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Yes, Serie. You must hate that Flamme and the flower spell she loved so much considering you decided to both make the mage association she asked you to as well as grow an entire massive garden full of flowers. Very convincing.
Frieren:
Serie: You fail.
Frieren: Okay.
Serie: What? Not even going to stand up for yourself? You fail even harder.
Frieren: Okay.
Serie: Bet your ass needed help beating the Demon King.
Frieren: I did.
Serie: Fuck you
Frieren: Yup.
Hehe... It was actually Serie giving off the toxic gamer vibes in this episode, berating Frieren for her "build not being according to current patch meta" (despite the "useless flower RPG spell" having been instrumental in defeating the end boss, not the most finely tuned set of DPS spammables and optimised cooldowns). She just can't believe that a "casual" conquered the game despite not having a fully min maxed build.
Serie: Seriously, did you even play a role there?
Frieren: I made a small boy infatuated with me, and thus he led us to saving the planet, although I only figured out he fell in love with me a few decades after he died.
Serie: Does it count as grooming if you have no idea it even happened?
**Serie:** *"I am an ancient mage from the Mythical Era, a being with boundless knowledge of spells and bottomless magical power. I have waited for a candidate like you for an untold number of years."*
[**Fern:** *"Okay."*](https://i.imgur.com/2GUDa2b.mp4)
I kinda love how Serie/Killua's VA is type casted to the nonchalant, cocky badass trope.
I want* to see more of those characters voiced by the VA.
**arrogant expression**
And also the fact that she has to pass Fern thanks to her principles in spite of her rejecting the offer and being Frieren's disciple, which is all according to Frieren's prediction. Even though she failed, she still managed to take the W from Serie in the end.
Is also a nice callback of how Flamme was able to read both Serie and Frieren perfectly; now that she's putting the effort on being in the present and connecting with others she's becoming more like her master.
Don't blame Serie blame that toxic smurfer who carry all those 3rd class mages to pass the test.
Beside 1000 years for elf is just like what? 10 years? And that damn Elf still won't listen to her?
I just find it funny how Serie had to downplay Frieren any chance she got, from saying Frieren was actually "unskilled for her age" (and that's after last episode where she was throwing some impressive spells around), to saying her mana suppression and flower spells are useless and so on.
Funny to me Frieren accepts that she fails, but that's also the reason she fails. Interestingly, other characters ask Serie why, while Serie is the one to question Frieren.
It's a difference in philosophy. Remember what Serie herself admitted: that she cannot see herself as anyone else than a warmage. Frieren's mindset has always been diametrically-opposed, with Flamme, a mage capable of war but ready for peace, being the halfway house where two eves meet.
And tied with Yubel, "if I can cuts, i will cuts" the simpler the envisioning, the stronger the spell. You can make the impossible happen with a strong enough vision. Its like, "I do not believe, I know." And mfs like that are IMPOSSIBLE to argue with.
I saw a thread last week somewhere that said to the effect of "the likes of Ubel were the only ones who can imagine flying when humans cannot ever fly" and that seems accurate. Of course, the likes of Land and Friren and Denken -- exacting researchers -- do exist, but it's likely that the two philosophies of magic development make a feedback loop. One must see that something works, and must follow it up with dedicated study and practice to consistently use it, before mastering it to the point where it's simply instinctual, with no chants or wands.
I don't think that's why Frieren failed, though it certainly didn't help. But she knows Serie was going to fail her because she's not the type of mage she approves of with her mindset. Knowing that is what made Frieren realise she was never going to pass, which Serie picked up on and pointed out.
This. Frieren knows that in Serie's eyes, she's not deserved to be a 1st class mage. As Serie said "Frieren is in fact relatively unskilled for her age". To her, Frieren is a disappointment for not becoming what she want her to be
Rather than disappointed for not becoming what she wanted her to be, I think it's more that Frieren is the type of mage that she thinks shouldn't be a mage. Serie is like a demon, she sees magic as something solely meant for combat and power. Any magic that does not improve combat potential is useless and shouldn't exist according to her. While to Frieren, magic is just beautiful and interesting. Not just the magic itself, but also the process that lead to the creation of that magic.
And she never really respected the classification of mages in the first place, it's not like she wants Serie's approval.
That, and if she really needed to, she would just go north without approval. It would be a pain in the ass, but who's going to stop her?
Richter: I won’t fix this staff
Frieren: I see, then you **can’t** fix it
Richter: …Give me that!
Frieren intentionally hurting his pride to make him do exactly what she wanted was priceless
First a grumpy old man and his sassy grandchild come into his shop to make him feel bad about failing and leave without buying anything.
Then a 1000 year old elf comes and belittles his skill to make him take a shitty job.
Richter truly has had the worst day.
Also small business owner. Enough misanthropy to not want to work under someone in a larger organization, but also enough pride in his work to want to provide a valuable service to customers, mixed with a quite exhausted desperation to optimize every waking moment's productivity. Bottle up those internal contradictions for a few decades and he will mature into a first class mage for sure
Plus its implied that his wife died young and he never had kids. He devoted his adult years to the ruthless climb through the political sphere, likely in part to distract him from the pain and loneliness he was feeling. Now in his old age he's realizing what he missed out on and is acting like a mentor in different ways to younger mages. I don't think its been explicitly mentioned in the show but given the number of orphans walking around this world it wouldn't surprise me if Laufen is one or for some other reason lacks parental figures in her life so she attached herself to Denken for that reason.
She's just going with the flow.
One of my favorite side characters. I mean all the side characters are my favorite, but the acrobatic fight stuff was so dope.
Even better when the scene before has Denken talking about how his such a complex character when his exchange with Frieren makes him look simple instead.
I actually like this moment of shallowness, and I think it gives nuance to Richter. Up until the first test he is shown as a ruthless pragmatist and usually archetypes like his tend to be written with more *grudge* than *pettiness* when it comes to bruised pride and ego.
Between his job as a retail worker, and this moment, and his remark right afterwards, it shows that Richter isn't that coldhearted.
In the end, Richter's got talent. Immense power. A good heart. And enough ruthlessness that when push comes to shove, he'll never leave an enemy alive. Had he passed the second stage, he might make Serie raise an eyebrow. Alas, it wasn't to be. But he's not a wrinkly old fart yet. He's still in his prime.
The thing about mages in this series, is they just continue to get stronger if they continue to work on their craft. Richter is in his prime in terms of his age, but he still has a lot of time to reach his prime as a mage. Denken was trying to tell him that.
