We’re only on episode 4 and yet this anime is already making me very emotional. The show is going to end either of two ways: A) Golem leaves Somali with the humans, or B) he tries to leave her with the humans but changes his mind and they stay together until his death. Either way, it’s sad and it’ll break the promise he made and I’m not ready for that. Even when I kind of know what the ending is going to be like, that doesn’t mean that it’s going to be any less painful. I had to learn that when I watched Plastic Memories, where the show also had the ending basically given to us. And when that ending came? I was in tears. So I don’t expect any less with this show. T_T
I was very afraid of Muthrica but it turns out that he’s a pretty cool and nice guy. He looks scary on the outside, which is probably a good thing as he’s part of a team that works in the underground regularly, and one of his roles as a member is to stop regular people going down there without one of them. Which is what the children were doing, and which is why he went after them. It also turns out that Muthrica is also Kikila’s “master” so the situation is even better. Sadly, Somali’s flower dies pretty quickly and Muthrica teaches them that the life of the flower depends on the tree and the one by them is a smaller one. Somali is absolutely adamant in wanting to find the bigger tree and another and better flower, and with that determination in her eyes, Muthrica concedes and he takes them on a journey through the underground to the large tree. Throooough a montage! It was a very cute montage anyways.
We get another intense scene with an underground monster, but it was sweet as the children bravely stood up to it. And I suppose Somali’s innocent words were enough for the monster to understand, as she is a mother as her little babies walked about. Thankfully Somali was able to leave with her pretty flower and the group left the underground completely unharmed. But they arrived back to the restaurant at night, and this caused a scene with Somali and Golem that left Somali in tears.
This second half served as great growth for Golem and his relationship with Somali. Golem has had a rough time with emotions, as he is still learning about them and he’s mostly learning them through Somali. However, he’s had others around him to give him some words of advice, such as the owner and Muthrica. Muthrica told Golem the significance of the flower and the determination Somali had in wanting her wish to come true, and the owner just gives Golem some simple but very powerful advice as a father. No one is ever going to be the perfect parent. There are going to be many times that you’re going to make some mistakes, let your anger get the best of you, not pay attention to the other’s feelings, and that’ll cause a bit of a rift with tears. But, it’s also important to learn from these mistakes and let the child know how sorry you are, and to show them through words and action that you love them. Make sure that they know that and it’ll only make the relationship stronger. Golem got lots of good lessons this episode, and he was also more in tune with his emotions. Muthrica warned to not instill fear to your children, which is a great piece of advice that Golem needed to hear. Once Somali collapsed from the fever, he felt restlessness and panic. He immediately went off to find medicine in the middle of the night just for her, even using up all the money that he had worked so hard for. But he did it out of love, even if Golem doesn’t realize it for himself yet. Though that “there is no replacement for you” HIT ME HARD. THAT’S LOVE, THAT’S FATHERLY LOVE. And dammit that whole scene hit me and the waterworks started. Golem using kind words, Somali crying and asking Golem to promise to stay with her forever, and Golem reassuring that promise.
It hurts. He’s going to have to break that promise and he knows that, but to make Somali happy he lied. And this lie of his is significant. This lie comes from an emotional place, just to keep Somali with a smile on her face, with relief. He wants nothing more for Somali, and so he ends up telling this lie that will end up being devastating later. And I’m trying to prepare myself for it.
This was a great episode for the development of Somali and Golem’s relationship, and also Golem himself. He owned up to his behavior and gave a heartfelt apology, and he’s learned to be more considerate of Somali and not be so hyper focused on the mission. He’s making strides, but we’re reminded of the sad truth in the end when Muthrica points out Golem’s lack of time. Damn it… This show is going to hurt me. And Somali is such an angel. T_T
