Overlord IV

Episode 10

With all the tales of betrayal amidst the preparations for the looming final battle, you'd be forgiven for missing what this episode is really about: how Ainz has changed since arriving in the fantasy world.

While Ainz may be surrounded by those who adore him, he doesn't have any real friends that he could really confide in. His minions will agree with anything he says since he is literally their god. Yet, at the same time, he's afraid to reveal his true thoughts to them lest they figure out he's not the divine existence he purports to be. Likewise, his attempts at befriending another ruler also fall flat due to Emperor Jircniv seeing Ainz's every action as a threat with layers of hidden meaning.

Ironically, it's his enemy in this episode that is the closest thing to a real friend Ainz has gotten since he arrived in this world. Zanac is a man who has nothing to lose. He, his men, and his entire kingdom face genocide. Their feeble resistance will do nothing to slow Ainz's forces. This means he is free to drop all pretense and ask Ainz the question no one else dares to: “Why?” Of course, there is the immediate, strategical answer: a brutal show of force to demonstrate what will happen to any nation that opposes Ainz. But what Zanac wants to really know is Ainz's personal stake in the whole affair—his ultimate goal—which causes Ainz to re-evaluate himself.

The original reason for Ainz's actions was to see if any of his other guildmates and dearest friends from the real world had come to the fantasy world as well. But now, his goal has shifted. He wants to create a world where his subjects—which is all that's left of his friends as far as he is concerned—are happy, safe, and secure. He will go to any measure to make this a reality, even if he has to erase an entire country and its people from the map.

This need to attain happiness for their respective peoples is something that both Ainz and Zanac share—and both know the weight of the responsibility that comes with it. When it comes down to it, they are fighting each other for the same reason. They are able to understand each other and see in the other the makings of a great king (all while worrying they themselves don't have what it takes). Both know that Ainz will win—and granting a quick and painless death to this man who could have, in another lifetime, been his friend is a gift Ainz is more than willing to give. It is a sign of respect to one Ainz sees as an equal.

This is why Ainz does what he did to the traitorous nobles and their families at the end of the episode. Few have been the times we've seen Ainz truly angry. However, the easiest way to stoke his rage is to harm his friends or dishonor their memories. These men prevented Ainz from giving his would-be friend the painless death he promised. So, Ainz decides to make sure the man's killers would have the most painful ones he could imagine—and make sure that the soldiers who failed to protect him would get a violent death as well.

Rating:

Random Thoughts:

• What I wouldn't give to hear Renner's thoughts during her final conversation with her brother. (I wonder if that's in the book?)

• I have to say, I preferred last episode's translation “Vermillion Drop” to this episode's “Drop of Red.”

• I'm assuming that Azuth is the man in the mecha suit...he doesn't seem to be a player though.

• I can't help but wonder: who are the other members of Drop of Red, and what are they doing?

• Look at the Theocracy trying to scoop up all the displaced, powerful adventurers.

• I'm in love with the character design for “Infinite Magic” (as the wiki calls her). But then again, I admit that I have a thing for any character with a stupidly oversized witch's hat.

• I wonder if Marquis Raeven really did switch sides to protect his family—or was leaving his territory alone a feint by Demiurge to make everyone believe Raeven was a traitor.

• I wonder if Albedo and Mare understand why Ainz is sending the traitorous nobles to a slow, torture-filled death. Probably not.

Overlord IV is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Richard is an anime and video game journalist with over a decade of experience living and working in Japan. For more of his writings, check out his Twitter and blog.