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Plot Recap
Saying Our Goodbyes – Sylphie, Cliff, Nanohoshi, Rudy, Elinalise, Norn, Aisha
With the decision made, originally, Rudy was thinking of just leaving unannounced. When he spoke to Elinalise, who decides to come with him, she was planning on doing the same. However, both relent and give proper goodbyes.
This might be the best thing Rudy could have done, for when he says goodbye to Nanohoshi, she reveals the existence of teleportation circles. With that, instead of it taking roughly 16 months, depending on what Rudy and Elinalise would face in Begaritt and on their way there and back, Rudy could be back by the time Sylphie gives birth.
While this is good news, teleportation is a sore subject for all. Sylphie hasn’t forgotten what teleportation did to her life last time, and the partly-reserved Elinalise makes it seem she has had her own bad experiences. But, with the promise of a quicker return, Norn and Aisha vowing to help Sylphie, and giving Rudy’s kid a temporary name of Rudeus Jr. until he returns to give a proper one, off Elinalise and Rudy go.
With, by the way, a more flexible chastity belt for Elinalise.
It’s Hard Out There, Alone, In The Desert – Rudy, Elinalise
Which, ultimately, only does so much. Elinalise, after going through the transport and traveling the Begaritt desert with Rudy, does have one night of weakness, and, in her defense, Rudy did too. The smell of a succubus nearly lures him to his death, never mind tempts him to take advantage of Elinalise. Luckily, Elinalise is well-traveled, hates the smell of succubus, and kills it before Rudy is harmed.
However, it isn’t lost on her how Rudy dirty talks, and while technically his grandmother-in-law, the two maintain their almost brother-sister relationship as they continue to travel and fight entities in the desert. But, with a reminder that Elinalise is far older and has a history with Paul, there are moments she reminds viewers there is far more to her than we have been let in on thus far.
We Have Arrived – Rudy, Elinalise
But, by the end of the episode, it seems they reach the Labyrinth City of Rapan, where Zenith allegedly is. Which leads to the question, with things being relatively easy up until this point, should we be worried about what comes next?
Cast Guide
| Character’s Name | Actor’s Name |
| Sylphie | Ai Kayano |
| Cliff | Ryota Osaka |
| Nanohoshi | Ruoshan Shiyin |
| Rudy | Yumi Uchiyama |
| Elinalise | Rie Tanaka |
| Norn | Yuki Takada |
| Aisha | Saya Aizawa |
Review
Highlights
Some Good Action
From fighting scorpions, succubus, and even two gryphons, while the fight scenes may have been short, both Rudy and Elinalise got to showcase their talent and remind viewers that, for a long time, this was a show that had a focus on combat.
Wondering If We May Ever Learn Paul and Elinalise’s Secrets
With Elinalise being decades, perhaps even a century old, there is a lot to know about her, and as shown by the recent reveal that she is Sylphie’s grandmother and talk of being kicked out of the world elves live in, there is much to learn.
So, with no longer being in Ranoa University but out in the world, so comes the hope that one of Rudy’s closest friends may get a moment in the sun and the things she often keeps close to the chest get revealed. If not a detour to places she has long sidestepped, triggering character development for one of our favorite elves.
Feeling Things Are Going Too Easy
In many ways, this episode felt like a warm-up. Rudy and Elinalise got to Rapan quickly, any fights they had were quickly squashed, and it all seemed like a transition episode since just having Rudy and Elinaline pop up in Rapan would have been jarring.
So, with that in mind, it has to lead you to ask, what’s next? Man-God warned Rudy but didn’t give specifics. Are we going to learn Rudy is too late? Will he see one of his parents dead? Could the letters have been forged, and someone from Rudy’s days as a member of Day End wanted revenge?
The anticipation is building, for it feels like something notable is bound to happen, and hopefully, the show won’t skip a week again and make us wait.
Background Information
| Episode Title | Desert Journey |
| Release Date | May 26, 2024 |
| Network | Crunchyroll |
| Director(s) | Tomoaki Takatsudo |
| Writer(s) | Kohei Urushihara |
| Previous Episode | Season 2/ Episode 18 |
| Series Page | Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation |
| Character Guide | Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Cast & Character Guide |
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