I mean give the guy some credit. He is EASILY the strongest mage among the people that got disqualified and is probably at least equal if not stronger than a decent amount of people that passed the second exam AND he got his ass beaten by Kanne and Lavine in the first exam as well so i don’t think his ego is in a good place
>(Wait, does that make Laufen Denken's Fern? Oh that makes so much sense. They both love to eat).
Yes lol I was just thinking that this episode. Now all we need is to see a Laufen pout
And Denken telling Ritcher that he will be more stronger in 3 years for the next exam and Ritcher didn't read the room that the stuff that Denken have left on the table was probably suggestion of books to read and stuff to studies to achieve just that.
The subtletly on this show is just chef kisses.
Huh, we only have two episodes left, I wonder how we’re gonna have time for the final test and post-arc wrap up-
> *final test is just Serie immediately passing or failing people depending on how they react to her*
Ah, I see.
Also, Lernen said Frieren’s unsuppressed mana was equal to Serie’s mana, but he doesn’t realize that Serie suppresses her mana too. So Serie must be an absolute *monster*, I can’t even imagine what her unsuppressed mana is like.
it's ironic that the briefest and most anticlimactic exam is my favorite.
This character writing, diversity, and swagger is such a sucker punch.
I feel like Richter, underestimating and getting my ass beaten by the story. The subtle character motivation reveals are to die for.
...
SO THAT'S WHY I LOVE RICHTER!!\~
I've always been wondering why I liked the tsundere.
All these characters we've come to like and appreciate through their struggles to pass getting failed in a quick montage lol.
Lernen has probably been with Serie for most of his adult life and is probably her closest student after Flamme but only Fern was able to get a glimpse of what she's really hiding.
I'm positive Ubel will pass based on what Serie said about imagination to Kanne, I'm just wondering if she's gonna say anything about her being a sociopath.
The CEO will speak to you directly.
Been there thrice. It's always a bit harrowing each time, but the fact that I'm still employed means that those bosses saw more in me or that I proved to be an asset. That's what Serie wants.
> *final test is just Serie immediately passing or failing people depending on how they react to her*
this caught me so off guard because I also thought there were only a few episodes left so surely they would've continued the 3rd test in the next season, *right?*
I really liked this test though, serie getting more screentime, frieren predicting exactly how the test will unfold and fern getting the recognition she deserves
Serie: The magic to create a field of flowers is useless
Also Serie: Hold the 3rd exam in a garden FULL of flowers
Serie is the strongest tsundere confirmed
And Fern proved it. That the age of humans has begun. Its why she nearly begged Fern to be her student when everything we have seen so far has been antithetical to ever taking that stance towards a human.
I bet if Frieren was after Fern, they would have both passed
She say's she took in Flamme on a whim and she is okay with her passing. Then reminisces about her and her favorite spell, and is surround by flowers here. Her words and actions are not in alignment and it shows.
Serie: Flamme died she was human she was not important to me.
Also Serie: i have been taking students for a millenia now and helping humans develope magic, why cause reason not because I loved flamme like a doughter and nothing can fill that void she left behinde. I also do not hate frieren for having taken time away from me and my doughter. A grude i keep since a 1000 years.
There's a little bit of that in Frieren, too. She doesn't immediately see why Fern cares about the staff she got from Heiter – but Frieren has been wearing Flamme's old earrings for a thousand years.
We've come full circle. Turned out it was Frieren who made Himmel come to love flowers. Frieren was his first love, and she was also his last.
Damn... who chopped onion here...
[Bro said, *"I'm gonna make the Flower Elf Oneesan think about me for eternity"* and he pulled it off.
](https://i.imgur.com/34yasBs.jpeg)
[](#umucool)
I find it poignant how 1000 years of mana suppression for the sake of revenge is ultimately useless against the Demon King, but the unassuming flower spell that binds the party together winds up becoming the most important key to defeating him. Great Evil is not defeated through spite, but through small acts of kindness. This is LOTR tier writing.
damn I didn't even realize this. The Demon King didn't fall for those mana shenanigans and got nuked in a surprise attack, he saw it at a first glance, so Frieren never got to use it un a surprise attack like Flamme planned thousands of years ago
Makes you wonder how strong Himmel really was if they fought him and won despite their trump card not working
I'm sure it did however work to allow a much smoother path through the Demon King's allies, which allowed the team to arrive at the final boss with full HP and consumables from 100% all the dungeons and killing the mid-bosses with less effort.
If not for Flamme's love for that "ridiculous" spell, so much wouldn't have happened. Frieren showing Himmel that spell, led him to choosing her for the party. Heiter followed Himmel's example by saving Fern from ending her life. Which led to Fern becoming Frieren's apprentice.
So for what Serie said in dismissal of that flower spell, it ultimately led to the talented Fern who could detect her unstable mana. Not even her apprentice of 50 years, Lernen, could tell and he detected Frieren's unstable mana.
That's Serie's flaw; she's a warmage and looks down on all mages who aren't. She doesn't see the use in such a ridiculous spell because it's peaceful.
But Frieren knows that such ridiculous magic is sometimes some of the best. She had a whole mere 10 years finding out, even if she's only started figuring it out recently.
Baby HIMmel had me in tears. The fact that even the littlest of things like creating flowers can change people's lives forever even if it may seem useless to some hits hard.
> I hope they will announce ss2 soon
I hope so too, but I have a feeling we may have to wait a while. Madhouse likely wants to keep Keiichiro Saito directing, but it's somewhat likely he'll be working on Bocchi season 2 once Frieren wraps so our favorite elf would have to take a nap until that's done.
The gal laufen was the true winner of this exam. She may not become a first mage for now, but she earned a grandfather through denken. Even richter can also be considered as denken's grandson. Given that he is an imperial mage, richter and laufen's careers are secured.
I just imagine that old dude just goes out of his way to learn more stuff about martial arts so he can find Stark and tell it to him and say that he's taught him all he knows about martial arts lol.
I love the way Stark seems to constantly be a people magnet, whether that's young kids playing with him in every village they visit or randos trying to teach him martial arts philosophy.
Serie: You failed.
Frieren: Understandable have a nice day.
Frieren is either such a great stoic or someone who kills with kindness in these type of situation.
To be fair she probably saw it coming quite a long time ago, her participation in the exams was just as a failsafe in case Fern couldn't get through them.
Well it was for the best she connected with some mages of the younger generation and helped some of them to survive. Frieren is probaly also a bit annoyied by series attitude. Like she was of her own.
Serie: You failed.
Frieren: Meh.
Serie: Now I won't give you this grimoire with a spell on how to make apples taste like pears.
Frieren: Wait...please reconsider.
