Episode 26: The Full Circle of Life
Episode 26: The Full Circle of Life
To watch this episode, go here (community locked)!
SUMMARY
The episode begins with Celi and Julia sorting through fabrics and discussing Julia's wedding dress. Celi wants her to have the most beautiful dress in all the kingdom, but Julia prefers her normal uniform because it's easy to move in. And quite honestly, I don't see how Celi thinks they're going to make a beautiful dress out of the fabrics they have laying out.
Celi debates on which fabric to use, and Julia just gives her an indulgent/awkward smile.
They discuss Adalbert, with Celi saying that he's fortunate to be receiving such a pretty bride. Julia claims that she is the fortunate one. “The marriage was arranged by our families but Adalbert is a gentle, good man.”
Celi thinks that it's hard to imagine, and calls Adalbert boorish. They both giggle.
There's a knock on the door, and Celi seems to be expecting someone. It's Conrad, who's serving as the fencing instructor for the Wincott family. Celi has apparently called him in to get his opinion on the dress. Conrad and Julia greet each other...
...and Conrad kneels before her and takes her hand to place a kiss upon it.
So dashing and noble, our Conrad.
Celi complains that Conrad never comes by the castle anymore and makes excuses about being too busy with his military duties. Conrad apologizes, and then we see the title screen.
THE FULL CIRCLE OF LIFE
Back in the present, Gunter is sitting behind a desk writing for his journal/diary.
'Ah. Daily life is so utterly tedious when His Majesty is away. I wonder how many more days I must spend in this manner? I begin to feel an inkling of vengeance against His Majesty Shinou for sending His Majesty to the alternate world. Dot, dot, dot.'
Suddenly he gets up to exclaim. “Ah, Your Majesty, you are the sun in my heart! My star of hope! For you I would abandon my own life without regret! Ah, Your Majesty! Please help your lowly servant dispel this base emotion!”
Conrad hears all this from out in the hallway.
He seems to have been about to enter, but instead he just smiles and turns around to walk back down the hallway.
In the middle of a huge, empty looking room (which looks like Yuuri's bedroom in the castle, and so I'm assuming that's where they are, although it seems much too bare to be the room of a king), Wolfram is sitting in a chair with Greta by his side, reading to her from a book that was apparently written by Anissina.
Greta seems to be enjoying it, although Wolfram had questioned whether it was suitable for young children or not.
During a pause in the reading, Greta sighs, and says that she wished Wolfram could read it to Yuuri as well, going on to ask if he thinks he's okay. Wolfram replies, “It's all right. He'll come back home soon. He may be a wimp, but he is the Demon King after all.”
This seems to cheer Greta, and they both spend a few seconds staring up at the ceiling...
Afterwards, Wolfram continues reading.
Outside, Conrad the stalker is standing by one of the windows, listening in on them.
As he pushes himself off of the wall and begins to walk away, one of the windows in the distance explodes with a scream that is unmistakably Gwendal's.
After pausing to look back, Conrad smiles again and once more stars to walk away, thinking “Yuuri, we are all doing fine on this side and nothing has changed.”
Wolfram and Greta poke their heads out of the window to see what all the noise was about.
On Earth, Yuuri is eating breakfast. He asks his mother if his father has already left for work. Miko informs him that he had a meeting that morning, at which point Yuuri thinks that it “must be tough being an elite banker.”
He thinks about how he's never found out the truth about his dad's heritage...
...and at the look on his face Miko asks him what's wrong, telling him to have just one egg a day. Yuuri agrees and drinks his milk, then gets up to go to school, leaving his mom to do the dishes.
Rolling his bike out, he thinks about how being on Earth makes everything in the other world feel like a dream. “But it's no dream,” he thinks to himself. He then looks up at the sun. “I'm the Demon King, with lots of precious friends over there.”
Before long, he realizes he's late for school...
...then hops on his bike to speed down the street.
We get a close up of the necklace Conrad gave him as he's riding along.
The scene changes back to Shin Makoku, where Conrad is sitting behind a desk and staring down at his baseball glove. He thinks “If you are happy, those around you will also become happy. Isn't that right...” He reaches out to pick the glove up. “... Julia.”
He stands from the desk and turns to look out the window, and begins reminiscing.
Cue Flashback...
Adalbert is standing upon the red carpet in the throne room, with Celi sitting in her throne, Stoffel by her side, and Gwendal standing a little in front of them. Adalbert is questioning them about GegenHuber's punishment of going to search for the Demon Flute.
He believes that it's too lenient, and then threatens to kill Hube himself. He turns to leave, and Gwendal asks him about his personal grudge.
“We have all lost ones dear to us in this war,” he says. “I understand your sorrow well. However, now the humans have learned the folly of taking hostile action against the Mazoku. That is how valuable this victory is.”
Stoffel is nodding his head to all of this the whole time.
“For the pride of the Mazoku,” Adalbert wonders. “Are you saying that is what Julia died for?”
Gwendal seems not to know what to say, and Celi looks a bit surprised.
Adalbert turns to Stoffel then. “Lord von Spitzweg, I take that by your frequent nodding you share that opinion?”
Stoffel begins to stutter out a reply, but ends up not saying much of anything.
“If this is the way the Demon Tribe does things...” Adalbert begins again.
Celi looks down, as if ashamed.
Changing scenes, we see someone approaching a door. This person enters, wearing a uniform similar to the one Conrad wears at present. It's Yozak, and he's all bandaged up due to his wounds from Luttenberg. He approaches the bed, where Conrad is sitting, holding onto Julia's necklace. Yozak informs Conrad that Adalbert has absconded.
