What a family friendly episode to commemorate Christmas, don't you think?
Before of anything, can we think how we are already halfway through the anime? It's going by so fast!
I honestly thought this episode would go in a different way. I thought we would already get the end of the story of this generation, and the very start of the next one, ending that way the 1st cour, but Orb, once again surprised me.
First, Oczy would have won against Nowak if he didn't have backkup, so yeah, GO OCZY!
Then we got a more metaphorical scene with Oczy and his teacher (the same one that made him traumatized if I'm not mistaken), where Oczy ends up realizing that all he wants is Freedom, Freedom from those eyes that are always looking down on him from the sky, Freedom from this "Almost Hell" that Earth supposedly is, Freedom from having to always worry about what is coming up next, and if he's heading to heaven. And this Freedom comes with the heliocentrism theory, because it gives him (and the whole population I feel like) a different perspective from Earth, and start questioning the "rules" that Nowak mentioned. This scene is really impactful, because we can see that this theory is much more than just a scientific theory for those that like astronomy, but it's also that is going to be important for the social development of the society too.
I was really surprised to see that Badeni actually got caught! That scene where they show Oczy's face, and then cut to Oczy's face all beaten down, it was CRUEL. After 1 week of being unconscious, he didn't deserve that.
It's interesting to see that Nowak still remembers Rafal from 10 years ago, and that he feels like he has been negligent about his work, for not being able to find out Rafal's research, that lead up to his own daughter being involved. But in all this, one thing I can be sure of: Oczy's last speech to Badeni made him change up his mind, and I'm sure he got caught while having a plan, for the research to continue, by the hands of others. And I even think that Badeni wanted to get caught too, to not let Oczy be the only one too, but it might have been because he didn't have time. But the treatise that he left with the inquisition surely is something to distract them from the real deal.
The episode ends showing that Badeni was right when he said that they had to be ready for the eternal nightmare of torture... Poor Oczy, he didn't deserve this, but at the same time, it seems like he's more at peace with himself now, that he was back in episode 4, which is really interesting.
For those that didn't check out, it's still spoilerly, but I recommend rewatching the first 30 seconds of the 1st episode! It will make the ending of this episode much darker... (but of course, SPOILERS).
Anyways, I wonder if they're changing the opening and the ending next episode. Although it doesn't feel the the 1st cour is "over", we are at episode 13, so it's common for them to change the openings and endings around this time. But at the same time, I really doubt they are changing the ending. Madhouse didn't do that with Frieren, and this ending in particular is not only having a lot of success, but the way they designed it seems like it's ready to have the next generation on it, since in episode 2 only Rafal appeared in the 3 shots they have of characters walking, now they have Rafal, followed by Oczy and Badeni, and then Oczy, Badeni and Jolenta, so I suppose when the 3rd generation comes, it's going to be Rafal -> Oczy, Badeni, Jolenta -> New characters
Or maybe they'll just change everything, who knows. But I'm curious. The opening isn't still on Spotify, so it's kinda sad if we aren't seeing it anymore, and I can't even listen to it on Spotify.
Talking about Jolenta, I wonder what will happen to her...
I was really happy to see that Badeni ended up protecting her in the end, when initially he was ready to use her as a shield. I wonder if she's going to be the piece to make this research continue to move on and pass to the next generation! I just hope she doesn't die (since Oczy and Badeni seem like they aren't going to be lucky in that aspect...), but with this anime you really can't trust anything. |