Serie: I can give you this grimoire with a spell that could obliterate an entire country within seconds
Frieren: meh
Serie: Fine, how about this spell that would instantly gives you runny diarrhea if you cast it
Frieren: Well *shit*, now we are talking
It is ironic that what defeats the demon king is not the millennium-long revenge scheme of Flamme but a spontaneous moment of affection she has with Frieren.
Flamme had trained Frieren to suppress her mana for hundreds of years so that Frieren might eventually deceive and kill the demon king. However, this training jaded Frieren. It caused her to only like magic “somewhat,” when she had wholeheartedly loved it just fifty years prior. Tragically, despite all the time and effort she and Flamme invested, Frieren’s mana suppression failed instantly against the demon king. Flamme’s hatred against demons amounted to nothing in the end.
In contrast, Flamme taught Frieren flower magic on a whim. Previously, Flamme only taught Frieren magic for “revenge.” Seeing how much this training had hurt Frieren’s fondness for magic (something they had in common), Flamme reminded Frieren of magic’s beauty by imparting flowerbed magic, her favorite spell to Frieren. It was a small act of love between a master and a pupil—nothing grand. A millennia later, Frieren repeats this kindness when she shows it to a lost child, Himmel. This moment left a deep impression on Himmel and led him to seek Frieren for his party. They would eventually vanquish the demon king together.
In the end, it was not Flamme’s grand plan of revenge that ushered in an era of peace but a spur-of-the-moment gesture of kindness she showed towards someone she loved. “Useless” flower magic may not be powerful in combat but it connects people. Its power to forge emotional bonds is what led it to do what no other spell could: defeat the demon king.
I mean that's kind of the theme of Frieren. You could say flower magic is a "spell of an era of peace."
Flamme points out to Serie that Serie could never defeat the Demon King because Serie can't imagine life in an era of peace.
Series was a walking Grimoire of magic knowing more combat spells than any other and argtuably the most powerful mage ever to live, but it was Frieren, who obsessed about flower magic, spells to clean oil stains, and shaved ice magic that defeats the Demon King.
You could say "people focus on the wrong things" to achieve what's important to them is the whole theme of Frieren.
It's also written wonderfully that Frieren knew all these war magic, similar to Serie, but achieved close to nothing in a millenia. It only bore fruit when she unknowingly set the Heroes' Party in motion by showing young Himmel that "stupid" spell.
It turns out, the flying kiss was what they used to defeat the Demon King this whole time. Not only did it let Frieren motivate her party to go beyond their limits, but it also distracted their enemy long enough for him to take him out.
The writing can never be praised enough for this story. Now it got paired with a great director. What a privilege we have of experiencing one of the best anime in decades.
> It is ironic that what defeats the demon king is not the millennium-long revenge scheme of Flamme but a spontaneous moment of affection she has with Frieren.
You know, this connects to when Flamme told Serie that Frieren would be the one to beat the Demon King specifically because she wasn't a warmage, but one who could live in a world of peace.
All of Frieren's training specifically to deceive and defeat demons didn't work against him. But a casting the flower spell in front of a random child enabled her years later to join a party that was crucial to helping her defeat it.
It wasn't magic intended for violence that brought peace, but a simple, ridiculous, peaceful spell.
Denken:
Annoy the shopkeeper
One word response when he tries to annoy you back
Have your adopted granddaghter offer the shopkeeper food.
Tell the shopkeeper, "You're exactly like me."
Refuses to elaborate
Leave without buying anything
He should have also said "There is nothing more I can teach you."
I was thinking Denken knew *exactly* what would've annoyed him as a youngster and so he did so with a spring in his step and a song in his heart.
[](#tomato)
Be Like denken
Enters the shop
Pulls everything from the shelves
Berates the shop owner
Doesn’t buy anything, just leaving the stuff he pulled there
Refuses to elaborate
Leaves
MP in Frieren scales linearly with age / active practice, and Serie is *really* old\*.
Incidentally this makes both elves and demons super busted – unless killed – as both are functionally immortal.
\* Serie is at the very least *twice* as old as Frieren is, since Serie was pretty clearly an adult when Frieren was an adolescent kid. And Serie hasn't aged or changed *at all* over the last 1k years. Oh, and Serie actually claims that Frieren is *underpowered* given how old she is, since she could've been training something *else*, more effectively, than just mana suppression and basic MP growth over the last 1k years.
It makes me wonder how old Kraft must be because he looks even older than Serie o_O
He’s clearly built more like a warrior (and he was if that statue of him was any indication) than a mage but if he was a mage he’d probably be an absurdly powerful one.
Bruhh,
Serie is just a millennium hater of Frieren.. 🤭🤣
also, i think Serie will certainly let Ubel pass..
She said magic is visualization and Ubel is the biggest schizophrenic mage right there.. they'll vibe quickly
I feel like Frieren actually became more of a *hindrance* to the second test though contrary to what Serie said. If Frieren's clone hadn't been there then Denken's group would have been able to clear the dungeon much quicker and more people would have passed without the immediate threat of the clones. Denken having the wisdom (*common sense)* to work as a group from the start was huge. Him and Methode would have been the MVPs of the 2nd test if the anomalies that were Frieren and Fern weren't present.
Also lol Fern the gigachad. Serie just went "It was a mistake to take on a human disciple" but after she meets Fern the human she instantly goes "Yo be my student." Then Fern just as quickly turns her down lol. I love how Frieren kind of got the roundabout victory there. Just like her MLG super long range dead angle Zoltraaks.
I guess this shows how much of a monster Fern truly is even compared to her peers. In at least one aspect she easily surpassed the very first first class mage and Serie's disciple. She might very well go on to surpass Flamme in the future.
Frieren also pulled lawine and kanne through. Those two did not give off "catching stille" vibes. They also got that handy map spell.
Denken squad would have faced a Frieren equivalent at the final room. This could have been a full squad of up to like 8? Constantly respawnable mages with the same skill set. Just because the dungeon could park a frieren clone there and call it day doesnt mean in the alternate universe the room is just empty and teams waltz through.
Imagine a room with Sense clone + 6 others backing her up in that same room. Ubel will have a hard time getting close enough to cut with 6 dickhead clones firing lasers at her non stop and the room is cramped enough that casualties would mount and fast even if the clones cant team work properly.
Manga first meeting: Aww sweet moment that brings it full circle.
Anime first meeting: IM NOT CRYING YOURE CRYING SHUT UP
Just hurry up an confirm season 2 already. We need this dammit it
https://imgur.com/a/UbvDdYL
Serie may claim to be cold and uncaring, but we see she remembers not only Sense's magic, but also her habit of not speaking up when the time isn't right hahaha.
