This was the quickest episode that I have ever had the pleasure of watching. Like when the end credits rolled. I was in utter shock of the way that this episode played so quickly. Well let’s get into this episode called “The Value of Life”.
Roswaal
Let’s start off with another dialogue between Subaru and Roswaal as their back and forth this season is amazing. As every time they talk we get more and more information about the world and the lore. As this time we get some additional information about what he must say to Beatrice and possibly given ideas for her reason. She will listen to the contract once Beako hears those words from Subaru.
Beako’s Mom Theory
I was having a discussion last week and I am of the belief now that Beako’s mom is one of the witches. Specifically the witch of wrath Minerva. As I feel the gospel that she follows all the time is hers. This episode confirms that she was not a part of the Witches Cult (as long as you believe Roswaal’s word). Mainly her mother being dead and her holding that book so dearly. The reason I picked Minerva is based on the design.
Two “Not” Gospels
But, one thing that interested me what Roswaal said was that the Gospel that Beako had is not really a gospel. But an entirely different book all together. But, that is only two books in the world with one of them being with Beako (mini theory: the other being with Echidna). So that is interesting what we got. Also Subaru is “that person”. Words that Subaru must speak to Beako once they meet again. As it is something that I am really interested in. What does this mean for Subaru in the future?
Garfield
Well Garf’s trust level is a must. Cause if you don’t have that then people will die. Adding another obstacle that is a must. One thing that caught my mind though is the jewel. Is it something that transforms Garfield or is it something that purleys teleports you. As it took Subaru in an empty land covered by snow.
Death By Bunnies
This has to be Subaru’s worst death. I am thinking back on all of them. Most of them were quick and still painful. But, getting eaten alive bit by bit has to be up there as his worst death. Who caused it is something in on itself. As the compilation keeps adding up at this point.
Stuff Needed To Be Done:
- Return Rem & Crush to Normal
- Free The Villagers
- Pass the Trial
- Obtain Garfield’s Trust
- Obtain Ryuzu Trust
- Protect the Mansion From Elsa
- Protect the Mansion From MaBeast
- Find Out Why He Was In The Snow to Die By Bunnies
- Who Cause The Bunnies
- Talk To Beatrice
- Find out whos side Roswaal is truly on
- Help Emila come over her past
These are the things that I can come off the top of my head. As I really wonder if Subaru can get out of this. As this man had no breaks since episode 15 of season 1. It has just been constant despair over and over again. I really think when we saw that moment of him beating his head over the floor. I really think he gave up at that moment. If Echidna didn’t save him at the moment we don’t know what would have happened. As this anime constantly makes me question how does this man keep his sanity through the series.
Echidna
This season truly belongs to Echidna alone. As her quirkiness with him and the way the Subaru acts with her is my favorite exchange of dialogue in the series. I like the attention to detail that the drink that she gave him calms his nerves when he is with her. Also when Subaru said he didn’t want to forget her. Then Echidna blushing that was something that I loved.
“I Can Return by Death”
After all of this time. After trying to say it to everyone, that burden that he had to hold. When he finally got to say it. I can understand. Even if you don’t trust her, when he finally didn’t have to speak in a riddle to someone. Someone that he can talk about to anything. That was a very great moment to me. But, I wonder now what their conversation will be with nothing to hold back.
Final Thoughts
This episode was way too quick for its greatness. I am falling in love with this story more and more as I watch it. I can’t wait to find out what happens next week. So thanks for reading this and Until next time be great my A&M people.
Also I have to admit now that Echidna is indeed the best girl (for this season).
SAE With a K 
There is a lot to be speculated about this episode. Even though this was the shortest episode of the season, I think it raised the most questions of any episode.
The crystal was actually not Garfiel’s, but it was Frederica’s. Even though Subaru was not wearing it, the crystal somehow teleported itself to Subaru when Patrasche threw him past the barrier, and then it teleported Subaru away and disappeared as it was no longer on Subaru when he woke up. The crystal wasn’t on his body after he finally woke up when it was winter, so it appears the crystal can selectively make its way to him in particular. What kind of magic is this?
The crystal seemed to have teleported Subaru to the future because there was evidence that the people of Arlam lived there, and Subaru even went to the room Roswaal should have been in, but the entire place was clearly deserted for some reason. Maybe Emilia passed all three trials and liberated the Sanctuary residents after Subaru got teleported, possibly being lost in time for a long time after he disappeared. Given that Frederica does not know of this function, it begs the question, “Just what kinds of things can this crystal do?”
