Isekai Quartet 3

Episode 10

This episode is the first half of our climax to the season. As expected, the morning glories grown by magic escape the ground and attack our heroes during their concert performance. However, given that Class 2 is full of isekai heroes with nearly godlike powers, they can defeat the mutant flowers without even pausing their performance.

The tension in the episode comes from how the world restricts the rest of the classes. As member of the audience, they can't do anything that would “ruin” the performance. This leaves them unable to interfere until the concert is over—even in the face of both morning glory plant monster attacks. ...Or, at least, that's how it appears to be at first.

While weapons and offensive magic are denied to them, we see early on that Naofumi is still able to cast his Air Strike Shield. This gives us the hint that skills or magic that help the performance are allowed. This is why, when the piano music is destroyed, Cid can come on stage and play the part from memory despite being in Class 1. This is, additionally, 100% in-character for Cid as he learned to play the piano in preparation for enigmatic moments like these back in his first life. Likewise, he can cast “I am 'Ode to Joy' Atomic” because blowing up the gym allows our heroes to better confront the giant zombie morning glory (as many of them fly in combat) and thus complete their performance.

The other notable part of the episode is the quiet talk between CZ Delta and Alpha. CZ Delta has gotten close to the truth about this world and how it has affected our heroes. This silly school life has given our heroes something they do not receive in their respective worlds: understanding. Ainz, Kazuma, Tanya, and Subaru are each isolated in their isekai-ness (though in Kazuma's case, this seems to be largely by choice, as there are other Japanese people in the KONOSUBA world). They have no one to talk to about living life in Japan or about being forced to live a new one in a fantasy world.

But in Isekai Quartet, they have bonded with others like themselves. Ainz can nerd out about games and other otaku things and not worry about his minions turning on him. Tanya can talk with Ainz about being put into a body not their own—and even about working a corporate job. Meanwhile, both Kazuma and Subaru are kids who had once given up on going to school. As CZ Delta states, something new can be born in the Isekai Quartet world that could never have existed in any of the fantasy worlds, simply thanks to the fact that our heroes have befriended one another.

However, it's important to remember that Alpha is objectively right about Ainz. Even though he's not part of the Diablos Cult, he is the closest thing to a living devil in the Overlord world—not only causing bloody war after bloody war but also killing thousands with his own magic. But in this world, you can't let the knowledge of your previous world rule your actions. Alpha has to realize that this world works fundamentally different to her own—that what was a villain in one world can be a hero in this one.

Rating:

Random Thoughts:

• I'm calling it now, the ultimate joke to end this season will be Yunyun winning the competition and getting to go home while Megumin has to stay behind with everyone else.

• My favorite little joke of the episode? When Yuri Alpha hits Lupusregina Beta for picking a fight with Delta, Delta braces herself to be hit by Alpha—only for Alpha to not be there.

• The CZ Delta and Alpha scene is doubly fun once you realize both are played by Asami Seto.

• Within the Overlord lore, it makes sense that CZ Delta would be the one to look for Alpha. Not only is she one of the two battle maids who doesn't hate humans (or elves in this case), she also loves “cute things” (which includes super serious, fanatical young women).

Isekai Quartet 3 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.