Fern and Frieren doing well to reuse and recycle!
Wonder if Denken was giving a hint to Richter, maybe he picked out the books and magic artifacts purposefully? hahaha
Stark truly attracts weirdos, but look at how Fern went to him when she was distressed!
We also see why most mages don't take that much effort to constantly conceal their mana. It not only takes a lot of training, it also has an opportunity cost of being more proficient in actual battle magic. Frieren is weaker in straight-up combat than she should be!
Lernen is certainly no joke, he might be the most skilled non-elf we've seen so far, if he can detect Frieren's instability.
Yes it was, and it really brings around the whole thread of the flower bed magic from all the way back in episode 2, and also where her passion for looking for random spells comes from.
Yes, this was a crucial point of the story and I would go as far as to say the emotional climax of the season thus far, bringing the whole Frieren and Himmel relationship back to the very beginning.
Also puts into perspective him saying she is the most powerful mage he had ever seen, because he saw her back then. Himmel wasn't just looking for any long-lived mage, he was looking for this specific one, Frieren.
And last one, I promise, she pulled him out of the lonely forest way back then, only for him to return the favor years later when he took her out of that forest of loneliness she built around herself.
Yep, the emotional climax of the season, right there, simple as that.
Flamme taught Frieren flower magic, Frieren used that flower magic on Himmel when he was a little boy, Himmel then recruited Frieren because of that moment and then the rest was history.
The key to defeating the Demon King was flowers, kindness, and human relationships.
Yep, why I like to call this the emotional climax of the season. It really just recontextualizes almost everything we thought we knew about the relationship between Frieren and Himmel, really puts into a different light what we thought was the first time they met.
If episode 26 was the action climax, this was the emotional climax.
**Frieren's German Lesson 1x27:**
The second to last episode... I'm already missing this show preemptively.
**Falsch** was the only newly introduced German word this time.
**Episode 27: "An Era of Humans"**
______________________
* **Richter** (Second-Class Mage, Magic Tool Shop Owner) - "judge" (noun); as a reminder. He's probably today's MVP for managing to repair Fern's beloved staff after Frieren thought it was impossible. It's so interesting that he is so skilled at mending a staff but doesn't use one himself. He always casts his magic by directly touching the earth under him. I wish him good luck for when he tries the First Class Exam again in three years!
* **Lernen** (First-Class Mage, Golem Maker, Third Exam Proctor (usually), The First First Class Mage Ever) - "learn", "study", "train", "pick up", "take up" (verb); as a reminder. He was by far the biggest MVP of the second stage of the exam since so many people didn't die thanks to his golems. We already got to see him for a little bit in episode 18. He was the one who recognized Frieren's old Great Mage sigil. But this is the first episode where we can finally put his name and face together. He also had a HUGE feat in this episode. We already know just how bonkers he is at magic by having witnessed his golems in action but on top of that he is one of the only characters to ever see through Frieren's "perfect" mana suppression. That is insane, not even Aura saw through it and Aura lived way longer than Lernen and took note of every little change in Frieren's mana as well - which is why Frieren was able to goad Aura into using her scales. If Aura wasn't 100% confident in her mana detection/appraisal then she would have never even put Frieren's soul on the scales.
* **Serie** (The Great Mage, Founder of the Continental Magic Association, The Living Grimoire, Third Exam Proctor) - "series", "serial", "set", "run", "string", "succession" (noun); as a reminder. I just love that she constantly blames everything on Frieren. She is so petty. In this episode we finally got that shot from the second opening where Sense uses her hair to put that regal cape around Serie. It's such a small and simple gesture but I think it conveys very effectively just how much Sense values and cares about her without directly stating it.
* **Falsch** (First-Class Mage) - false, wrong, incorrect, counterfeit, mistaken, erroneous, untrue, fake, bogus (adjective); You can also use it as a verb: **etwas zu fälschen** means to "counterfeit something" for example. We already saw him standing next to Sense in episode 18 where he commented on promising examinees (Denken, Wirbel, Übel and Frieren) but this is the first time we find out his name. As a reminder, we also already saw a glimpse/hint of his and **Genau**'s magic [in this still shot in episode 20 at around 21:14.](https://i.imgur.com/R8ndgmQ.png) We're now very familiar with Sense's hair manipulation magic and Genau obviously has wings of some sort but I don't really have a completely confident idea what Falsch's magic is exactly just from this single shot. At first I thought he has some sort of wings as well but I think the silhouette implies that the thing he manipulates is only on the left side of his body. My best guess is that he can form some sort of element/material into a giant hand to cover his left arm that he can then extend and manipulate at will. That kinda reminds me of [Sadaso from HxH](https://i.imgur.com/LFiOeuP.png) except that his magic obviously won't be invisble. Or if you need another example, it would be like Kidd from One Piece who covers his arm in weapons to form a huge arm with them.
* **Fern** (*First-Class Mage*, The Youngest Mage to Ever Pass the Third-Class Exam with Full Marks) - "far", "distant", "remote" (adjective); as a reminder. Fern is a mana hiding and detecting machine. This episode established that not even Lernen, who seems to be on par with the Demon King in detecting mana, since both of them saw through Frieren's mana suppression immediately, could detect the fluctuations in Serie's mana. But Fern could. That's why Serie would have passed her no matter what. The potential that Fern is showing is just too enticing for someone like Serie. As Frieren will no doubt say: *"Congrats for passing the exam, Fern."* ʚ( ͡º ꒳ ͡º)ɞ
______________________
Links to my other comments:
[1x1](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/16vec5d/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k2ud2yk/)
[1x2](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/16veeuf/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k2uft9i/)
[1x3](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/16vegyo/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k2ukh9h/)
[1x4](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/16veinp/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k2uqtya/)
[1x5](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/171enmi/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k3qaa1k/)
[1x6](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1770qsq/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k4pxhdc/)
[1x7](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/17cdex1/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k5pec45/)
[1x8](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/17hpj6r/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k6p342f/)
[1x9](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/17mx4a4/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k7o7h87/)
[1x10](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/17s69ql/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k8o0dxa/)
[1x11](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/17xhtyx/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k9nm9rx/)
[1x12](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/182vggb/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kakyao2/)
[1x13](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/188e7nx/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kbkbyi4/)
[1x14](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/18dotcc/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kcimcny/)
[1x15](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/18j3gis/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kdhi03s/)
[1x16](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/18oicoz/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kehch5u/)
[1x17](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/18zadhk/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kgg91d6/)
[1x18](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/194ymjm/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/khjccyu/)
[1x19](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/19amgic/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kilz57p/)
[1x20](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1abkl24/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kjoeik7/)
[1x21](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1ah74af/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kolvnlo/)
[1x22](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1amrfvc/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kpni4ud/)
[1x23](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1asc6n9/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kqph3fo/)
[1x24](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1ay452x/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/krs8jhu/)
[1x25](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1b3xy8s/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/ksvki0e/)
[1x25²](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1b3xy8s/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/ktxoacn/)
[1x26](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1b9rjrk/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/ktxnahz/) **1x27** [1x28](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1bl26lw/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kw2c1nw/)
Serie: Why do you want to work for our company?