“To be honest, I'm surprised,” he says. “I guess he loved her that much.”
Conrad says nothing, but we get a look at Julia's necklace.
Receiving no reply, Yozak turns to leave, telling him “Don't you die on me. I didn't drag you home from the battlefield for that. Don't forget that there are people who would mourn your death.”
We're shown yet another closeup of Julia's necklace.
Later, at Shinou's Temple, Conrad has been called before Ulrike. He's kneeling on the ground in front of her, and in her hands she has a small bottle with a glowing sphere inside. Conrad questions it, asking if it's the soul of the next Demon King. Ulrike says that it is.
“This soul was deemed to be the next Demon King and instructed to be raised in a land unreachable by the current king by Shinou himself. He also entrusted you with this mission. We obey the words of Shinou to entrust you with this soul.”
Conrad looks up at her, and replies with threats. “I could run away. I could betray your hopes and take it somewhere far away. I could even throw the jar against a boulder, remove the soul, and put it in the vessel of my choosing. And I could raise that child as I choose, manipulate his enormous influence as Demon King, and conceivably threaten this land.”
I often plot fanfiction in which he does just that. Perhaps it will be written one day; perhaps not...
Ulrike isn't phased by this, and responds, “And you could embrace her soul and end your own life.” Conrad looks a little surprised that she'd say something like that. She continues, “If that is what you wish to do, then do so. You doubt my words.”
Conrad seems a little angry.
Ulrike goes on to say how she wishes she had a way to show him how she communicates with Shinou and receives his orders. She says that there have been some people in the past who have heard him speak as well, people who were not shrine maidens. “I am told that before Suzannah Julia died, she conversed with Shinou and wholeheartedly accepted the proposition that her soul become the next Demon King. The only thing she wished for was that (her soul) be entrusted to you.”
The scene does a little change as she's talking, and we see power lines. Conrad is laying on the side of a dirt road. A truck approaches from the distance, and Conrad begins to awaken. The truck comes to a stop once he's standing, and a man comes out to wave and great him.
Conrad backs up as he comes near him, which the man notices, questioning the fact that Conrad can't seem to understand what he's saying. He tries to explain what he's doing there, but it doesn't help at all. Finally, he pulls out a bottle with a soul in it, saying, “See? I'm also entrusted with a precious item. I think I'll be able to help you.”
This definitely gets Conrad's attention.
We've arrived at the episode halfway point. The scene changes to a town, and zooms in on a house with the truck parked out front. The man from before is sitting in a chair reading porn a magazine, while Conrad's laying down with headphones over his ears. The man stands up as Conrad awakens again, taking the earphones off and asking if he can understand him now. Conrad says that he can, and the man goes on to say that that's what can be expected from a NASA brand product.
Conrad asks him who he is. The man introduces himself as Jose Rodriguez (or as I like to call him, J-Rod). Conrad introduces himself in return, saying that his name is Conrart Weller. J-Rod seems a bit confused and picks up an ID to look at, saying that he made it for 'Conrad' Weller instead.
And so the nickname was born...
Conrad again asks him who he is, but also asks him about the souls he has, as well as how he knows who he is. When he asks where he is, J-Rod approaches a map and gives him a little geography lesson. He says that they're currently in New Mexico, although he's either not paying attention to where he's pointing or he really sucks at geography, because he's pointing to Mexico, not New Mexico.
He goes on to explain that he's a doctor, specializing in pediatrics. Conrad questions him about his hair and eyes, and says that he must be a very high-ranking Mazoku. J-Rod corrects him and says that black hair and eyes are common on Earth. Conrad is surprised by this.
“Besides,” Jose continues, “Mazoku and humans are living among each other. Many live out their lives without being aware that they were Mazoku.”
Conrad is shocked by this information, as evident by the look on his face.
The scene changes again, and we see J-Rod and Conrad driving in the truck. Jose tells him that he's taking him to see the Demon King of Earth, Bob.
Conrad questions why Julia's soul was to be brought to a place like this. Jose briefly questions him about Julia, and says that the soul he's carrying was formerly known as Christine. “Circumstances made me look after her.”
“Truth is,” he says, “there shouldn't be even a trace left of their previous lives. But these two both appear to be special.”
They stop along the side of the road for a break, sitting underneath a big tree. Jose continues to speak about the souls.
“They say that souls with regrets in the living world aren't totally round.”
When Conrad questions this, he says that “everyone has at least one regret” but that both souls are “snow white and completely round.”
Conrad looks at Julia's soul and wonders over the fact that Julia accepted her fate willingly.
J-Rod asks if she was his lover. He says that he can see it in his eyes when he looks at the soul. Conrad denies it and says that she had a fiance. Jose observes that she was special to him. Conrad admits that she was precious to him, “although I lacked the courage to say anything.”
“I'm sure she knew,” Jose tells him. Conrad looks surprised, and Jose tosses his canteen of water to him. “Is she hadn't,” he says, “do you think she would've entrusted you with her soul?”
Conrad takes a drink, then Jose stands, saying that they'll need to get him a suit.
The scene changes again, showing Yuuri's father, Shoma, and Conrad sitting at a table in a restaurant. An older man, Bob, is standing by the side of the table and speaking to Shoma, but he soon turns and walks away.
Shoma turns back to face Conrad with a sigh and asks, “So, what made you decide to entrust an average family like ours with the soul of your Demon King?”
Conrad answers that it was because Bob had determined that his family was most suited for the task.
