Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Season 2

Episode 1

This season doesn't start off with a bang. Nor does it double down on the series' heartwrenching mix of joy and sadness, where current circumstances cause Frieren to realize something about Himmel's importance in her life thirty years too late. This is because, when it comes down to it, this episode isn't about the immortal elf. It's about Stark.

Stark plays an interesting role in Frieren's current party. Unlike her original journey north, where both Himmel and Eisen stood between her and danger, Stark is the sole front-liner in the party. More dangerous still, their party lacks a healer—so if Stark fails to protect the mages, there's no safety net.

Up until now, this hasn't really been an issue. With two of the most powerful mages of the age around, the times he has actually needed to “protect them” (read: run interference while they cast spells) can be counted on a single hand.

However, in the front half of this episode, Stark finds himself not only the sole means of defense but the sole means of attack. Inside the cave, Frieren and Fern's magic is nonexistent. To them, it feels like being blind. This puts all the pressure on Stark—and reminds him of the time he ran away and left his brother to die. Stark is terrified that he is a coward, that he will run away again without meaning to—this time leaving Frieren and Fern to die.

Luckily, Frieren is there to remind him of an important truth: there's nothing wrong with running away from danger. It's not shameful; it's smart. If he decides they need to run, then all they need to do is run away together. And when they encounter a dragon that appears to be hard to beat in their current situation, that is what they do.

However, the important thing to notice is, despite his low view of himself, Stark doesn't just run in a mad scramble; he takes the time to pick Frieren and Fern up and carry them physically to safety—putting the responsibility for saving them all on himself. And luckily, it all works out.

While the first half is about how Stark views himself, the second half is about how others view him. During the escape from the dragon, we see via flashback that Frieren sees Stark as a mixture of Himmel and Eisen. While he carries the scars of a self-proclaimed coward, he nonetheless puts himself in the line of fire to save others. And like with Himmel, she knows she can trust him to keep her out of physical danger—if only by a hair's breadth.

Meanwhile, Wirbel sees Stark for his martial talent. He knows Stark would be a great help in the fight against the demons. However, the issue is that he doesn't see the fear and self-loathing underneath. Both Frieren and Fern not only see him for who he truly is but also put their trust in him anyway. They make him feel like he could be more—even if being the lone man in the party bites him in the butt every once in a while.

And lastly, we come to Fern. She sees Stark as the one man who will never let her down when it really matters. They may bicker and clash due to their different personalities, but that doesn't mean there isn't a far deeper connection that keeps them together. When running away from the dragon, she closes her eyes and prays. But she doesn't clasp the holy symbol around her neck—she grabs onto the bracelet that Stark gave her. She puts her trust not in god to save her but the man carrying her—the man she has come to know and perhaps even love in her emotionally stunted way.

All in all, the season is off to a solid start by giving the spotlight to the character most overlooked in the back half of last season. Next week, we'll get introduced to my favorite character in all of Frieren: The Hero of the South.

Rating:

Random Thoughts:

• I've always seen Stark as a cross between Himmel and Eisen. He's got Himmel's kind heart and Eisen's trauma. It makes me wonder if he could have pulled the sword from the stone.

• Fern Travels super light. Her only personal items are her necklace, her hair accessory, her bracelet, and her staff—and each of them carries a deep personal meaning to her.

• Of course, Himmel would take every opportunity to rescue Frieren—even if carrying Eisen was the logical choice.

• At first, I wondered why magic-nullifying crystals weren't more widely used—even if they are rare. But then I remembered, we're in an age where, rather than using magic to attack directly, it is more often used to alter your environment. Earth spikes from the ground or an ocean of water falling from the sky wouldn't disappear just because you were holding one of these crystals.

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Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Season 2 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.