Journeying deep into a goblin fortress, Goblin Slayer and his fellow adventurers discover their quest will be a bit more complex than a simple goblin slaying session. Perhaps the most shocked of the five is our Elf Ranger, who learns the hard way about coating oneself in goblin blood, the limitless cruelty of goblins as a race, and the methodical precision of Goblin Slayer’s decisions. Throughout the episode she slowly comes to terms with Goblin Slayer as an adventurer and it’s almost as if she’s been thrown into the knitty gritty dark side of adventuring. Her sheltered life in the Elven Forest crumbles away in a single episode, leaving her with hands soaked in goblin blood and a newfound respect for the Goblin Slayer.
I enjoyed her struggle coming to terms with this dark reality, feeling both hesitation and disgust. But our stoic Goblin Slayer cares not for her conflictions, instead telling her to leave if she can’t do it. In his pragmatic fashion, he tells her that they’d make do with what they have if she were to leave. Now it was a bit insensitive to say, but he’s very much right. These inner conflicts are not something that should arise in the midst of goblin territory, that’s how you get careless and die. He’s here to kill goblins, and if you’re too busy worrying about your moral compass, then you should leave before you hold him back.
The other adventurers such as the dwarf and the lizardman also gain a degree of respect for the Goblin Slayer. Throughout the episode they trust Goblin Slayer’s judgement entirely, despite being the same silver rank. Unlike the other guild members who distrust or belittle Goblin Slayer for his quest preferences, the lizardman and dwarf can’t help but feel immense respect for such a dedicated adventurer. I mean, who wouldn’t be impressed by his knowledge of goblin slaying? From the initial suspicion at the absence of a goblin shaman, to the methodical execution of the sleeping goblins, Goblin Slayer has proven time and time again that his expertise in this field is second to none.
The execution scene after the priestess and dwarf combined stupor and silence was quite satisfying. It was a wombo combo of spells that simplified their mission extremely, turning a horde of goblins into mincemeat. What follows though is quite unexpected. At first I thought it was just an extremely jacked goblin, but it’s revealed to be an ogre. When one thinks of ogres, a fat lumbering brute comes to mind, but this ogre is rather intelligent. Not only does he deduce something is wrong from the silence of his goblins, he’s revealed to be a chosen champion of a demon lord. Furthermore, he’s able to cast two massive fireballs in a rather short span of time, easily exhausting the spell limit of our young priestess. All hope seemed lost after Goblin Slayer got slammed into a pillar, but thank goodness for health pots!
Goblin Slayer’s solution to the ogre is perhaps the most metal thing this show has put forth yet. To spew high pressure seawater from the deepest depths of the ocean, and to harness that power as a weapon is insane. It’s also revealed that the scroll’s intended purpose is essentially as an instant recall scroll, sending one to safety. But that’s never a choice for Goblin Slayer, after all, he’s Goblin Slayer.