“Even if that's true, what'll I tell my wife?” Shoma wonders... though I don't think that's anything he should be worrying about. I'm sure Miko was ecstatic.
He notices the gloomy looks on Conrad's face and asks him if he has loose bowels.
When Conrad doesn't answer him, he questions the “grumpy look” on his face. He say that there are plenty of interesting things in the world. Conrad says that it isn't anything that concerns him. Shoma stands up and asks him if he's been to the ball park, offering to take him if he hasn't.
Conrad's reply is: “My duty is to confirm that the soul that will be our next king is born as your next child. But I have no intention of making contact with your family during that time. Please don't interfere with me, either.”
Shoma tells him that he's a really boring guy...
... and then proceeds to lecture him. “Listen, I don't want you looking so dull-faced the first time my kid lays eyes on you! Don't you think I'd worry about leaving my son with a man with that apathetic attitude and insincerity on his face?!”
“I'm not apathetic,” Conrad responds, quite apathetically if I do say so myself.
“Listen, promise me this!” Shoma continues. “When you're in front of my wife or kids and if you show that lousy attitude even once, I won't let my kid go to the other world no matter how you plead! You got that?!”
I don't think there's much you can do to prevent that, Shoma, but feel free to try...
Done with his rant, he sits down and orders two glasses of champagne, telling the waiter to put it on Bob's tab.
Later, we're shown a scene of the city, and a shot of the statue of Paul Revere.
J-Rod is sitting on a bench in a park, and he stands to wave 'hello' as Conrad approaches him. Conrad looks a little different, which Jose points out. It does indeed seem as if Conrad's gone through a bit of a change, as he has a smile on his face, and he looks much more relaxed.
He sits down with Jose, who asks him how the destination of Julia's soul is.
“It looks like a warm family,” Conrad says.
“That's good,” Jose replies. “My former Miss Christine's destination has also been decided. It's Japan.” Who could this be, I wonder?? “It's a good thing, but it feels lonely to part with her.” He pulls out the bottle he has to look at the soul, claiming that he wants her to be part of a good family and be happy.
Conrad stands up to look at the sun, holding the bottle with Julia's soul in it up towards the sky...
... speaking as he moves it over until it completely eclipses the sun. “Walk straight and true to yourself. May you become the one with a greater brilliance than anyone. May you become everyone's shining sun.”
Jose thinks this is nice, and raises his bottle to do the same thing, only with the moon instead of the sun. “Light the way with a gentle light shining in the darkness, one who nestles close to the sun. May you become the glowing moon.”
The scene changes to show the same flashback we've seen a couple of times before, with Miko trying to hail a taxi and wondering if she's going to have to use her sexiness to hitchhike to the hospital, only to be helped by Conrad. This time, we see a little more, with Miko being quickly wheeled down a hallway in the hospital on a stretcher, shouting her thanks to Conrad. Conrad remains behind by the front door with a smile on his face.
I like the sign seen here. X-Lay?? Really???
XP
The scene changes once again, to show Miko sitting on a bench under a tree.
There's a little carriage next to her. Cute little Shori is chasing after a blue ball. Miko tells him not to go off too far, then turns to look at baby!Yuuri, saying she hopes he'll be big enough to play with his older brother soon. She comments on the weather, and then we see some pink petals fluttering in the air.
Next thing we know, Miko seems to be dozing. Don't fall asleep like that, Miko!! What if someone comes by and steals your kids away from you?! Like this creepy stalker guy!!
Oh, wait... It's just Conrad. Okay, well... that's slightly better...
Conrad smiles down at baby!Yuuri, calling him “Your Majesty.”
Yuuri just does what all babies do and makes cute noises while waving a rubber ducky around.
Conrad tells him that he's leaving now, but to stay in good health. Conrad either leans down to see him better, or bows to him - personally, I think it would absolutely precious if he was bowing.
“May the next several years be happy for you,” he tells him.
Baby!Yuuri continues to coo, lifting his duck up a little higher, almost as if he's trying to give it to Conrad. Conrad reaches down to take it...
... then stands up straighter while baby!Yuuri looks as if he's waving to him (or maybe he's just trying to get him to give him his duck back... you never know...).
We're shown a little flash-foreward/back of the clip in Episode 01 when Yuuri asked Conrad if they've ever met before.
When it switches back to the original scene, Conrad is gone, and Shori comes up to his mommy, having successfully caught his blue ball. Awww~! Wook at wittle Showi~!
Back to the present we go!!!
Greta tells Conrad that Nicola and the baby are going home to Hube's house. Conrad turns from the window with his baseball stuff still at hand, saying that he's coming. Greta tells him to hurry, then shuts the door as she leaves. Conrad moves to exit, and we see the duck Yuuri had given to him sitting on a shelf.
Out in front of the castle, Gisela and the maids are standing by Nicola and the baby, while Hube and the rest of the men talk. Hube says that he will never forget the kindness that had been shown towards him. “If there is anything I can do to assist His Majesty, I will be ready at any time.”
Gunter gushes, “And so His Majesty's kindness of heart slowly brings everyone together in this way. Very admirable, Your Majesty.”
Wolfram 'hmphs!', and replies to him. “It's pointless without him around to hear that. He should get his butt back here, the wimp.” *grumble, grumble*
Awww~! Does wittle Wolfie miss his Yuuwi~?!
Hube looks to Gwendal, who asks him what's wrong.
“There is something I must notify Your Excellency of,” he informs him.
“Is it about your eye?” Gwendal inquires.
“Yes,” Hube nods. “When I was captured in Svelera, I saw a certain object in the palace dungeon.”
“A certain object?” Gwendal wonders.
