Emilia has finally succeeded in the trial. But it isn’t the end yet, with Roswaal’s plans still putting everyone at risk. All the while, the mansion burns. Will Subaru save Beatrice in time? Or will the past drag everyone with them to the darkness?
Spoilers below!
“What am I supposed to do Teacher?!”
Snow has fallen. As Emilia leaves the graveyard, she finds Roswaal’s plan in motion and moves to save him and Ram. But the disaster has come again, only this time Emilia is on her own. Subaru’s hasn’t stopped the ending of his last loop and isn’t there to see it through. He’s busy trying to save another soul in pain. And as the fire burns the mansion into cinders, Subaru needs to find a way to both survive the flames and to convince Beatrice that not all is lost.
With all the visual appeal of the previous episodes, but with greater pacing and tension, episode 11 brings us for a ride of emotions. Most of the drama and weight are around the conversation between Subaru and Beatrice. With the previous loop, we already learned how she’s still stuck with the promise her mother gave her. Like Roswaal, she’s unable to move on from the past to the point that she has lost her life in waiting. And it’s sad to see her struggle with the choice she made and the promise to keep. The entire sequence with her and Subaru had the best visuals courtesy of the burning backdrop and the mix of her magic. Seeing a visual wonder in the future episodes is something to look forward to with how the episodes just keep on adding and adding to the appeal (really following with the whole ‘save the best for last’ ideology).
“Because I’m a fool… a fool who can’t forget a 400-year-old promise…”
Of course, the other characters aren’t anything to skip with their own drama. Ram and Roswaal’s fight/love confession thing was a big (and uncomfortable) surprise from the last episode. The amount of tension and issues to unpack there are enough to make an episode of its own. Stockholm syndrome and questions of consent are just some of the many things to consider when discussing that mess. There’s Emilia still dealing with finding a way to save everyone in time against Roswaal’s plans in time while the same fluffy disaster is approaching. It’s all interesting and exciting enough as the pace picks up for the season finale in a few more episodes. It’s just guaranteed excitement at this point. Though the episode does come with its faults, no thanks to some decisions in the story prior.
While the drama of Roswaal and Beatrice makes for an interesting plot and makes for good character development, it also feels blunted by the holes the show has deliberately kept to maintain the mystery of the past. There’s a big gaping hole in where the audience should feel the gravity of their obsessions. The only times we’ve actually seen them talk about it were just in the few episodes that gave a glimpse to their sides. And even then, it didn’t actually reveal much about what happened to the Witch of Greed, why she made the barrier and the Sanctuary, and only gave us a small emotional glimpse to the bond between Echidna and the rest. But it doesn’t actually give a solid basis to the extreme delusion Roswaal was being powered with. Beatrice at the very least had merit since children listen to their mothers with no doubt. But it all still follows Re Zero’s thing for going overly subtle to the point of absent with its development. It all felt a little too forced and poorly handled.
“Live with me through a guaranteed lifetime of tomorrows!”
Still though, drama is drama. And despite the shaky beginnings, Re: Zero episode 11 did manage to make it entertaining and justifiable. Whatever may happen to Roswaal and Beatrice, there's one thing for sure. We're all hooked with how this thing could end.
Re: Zero-Starting Life in Another World Season 2 Part 2 Episode 12 will be released Wednesday, 24 of March 2021 at 10:30 PM (JST). Official Anime Website: Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World Official Anime Twitter: Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World #ReZeroStartingLifeinAnotherWorld #ReZerokaraHajimeruIsekaiSeikatsu #ReZeroStartingLifeinAnotherWorldEPReview #EpisodeReview #Review
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