When the episode opens, Qifrey meets with a fellow witch named Alaira. They have a bit of catching up as they descend into the watery depths where an entire city lives among the whales. Qifrey tells Alaira that Coco isn’t his official apprentice yet, because you gotta pass your tests first. Unfortunately, it’s a bad time for one of them. So bad, you could even die. Welp, it’s a good thing he entrusted Coco to Agott! Surely, nothing bad can happen while he’s gone! I mean, yeah, Agott looked a little surly the last time he was there, but, um, she’s always like that! She would never, ever endanger an apprentice-to-be!
On paper, Coco’s test sounds simple enough: go pick one of the herbs that grows in the area. Unfortunately, they only grow atop one of those floating green… shrubs? Bushes? I dunno what they are. It’s all magic anyway. Agott seems to expect the girl to eventually turn tail and surrender. She expects Coco to realize that she’s not cut out for all this magic business and just give up. But it’s a silly thought, because Coco’s mother’s life literally depends on this. What kind of person would Coco be if she simply gave up? But maybe that’s just how little Agott thinks of her new roommate.
Right before the test begins, Agott informs Coco that she won’t be able to take the test again if she fails. I somehow suspect this isn’t remotely true. It’s also a bit puzzling. If you hear that this is your only chance to become a witch, then wouldn’t you be even more determined not to fail? Either way, Coco seems like the type to believe whatever she hears. I’m not saying that Agott is lying about passing the test when she was only ten, but Coco really needs to start developing a bit of skepticism. Oh, I’m supposed to take some test? How ’bout I wait until Master Qifrey gets back? That sort of thing. If she hadn’t been so trusting of a girl she’s only just met, we wouldn’t be in this mess.
The test itself starts out predictably enough. Coco had borrowed Agott’s flying shoes, but she predictably can’t control her movement with them. It’s like trying to run when you haven’t even started walking. She just keeps launching herself in random directions. Coco eventually falls into one of the many bodies of water beneath the floating green masses. When it rains, it pours, so not only does Coco wipe off the enchantment on Agott’s shoes so they no longer fly, she also goes and gets the rest of her stuff wet.
But when it feels like she’s hit rock bottom and feels like a complete outsider, Coco thinks back to her mother and her mother’s lessons. She finally realizes that she has been drawing straight, steady lines all along. She simply needs to use a tool that she’s familiar with. More importantly, no matter where Coco is, her mother will always be the guiding hand that she needs. With memories of her mother to support her, Coco soon sets sail and eventually snatches the “Consent of the Crown.” It’s a touching moment, but I’m still sore over what happened to the woman.
This scene would not lose any impact if her mother was still active and kicking. She’s not officially dead (as far as we know), but you know what I mean. Plus, there’s just this pernicious belief that we need to have a life or death threat (usually in the form of action scenes) in order for these stories to reach their “peak” — that Coco’s personal goal to become a witch needs the little extra oomph that dooming her mother can only give. Some of the best books I’ve ever read or movies I’ve ever watched didn’t have any such plot device. You can still build tension without it. I would’ve greatly valued the opportunity for Coco to visit her mother from time to time, and gradually open the woman’s eyes to magic. But that is lost to us. Instead, the mother is treated as an end goal rather than someone who has and will continue actively supporting Coco.
When the girl returns triumphant and presents Agott with the “Consent of the Crown,” the latter walks off in a huff. Someone’s a sore loser; Coco has proven her wrong, and she won’t even acknowledge it. I have to wonder what happens next for Agott, though. At the moment, Qifrey is busy with Coco. He has to present the girl with her cloak and silly hat — one that strangely reminds me of the sugarloaf hats in Final Fantasy XIV — but then what? Is he going to talk to Agott? Is he going to drive home the point that she could have gotten Coco killed? Because this needs to happen. Qifrey probably can’t reveal his intentions regarding the Brimmed Hats, but he needs to make it clear that Coco is here to stay. But I have a feeling we won’t be getting this conversation. Perhaps it still happens offscreen, but it’s a real shame the story will likely brush over this. Actions need to have consequences.
Elsewhere, a Brimmed Hat ominously reveals that they’ve been watching Coco all along.
Stray thoughts & observations:
— Damn, even Alaira’s hair is shaped like the bottom of a witch’s hat.
— Speaking of which, why did word travel so fast? Who’s been gossiping? Who’s been watching?
— I personally would not want my feet touching someone’s shoes that they had just been wearing. I mean, it’s still warm with their sweat and stank! Plus, I also wouldn’t expect someone’s footwear to necessarily fit me.
— An underwater city among the whales. That sounds neat until you spring a leak.
— The show is trickling in the exposition here and there. Qifrey lives in relative isolation because he despises the Great Hall, whatever that means. We’ll find out eventually.
— Every show about magic needs a cute, little mascot. This is perhaps Frieren‘s greatest flaw. Other than the seed rats all the way back in… episode two? Well, we haven’t seen a cute thing since.
— Back in the atelier, Agott angrily explains that someone like Coco doesn’t belong in their world. Unfortunately, Tetia doesn’t have much of a rebuttal. It doesn’t seem like any of the other girls are willing to stand up to Agott.