“A box.”
Dun dun duuuuun...
“A box?!”
Indeed...
Everyone looks a little surprised by this revelation.
Hube continues to explain. “They held me down and forced me towards the box. Apparently they believed my left eye to have a connection to that box.”
“The key,” Gunter observes.
“However, the result was as you can see now.”
"In Svelera?” Gwendal asks, seeming to find it hard to believe. “That is not possible.”
Gunter looks over to Conrad seriously.
Conrad nods, then looks up into the sky.
On Earth, Yuuri is outside swinging his baseball bat. Miko comes out to tell him it's time for dinner. Yuuri heads for the door, but stops before he can enter, turning around to stare at the setting sun.
Miko calls for him again, and he goes inside.
MY THOUGHTS
I really like this episode (which was why I'd wanted to do it). There's a lot going on in the span of twenty-five minutes, and we learn a lot of things about the characters, as well as get some new information about the upcoming plot.
Obviously there was a lot pertaining to Conrad's feeling for Julia, which I'm sure we all agree are pretty clear by now. Whether he was truly in love with her or not is still up for debate considering he didn't come out and admit that he was, though we know for sure that he had pretty strong feelings for her. Her death brings a certain bitterness out in him, and he spends quite a bit of time unable to move on, at least not until he knows for sure that her soul is going to be reborn into a warm, caring family.
And now we know it's because of Shoma that Conrad is the way he is today. Shoma's lecture was apparently proof enough that the child who would have Julia's soul would be well cared for and raised by loving parents. Knowing that Julia was going to be in a good place made it easier for him to let go.
We were able to see a little more of Adalbert's anger, and though their engagement was said to have been arranged by their families, there seemed to be a great amount of fondness between the two of them, and for him to react that way to her death, he must have surely loved her.
Jose Rodriguez was introduced, as was the existence of another soul. We were not told much about who this soul is, although we know it's destined to be born in Japan. It's purpose and significance remain to be seen, but his response to Conrad's spiel about Julia's soul and the sun makes it obvious that whoever it is will come to have a major role in Yuuri's life.
Why I have a few problems with this episode: (SPOILERS) While Julia's soul being reborn into the main character seems pretty cliché, I think it would have been a better idea not to show all this right yet. In my opinion, it would have been better if the audience had discovered this little bit of information when Yuuri does. It would have made it more of a surprise.
Just for Fun! - Symbolism: Obviously the big thing in this episode was the sun and the moon. Here's a little bit of information about what both tend to symbolize. THIS SECTION COULD CONTAIN SPOILERS!
The Sun - glory, brilliance, authority, happiness, life, and spirituality, and the rising sun is symbolic of hope.
Ironically (or maybe not), Yuuri (born on July 29th) is a Leo, whose ruling planet is the sun. The following information was taken from www.astrology-online.com.
Traditional Leo Traits: generous and warmhearted, creative and enthusiastic, broad-minded and exspansive, faithful and loving.
However, on the dark side, Leo's are: pompous and patronizing, bossy and interfering, dogmatic and intolerant.
About the sign: The Leo type is the most dominant, spontaneously creative and extrovert of all the zodiacal characters. In grandeur of manner, splendor of bearing and magnanimity of personality, they are the monarch's among humans as the lion is king of beasts. They are ambitious, courageous, dominant, strong willed, positive, independent, self-confident - there is no such a word as doubt in their vocabularies, and they are self-controlled. Born leaders, either in support of, or in revolt against, the status quo. They are at their most effective when in a position of command, their personal magnetism and innate courtesy of mind bringing out the best of loyalty from subordinates. They are uncomplicated, knowing exactly what they want and using all their energies, creativeness and resolution to get it, as well as being certain that they will get whatever they are after. Their followers know where they are with Leonians. Leonians think and act bigger than others would normally dare; the ambitiousness of their schemes and idealism sometimes daunt their followers, their practical hardheadedness and ability to go straight to the heart of any problem reassures those who depend on them. If Leonians meet with setbacks they thrive on the adversity. On the whole they are powers for good, for they are strongly idealistic, humane, and beneficent.
The Moon - the moon has two sides, the dark side (Maria), the hemisphere not illuminated by the sun, and the light side (Terrae). The moon is associated with intuitiveness, subtleness, and clairvoyance. It also has connections to rebirth and immortality.
The astrological sign that is ruled by the moon is Cancer (with birthdays between June 21st and July 22nd. The following information is also from www.astrology-online.com.
Traditional Cancer Traits: emotional and loving, intuitive and imaginative, shrewd and cautious, protective and sympathetic.
However, on the dark side of things they are: changeable and moody, overemotional and touchy, clinging and unable to let go.
About the sign: Outwardly they can appear formidable - thick-skinned, unemotional, uncompromising, obstinately tenacious, purposeful, energetic, shrewd, intuitive and wise, sometimes with a philosophical profundity of thought verging on inspiration. Their intimates, however, may see a very different character, one with a sympathetic and kindly sensitivity to other people, especially those they love. They are able to identify with the situations of others because of the keenness of their imaginations. They are often over-imaginative and prone to fantasy, sometimes trying to shape their lives to fit some romantic ideal. Interestingly - because they give the impression of being down-to-earth - they are often fascinated by the occult and are more open to psychic influence than the average.
As with Leos, more on Cancers can be found on the site.
And now I'm done... XP As always, feel free to comment and discuss. It may take me a little longer than usual to get back to everyone because I'll be busy with a paper for the rest of the afternoon, but I'll make sure to do so as quickly as possible. :D
Tomorrow's Episode 27 will be hosted by orenda33!!
