Shingeki no Bahamut (Rage of Bahamut) – Virgin Soul: Season 1/ Episode 21 “Vengeance” – Overview/ Recap (with Spoilers)

The fate of El (Mugaro) is revealed, and it takes us one step forward to what maybe the final battle between the gods, demons, and mankind.

The Traitor Alessand: Alessand, Azazel, Favaro, Kaisar, Nina, Jeanne, Rita

So, Alessand kills El (Mugaro) in cold blood. Favaro sees him run off and brings El to Rita in hopes that he can be saved. Alas, even despite being a holy child, he dies as overly dramatic music plays in the background. This leads to Azazel and Kaisar fighting, due to Azazel believing it was Kaisar’s allies that got the did the job. Then, to make things worse, after Favaro reveals it was likely Alessand, the idea Charioce gave the order is floated around. With that in mind, Jeanne is ready for vengeance. Especially since, way back in episode 11, likely earlier, Charioce threatened to kill El (Mugaro) to Jeanne’s face.

But what makes this situation truly bad is that it was for naught. For when Alessand decides to run to join the Onyx Knights, their leader decides to humor him. He shows the gem he has to have implemented and shows how some people die to become Onyx Knights. Leading the coward to back away and realize he killed El (Mugaro) for nothing.

Preparations for War: Nina, Jeanne, Azazel

Jeanne returns, with Sophiel, to the land of the gods and walks up on the still sulking Lady Gabriel with purpose. She reveals her son is dead and she will lead a rebellion. Which brings a twisted smile to Lady Gabriel’s face. Leading to Jeanne seemingly becoming a saint again and announcing to mankind her intentions.

Meanwhile, Azazel goes to see Lucifer to convince him to take up arms as well. Problem is, Lucifer has little desire to be part of two losing battles so he dismisses the idea. However, with the idea that it will be a two on one against mankind, and hearing Jeanne’s announcement, he calls all of his generals to prep for war.

Leaving Nina. As before, she tries to suppress her feelings and uses cleaning as a means to cope. However, with seeing El’s body the way Rita left it, that triggers something. It reminds her of how she saw her father, after he died, and it leads to her asking Favaro if he thinks what everyone says is true. Of which he can’t confirm or deny, but with what he has done thus far, it makes Nina’s mind clear. She will have to stop, by one means or another, Charioce.

Highlights

The Death of a Major Character and The Call To Action It Triggers

For quite some time now it has seemed Shingeki no Bahamut – Virgin Soul has gone under the radar. I rarely see it mentioned and even when I go onto Amazon to watch episodes, it isn’t like some shows which have tons of one line to multi-paragraph reviews. A part of me wants to attribute that to it being one of the first major, at the time of its release, programs for Amazon Strike, but as noted before, the main problem may be that it is consistent.

Something which usually is a good thing. However, consistency with this show has been that it never got worse but there haven’t really been any spikes either. Maybe around the time Favaro finally appeared there was a little pop, but there was never really that moment where you had to gush to anyone and everyone about this show.

Which makes El’s death such an important thing. For, if I recall right, even in the first season, we didn’t really get a major death. People lost their limbs, yes, Amira did disappear but no one we were asked to grow attached to died. So with El’s death, it creates quite a stir. That is, despite him being a new character. Since now this central figure to most of the cast gives everyone a passionate reason to go after Charioce. Something that before, let’s be real, there wasn’t a strong reason to do so. Yeah, in Eibos is something overpowered that can do massive damage. Yet, at the same time, the consistency of this show caused such complacency that it is like hearing your little cousin got suspended from school, which happens every year. You just hunch and keep it moving.

So I’m really looking forward to the moment where we have demons and gods facing Charioce and this ancient weapon which seems to be from before Gods and Demons came to Anatae. Which is something I still cannot fathom, but what shows really dive deep into their mysticism and creation theory? Especially if that isn’t central to the plot?

On The Fence

The Overly Dramatic Music Playing as Rita Tries To Save El (Mugaro)

Maybe it is just me, but I felt like the dramatic hymn music which played as Rita was trying to save El was overkill.

Alessand

I appreciate Alessand’s part in this yet also feel like him killing El should have been built up better. Not the actual act but why he did it. For while it has been established he wanted prestige and all that, I feel like we were given too shallow of an answer to understand why he killed a child. A holy child at that.

Now, if it was explained his family may have status but are low on the totem pole and he wanted to raise their rank, that might make sense. Maybe that, similar to Kaisar’s father, his family got stripped of their status because of something that was done, again, then his desperation would make sense. However, with what little we know about him, he ultimately just feels like an ends to a means to make it so the final episodes have some oomph.