The Promised Neverland has made me feel fear and anxiety before but it was really kicked up a notch this episode for pretty much the whole duration. Things have really ramped and just when you think things were going well, it all fell apart and burned to the ground. Instead of being back to square one, they’re in an even worse position with Emma’s broken leg, Ray’s contract over, and Norman’s shipment date. The whole time Isabella was one step ahead.
Krone’s death was horrifying. She was led to believe that she would be the Mama for Plant 4 but it all turned out to be a trap from the start, set up by Isabella and Grandma. But before she left, she left a little something for Norman or Ray, a box wrapped up in a cloth. We still didn’t get any clue what it was about but apparently it’s something huge. More questions keep getting raised though, as Isabella is a pawn in whatever Grandma is planning but they seem to be very close. It looked like we got a flashback of what it looked like a young Isabella trying to escape but Grandma convincing her not to. Whatever they got going on, I can’t wait to find out. But what was really powerful in this scene was Krone’s flashback before the demon monster killed her. I do admit though that the flashback lasted a little too long. If it was less drawn out then I think it would have been even more powerful, but either way it was a great way of taking a little peek into Krone’s character and her life. I thought it was a good touch that the flashback was all in black and white except for Krone herself, showing just how drab and lifeless her life was. It was expected that with the life she led that she would be a broken mess, and in the end her miserable life was ended in a despicable and miserable way. And in the end, she hoped that the kids would escape and change their shitty world. Krone was a strange character, maybe cartoonishly evil, but I did try to see her in a different light and I felt really bad for her in the end.
Her death scene was really terrifying though as it was juxtaposed with the kids having a happy meal together. It showed the two sides of what Isabella was talking about. The happy ignorance of love, warm food, clothes, and a home as opposed to the bleak darkness of the world. It was bone chilling when Krone’s death came, the children finished eating. Yikes. It was interesting seeing those flowers in action, though I wonder what they’re for. Just to suck out their blood? Those flowers are pretty significant though.
As if Krone’s death wasn’t horrifying enough, things took a wild turn in the second half as the kids set their plan in action. But almost immediately it went up in flames as Isabella admitted to Ray that she eliminated Krone, and her agreement with him is over. She knows what’s going on and she’s always known. Isabella as her true self is cruel and blunt. The kids really did underestimate her, thinking they had her around their little fingers when it fact it was always the other way around. Even though they outnumber her, they’re only kids. Ray and Emma tried holding her down but she was easily able to fend them off, in turn breaking Emma’s leg. I’m glad they didn’t directly show it but the sound effect made me cringe. Krone’s flashback was helpful as we saw her and the other girls taking part in hand to hand combat, something Isabella made good use of. Everything the kids planned and prepared for has gone up in flames now that Isabella knows everything and is in complete control now. With Emma’s leg being broken and not being able to move, and Norman learning that his shipment date is soon, what on earth are they all going to do now? How can they escape with a wounded Emma and Isabella keeping an eye on them, most likely going to trap them later? It’s like there’s no hope at all now, except for one thing: What did Krone leave for the kids? What is that box, what’s in it, what did the note say, and what’s so significant about that pen? That could be the sole thing to save them in the end.
Also, I was wrong about the camera’s flash breaking the tracking devices. Ray took the photo of Emma and Norman but Isabella was still able to find them on her radar so who knows what Ray was going to do.
The ending with the kids really confused me though. Why did the kids react in that way? And again, what is up with Phil?! I’m not even saying this as a joke anymore, I’m seriously curious about this little boy. He looked back behind him and back again confused, like he knew something was off. Does he actually know something?
This is the absolute worse situation the kids could be in right now. Like I said, it looks like all hope is lost unless the box Krone left can help them in some way. But Isabella is too smart and prepared, and she has Grandma on her side who also knows about the kids knowing the truth. There’s too many external forces against them that escaping looks futile now, and Norman is next to be shipped away. Also, I take back what I said about Isabella maybe having a shred of goodness in her. There’s none, fuck it.