To watch this episode, go here (community locked)!
SUMMARY
The episode begins with Celi and Julia sorting through fabrics and discussing Julia's wedding dress. Celi wants her to have the most beautiful dress in all the kingdom, but Julia prefers her normal uniform because it's easy to move in. And quite honestly, I don't see how Celi thinks they're going to make a beautiful dress out of the fabrics they have laying out.
Celi debates on which fabric to use, and Julia just gives her an indulgent/awkward smile.
They discuss Adalbert, with Celi saying that he's fortunate to be receiving such a pretty bride. Julia claims that she is the fortunate one. “The marriage was arranged by our families but Adalbert is a gentle, good man.”
Celi thinks that it's hard to imagine, and calls Adalbert boorish. They both giggle.
There's a knock on the door, and Celi seems to be expecting someone. It's Conrad, who's serving as the fencing instructor for the Wincott family. Celi has apparently called him in to get his opinion on the dress. Conrad and Julia greet each other...
...and Conrad kneels before her and takes her hand to place a kiss upon it.
So dashing and noble, our Conrad.
Celi complains that Conrad never comes by the castle anymore and makes excuses about being too busy with his military duties. Conrad apologizes, and then we see the title screen.
THE FULL CIRCLE OF LIFE
Back in the present, Gunter is sitting behind a desk writing for his journal/diary.
'Ah. Daily life is so utterly tedious when His Majesty is away. I wonder how many more days I must spend in this manner? I begin to feel an inkling of vengeance against His Majesty Shinou for sending His Majesty to the alternate world. Dot, dot, dot.'
Suddenly he gets up to exclaim. “Ah, Your Majesty, you are the sun in my heart! My star of hope! For you I would abandon my own life without regret! Ah, Your Majesty! Please help your lowly servant dispel this base emotion!”
Conrad hears all this from out in the hallway.
He seems to have been about to enter, but instead he just smiles and turns around to walk back down the hallway.
In the middle of a huge, empty looking room (which looks like Yuuri's bedroom in the castle, and so I'm assuming that's where they are, although it seems much too bare to be the room of a king), Wolfram is sitting in a chair with Greta by his side, reading to her from a book that was apparently written by Anissina.
Greta seems to be enjoying it, although Wolfram had questioned whether it was suitable for young children or not.
During a pause in the reading, Greta sighs, and says that she wished Wolfram could read it to Yuuri as well, going on to ask if he thinks he's okay. Wolfram replies, “It's all right. He'll come back home soon. He may be a wimp, but he is the Demon King after all.”
This seems to cheer Greta, and they both spend a few seconds staring up at the ceiling...
Afterwards, Wolfram continues reading.
Outside, Conrad the stalker is standing by one of the windows, listening in on them.
As he pushes himself off of the wall and begins to walk away, one of the windows in the distance explodes with a scream that is unmistakably Gwendal's.
After pausing to look back, Conrad smiles again and once more stars to walk away, thinking “Yuuri, we are all doing fine on this side and nothing has changed.”
Wolfram and Greta poke their heads out of the window to see what all the noise was about.
On Earth, Yuuri is eating breakfast. He asks his mother if his father has already left for work. Miko informs him that he had a meeting that morning, at which point Yuuri thinks that it “must be tough being an elite banker.”
He thinks about how he's never found out the truth about his dad's heritage...
...and at the look on his face Miko asks him what's wrong, telling him to have just one egg a day. Yuuri agrees and drinks his milk, then gets up to go to school, leaving his mom to do the dishes.
Rolling his bike out, he thinks about how being on Earth makes everything in the other world feel like a dream. “But it's no dream,” he thinks to himself. He then looks up at the sun. “I'm the Demon King, with lots of precious friends over there.”
Before long, he realizes he's late for school...
...then hops on his bike to speed down the street.
We get a close up of the necklace Conrad gave him as he's riding along.
The scene changes back to Shin Makoku, where Conrad is sitting behind a desk and staring down at his baseball glove. He thinks “If you are happy, those around you will also become happy. Isn't that right...” He reaches out to pick the glove up. “... Julia.”
He stands from the desk and turns to look out the window, and begins reminiscing.
Cue Flashback...
Adalbert is standing upon the red carpet in the throne room, with Celi sitting in her throne, Stoffel by her side, and Gwendal standing a little in front of them. Adalbert is questioning them about GegenHuber's punishment of going to search for the Demon Flute.
He believes that it's too lenient, and then threatens to kill Hube himself. He turns to leave, and Gwendal asks him about his personal grudge.
“We have all lost ones dear to us in this war,” he says. “I understand your sorrow well. However, now the humans have learned the folly of taking hostile action against the Mazoku. That is how valuable this victory is.”
Stoffel is nodding his head to all of this the whole time.
“For the pride of the Mazoku,” Adalbert wonders. “Are you saying that is what Julia died for?”
Gwendal seems not to know what to say, and Celi looks a bit surprised.
Adalbert turns to Stoffel then. “Lord von Spitzweg, I take that by your frequent nodding you share that opinion?”
Stoffel begins to stutter out a reply, but ends up not saying much of anything.
“If this is the way the Demon Tribe does things...” Adalbert begins again.
Celi looks down, as if ashamed.
Changing scenes, we see someone approaching a door. This person enters, wearing a uniform similar to the one Conrad wears at present. It's Yozak, and he's all bandaged up due to his wounds from Luttenberg. He approaches the bed, where Conrad is sitting, holding onto Julia's necklace. Yozak informs Conrad that Adalbert has absconded.