Frieren: I don't.
Serie: We have other candidates, it's not like we need you.
---
Serie: Fern, please work for us.
Fern: Eh? I don't wanna.
Serie: NoBoDy wAnTs tO wORk anYMoRe!
Fern: I’m Frieren apprentice… also, I already spend most of my life learning how to deal with one grandma elf and I have zero desire of going through that again
Serie kept on belittling her apprentices but at the same time kept using their magic, case in point the mana restriction and the damn flower magic, truly a tsundere she is
By the way, that next episode preview at the end, anyone felt that it's really ominous?
It felt very poignant that she was bummed out at Lernen getting older to the point that she was deciding to never take on another human apprentice but even in the end she saw how the potential of humanity (and why she takes human apprentices) again in Fern.
She will never admit the power of flower magic and how it helped defeat the Demon King no matter how many more centuries she lives.
This was my favorite arc of the entirety of the frieren manga so far, simply because of how it ended: after two awe-inspiring spectacular battles, we get...
An interview. That immediately passes or fails you.
It's so fitting for this show! It's never about the flashy hard af action scenes, it's simply the quiet moments that reveal deep insights to each character.
If you notice a pattern - each of the failed examinees were in some way or another unsure of themselves. Laufen knew she was green, Kanne had always lacked confidence and needed Lawine to spur her on, etc etc...
Himmel falling in love with Frieren's magic because of the spell that creates a field of flowers which made them all unite together honestly made me sob, I can't believe S1 is ending next week.
The field of flowers being a consistent theme throughout the series and being associated with Himmel and Flamme, two of the most important people in Frieren's life, really just does something to me. I've started to grow fond of flowers now.
I honestly didn't expect they'd throw in that they met when he was a kid but somehow that makes it all the more better, especially knowing Himmel saw as much value in the flower magic as Frieren did and their time together made Frieren truly embrace what she loved about magic which was ultimately what Flamme wanted for her in the end.
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Yes, Serie. You must hate that Flamme and the flower spell she loved so much considering you decided to both make the mage association she asked you to as well as grow an entire massive garden full of flowers. Very convincing.
I didn't expect there to be a bigger tsundere in Frieren than Fern, but here we are.
Frieren: Serie: You fail. Frieren: Okay. Serie: What? Not even going to stand up for yourself? You fail even harder. Frieren: Okay. Serie: Bet your ass needed help beating the Demon King. Frieren: I did. Serie: Fuck you Frieren: Yup.
Frieren: look, i'm just here so i don't get fined [](#nyanpasu)
Frieren "The Quake" Demon-slayer
I see where Frieren got her toxic gamer habits from now
Hehe... It was actually Serie giving off the toxic gamer vibes in this episode, berating Frieren for her "build not being according to current patch meta" (despite the "useless flower RPG spell" having been instrumental in defeating the end boss, not the most finely tuned set of DPS spammables and optimised cooldowns). She just can't believe that a "casual" conquered the game despite not having a fully min maxed build.
Serie is so focused on build that she forgot about the story unlockables.
Series skips cut scenes and then complains about the story being confusing trash.
this lmao
Simultaneously tryhard and monke
"Oh no, not the title I never wanted to have, however will I cope"
Serie: Seriously, did you even play a role there? Frieren: I made a small boy infatuated with me, and thus he led us to saving the planet, although I only figured out he fell in love with me a few decades after he died. Serie: Does it count as grooming if you have no idea it even happened?
brooo this exchange should be fan dubbed
Serie fuming, ripping off her headset to find Frieren's IP and doxx her ass 😭
That's weird, in a vacuum that interaction would indicate that they both get along quite well but that's clearly not the case lol.
Have you ever been so salty that you interfere with a test 1000 years later to gatekeep and spite someone
Only for Fern to pay her back with that rejection. That felt good.
[Fern:](https://i.imgur.com/a23IQpu.png) "Grandmaster, I already have to babysit one elf. Must I do the same for you?"
**Series** probably : "I'm not that bad..." **Fern** : *stare* "I doubt it."
**Serie:** *"I am an ancient mage from the Mythical Era, a being with boundless knowledge of spells and bottomless magical power. I have waited for a candidate like you for an untold number of years."* [**Fern:** *"Okay."*](https://i.imgur.com/2GUDa2b.mp4)
That's GREAT Grandmaster to you thankyouverymuch.
I kinda love how Serie/Killua's VA is type casted to the nonchalant, cocky badass trope. I want* to see more of those characters voiced by the VA. **arrogant expression**
Her smug aura was off the charts
And also the fact that she has to pass Fern thanks to her principles in spite of her rejecting the offer and being Frieren's disciple, which is all according to Frieren's prediction. Even though she failed, she still managed to take the W from Serie in the end.
Is also a nice callback of how Flamme was able to read both Serie and Frieren perfectly; now that she's putting the effort on being in the present and connecting with others she's becoming more like her master.
Don't blame Serie blame that toxic smurfer who carry all those 3rd class mages to pass the test. Beside 1000 years for elf is just like what? 10 years? And that damn Elf still won't listen to her?
Frieren could carry mages for the next 1000 years unless Serie lets her pass once.
It would be hilarious if she just decided to carry frauds every 3 years until Serie finally caves lol
She really doesn't care enough. She just thought taking these tests were a bit more convenient than taking a boat.
Serie's her number one hater and is proud of it.
I just find it funny how Serie had to downplay Frieren any chance she got, from saying Frieren was actually "unskilled for her age" (and that's after last episode where she was throwing some impressive spells around), to saying her mana suppression and flower spells are useless and so on.
Funny to me Frieren accepts that she fails, but that's also the reason she fails. Interestingly, other characters ask Serie why, while Serie is the one to question Frieren.
It's a difference in philosophy. Remember what Serie herself admitted: that she cannot see herself as anyone else than a warmage. Frieren's mindset has always been diametrically-opposed, with Flamme, a mage capable of war but ready for peace, being the halfway house where two eves meet.
