Episode 24 of Frieren Beyond Journey’s End has premiered and it unfolds with an ongoing exploration of the king’s tomb. Needless to say, this episode surely continues to deliver the hype regarding the clones of the examinees entering the fray. I mentioned in the last review the strategy of Wirbel and his team in taking down their replicas. By engaging against the replicas they think they can win against, they demonstrate effective teamwork and showcase the depth of strategy involved in the first-class mage exams.
Übel’s clever tactics against her own replica stole the show. There were a lot of amazing frames from her fight and fans of the characters were eating good. She also proved that fighting your own replica doesn’t result in a stalemate as it may seem as she outsmarts “herself,” against all odds. While many may focus on the intense combat scene, it’s worth noting the continued expansion of Frieren’s intricate magic system explained by Edel.
Edel’s explanation sheds some light on the efficiency of manipulating natural elements compared to making something from scratch, which does make sense. In the previous exam, most mages used modern magic which is mostly the manipulation of elements. While they do retain a lot of their power, this could still lead to problems. For instance, Kanne was practically useless without water since she could not make it out of thin air during the previous exam. She needed the rain to drown her opponents. While this modern concept of magic pushed Frieren to break the barrier, we can see that it has flaws. This just shows that magic is evolving in this world and mages also adapt to what they find suitable and efficient when it comes to their mana.
Edel also highlighted the importance of imagination in magic when she used it as a gauge of how strong Sense’s clone is because of the control of her hair. While it may seem like a minor detail, it offers insight into the magic system of Frieren’s world. Such nuanced world-building adds more layers which makes the whole thing feel enriched. I mean, the world-building so far is already beautiful and tidbits like this make me appreciate it even more.
Despite the flurry of action throughout the dungeon, episode 24 of Frieren Beyond Journey’s End still feels like it serves as a build-up for the upcoming climax of the series. Undoubtedly, Frieren’s replica emerges as the dungeon’s raid boss. Watching the examinees collaborate to have vital information for defeating Frieren adds an epic dimension to the unfolding narrative. If only they had gone together at the start, maybe everyone would’ve passed by now.
Regardless, it’s quite amusing to witness characters strategizing on how to defeat Frieren while she’s present. Methode hugging Frieren causing jealous Fern with her pout, was a sight to see yet again and is a memorable moment from this episode. Surely, Sein and Himmel are yelling “It should’ve been me” right now when they saw this. With moments like these, and amidst the action-packed scenes and insightful world-building, this episode offered a bit of everything. Even a cliffhanger at the end where Fern drops probably one of the best lines in the anime, “I might be able to kill Mistress Frieren.” This line alone got me pumped up a lot, and I can’t wait for the next one.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End episode 24 screenshots are taken via Muse Asia
© Yamada Kanehito, Abe Tsukasa /Shogakukan / “Sousou no Frieren” Production Committee
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