nanaka isn’t completely free from her influence. As a result, he will infect Julius with Terenezza’s charm. This is why you social distance, folks. And go get your shots. You never know if your local dog maidboy is diseased and rabid. But jokes aside, I can see this going two ways. Scarlet always has the option to literally knock some sense into the man who has been riling her up all season long. If anything, this is expected of her. Punching people is her calling card. And look, I’m a petty man. Earlier this season, at the end of episode five, Scarlet put on her gloves and was about to sock our dear prince right in the kisser. Unfortunately, the episode immediately cut to the credits, so we don’t really know for sure what went down afterwards. Well, we know, but we don’t get to see it. So now would be a perfect opportunity to make up for that tragic loss of catharsis. The OP also has our couple engaged in a duel, but when has that ever happened in the actual story?
But there is another possibility — a cornier, schmaltzier one befitting of a season finale. Julius is a prince. He is a love interest. And yes, although he can sometimes be annoying, he hasn’t really done anything wrong. Scarlet is supposed to punch evildoers, not the boy whose biggest crime is making her feel both fluttery and angry at the same time. Moreover, the ED is chock full of classic fairy tale imagery. Granted, the ED is also all about Terenezza, but that’s the point. How are you gonna let your rival — your foil — charm your man, especially when he all but declared his love for you in front of a rival prince from an enemy nation? As such, what better way to put Terenezza in her place than by charming Julius back to his senses? Again, if we’re working the classic fairy tale angle, then we already have the perfect solution: wake the prince up by kissing him. But I wonder if Scarlet can be that bold. I guess we’ll find out.
Stray thoughts & observations:
- For some reason, this guy gets punched in a recap? It’s like they felt the need to include him on the list of Scarlet’s victims, but they didn’t know where to place this scene in the overall narrative. “Ah, let’s just have her recall the event in a conversation!”
- The dog doth protest too much. Pet me. No, you’re petting me too much!
- Even now, during an emergency that threatens the very existence of the kingdom, Leo is pissing and moaning about Scarlet resorting to violence. Plus, Terenezza’s antics have put innocent lives in danger. If she doesn’t immediately surrender, I think she deserves a bit of brutality.
- Maybe once the fighting is over, Leo can devote all his time and attention to Diana instead, so he’ll stop bothering Scarlet. Still feels kinda weird for a saint to enter into a relationship, though.
