[DreamSword]

Episode XVII: Snow Fall

I had to screencap that moment just because how foreign of an expression that is on Leon. Like, wow.

Also it's funny that the episode where I ask "who the heck are the Knights' bosses and where the heck is their base" is literally right before this episode, which answers that very question.

They're the Watchdogs, and they have magical gates all over the place.



It also, surprisingly, answered my question about Zaruba! He did infact make a new pact with Alfonso. Stuff like this might seem small to other viewers, but for me? I'm just glad that the writers bothered to answer stuff like this. It's nothing super in-depth, but it definitely shows that they're paying attention to their own work.

In this episode, Leon and Alfonso are reunited. What follows is essentially a much more in-depth version of the scene we got between Emma and Leon a couple episodes ago, and it's just as great as that one is. Like Emma, Alfonso actually praises Leon, congratulating him on being able to find a place to call home as well as people that he could connect with and be willing to protect.

Unfortunately, although Leon has now accepted that he's no longer a part of the Knighthood, that doesn't mean the Makai Realm is just going to leave him alone. And I'll admit, while I did see what was coming, it didn't make what happened hurt any less. Tragedy strikes, and in yet another JRPG comparison for me to make, I will say that this anime did a great twist on the "doomed hometown" aspect a ton of classic RPGs use; Having it happen in the middle instead of the start.

It's understandable how hard Leon takes the entire experience, and as messed up as it sounds out of context, it was good to see Alfonso took the experience hard too. Not only does it show he truly cares about the people of his kingdom as well as his family, but you can tell full stop that he blames himself for what happened. Infact, both cousins do. The entire event plays out with everyone in character and everyone doing exactly what you'd expect them to do in the given situation. No sudden out-of0character lapses in judgment to be found.

The main strength of this show so far as been the character writing and interactions, and that definitely didn't change with this episode. And I hope it keeps going strong as we move forward.