Shingeki no Bahamut (Rage of Bahamut) – Virgin Soul: Season 1/ Episode 17 “Virgin Souls” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

As Lady Gabriel becomes frustrated with losing power and there is a question of where Azazel went, we get to watch Charioce and Nina bond over a day and fall deeper in love.

Nothing Is Going According To Plan: Lady Gabriel, Lady Sophiel, Jeanne

With El gone, Lady Gabriel has lost her one and one trump card against Charioce. But what makes things worse is how openly disobedient people are in front of her. She is supposed to be the head of the heavens yet this human, this human who claims to have faith, openly acts against her decisions. Something which makes her so mad she is left shaking.

But, what else is a mother to do? It is clear to Jeanne that El doesn’t trust any of these angels and doesn’t have plans to go along with their agenda. Plus, it isn’t like Jeanne is someone who is willing to sit on the sidelines and just tour the heavens for the rest of her days. She is a soldier, a strategist, and the place she is needed the most right now is not just with her son, but on the surface.

So, she makes a leap of faith. One leading to her barreling down toward the surface relying on the belief Lady Sophiel would catch her. Which she does. Leading her to emphasize with Bacchus due to her maybe falling for Jeanne – in a possible romantic way.

Commentary

I again wonder, are angels and demons separate or are we still following the lore or idea that demons come from angels? For that would explain why males run the demon world and females rule the heavens. Much less, why you don’t see a huge amount of female demons in existence and male angels pretty much are soldiers or whatever Bacchus was/is.

But perhaps the main thing I’m interested in is if Lady Gabriel may turn herself into a demon with due to her pursuit of power? For I think even Jeanne can see something is not right here. Why is her son talked about as a weapon when he is a person? Someone who technically bridges the divide between humanity and the gods?

Though she doesn’t openly question Gabriel, I do feel she knows that if she doesn’t get to her son first, there could be problems. After all, they were keeping her son locked up like an animal in a zoo habitat. And while it seems Jeanne sided with the gods when hearing El’s plans, that was because it was his words vs. the gods. So, naturally, a former Saint is going to go with the gods’ word. But now things are different.

Leading me to wonder, with Lady Sophiel going down and working with Jeanne, combined with El’s plans to forge a path on his own, could there be a civil war in the heavens? Maybe not like the one Lucifer had, but something similar?

Meeting El and Wondering Where Azazel Went: Rita, El (Mugaro), Kaisar, Nina

Just like in the heavens, El is being an ass. Kaisar tries to introduce himself quite nicely, and El acts like some moody teenager all of a sudden. As if going from Black hair to blonde lead to him severely becoming stuck up. Which is of little matter to those who call it out like Rita for what she is desiring is to information gather. Especially in terms of where Azazel went. For it seems, just as the gods, El, and even the demons, there is a real desire for balance once more and peace. Yet, unless all sides work together they know the cycle will only continue. That is, with one of the three races being on top, one oppressed, and another stuck in the middle. Something even Nina was going to help try to stop until she ran into Charioce.

Commentary

Something I forgot to mention is that Rita notes that Charioce’s wristband is a source of his power. So, with that in mind, that is going to be an aim for everyone. Also that Favaro is there and makes Kaisar a new hand. But, as noted in the last episode, when it comes to the Genesis characters, it sometimes feels like they are an afterthought in Virgin Souls.

To put it in a different way, while they seemed to be the catalyst to some things in Genesis, now they are like some of the townspeople. They are only reacting to what Nina forces them into. Which isn’t to say their own actions don’t matter, but more so that it seems they have fully taken a back seat and are playing supporting roles. Meanwhile, Nina is driving this show with either Charioce is riding shotgun or Rita – who sometimes takes the wheel.

Getting to Know You: Charioce, Nina

Chris and Nina, sort of officially, go on their 2^nd date. Which begins with Nina catching Charioce visiting his mother’s grave. Something he seems to do to strengthen his resolve. For, in the long run, he is just trying to make her proud. Live the life she envisioned for her boy – son of the then king. Especially since her life as a concubine ended as soon as she revealed she was pregnant.

But, as for what Charioce’s long term goal is? That isn’t revealed. If only because he wants to be his former self, his real self, the man his mother named him around Nina. He wants to walk the streets he likely grew up on, play football with kids, even demon kids, and just be a regular person. Someone who has the chance to fall in love with a girl.

However, the leader of the Onyx Knights may ruin all this. For his orders are to kill the red dragon, from Charioce himself [note]Though his eye twitched around the time of saying this so this may have been for appearances.[/note]. So when he sees Nina and Charioce together, and Nina shows how she has control of her transformation now, he comes to believe the red dragon has Charioce under a spell. One he plans to undo.

Commentary

What are the chances of a tragic ending here? For it seems Chris is having serious issues keeping both himself and the persona of Charioce alive and in the same body. So you have to wonder if, though likely when, Nina is confronted by the Onyx Knights for execution, who will appear in those moments? Will Chris save this woman he clearly loves or will Charioce eliminate the one thing alive which presents a weakness? Which weakens his resolve and goal that could very well kill him… It is rather hard to say.

Though, something I did find interesting is the way Chris was amongst the demons. The fact he wanted to go into the slums, much less interact with demons, never mind their children, seemed so off to me. He enslaves and nearly annihilated their people, yet he seemed genuinely interested in the culture and lives they built up.

But I was especially shocked when he removed all parts of his disguise while down there. While the knights were watching, it isn’t like demons don’t have magic. It isn’t like these kids may not have been told stories and may not have tried something. I get Chris has a bit of an ego, but my god!

And then comes one last thing to note: You got to wonder where Nina may stand if it isn’t her, but Charioce’s life on the line. Especially as the demons and gods look for retaliation. Much less El will probably seek him out for more than that bracelet. He may seek to take his life. For, as of now, who else but Charioce is causing an imbalance between the three fractions? Granted, Gabriel wants to be all powerful and the demons want to make a comeback, but both of them fear Charioce and have plans to wage war. So with him being the common denominator, it maybe clear, in El’s mind, who has to go.