Here we are again with another flashback, this time with Echidna and her crew. It was a wholesome time with the four of them, but we all know that didn’t last for long. We finally got the reason for how the Sanctuary became what it is, and many other things. But as well as some answers, we also got some questions too.
I think the biggest takeaway from this episode was the introduction of Hector, the Devil of Melancholy. We barely spent any time with him, but he seems to have some sort of connection with Echidna in the past. I’m not sure if he was targeting her specifically or if he was just rampaging for the hell of it, though that doesn’t really make all that much sense for me. While the Sanctuary was supposed to be a place of protection for those being chased away or in need of saving, it would also keep Hector away which is probably what Echidna wanted. Roswaal and the others anticipated his arrival so that much seems to be true. What’s most interesting, however, is how similar Roswaal of the present and Hector are. Roswaal (with the makeup) has the same speech pattern as Hector, and he even wears the same clown-type clothing. I don’t know if he and Hector have a personal connection to each other, but there may be some connection. Roswaal must also be a Devil of whatever like Hector to explain the similarities between them, as well as how Roswaal has been alive for hundreds of years. He’s definitely no regular human, so there is absolutely more to him that hasn’t been explained. With all the titles and beings thrown around in this series, I wouldn’t even be surprised if Roswaal were something.
Ryuzu being in the crystal is explained as she was the catalyst to create the barrier around the Sanctuary. The scene between her and Beatrice was emotional. While Betty acted like the bratty older sister, she cared about Ryuzu and vice versa. It’s no wonder that Beatrice refuses to really get closer to anyone else such as Subaru. After losing the people she loves so much, why would she want to get close to anyone else and fear losing them all over again? It’s really upsetting.
It hurts more after seeing their interactions this episode. They really were like a little family, with the bickering among them so akin to siblings. It was really wholesome and peaceful, so of course this whole ordeal would be very traumatizing to Beatrice. She basically lost everything and is alone, and I just go back to the scene in the library where Beatrice is crying and protecting her book. She’s just lost and alone. T_T Also she was extra adorable and round in the flashback and I wanted to hug her.
In the end, it looks like Roswaal isn’t going to let up. I loved the visuals at the end with Roswaal and Subaru’s faces lining up together. Their ideals and mindsets are different, but they are similar in a way. Weakness vs strength, choosing to cling to the past vs learning from the past and growing from it. The battle between them isn’t going to end and the attack on the mansion is still going to happen, so we have that as well as the next trials that Emilia is going to have to go through.
I do have to wonder how long the next trials will take, and when we’ll get to the mansion. We have only a few more episodes left and I still think there has to be way more in this arc. I absolutely adored all the character episodes we got this season, but I expect (or at least I hope) that the plot will pick up from this point on. Free the Sanctuary and save those in the mansion in 5 episodes? We’ll see!
Hector notes he didn’t want to end up being the way he is, but Roswaal indicates that Hector definitely chose this path among the limited options he had, which means that Hector likely killed the previous Devil/Warlock/Witch of Melancholy and inherited his/her Witch Factor. Echidna notes that Hector hasn’t changed since they parted ways, and Hector indicates Echidna still doesn’t know how to talk to him properly. He remarks that she was really adorable back then though, and all of this shows that Echidna and Hector likely dated each other in the past. I wonder if it was Hector’s downer personality that caused them to break up with each other. So Hector is the current Devil/Warlock of Hector, and he appears to be Echidna’s crazy ex-boyfriend who might be the possessive (and vengeful?) type who stalked her so much that Echidna had to create the Sanctuary to keep him away.
Berry, I think Roswaal might have chosen to imitate Hector because he was jealous of Hector’s power and also, if I’m right, of Hector once having dated Echidna. A big point of this episode was that Roswaal is fixated on people being weak, so he might dress and talk like Hector because the encounter with Hector showed to Roswaal how powerless he actually was, leading to Roswaal gaining the strength he has in the current day because he reminds himself constantly of that beatdown from Hector long ago. It’s a pretty common trope to remember a moment of weakness that drives you to be stronger, so I could see this being in play. I think if Roswaal were the current Devil/Warlock of Melancholy that we would know, so I don’t think he killed Hector and became the new host of his Witch Factor.
Hmm, then if he’s not the current Devil of Melancholy, then how has he been living all these hundreds of years? He could be imitating him (which is kind of sad) but Roswaal’s circumstances are still very mysterious. But it’s an amusing idea.
I think the reason Roswaal has heterochromia in the present will be the key to figuring out how he has lived hundreds of years. In the past, he only had blue eyes, and this yellow eye he has should be an indicator of him doing something unnatural to still be around hundreds of years later.
Ooh good catch~ That may be it!
I also forgot to mention that Roswaal said that Emilia and Satella, the Witch of Envy, share the same lineage, so I think this ends the speculation about whether they are the same person as this new information shows that they are blood relatives.