The Holy Grail of Eris

Episode 11

Is anyone who they seem? After this episode, you'd be forgiven for thinking not. Even characters who appear to be as straightforward as possible aren't entirely truthful with who they are, although in the cases of Connie and Scarlett, that's not because they're actively deceiving anyone but themselves. When Brenda, the girl from the ball in the first episode, comes to tell Constance that people are fighting for her release and a stay of execution, she thanks Constance for saving her back then. When Connie begins to object, to say that it was Scarlett who saved Brenda, not Connie, Brenda stops her. In her mind, only one person stood up for her, and that was Constance Grail.

I think that's true, even though Scarlett was technically possessing Connie at the time. It's not that Scarlett took over because Connie couldn't do what needed to be done, it's more that she showed Constance the way. And Scarlett's words weren't insincere, either. Her eyes may have been gazing out at the world, but that was pure Grail sincerity in that moment – and with Scarlett's example, we've seen Connie act on her own ever since. Scarlett steps in when she has to or when asked, but ultimately it's still Connie doing the asking and the acting. The culmination of this came last week, when she confessed to other peoples' crimes and broke off her engagement with Randolph: Scarlett's boldness married to Constance's sincere desire to protect others. And now that Scarlett seems to be acting solely to save Connie rather than to carry out her revenge, it looks like that same marriage of elements is bearing fruit.

It's interesting to think that Viscount Hammsworth may be the only person who has never pretended to be other than himself. He's a hedonist, yes, and he's been around the block, but he's always been acting in his own best interests. He didn't step up to help Connie until Scarlett asked, nor did he acknowledge that he could see Scarlett all along. He does what's requested and required of him and nothing more. You can damn him as a corrupt nobleman or clergyman, but you can't accuse him of not always showing the world exactly who he is.

That's frankly refreshing given just how many secret identities and double-crosses are revealed this week. If The Holy Grail of Eris has had one persistent fault, it's that it's trying to cram too much into too few episodes. As we approach the end of the story, that results in far too many secrets being unveiled too quickly, like Cecilia's actual backstory and the plan about the Farisian princess. It also means that characters like little Lucia get short shrift. She may be a minor character, but she is going above and beyond to protect Ulysses, to the point where Cecilia's minions think she needs to die along with Connie. Imagine being such a threat to politics at age ten (or so) that they feel you need to be murdered; while it says nothing good about the people who would execute a child, it also tells us a lot about just how much of a thorn in their collective side Lucia is. Connie may be sincere, but Lucia is badass.

The wheels are turning faster now. Connie's execution is set for tomorrow, her father has proved his own sincerity by refusing to renounce her, Cecilia's plans are turning to ash, and all of the masks are, if not off, at least slipping. If Enrique is, in fact, dead, I have to think that's what he wanted, consumed by his guilt for what happened ten years ago. Will the goddess of discord's grail be filled to the brim with blood? Or will someone spill it and finally put the past to rest?

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The Holy Grail of Eris is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.