“To be honest, I'm surprised,” he says. “I guess he loved her that much.”
Conrad says nothing, but we get a look at Julia's necklace.
Receiving no reply, Yozak turns to leave, telling him “Don't you die on me. I didn't drag you home from the battlefield for that. Don't forget that there are people who would mourn your death.”
We're shown yet another closeup of Julia's necklace.
Later, at Shinou's Temple, Conrad has been called before Ulrike. He's kneeling on the ground in front of her, and in her hands she has a small bottle with a glowing sphere inside. Conrad questions it, asking if it's the soul of the next Demon King. Ulrike says that it is.
“This soul was deemed to be the next Demon King and instructed to be raised in a land unreachable by the current king by Shinou himself. He also entrusted you with this mission. We obey the words of Shinou to entrust you with this soul.”
Conrad looks up at her, and replies with threats. “I could run away. I could betray your hopes and take it somewhere far away. I could even throw the jar against a boulder, remove the soul, and put it in the vessel of my choosing. And I could raise that child as I choose, manipulate his enormous influence as Demon King, and conceivably threaten this land.”
I often plot fanfiction in which he does just that. Perhaps it will be written one day; perhaps not...
Ulrike isn't phased by this, and responds, “And you could embrace her soul and end your own life.” Conrad looks a little surprised that she'd say something like that. She continues, “If that is what you wish to do, then do so. You doubt my words.”
Conrad seems a little angry.
Ulrike goes on to say how she wishes she had a way to show him how she communicates with Shinou and receives his orders. She says that there have been some people in the past who have heard him speak as well, people who were not shrine maidens. “I am told that before Suzannah Julia died, she conversed with Shinou and wholeheartedly accepted the proposition that her soul become the next Demon King. The only thing she wished for was that (her soul) be entrusted to you.”
The scene does a little change as she's talking, and we see power lines. Conrad is laying on the side of a dirt road. A truck approaches from the distance, and Conrad begins to awaken. The truck comes to a stop once he's standing, and a man comes out to wave and great him.
Conrad backs up as he comes near him, which the man notices, questioning the fact that Conrad can't seem to understand what he's saying. He tries to explain what he's doing there, but it doesn't help at all. Finally, he pulls out a bottle with a soul in it, saying, “See? I'm also entrusted with a precious item. I think I'll be able to help you.”
This definitely gets Conrad's attention.
We've arrived at the episode halfway point. The scene changes to a town, and zooms in on a house with the truck parked out front. The man from before is sitting in a chair reading porn a magazine, while Conrad's laying down with headphones over his ears. The man stands up as Conrad awakens again, taking the earphones off and asking if he can understand him now. Conrad says that he can, and the man goes on to say that that's what can be expected from a NASA brand product.
Conrad asks him who he is. The man introduces himself as Jose Rodriguez (or as I like to call him, J-Rod). Conrad introduces himself in return, saying that his name is Conrart Weller. J-Rod seems a bit confused and picks up an ID to look at, saying that he made it for 'Conrad' Weller instead.
And so the nickname was born...
Conrad again asks him who he is, but also asks him about the souls he has, as well as how he knows who he is. When he asks where he is, J-Rod approaches a map and gives him a little geography lesson. He says that they're currently in New Mexico, although he's either not paying attention to where he's pointing or he really sucks at geography, because he's pointing to Mexico, not New Mexico.
He goes on to explain that he's a doctor, specializing in pediatrics. Conrad questions him about his hair and eyes, and says that he must be a very high-ranking Mazoku. J-Rod corrects him and says that black hair and eyes are common on Earth. Conrad is surprised by this.
“Besides,” Jose continues, “Mazoku and humans are living among each other. Many live out their lives without being aware that they were Mazoku.”
Conrad is shocked by this information, as evident by the look on his face.
The scene changes again, and we see J-Rod and Conrad driving in the truck. Jose tells him that he's taking him to see the Demon King of Earth, Bob.
Conrad questions why Julia's soul was to be brought to a place like this. Jose briefly questions him about Julia, and says that the soul he's carrying was formerly known as Christine. “Circumstances made me look after her.”
“Truth is,” he says, “there shouldn't be even a trace left of their previous lives. But these two both appear to be special.”
They stop along the side of the road for a break, sitting underneath a big tree. Jose continues to speak about the souls.
“They say that souls with regrets in the living world aren't totally round.”
When Conrad questions this, he says that “everyone has at least one regret” but that both souls are “snow white and completely round.”
Conrad looks at Julia's soul and wonders over the fact that Julia accepted her fate willingly.
J-Rod asks if she was his lover. He says that he can see it in his eyes when he looks at the soul. Conrad denies it and says that she had a fiance. Jose observes that she was special to him. Conrad admits that she was precious to him, “although I lacked the courage to say anything.”
“I'm sure she knew,” Jose tells him. Conrad looks surprised, and Jose tosses his canteen of water to him. “Is she hadn't,” he says, “do you think she would've entrusted you with her soul?”
Conrad takes a drink, then Jose stands, saying that they'll need to get him a suit.
The scene changes again, showing Yuuri's father, Shoma, and Conrad sitting at a table in a restaurant. An older man, Bob, is standing by the side of the table and speaking to Shoma, but he soon turns and walks away.
Shoma turns back to face Conrad with a sigh and asks, “So, what made you decide to entrust an average family like ours with the soul of your Demon King?”
Conrad answers that it was because Bob had determined that his family was most suited for the task.
“Even if that's true, what'll I tell my wife?” Shoma wonders... though I don't think that's anything he should be worrying about. I'm sure Miko was ecstatic.