Could Roswaal have tampered with the crystal since Frederica was not wearing the crystal when she greeted Emilia and Subaru in episode 2 of this season? Maybe that is why it teleported Subaru to someplace within the barrier but not quite at the testing site the first time. Is it a sense of distress or another emotion that causes it to activate the teleportation? Subaru thought the crystal was dangerous the first time, so he did feel some distress or an impending sense of doom about the crystal. The second time, he was about to be mauled by an enormous tiger, so he was feeling distress or an impending sense of doom. Given that the crystal’s normal function is to react to the barrier, glowing in the process, I don’t think there’s anything inherently suspicious about the crystal glowing when someone reaches the barrier, but teleporting should not be a normal function of the crystal if Frederica is to be believed.
I see three possibilities here. 1. The crystal was tampered with. 2. Someone is actively controlling the crystal, and it might be Echidna since the crystal reacts to the barrier of the Sanctuary, which I assume was made by her. 3. The crystal actually has a mind of its own, and I believe the first possibility to be more likely. But if Echidna is controlling the crystal, why would she want Subaru to get killed by rabbit mabeasts? That’s why I don’t think the second possibility is all that likely. An inanimate object having a mind of its own is improbable although I grant that it’s still possible given that Re:zero has yet to show us all this fantasy world has to offer.
Subaru really is kind of dumb. Up until this episode, he had seen three different types of mabeasts, the Ulgarm, the White Whale, and the mabeast that attacked the mansion that was in the Frozen Bonds OVA that I can’t remember the name of. All of them had one horn at the top of their heads, so the lone horn on the top of the head should have clued Subaru in to that rabbit-like creature actually being a mabeast, but he stupidly touched it instead of running away.
Also, I saw a mark on the rabbit mabeasts and wonder if the mark means that they have an owner. The mark is located on the right side of the rabbit mabeasts close to the rear end. I remember the White Whale had a strange halo above it, and I don’t know whether the halo is the same as the mark on the rabbit mabeasts (I’ll have to go back and check out episodes 20 and 21, but maybe a mabeast having a mark means someone owns you. I think Lye Batenkaitos, the Sin Archbishop of Greed, said that the White Whale was his pet in episode 1 of this season, and maybe the halo was a mark that indicates that it had an owner, with that owner being Lye.
Roswaal is still highly suspicious. He wants Subaru to ask Beatrice, “Roswaal said you are to ask the question” and said Subaru needs to respond to her question with “I am that person.” How does Roswaal know that Beatrice will help Subaru if that is the case? Did Roswaal and Beatrice roleplay this out before or something? Or does Roswaal know this will work because this is what the not-quite-Tome of Wisdom said would happen, and he has the second copy of the book? Given that Elsa knew the exact day Subaru was returning to the mansion in the first loop, whoever Elsa hired has something that allows for you to get a glimpse of the future whether it be a defective Witch Cult Gospel or the not-quite-Tome of Wisdom. I think she’s more likely to be acting on the information gleaned from a Witch Cult Gospel since she expected Subaru to return to the mansion at the same time in the second loop even though he didn’t, meaning whoever hired her knows of the future but not in a precise way, which makes that person more likely to have a Gospel than a not-quite-Tome of Wisdom.
I wonder if Subaru will have a new save point after this since he has been invited to yet another witch’s tea party. Subaru appeared to have literally gone insane this episode as he was smashing his head on the ground violently as opposed to that time he faked insanity as Petelgeuse told viewers in season 1, but it seems Echidna has somehow taken a liking to him and stopped him from killing himself. I wonder what is the qualification for being invited to a witch’s tea party given that Subaru met the qualification. Does getting getting teleported by the crystal give you the qualification? Subaru was invited to a witch’s tea party shortly after both times he got teleported by the crystal. Or is it something trivial like you can meet the witch if you’re in the right place, and she wants you to meet with you? That would make witch’s tea parties merely plot conveniences if that was the case, and hinging the qualification on being the whim of the witch would not be a good way to tell the story, so I hope that’s not what is happening.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Loving the theories about the crystal because I feel that it is the key to solving a lot of situations right now.
I also am in agreement now that Roswaal is the man that has the second book now. I was in belief that Echidna had it as I remember her with a book at the tea party in episode 3. But, there would not be reason for her to have it at the moment except obtaining all of the knowledge.
Back to Roswaal I think that their might be a whole other cult group. Possibly one that is opposed to the witch cultist but supports the witches. So they have their own idea of following the witches. But, they follow a book with no questions asked. Explaining why Roswaal is never their in times of need possibly.
Also about Subaru I only give him a little bit of a pass due to the state of shock that he has to be in during that moment. But, I do agree that he should have strayed far away from the rabbit after seeing that horn. The person that owns the bunnies has to be connected to the crystals in some way to possibly Greed’s. As like you said that he had the whale as a pet. So maybe he had more.
Now the qualifications are weird unless he passed them by counting what he had done in his previous lives to meet that qualification.
LikeLike
I actually made a mistake. Lye is the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, not Greed.
LikeLike