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Episode 10 “The Way She Was” illustrates the fall of Jeanne D’Arc. It takes us from her being this otherworldly knight to someone bested by demons and sniveling subordinates.
The Fall From Grace: Jeanne D’Arc, Charoice
Though the episode takes place 7 years back, what matters really happened 10 years back. That is when Jeanne D’Arc killed a God and lost her sainthood powers. Since that, while still a fierce warrior, she is a shell of her former self. She no longer can tackle any demon with ease. Now they can sneak up on her, kill the meek and defenseless, and she is but a figurehead. Even her subordinates can take her down in a sparring.
But the nail in her coffin comes with the rise of Charoice. Perhaps the first king with no intention of his crowning being blessed by the gods. Mostly because he believes in no gods. He finds the terrorizing by demons and worshipping of gods beneath men. So he plans to do away with them both. Something he wanted Jeanne to swear loyalty to but she refuses. For even after what she did, she still worshiped the gods.
Thus leading her to a path of repentance as she finds herself living outside of the city as a farmer.
Commentary
I watched season 1, or the prequel, a month ago. Yet, even with it being such a short time, I feel as lost as ever with this backstory. Not in terms of who Jeanne D’Arc is or her relevance. More so why this show keeps drawing vague maps when we need a bridge. For it almost feels like the show is trying to move on and not dwell on the past.
However, as it does that, it realizes Nina isn’t able to carry the show alone. So, in a hemming and hawing way, it decides to throw us a bone. “Here is Favaro and part of what happened after season 1. You wanted to see how Charoice became king? There! Are you happy now? What? Why is Jeanne D’Arc in prison? Why so many damn questions?” This is kind of the vibe I get. But really, with it being 10+ years between season 1 and 2, I don’t know why the writers are so stingy. Especially considering the episode count.
For really, Charoice just walking down a path, snatching a crown, and becoming king, it left me shifty eyed. He was a bastard child. Can someone explain the line of succession that led him to get to the throne? Much less, why all the beef with the gods? Is it because of how and due to his father dying? Could it be because they didn’t save his mother no matter how he prayed? There is the potential to say something deep here about faith but the show keeps side stepping it.
Then with Jeanne, while the kid being killed was heavy, as well as losing the respect of her underlings, again there is this vibe they could go further. She lost her sainthood due to killing a god but still has faith. More time could have been spent on this fear of the gods turning their back on her as she begs forgiveness.
But, for some reason, this season isn’t much about build. It wasn’t when it came to Azazel’s planned demon uprising, and surely isn’t when it comes to these flashbacks. Yet, there are still more than 10 episodes left so maybe more details will be forthcoming?
The Birth of El: Jeanne D’Arc
An immaculate birth. That is how El, Mugaro, comes to be. This is all after Jeanne D’Arc is exiled and is damn near starving for food. Yet, then comes this gift from Lord Michael given unto her with no instructions or reasoning. Well, maybe not no reasoning.
For, as established, El has the power to stop the Onyx nights in their tracks. With that, he is a deadly force. One which, with the heavens being sieged, perhaps was entrusted to Jeanne so he could mature. However, with time, the war came to Jeanne’s doorsteps. Thus leading her and El to run and eventually, her to do something drastic. She bathed him in demon blood to darken his hair [note]Leading to the question of how potent is demon blood? Surely the child has taken a bath and should be on his way to being blond again right?[/note]. Then, to further hide his identity, cut off his wings. Thus connecting how Azazel met Mugaro in that basement of enslaved demons.
Commentary
Again, the show sidesteps something quite interesting in a sort of appeasement way. They know, like with Favaro, they have to explain what the hell happened. However, rather than really flesh things out, there is a one episode answer. Which of course bugs me since the whole fall of the god’s thing was made to be so interesting in episode 1. So with it not bleeding into episode 2, there was the question of what happened? How come the crusade, or war, isn’t continuing?
Leading to the question: What is the state of the war? Are Charoice and the gods at a stalemate? It isn’t clear exactly how you get to the heavens, but surely he didn’t retreat right? Charoice seems too proud to ever do something like that. Reminding me to ask, who trained Charoice in combat? Again, bastard son of the king, so he likely didn’t get formal training. So did he just rise through the military? I have so many questions…
Hopes of Freedom: Jeanne D’Arc, Nina
With the gist of her story given, Nina is driven to tears. Thus leading her to vow to break them out of prison and for a guard to laugh an attempt off. This is despite her seeing what Nina previously has done.
Commentary
With Rita on her way, Nina being half dragon, and Favaro being sneaky, you know there are only one or two more episodes in the prison. From there though, where are we going to go? Will we be off to the heavens and see if Charoice has a front line against the gods? Will we simply watch, for a few episodes, them all being hunted and facing off against the Onyx soldiers? I know this post has more questions than anything else, but that’s a good thing. It is better to be in an excited state and asking questions like this than bored.
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