What They Say:
“A Wager That Defies Despair”
Natsuki Subaru, an ordinary high school student, is on his way home from the convenience store when he finds himself transported to another world. As he’s lost and confused in a new world where he doesn’t even know left from right, the only person to reach out to him was a beautiful girl with silver hair. Determined to repay her somehow for saving him from his own despair, Subaru agrees to help the girl find something she’s looking for…
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
And with that, the battle against the White Whale(s) is over. And while the battle was short, it did wonders for the characterizations of all the combatants, mainly for the main heroes: Subaru and Wilhelm.
No one deserved to deliver that finishing blow more than Wilhelm van Astrea. The episode went back and forth between Wilhelm finishing the Whale and completing the flashback from last week in which young Wilhelm takes the sword from Thearesia. Seeing kisses and established relationships in anime is rare, and while it’s true that this relationship in particular is over, it still helps to make us feel even more for Wilhelm when he finally utters those three words out loud. Wilhelm’s wish for revenge has now been completed and, contrary to what many thought, it did not end up with his death.
As per Subaru, Crusch’s speech perfectly exemplifies the change our protagonist has gone through. Subaru is still weak, but that does not stop him from being a hero, he just has to approach things differently. He knows his limitations, and so he doesn’t grab a sword and try to imitate someone like Wilhelm like he would have done in the past. However, he’s the one responsible for organizing the hunt, luring in the Whale and raising everyone’s mood like a true leader would do. Because of these actions and his new attitude, he’s able to maintain his alliance with Crusch for the future, and has also earned the respect of others like Wilhelm, Ricardo and even Ferris.
The aftermath of the battle is beautiful and hopeful for what has been achieved, but also exciting and somewhat scary for the next mission: the Witch’s Cult. This time, Subaru won’t be accompanied by his loyal follower, Rem. This is something that will probably sadden many of the fans she’s obtained over the past few episodes, but at the same time I imagine it will also be a relief after everything she’s been through. Rem’s insistence in wanting to stay with Subaru is oddly reminiscent to Subaru wanting to stay with Emilia in the capital, with the exception that Rem’s wishes resemble more love and loyalty, rather than the unhealthy obsession Subaru evoked. We are used to seeing Rem being very open with her feelings for Subaru, and it’s gotten to a point where all their interactions are filled with so much love that it doesn’t even matter anymore whether it’s romantic or platonic. Subaru won’t be alone in this new mission, though. He will be followed by a group of mercenaries including Ricardo, Wilhelm, Ferris and, surprisingly, Julius. Here’s to hoping they can make up, forget about their previous rivalry, and work together like a team… because they’ll really need it.
In Summary:
“A Wager That Defies Despair” puts an end to the battle against the White Whale and presents a more hopeful future for Subaru and his new allies. It looks like the four remaining episodes will be focused on the primary mission: defeating Betelgeuse and the Witch’s cultists to save Emilia. Whatever happens next, it’s safe to assume that the series will keep surprising us until the very end.
Grade: A-
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
