Shingeki no Bahamut – Virgin Soul: Season 1/ Episode 4 “Firestarter” – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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With every episode I watch of the first season, I come to understand what is happening here more. With that, you can understand the frustration of Azazel whose life was completely changed by the humans discarding former power dynamics. Much less embarrassing him as Lucifer’s right-hand man. Yet, in the quest to redeem himself, he continues to go after Charioce, even if it is alone, to return to a glorified state. Though he may end up dying a martyr rather than an accomplished hero at this rate.

Episode Focus: The Fall of Azazel (Nina, Azazel)

The embarrassed former right hand of lord Lucifer, what he would give for his legacy to not be that of a failure. However, no matter how much pain and passion he may have, he is not a one man army. He needs those like Nina [note]Who we learn is half dragon through her father[/note] on her side. Those, what he considers, small Bahamut like powers of hers, they turn the tides. They enable him to fight and possibly win. Yet, she can’t control her powers.

However, even after another forced retreat, Azazel plans to come back stronger. For with a rogue demon army toiling away in some underground area, he can have an army. One which, with Nina’s powers, he may be able to use to kill Charoice. That is if he can win them back after denying them his involvement earlier.

Commentary

The more I watch, the more I realize I need to set some real time aside to just marathon the first season to get the full experience of this one. For I’ve only recently learned what Azazel’s position was before and it makes his whole struggle in this season make more sense. His path of redemption can only be at the hands of saving the lowly demons and killing off the king of the humans. How else, after the seemingly defeat of Lord Lucifer can this man not be known as the coward? The one who sold himself into servitude to save his neck?

Yes, he may claim to be a double agent, and being the Rag Demon may help, but his name loses power day by day. So, with Azazel being a proud demon, even if he dies in the process, it seems he plans to fight for glory. A fight in which he wants his name to be etched in stone after with no help from the Holy Child Mugaro, for he wants it to be not just a win for him, but demons across their world.

Subplot 1: The Trust of the King (Charoice, Kaisar, Jeanne D’Arc)

With it seeming that Nina has no control over her strength and powers while a dragon, Kaisar risks his life to keep Charoice from meeting a fiery fate. Yet, even with the grand gesture, there remains some distrust. If only because Kaisar’s association with the rag demon leaves Charoice questioning his loyalty. Plus, with Kaisar claiming he is using his familiarity with Azazel in order to discover the Red Dragon, Charoice becomes firm in his belief that Kaisar is lying.

Yet, the trust of the king isn’t something Kaisar only worries about. Charoice himself is trying to gain someone’s trust, Jeanne D’Arc. Someone who seemingly refuses to fight alongside him and this causes no lack of ire. For together, they could eradicate but this seemingly is not what she wants. So, she remains locked up and Charoice notes that he will kill her child, who assumingly is Mugaro, but be gracious enough to let her see him first.

Commentary

Charoice is a difficult character to judge. You can call him cruel and inhumane for his treatment of demons, yet humanity was at the bottom of the totem pole so long that can you blame him for taking advantage of this sudden usurp of power? He is securing the safety and sanity of humans for generations. One in which neither god nor demon may look down on humanity and see them as servants.

Now, you could argue that with humanity knowing the feeling of being under the boot, why should they repeat the sins of the past? Well, because it has been long proved co-existence cannot work. Man, god, and demon were long segregated yet both god and demon spilled into the human world. Thus leading to both sides using their otherworldly abilities to dominate. So, why allow some semblance of peace and co-existence which would then need just one angel or demon who misses the old way of things? All it takes is one. With that one, they can inspire a whole race and make things as they used to be.

So can you blame the way Charoice rules? Even if it calls for imprisoning some of his own to maintain the power and pedestal of humans? For, lest we forget, divide and conquer remains the best way to destroy any army. So when it comes to someone like Jeanne D’Arc, it is better to be safe than sorry.