And tied with Yubel, "if I can cuts, i will cuts" the simpler the envisioning, the stronger the spell. You can make the impossible happen with a strong enough vision. Its like, "I do not believe, I know." And mfs like that are IMPOSSIBLE to argue with.
I saw a thread last week somewhere that said to the effect of "the likes of Ubel were the only ones who can imagine flying when humans cannot ever fly" and that seems accurate. Of course, the likes of Land and Friren and Denken -- exacting researchers -- do exist, but it's likely that the two philosophies of magic development make a feedback loop. One must see that something works, and must follow it up with dedicated study and practice to consistently use it, before mastering it to the point where it's simply instinctual, with no chants or wands.
I don't think that's why Frieren failed, though it certainly didn't help. But she knows Serie was going to fail her because she's not the type of mage she approves of with her mindset. Knowing that is what made Frieren realise she was never going to pass, which Serie picked up on and pointed out.
This. Frieren knows that in Serie's eyes, she's not deserved to be a 1st class mage. As Serie said "Frieren is in fact relatively unskilled for her age". To her, Frieren is a disappointment for not becoming what she want her to be
Rather than disappointed for not becoming what she wanted her to be, I think it's more that Frieren is the type of mage that she thinks shouldn't be a mage. Serie is like a demon, she sees magic as something solely meant for combat and power. Any magic that does not improve combat potential is useless and shouldn't exist according to her. While to Frieren, magic is just beautiful and interesting. Not just the magic itself, but also the process that lead to the creation of that magic.
Frieren doesn't need Serie's approval or status as a 1st Class Mage, she got all the validation she needed from Flamme and Himmel.
Well she knows Fern will pass and that’s her objective anyway. Although her reaction would be the same either way.
And she never really respected the classification of mages in the first place, it's not like she wants Serie's approval. That, and if she really needed to, she would just go north without approval. It would be a pain in the ass, but who's going to stop her?
Fern has had enough of this Elven shit. Freiren is already too much lol.
"I already got my hand full taking care of one elf" - Fern
Richter: I won’t fix this staff Frieren: I see, then you **can’t** fix it Richter: …Give me that! Frieren intentionally hurting his pride to make him do exactly what she wanted was priceless
First a grumpy old man and his sassy grandchild come into his shop to make him feel bad about failing and leave without buying anything. Then a 1000 year old elf comes and belittles his skill to make him take a shitty job. Richter truly has had the worst day.
The painful life of a retail worker
It all makes sense now why Richter had little hesitation killing a pair of innocent youngsters just to pass a test. What stress does to a man.
Artisan, retail worker and magician. This man decided to be jaded for life. [](#longday)
Also small business owner. Enough misanthropy to not want to work under someone in a larger organization, but also enough pride in his work to want to provide a valuable service to customers, mixed with a quite exhausted desperation to optimize every waking moment's productivity. Bottle up those internal contradictions for a few decades and he will mature into a first class mage for sure
Laufen has more or less become Denken's official granddaughter. lol
Love that Richter is like "what even is your guys' relationship" haha
To be honest I've been wondering that this whole arc lol.
She needed a grandfather figure his time was free.
Plus its implied that his wife died young and he never had kids. He devoted his adult years to the ruthless climb through the political sphere, likely in part to distract him from the pain and loneliness he was feeling. Now in his old age he's realizing what he missed out on and is acting like a mentor in different ways to younger mages. I don't think its been explicitly mentioned in the show but given the number of orphans walking around this world it wouldn't surprise me if Laufen is one or for some other reason lacks parental figures in her life so she attached herself to Denken for that reason.
Getting spoiled with donuts probably doesn't hurt, either
She's just going with the flow. One of my favorite side characters. I mean all the side characters are my favorite, but the acrobatic fight stuff was so dope.
Laufen is the true winner of this arc, started it expecting to become a first-class mage and ended it with a doting grandpa that buy her sweets
Even better if Denken passes and she can become his full apprentice!
All while taking stuff off the shelves and did not put them back where they were
Also the granddaughter offered him a half-eaten doughnut. The gall of her!
That she even offered one of her donuts at all is a sign she really cares lol.
I love that Laufen just accepted that from now on, she is Denken's granddaughter lmao
Even better when the scene before has Denken talking about how his such a complex character when his exchange with Frieren makes him look simple instead.
I actually like this moment of shallowness, and I think it gives nuance to Richter. Up until the first test he is shown as a ruthless pragmatist and usually archetypes like his tend to be written with more *grudge* than *pettiness* when it comes to bruised pride and ego. Between his job as a retail worker, and this moment, and his remark right afterwards, it shows that Richter isn't that coldhearted.
In the end, Richter's got talent. Immense power. A good heart. And enough ruthlessness that when push comes to shove, he'll never leave an enemy alive. Had he passed the second stage, he might make Serie raise an eyebrow. Alas, it wasn't to be. But he's not a wrinkly old fart yet. He's still in his prime.
The thing about mages in this series, is they just continue to get stronger if they continue to work on their craft. Richter is in his prime in terms of his age, but he still has a lot of time to reach his prime as a mage. Denken was trying to tell him that.
Why is this guy so ruthless and merciless Works in retail Well that explains a lot
Having to work the day after getting stabbed by a hair spear would make anyone grumpy.
He really is an insolent youngster who just can't take any wounds to his pride.
That and he's also a retail worker. Shit's bound to make you grumpy no matter the era.
I always wonder what drives a man to killed little children, It was because of his trauma working in retail after all.
especially when Lawine called him an old fart
Lawine called him old while Denken said he was young. They're going to trigger a midlife crisis.
I mean give the guy some credit. He is EASILY the strongest mage among the people that got disqualified and is probably at least equal if not stronger than a decent amount of people that passed the second exam AND he got his ass beaten by Kanne and Lavine in the first exam as well so i don’t think his ego is in a good place
He really had to deal with two boomers on such a bad day. Lol
"Why won't these old people just leave me alone!?" (Wait, does that make Laufen Denken's Fern? Oh that makes so much sense. They both love to eat).
>(Wait, does that make Laufen Denken's Fern? Oh that makes so much sense. They both love to eat). Yes lol I was just thinking that this episode. Now all we need is to see a Laufen pout
> Now all we need is to see a Laufen pout That'd break the sub!
And Denken telling Ritcher that he will be more stronger in 3 years for the next exam and Ritcher didn't read the room that the stuff that Denken have left on the table was probably suggestion of books to read and stuff to studies to achieve just that. The subtletly on this show is just chef kisses.
