The episode goes back to the past where Akemi for the first time meets Madoka and fills in her backstory about why she is so trying so hard to prevent Madoka from making a contract with Kyubey.

Impression:
*I have purposely made the summary short as it is because it’s something that is better off seeing for yourself than having someone else’s summary of it.
This couldn’t have been a better time to reveal Akemi’s tragic backstory. So it seems the only thing I got spot on when I said a while back in episode 6 that Akemi, “Perhaps it may have killed a friend of hers which may be why she doesn’t want people to agree on Kyubey’s contracts other than perhaps being threaten by the potential they possess.
So Akemi not only just witnessed this event once, not twice, but countless times. It’s even more fascinating how every event remained the same, the only difference is the way how they handled it. The Madoka who agreed to the contract had to face killing off two of her friends to protect herself and Akemi and during the last part where both of them were defeated by Walpurgis Night, Madoka gave Akemi her last grief seed so that she can survive and go back into the past to protect her from making a contract with Kyubey. It was tragic that Akemi, as Madoka’s last wish was not wanting to become a witch and asked Akemi to kill her before she became one.
Now with that said, we witnessed despite the change of events, the “ending” did not go the way planned. Kyubey out of all things probably knows this best. One of the things that might end up as the last resort is for Akemi to kill Madoka like she did before she transformed into a witch, so that she can’t become a Puella period and the world will be spared from her insane amount of powers. All I can hope is that there is an alternative way for Madoka to somehow help Akemi after all she has been through just to fulfill the Madoka she knew wish of avoiding the contract.
Back to Akemi, she started off as a frail girl who has been released from the hospital due to a heart disease and always been very clumsy and not athletic because of it. One day she is saved by Madoka and Mami when she suddenly finds herself targeted by a witch. Inspired and awed, she joined the girls on their mission to witness the events. However when it came to Walpurgis Night, and Madoka’s defeat and death, she then formed a contract with Kyubey to travel back in time to change the future. Having to witness and bare the same events over and over and over again, she grew stronger and learned to be independent and rely on nobody . The only thing that hasn’t changed was her determination, of no matter how many times she failed she will continue fighting against Madoka’s fate to protect her. Aside that, I’ll be honest, seeing Akemi as shy and clumsy as she was in the past was both cute and strange at the same time. It was really bittersweet to see how Madoka and Akemi were best friends and always supported each other, especially to the point Madoka shot Mami in order to save Akemi, which was terribly sad. The poor girl and I never thought Madoka would actually be able to do that to a companion.
I also found it nice how they played the OP for the ED instead and added both Kyoto and Akemi to the last shot as well as adding some new featured shots.
Next week is the last episode…I think, I never seem to get these things right… (O_o;)/ Lets hope that Akemi and Madoka can successfully overcome fate.

Eva

Blogging Anime since Summer 2009, & Founder of AngryAnimeBitches Anime Blog ...I may or may not be addicted to writing

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. ryvrdrgn14

    I like how this one episode shifts the focus entirely to Homura as if she was the main character all along. Having watched Madoka become a Magical Girl repeatedly and meeting a tragic end somewhat weakens the possibility that she will acquire her powers in the current timeline from a non-QB source, but still the OP would give one a bit of hope that this is still a possibility. That and people probably want to see QB owned in some way or other before this series ends.
    Another great episode, though I suspect after having gone through Endless Eight before (from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya season 2 – I still love this series, BTW), ANY timeloop that doesn’t last 8 episodes of practically the same thing would seem incredible.
    The show at least gets people thinking and wondering about possibilities. In that sense, it is a very huge success. It’s not just path A or B, it’s the whole freaking alphabet now and then some with how many things can happen from now on. 🙂

    1. Eva

      One of the ways I can see QB getting owned, (only if it’s possible) is to have the wish be against him in other words having by preventing the contract from being fulfilled properly – but it’s unlikely.
      But yeah, you can’t predict that’s going to happen, but you have a list of theories because the plot has so much depths to it.

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