He notices the gloomy looks on Conrad's face and asks him if he has loose bowels.
When Conrad doesn't answer him, he questions the “grumpy look” on his face. He say that there are plenty of interesting things in the world. Conrad says that it isn't anything that concerns him. Shoma stands up and asks him if he's been to the ball park, offering to take him if he hasn't.
Conrad's reply is: “My duty is to confirm that the soul that will be our next king is born as your next child. But I have no intention of making contact with your family during that time. Please don't interfere with me, either.”
Shoma tells him that he's a really boring guy...
... and then proceeds to lecture him. “Listen, I don't want you looking so dull-faced the first time my kid lays eyes on you! Don't you think I'd worry about leaving my son with a man with that apathetic attitude and insincerity on his face?!”
“I'm not apathetic,” Conrad responds, quite apathetically if I do say so myself.
“Listen, promise me this!” Shoma continues. “When you're in front of my wife or kids and if you show that lousy attitude even once, I won't let my kid go to the other world no matter how you plead! You got that?!”
I don't think there's much you can do to prevent that, Shoma, but feel free to try...
Done with his rant, he sits down and orders two glasses of champagne, telling the waiter to put it on Bob's tab.
Later, we're shown a scene of the city, and a shot of the statue of Paul Revere.
J-Rod is sitting on a bench in a park, and he stands to wave 'hello' as Conrad approaches him. Conrad looks a little different, which Jose points out. It does indeed seem as if Conrad's gone through a bit of a change, as he has a smile on his face, and he looks much more relaxed.
He sits down with Jose, who asks him how the destination of Julia's soul is.
“It looks like a warm family,” Conrad says.
“That's good,” Jose replies. “My former Miss Christine's destination has also been decided. It's Japan.” Who could this be, I wonder?? “It's a good thing, but it feels lonely to part with her.” He pulls out the bottle he has to look at the soul, claiming that he wants her to be part of a good family and be happy.
Conrad stands up to look at the sun, holding the bottle with Julia's soul in it up towards the sky...
... speaking as he moves it over until it completely eclipses the sun. “Walk straight and true to yourself. May you become the one with a greater brilliance than anyone. May you become everyone's shining sun.”
Jose thinks this is nice, and raises his bottle to do the same thing, only with the moon instead of the sun. “Light the way with a gentle light shining in the darkness, one who nestles close to the sun. May you become the glowing moon.”
The scene changes to show the same flashback we've seen a couple of times before, with Miko trying to hail a taxi and wondering if she's going to have to use her sexiness to hitchhike to the hospital, only to be helped by Conrad. This time, we see a little more, with Miko being quickly wheeled down a hallway in the hospital on a stretcher, shouting her thanks to Conrad. Conrad remains behind by the front door with a smile on his face.
I like the sign seen here. X-Lay?? Really???
XP
The scene changes once again, to show Miko sitting on a bench under a tree.
There's a little carriage next to her. Cute little Shori is chasing after a blue ball. Miko tells him not to go off too far, then turns to look at baby!Yuuri, saying she hopes he'll be big enough to play with his older brother soon. She comments on the weather, and then we see some pink petals fluttering in the air.
Next thing we know, Miko seems to be dozing. Don't fall asleep like that, Miko!! What if someone comes by and steals your kids away from you?! Like this creepy stalker guy!!
Oh, wait... It's just Conrad. Okay, well... that's slightly better...
Conrad smiles down at baby!Yuuri, calling him “Your Majesty.”
Yuuri just does what all babies do and makes cute noises while waving a rubber ducky around.
Conrad tells him that he's leaving now, but to stay in good health. Conrad either leans down to see him better, or bows to him - personally, I think it would absolutely precious if he was bowing.
“May the next several years be happy for you,” he tells him.
Baby!Yuuri continues to coo, lifting his duck up a little higher, almost as if he's trying to give it to Conrad. Conrad reaches down to take it...
... then stands up straighter while baby!Yuuri looks as if he's waving to him (or maybe he's just trying to get him to give him his duck back... you never know...).
We're shown a little flash-foreward/back of the clip in Episode 01 when Yuuri asked Conrad if they've ever met before.
When it switches back to the original scene, Conrad is gone, and Shori comes up to his mommy, having successfully caught his blue ball. Awww~! Wook at wittle Showi~!
Back to the present we go!!!
Greta tells Conrad that Nicola and the baby are going home to Hube's house. Conrad turns from the window with his baseball stuff still at hand, saying that he's coming. Greta tells him to hurry, then shuts the door as she leaves. Conrad moves to exit, and we see the duck Yuuri had given to him sitting on a shelf.
Out in front of the castle, Gisela and the maids are standing by Nicola and the baby, while Hube and the rest of the men talk. Hube says that he will never forget the kindness that had been shown towards him. “If there is anything I can do to assist His Majesty, I will be ready at any time.”
Gunter gushes, “And so His Majesty's kindness of heart slowly brings everyone together in this way. Very admirable, Your Majesty.”
Wolfram 'hmphs!', and replies to him. “It's pointless without him around to hear that. He should get his butt back here, the wimp.” *grumble, grumble*
Awww~! Does wittle Wolfie miss his Yuuwi~?!
Hube looks to Gwendal, who asks him what's wrong.
“There is something I must notify Your Excellency of,” he informs him.
“Is it about your eye?” Gwendal inquires.
“Yes,” Hube nods. “When I was captured in Svelera, I saw a certain object in the palace dungeon.”
“A certain object?” Gwendal wonders.
“A box.”
Dun dun duuuuun...
