The Faraway Paladin: The Lord of Rust Mountain

Episode 5

Faraway Paladin: The Lord of Rust Mountain episode 5 is an all-around crowd-pleaser with high stakes and heart to match.

The conversation between Stagnate, William, and Vindalfr opens the episode with a good dose of ominous mystery. I enjoyed this sequence, with the strange tenor of the conversation keeping the characters and the audience guessing as to Stagnate's true motives. Part of my enjoyment was the fact that this back-and-forth reminded me of similar scenes with Karla in Record of Lodoss War; a young hero beset by a powerful force who seems to help and hinder in equal measure but whose true motives are a mystery. It helps reinforce that the plight of mortals is separate from the plight of the gods and that the latter do not always behave in ways that make sense to the former.

We also get an excellent action sequence with William and Vindalfr in a field, facing monsters. There's some good hack-and-slash carnage with Stagnate being menacing nearby. The way William disarms then befriends the Jotunn is great too, further cementing Will's status as the best of lads. The Dragon Roar as a concept is also one I like, as it's a magical explanation that gives reason for the fantasy trope of a forest full of wandering beasties. No need to worry about realistic flora and fauna; dragon breath just makes lesser beings go wild and that's plenty of reason enough to be mindful of dangers.

It also adds pressure to Torch Town and adds another great bit of texture to William's tenure as the town leader. Sure, he's a good leader and has everyone's best interests at heart… but how does he protect the town and face the dragon? If he takes all the adventurers, the town is defenseless. However, if he goes in with too weak a force they get wiped out and the terror continues. It's a good external pressure that doesn't hinge on William's quality as a leader. Furthermore, the requests of the dwarves underline how doing the right thing isn't always the same as what the people want. Individuals and groups may have demands of their leaders that don't make the most logical sense, but that doesn't mean the leader can simply ignore them. It's a bit of realism by way of fantasy dwarves that I am glad to see here.

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Grant is the cohost on the Blade Licking Thieves podcast and Super Senpai Podcast.

Faraway Paladin: The Lord of Rust Mountain is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.