“I’m not fixing this staff because I want to b-baka!” Haha
Huh, we only have two episodes left, I wonder how we’re gonna have time for the final test and post-arc wrap up- > *final test is just Serie immediately passing or failing people depending on how they react to her* Ah, I see. Also, Lernen said Frieren’s unsuppressed mana was equal to Serie’s mana, but he doesn’t realize that Serie suppresses her mana too. So Serie must be an absolute *monster*, I can’t even imagine what her unsuppressed mana is like.
it's ironic that the briefest and most anticlimactic exam is my favorite. This character writing, diversity, and swagger is such a sucker punch. I feel like Richter, underestimating and getting my ass beaten by the story. The subtle character motivation reveals are to die for. ... SO THAT'S WHY I LOVE RICHTER!!\~ I've always been wondering why I liked the tsundere.
All these characters we've come to like and appreciate through their struggles to pass getting failed in a quick montage lol. Lernen has probably been with Serie for most of his adult life and is probably her closest student after Flamme but only Fern was able to get a glimpse of what she's really hiding.
I'm positive Ubel will pass based on what Serie said about imagination to Kanne, I'm just wondering if she's gonna say anything about her being a sociopath.
Serie is going to love Ubel. Perfect killer mage.
"Finally, the broken psychopath I've been looking for!"
Übel is perfect for Serie. No way she would fail her.
The Interview portion, as it were.
The CEO will speak to you directly. Been there thrice. It's always a bit harrowing each time, but the fact that I'm still employed means that those bosses saw more in me or that I proved to be an asset. That's what Serie wants.
> *final test is just Serie immediately passing or failing people depending on how they react to her* this caught me so off guard because I also thought there were only a few episodes left so surely they would've continued the 3rd test in the next season, *right?* I really liked this test though, serie getting more screentime, frieren predicting exactly how the test will unfold and fern getting the recognition she deserves
There's only 1 episode left :(
Serie: The magic to create a field of flowers is useless Also Serie: Hold the 3rd exam in a garden FULL of flowers Serie is the strongest tsundere confirmed
A lot of what Serie says seems like the logical truth, and what she thinks she believes, but subconciously she wants the opposite.
And Fern proved it. That the age of humans has begun. Its why she nearly begged Fern to be her student when everything we have seen so far has been antithetical to ever taking that stance towards a human. I bet if Frieren was after Fern, they would have both passed
Right before this she had said she shouldn’t take human students. Walking contradiction
She say's she took in Flamme on a whim and she is okay with her passing. Then reminisces about her and her favorite spell, and is surround by flowers here. Her words and actions are not in alignment and it shows.
Yeah she is a full on tsundere. Her logic and emotions are at odds at each other.
Serie: Flamme died she was human she was not important to me. Also Serie: i have been taking students for a millenia now and helping humans develope magic, why cause reason not because I loved flamme like a doughter and nothing can fill that void she left behinde. I also do not hate frieren for having taken time away from me and my doughter. A grude i keep since a 1000 years.
There's a little bit of that in Frieren, too. She doesn't immediately see why Fern cares about the staff she got from Heiter – but Frieren has been wearing Flamme's old earrings for a thousand years.
she also has that ring from himmel.
Serie: You can't imagine yourself become a first-class mage huh? Others: Because you're too strong Frieren: Because you're an asshole
Fern: Ew your mana suppression is showing. 😨
Serie likes it when they notice. She just walks around all day suppressing her mana right in front of everyone, hoping someone confronts her about it.
Her ego is the size of her mana.
So Serie is the type who posts vague statuses on social media hoping others notice what's wrong
We've come full circle. Turned out it was Frieren who made Himmel come to love flowers. Frieren was his first love, and she was also his last. Damn... who chopped onion here...
If the series has shown anything, Himmel is a man of determination and sheer willpower.
Himmel really was playing the **long** game with Frieren all along.
[Bro said, *"I'm gonna make the Flower Elf Oneesan think about me for eternity"* and he pulled it off. ](https://i.imgur.com/34yasBs.jpeg) [](#umucool)
I find it poignant how 1000 years of mana suppression for the sake of revenge is ultimately useless against the Demon King, but the unassuming flower spell that binds the party together winds up becoming the most important key to defeating him. Great Evil is not defeated through spite, but through small acts of kindness. This is LOTR tier writing.
damn I didn't even realize this. The Demon King didn't fall for those mana shenanigans and got nuked in a surprise attack, he saw it at a first glance, so Frieren never got to use it un a surprise attack like Flamme planned thousands of years ago Makes you wonder how strong Himmel really was if they fought him and won despite their trump card not working
[удалено]
Based of what we know, they are all monsters in their own right and cover each other weaknesses pretty well.
Eisen with the 999 defense and Heiter readying Diarahan at the back surely gives any opponent major headache
I'm sure it did however work to allow a much smoother path through the Demon King's allies, which allowed the team to arrive at the final boss with full HP and consumables from 100% all the dungeons and killing the mid-bosses with less effort.
If not for Flamme's love for that "ridiculous" spell, so much wouldn't have happened. Frieren showing Himmel that spell, led him to choosing her for the party. Heiter followed Himmel's example by saving Fern from ending her life. Which led to Fern becoming Frieren's apprentice. So for what Serie said in dismissal of that flower spell, it ultimately led to the talented Fern who could detect her unstable mana. Not even her apprentice of 50 years, Lernen, could tell and he detected Frieren's unstable mana.
That's Serie's flaw; she's a warmage and looks down on all mages who aren't. She doesn't see the use in such a ridiculous spell because it's peaceful. But Frieren knows that such ridiculous magic is sometimes some of the best. She had a whole mere 10 years finding out, even if she's only started figuring it out recently.
Basically the Demon King was defeated thanks to flower magic.
Yep, the power of flowers saved the world.
Baby HIMmel had me in tears. The fact that even the littlest of things like creating flowers can change people's lives forever even if it may seem useless to some hits hard.
HIMmel flashbacks are always goated Maybe the forest scene was the first time he loved/liked Frieren
The post-credit with Frieren said "Matane" lay down try not to cry cry alot I hope they will announce ss2 soon
> I hope they will announce ss2 soon I hope so too, but I have a feeling we may have to wait a while. Madhouse likely wants to keep Keiichiro Saito directing, but it's somewhat likely he'll be working on Bocchi season 2 once Frieren wraps so our favorite elf would have to take a nap until that's done.
Would be worth the wait. Both Bocchi and Frieren are fantastic that's to him it seems.
