The trial to judge Rachel Gardner is at hand, is she a witch? Who’s contract led the angels astray? Is her soul worth saving? What of her promise to God with Zack? What is all of this leading up too? Well if you’re expecting any kind of answers in this episode you’re going to be sorely disappointed. The trial serves as a fairly interesting background to what could be considered a flashback episode I suppose. As each floor master testifies about Rachel and if she is a witch or not.
So going in reverse order. We hear from Cathy, Eddie and Doctor Danny. Of course, Cathy is out against her for the things done on her level. She condemns Rachel as a witch and insists that her punishment should be water torture. Even as a whirlwind of water whips up around Rachel though. She remains blank and emotionless. Living, but dead on the inside. Just the eyes that Doctor Danny has been seeking from the very beginning.
Eddie’s assessment of her is much more gentle. At least until the end, where he condemns her as a witch as well. Because all of her actions are extremely selfish. Despite the fact that they seemed very similar, they are actually very different. Because Rachel doesn’t know joy or how to make other people besides herself happy. Everything she’s done has been for herself. Eddie sentences her to falling on a bunch of stakes and being impaled. Yet even as she is dangling above her death, her eyes never change.
Though the most damning evidence of all is presented by Doctor Danny. The one who claims he is the only one who understands the real Rachel. He’s known her for the longest after all, he was the one who first saw her and from the very beginning he knew she had what he always wanted. Eye that were living, but dead on the inside. She was perfect, and most of all, her soul can’t be saved. He keeps repeating that, over and over that her soul can’t be saved.
At last, the father goes to judge her. He says that he does believe she is a witch and sentences her to burning alive. As she is lifted off the ground and onto a very symbolic cross in the middle of a sea of flames I have to wonder. How will she be saved? Can she save herself? Will Zack save her? Will Doctor Danny save her from burning in favor of getting her eyes and then be taken down by Rachel or Zack?
God, this episode was a trip and a half. I was hoping for something that would give us a little more concrete history into Rachel before she woke up on the floor below Zack’s floor. Why do they call themselves Angels? What kind of place is this? Am I right in thinking that they have been dead all along and they are in fact the judges of the soul before the afterlife? What on floor B-2 has been real and what hasn’t? Because he is still clearly using some kind of illusionary magic to control the area around Rachel.
The beginning of the episode gave off a very Alice in Wonderland feeling. With a white rabbit appearing and Rachel chasing after it, leading her to fall down a hole. The court room was very Alice in Wonderland too. I was half expecting someone to scream ‘off with her head’.
Most of all though, I couldn’t help but think about what this was like in the game or if it happened at all. I really need to get around to buying it and playing it. I hope we get more answers next week, the last six episodes are upon us and only three of them will be airing on Japanese television. I’m a little scared of what those last three contain.
The game and manga shows the trial in more serious way. This, however, managed to make me laugh. I especially love the funny interaction between Cathy and Eddie! This is a change in anime that I approve! The only testimony that maintain it’s seriousness is Danny. That face Danny was making became even more disgusting, creepier, and uglier in this episode. I honestly couldn’t stand watching his face that I turn away from the screen during his testimony and only listened to his voice (thank Takahiro Sakurai for his excellent voice acting).
Only 6 episodes left. As the last three will only available online, I wonder if it will follow the same airing schedule or it’ll be different?
I have a issue with eye horror so Danny makes me really uncomfy anyway xD just his thing and his design make me really uncomfy, but yeah, the way they animated and voiced that part was really unsettling. Props to them for that.
There are 2 possible ways for them to handle the last 6 episodes:
The 3 TV episodes are used to wrap up Rachel and Zack’s story, and the internet episodes cover whatever backstory there is on the father and his little game.
All 6 episodes cover Rachel and Zack’s story.
At this point, I’m doubting they’ll include Gray, Danny, Eddie, and Cathy’s past. Similarly like in the game, Zack and Rachel are the main focus here. Although, at least, they’ll reveal the reason behind Gray’s little game soon.