Surprise, surprise, the grand mirror from episode eight reveals itself to be a powerful artifact capable of transporting goblins from one place to another. It would’ve been quite funny if Goblin Slayer jumped through the mirror and started slaying the goblins on the other side, but that would’ve probably been suicide or not possible at all. I’m also curious as to whether the green moon theory rings true, and the other side of the mirror was in fact the green moon. Unfortunately, that mirror is encased in concrete and at the bottom of a canal, so we’ll likely not learn anything new for a while.
My prediction from last episode rings true, with a horde of goblins running towards the mirror after the beholder explosion. The party realizes the desperation of their situation and turns to the only man who is resourceful enough to get them out of this unscathed. It becomes clear here that not only is Goblin Slayer reliant on them at this point, they trust and rely on him completely as well. He asks himself, “What’s in my pocket?” Almost as if he’s trying to gauge the resources he has at his disposal, before coming to the conclusion that he has enough to survive. Perhaps his insane resourcefulness comes from his former mentor, as the flashback suggests?
What follows is quite the entertaining fight scene within the chamber, once again reminding me of the Mines of Moria. It features the party’s full strength, Goblin Slayer slaying goblins, Dwarf Cleric smashing heads in with rocks, High Elf sniping, Lizard Man lifting the mirror, and Priestess on backup. There isn’t necessarily a “boss” as interesting as the ogre or the last goblin champion, but the music makes the sequence very nice to watch. I also found myself looking forward to the plan that he’d come up with, and it did not disappoint! Goblin Slayer perfectly gauged his resources and came to the conclusion that the best course of action would be to take shelter under the mirror artifact and bring the place crashing down. While a bit risky for my tastes, it sounds exactly like how an amazing Dungeons and Dragons session would go.
Goblin Slayer reports to the Sword Maiden about the mission, but also the reveals the fruits of his adventure. Being the smart guy he is, he connects all the dots and comes to the conclusion that the alligator is her familiar, and that she was aware of the goblin activity. It’s revealed that the goblins were a result of the demon lord’s cult, and she had to request Goblin Slayer because of her trauma. She also reveals that she wanted others to understand her feelings about goblins, and just how terrible they are. Unfortunately, no one cared even now. The conversation is a bit confusing, but I enjoyed the interaction. Goblin Slayer cannot save her, and he knows this, but he can do one thing for her. Slay goblins. It’s smooth, yet not smooth at the same time, but I suppose that is Goblin Slayer at his core. And even though this reassurance from Goblin Slayer might sound unsatisfactory, it moves the Sword Maiden to tears.
Overall, the episode is a pleasant mix of action and emotion. Although the conversation between Goblin Slayer and Sword Maiden was a bit mediocre, both in terms of animation and flow, I enjoyed it. Looking forward to next week!
Goblin Slayer never ceases to amaze me.
It is true his adventures might not save the world or even change things in a grander scale, but that doesn’t mean their useless or fruitless.
People that exists in a regular level still are in need of saving and doing so is still a noble, worthy and thing to do. In this sense, I gather he is like a police officer…
Plus, now that GS is in a party, his goal has been transformed from merely killing goblins, into adventures mixed with the ridding their world of those who would inflict pain and suffering unto others for the mere pleasure of it.
Lastly, thanks for blogging this show, your opinions and insights are very much appreciated.