The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 4

Episode 6

Boy, I'm so glad the show is finally advancing the plot while simultaneously reminding me that it's just taking a detour that prevents me from enjoying it. I have so many questions about the first half of this episode because it felt like I was tricked into thinking that I was watching what should've been the season premiere. I don't know why the cast is back at Naofumi's village to regroup when he started the show with a party meant to go to Q'ten Lo. But after spending five episodes waiting for a boat, he just randomly decides that he needs to reshape the party? The show doesn't even really give a reason. Naofumi talks as if he's only just now deciding where everybody needs to go. What would've happened if he had just gotten on the boat in the first place? This whole situation screams of the author changing their mind after settling that mini arc with the white tiger siblings.

Speaking of the siblings, why were they giving food to the former king? They don't know that he's their uncle, right? The queen even confirms that, but his sister is their mom, so did they give him that dish knowing it would mean something to him? Was it Naofumi's idea? I don't know. The show is catching everybody up to speed before it advances with what should've been the real arc of this season, and I hope all these threads are tied up in the future. I'm sorry, but the queen's passing mention about how the kingdom of Siltvelt is now going to help during the battle with the Phoenix is not enough to justify dropping that on us. Speaking of, I'm never gonna see this Phoenix animated, am I?

For the rest of the episode, much of it was set up for the cast to visit this new land. I'm glad I got an explanation for why these beast folk in particular seem immune to the cardinal weapons and how much of this is tied to Raphtalia's family. I'm most curious about how her family ended up in such a dire situation that they needed to leave their home in the first place. I feel like that should be the emotional core of the rest of the season, right? However, given the way this show has progressed, I wouldn't be surprised if everything is suddenly about Sadeena's backstory or something, and Raphtalia has very little say on the matter. Why is this show so bad at keeping plot points together for the sake of telling what are ultimately just straightforward stories?

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