“A box?!”
Indeed...
Everyone looks a little surprised by this revelation.
Hube continues to explain. “They held me down and forced me towards the box. Apparently they believed my left eye to have a connection to that box.”
“The key,” Gunter observes.
“However, the result was as you can see now.”
"In Svelera?” Gwendal asks, seeming to find it hard to believe. “That is not possible.”
Gunter looks over to Conrad seriously.
Conrad nods, then looks up into the sky.
On Earth, Yuuri is outside swinging his baseball bat. Miko comes out to tell him it's time for dinner. Yuuri heads for the door, but stops before he can enter, turning around to stare at the setting sun.
Miko calls for him again, and he goes inside.
MY THOUGHTS
I really like this episode (which was why I'd wanted to do it). There's a lot going on in the span of twenty-five minutes, and we learn a lot of things about the characters, as well as get some new information about the upcoming plot.
Obviously there was a lot pertaining to Conrad's feeling for Julia, which I'm sure we all agree are pretty clear by now. Whether he was truly in love with her or not is still up for debate considering he didn't come out and admit that he was, though we know for sure that he had pretty strong feelings for her. Her death brings a certain bitterness out in him, and he spends quite a bit of time unable to move on, at least not until he knows for sure that her soul is going to be reborn into a warm, caring family.
And now we know it's because of Shoma that Conrad is the way he is today. Shoma's lecture was apparently proof enough that the child who would have Julia's soul would be well cared for and raised by loving parents. Knowing that Julia was going to be in a good place made it easier for him to let go.
We were able to see a little more of Adalbert's anger, and though their engagement was said to have been arranged by their families, there seemed to be a great amount of fondness between the two of them, and for him to react that way to her death, he must have surely loved her.
Jose Rodriguez was introduced, as was the existence of another soul. We were not told much about who this soul is, although we know it's destined to be born in Japan. It's purpose and significance remain to be seen, but his response to Conrad's spiel about Julia's soul and the sun makes it obvious that whoever it is will come to have a major role in Yuuri's life.
Why I have a few problems with this episode: (SPOILERS) While Julia's soul being reborn into the main character seems pretty cliché, I think it would have been a better idea not to show all this right yet. In my opinion, it would have been better if the audience had discovered this little bit of information when Yuuri does. It would have made it more of a surprise.
Just for Fun! - Symbolism: Obviously the big thing in this episode was the sun and the moon. Here's a little bit of information about what both tend to symbolize. THIS SECTION COULD CONTAIN SPOILERS!
The Sun - glory, brilliance, authority, happiness, life, and spirituality, and the rising sun is symbolic of hope.
Ironically (or maybe not), Yuuri (born on July 29th) is a Leo, whose ruling planet is the sun. The following information was taken from www.astrology-online.com.
Traditional Leo Traits: generous and warmhearted, creative and enthusiastic, broad-minded and exspansive, faithful and loving.
However, on the dark side, Leo's are: pompous and patronizing, bossy and interfering, dogmatic and intolerant.
About the sign: The Leo type is the most dominant, spontaneously creative and extrovert of all the zodiacal characters. In grandeur of manner, splendor of bearing and magnanimity of personality, they are the monarch's among humans as the lion is king of beasts. They are ambitious, courageous, dominant, strong willed, positive, independent, self-confident - there is no such a word as doubt in their vocabularies, and they are self-controlled. Born leaders, either in support of, or in revolt against, the status quo. They are at their most effective when in a position of command, their personal magnetism and innate courtesy of mind bringing out the best of loyalty from subordinates. They are uncomplicated, knowing exactly what they want and using all their energies, creativeness and resolution to get it, as well as being certain that they will get whatever they are after. Their followers know where they are with Leonians. Leonians think and act bigger than others would normally dare; the ambitiousness of their schemes and idealism sometimes daunt their followers, their practical hardheadedness and ability to go straight to the heart of any problem reassures those who depend on them. If Leonians meet with setbacks they thrive on the adversity. On the whole they are powers for good, for they are strongly idealistic, humane, and beneficent.
The Moon - the moon has two sides, the dark side (Maria), the hemisphere not illuminated by the sun, and the light side (Terrae). The moon is associated with intuitiveness, subtleness, and clairvoyance. It also has connections to rebirth and immortality.
The astrological sign that is ruled by the moon is Cancer (with birthdays between June 21st and July 22nd. The following information is also from www.astrology-online.com.
Traditional Cancer Traits: emotional and loving, intuitive and imaginative, shrewd and cautious, protective and sympathetic.
However, on the dark side of things they are: changeable and moody, overemotional and touchy, clinging and unable to let go.
About the sign: Outwardly they can appear formidable - thick-skinned, unemotional, uncompromising, obstinately tenacious, purposeful, energetic, shrewd, intuitive and wise, sometimes with a philosophical profundity of thought verging on inspiration. Their intimates, however, may see a very different character, one with a sympathetic and kindly sensitivity to other people, especially those they love. They are able to identify with the situations of others because of the keenness of their imaginations. They are often over-imaginative and prone to fantasy, sometimes trying to shape their lives to fit some romantic ideal. Interestingly - because they give the impression of being down-to-earth - they are often fascinated by the occult and are more open to psychic influence than the average.
As with Leos, more on Cancers can be found on the site.
And now I'm done... XP As always, feel free to comment and discuss. It may take me a little longer than usual to get back to everyone because I'll be busy with a paper for the rest of the afternoon, but I'll make sure to do so as quickly as possible. :D
Tomorrow's Episode 27 will be hosted by orenda33!!