Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation: Season 2/ Episode 12 “I Want To Tell You” – Recap and Review

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General Information

This section Includes information about the Director, Writer, and Cast.

Release Date (Crunchyroll)	September 24, 2023
Director(s)	Yoshitsugu Kimura, Tomoaki Takatsudo
Writer(s)	Toshiya Ono
Previously Noted Characters and Cast
Rudy	Yumi Uchiyama
Sylphie	Ai Kayano
Luke	Okitsu Kazuyuki
Ariel	Ueda Reina

Plot Recap

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Better, But Not Fixed – Rudy, Sylphie

In the heat of the moment, Rudy is able to get an erection, but no sooner does it rise does it become flaccid, and Rudy has to explain himself. As with the Sara situation, he feels embarrassed, and to avoid the insults and condemnation, he immediately apologizes, leading to Sylphie easing the situation so that, even if they don’t have sex together, they can enjoy the evening and the morning after.

A Gift To My Cousin – Luke, Ariel, Sylphie, Rudy

With Sylphie really wanting to become an adult via having sex, she talks about what happened with Luke and Ariel. Almost immediately, Ariel laughs, but, to much surprise, Luke defends his cousin, if not men in general. Now, he doesn’t confess to ever having notable issues himself, but he makes it clear it is normal and fixable.

This leads Ariel and Luke to take things further. Luke gets an elixir he was saving for a rainy day, since it is worth 100 gold coins, and Ariel takes Sylphie shopping for new underwear and coaches her on how alcohol could help. The idea is that between the alcohol making everyone less self-conscious and the drink, which will make Rudy hard and horny and could also make Sylphie in the mood as well, while she may not have her first time be getting made love to, she will have sex.

Which is what happens off-screen.

Finishing Up One Chapter And Planning The Next – Luke, Ariel, Sylphie, Rudy

But, the good times nearly turned sour the following morning as Rudy woke up and Sylphie wasn’t there. This triggered feelings of Eris’ abandonment, but luckily, Sylphie stepped away to thank Luke and Ariel. Her return leads to Rudy breaking down into tears. Not just for Sylphie’s return but also due to him seemingly no longer being impotent.

Yet, with confessing their love for one another and having sex, so comes the question of what is next? Rudy notes he still needs to find out how the mass teleportation event happened, reunite with his family, and help others. So, for a little while longer, he will be at the university. However, what after?

Well, the answer is, Sylphie would come with him and, in exchange, Rudy would owe Ariel a favor. One will clearly be geared towards the politics Rudy tries to avoid, but he notes that if his “beloved” is involved, he will make an exception. So, with that established, Ariel allows Rudy to use her name to further his goals, and she makes it clear she’ll use his to further her own.

Oh, and Rudy proposes to Sylphie, and she accepts. Thus completes the first cour with Rudy engaged, Sylphie getting to put Mr. Fitz to rest, and the promise of politics coming in swinging in the second half, combined with multiple reunions.

Questions Left Unanswered

Who Is Ariel Getting Spending Money From?

With no update from back home, there is a need to ask who is sending her money? Is it her brother to keep the peace? The man who helped her getaway? You’d think with her in some form of exile, she’d be cut off.

Review

Notable Performances or Moments

Luke Sticking Up For His Cousin, Yet Not Doing A Complete 180

Being that Luke hasn’t shown much if any, notable love for Rudy, never mind the Greyrat side of his family, him sticking up for his cousin, to the princess of all people, was a surprise. Especially since he went to the extent of shaming her to the point of her apologizing profusely to him and to Sylphie. To me, this was perhaps the final paragraph of Rudy’s erectile dysfunction arc for someone finally pushed he needn’t be ashamed of it and sympathized with him.

Mind you, he did do as Sol did and sought a quick fix, but an elixir is far better than pushing for Rudy to get with a sex worker. However, I should note that while he did stick up for his cousin, he did throw some subtle shots at Sylphie regarding her boyish figure, which showed while Luke can be nice, he is still very much a blood relation to the Greyrats when it comes to being attracted to certain kinds of women.

Highlights

Avoiding Rudy Getting Bullied For Having ED

I swear to you, when Ariel was laughing about Rudy’s ED, I feared she would spread that around, if not Luke, since it seemed he was never fond of Rudy or his side of the family. Luckily, they neither spread that around nor blackmailed him. Thus avoiding Rudy reliving past trauma.

How Sylphie Handled Rudy Having ED

Yes, Sylphie decided to make an effort to fix Rudy’s ED because she wanted to have sex, but at the same time, I feel that with her accepting him without penetration, that was when the healing began. Never mind, when he licked, nibbled, did something to her ear, I think that was the beginning of him exploring beyond arousal being strictly through the genitals.

To me, the playfulness of that, and even the chest grab towards the end, made it so Rudy was pushed to recognize there is more than one way to get Sylphie in the mood, hot and bothered, if not off. Now, whether that will mean exploring her body more in the second half? Maybe even doing cunnilingus? It is hard to say since “Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation” is not a sexually graphic show.

Rudy’s Feelings the Morning After

What this season has predominately focused on is Rudy’s healing from the trauma of season 1. So when Sylphie wasn’t there the morning of, you could see in Rudy’s face the struggle between being glad he was able to have sex again, yet also reconciling that with, again, after an emotional apex, he was alone the morning after.

Which made it so when Sylphie showed up, and he got emotional, I’m not going to pretend I didn’t get teary-eyed as well. For while Sylphie abandoning him seemed unlikely, anything could happen. Ariel could have been kidnapped or attacked, thus leading to Sylphie having to go. Never mind, Sylphie has built up this fantasy for more than a decade, and, with getting it out of her system, maybe she would feel awkward that, as soon as she climaxed, her feelings went away after?

Thankfully, that wasn’t the case, but, as shown throughout the episode, there were many opportunities for things to turn left, and being that things are rarely perfect in Rudy’s world, they had to be kept in mind.

Promises Of What’s To Come

From learning what caused the mass teleportation event, reuniting with Zenith, and seeing Rudy be someone’s boyfriend for the first time in his lives, much is promised for the future. Add Ariel likely using Rudy to reclaim her throne, which means him being dragged into all the political drama put on the back burner; I’m quite excited for what is to come.

On The Fence

The Sudden Proposal

However, what wasn’t exciting was the sudden proposal. Yes, Rudy has known Sylphie for most of his existence, and they just had good sex and love each other. Yet, I feel like the build-up to them having sex leading to an engagement soon after just felt rushed.

Now, granted, I’d be the first one to hate them dragging something out, and who is to say this engagement won’t be a long one, considering Rudy doesn’t necessarily know how marriage works for elves or humans. Never mind, there are so many more important things before walking down the aisle or having kids.

But either way, while the cart is put before the horse, here is to Rudy getting to explore romance for the first time.

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