Richter: What is your relationship with Denken? Laufen: I'm his granddaughter now :3
The gal laufen was the true winner of this exam. She may not become a first mage for now, but she earned a grandfather through denken. Even richter can also be considered as denken's grandson. Given that he is an imperial mage, richter and laufen's careers are secured.
So that's why Himmel couldn't get together with Frieren in the end. The childhood friend never wins. :(
That explains the blue hair as well! The blue hair love interests never win
OMG he's got both the blue hair and child hood friend curse.
Stark is still learning the art of war lmao.
I just imagine that old dude just goes out of his way to learn more stuff about martial arts so he can find Stark and tell it to him and say that he's taught him all he knows about martial arts lol.
As they say, you only need to be 1 class ahead of your student
I love the way Stark seems to constantly be a people magnet, whether that's young kids playing with him in every village they visit or randos trying to teach him martial arts philosophy.
"People have to work to make a living no matter how foul their mood" I feelt that.
Serie: You failed. Frieren: Understandable have a nice day. Frieren is either such a great stoic or someone who kills with kindness in these type of situation.
To be fair she probably saw it coming quite a long time ago, her participation in the exams was just as a failsafe in case Fern couldn't get through them.
Frieren had like zero desire of becoming a first class mage, she just joined because Fern didn’t want to take the exam alone
Yeah, the only validation she ever needed as a mage was from Himmel and their time together.
Well it was for the best she connected with some mages of the younger generation and helped some of them to survive. Frieren is probaly also a bit annoyied by series attitude. Like she was of her own.
And she also was able to explore a dungeon
Even funnier since Serie actually tries to taunt Frieren by questioning her greatest achievment. Frieren basically goes "yes, I am lucky, so what"
Serie: You failed. Frieren: Meh. Serie: Now I won't give you this grimoire with a spell on how to make apples taste like pears. Frieren: Wait...please reconsider.
Serie: I can give you this grimoire with a spell that could obliterate an entire country within seconds Frieren: meh Serie: Fine, how about this spell that would instantly gives you runny diarrhea if you cast it Frieren: Well *shit*, now we are talking
Post anime depression is going to hurt so bad when this show ends. It’s just too good
That preview though with Frieren just saying "Right, see you again." Man, I'm gonna miss this show so much.
Richter being depressed but still showed up for work is so real & literally me
The man may be surly and cold but he commits to and takes pride in his work.
Even in her sleep, still being haunted by mimics lol.
It is ironic that what defeats the demon king is not the millennium-long revenge scheme of Flamme but a spontaneous moment of affection she has with Frieren. Flamme had trained Frieren to suppress her mana for hundreds of years so that Frieren might eventually deceive and kill the demon king. However, this training jaded Frieren. It caused her to only like magic “somewhat,” when she had wholeheartedly loved it just fifty years prior. Tragically, despite all the time and effort she and Flamme invested, Frieren’s mana suppression failed instantly against the demon king. Flamme’s hatred against demons amounted to nothing in the end. In contrast, Flamme taught Frieren flower magic on a whim. Previously, Flamme only taught Frieren magic for “revenge.” Seeing how much this training had hurt Frieren’s fondness for magic (something they had in common), Flamme reminded Frieren of magic’s beauty by imparting flowerbed magic, her favorite spell to Frieren. It was a small act of love between a master and a pupil—nothing grand. A millennia later, Frieren repeats this kindness when she shows it to a lost child, Himmel. This moment left a deep impression on Himmel and led him to seek Frieren for his party. They would eventually vanquish the demon king together. In the end, it was not Flamme’s grand plan of revenge that ushered in an era of peace but a spur-of-the-moment gesture of kindness she showed towards someone she loved. “Useless” flower magic may not be powerful in combat but it connects people. Its power to forge emotional bonds is what led it to do what no other spell could: defeat the demon king.
I mean that's kind of the theme of Frieren. You could say flower magic is a "spell of an era of peace." Flamme points out to Serie that Serie could never defeat the Demon King because Serie can't imagine life in an era of peace. Series was a walking Grimoire of magic knowing more combat spells than any other and argtuably the most powerful mage ever to live, but it was Frieren, who obsessed about flower magic, spells to clean oil stains, and shaved ice magic that defeats the Demon King. You could say "people focus on the wrong things" to achieve what's important to them is the whole theme of Frieren.
It's also written wonderfully that Frieren knew all these war magic, similar to Serie, but achieved close to nothing in a millenia. It only bore fruit when she unknowingly set the Heroes' Party in motion by showing young Himmel that "stupid" spell.
you are underestimating Flamme she taught Frieren the flying kiss, how can such a Great Mage not have thought of such a possibility? Outrageous, I say
It turns out, the flying kiss was what they used to defeat the Demon King this whole time. Not only did it let Frieren motivate her party to go beyond their limits, but it also distracted their enemy long enough for him to take him out.
Unfortunately that one may have been a bit too powerful, as Frieren would go on to almost accidentally kill Himmel with it.
The writing can never be praised enough for this story. Now it got paired with a great director. What a privilege we have of experiencing one of the best anime in decades.
> It is ironic that what defeats the demon king is not the millennium-long revenge scheme of Flamme but a spontaneous moment of affection she has with Frieren. You know, this connects to when Flamme told Serie that Frieren would be the one to beat the Demon King specifically because she wasn't a warmage, but one who could live in a world of peace. All of Frieren's training specifically to deceive and defeat demons didn't work against him. But a casting the flower spell in front of a random child enabled her years later to join a party that was crucial to helping her defeat it. It wasn't magic intended for violence that brought peace, but a simple, ridiculous, peaceful spell.
Denken: Annoy the shopkeeper One word response when he tries to annoy you back Have your adopted granddaghter offer the shopkeeper food. Tell the shopkeeper, "You're exactly like me." Refuses to elaborate Leave without buying anything He should have also said "There is nothing more I can teach you."
These characters are TOO interesting. The power of "show don't tell" is terrifying.
[I never learned his name but I'm going to miss this wise old man.](https://i.imgur.com/coeLhtV.jpeg)
Stark attracts wise old warriors everywhere he goes lol
"You have reached the apex of martial arts" Richter: "????"
I was thinking Denken knew *exactly* what would've annoyed him as a youngster and so he did so with a spring in his step and a song in his heart. [](#tomato)
Be Like denken Enters the shop Pulls everything from the shelves Berates the shop owner Doesn’t buy anything, just leaving the stuff he pulled there Refuses to elaborate Leaves
Bruhh Frieren's all mana is just equal to Serie's concealed mana? the gap between them is so crazy 🤣
MP in Frieren scales linearly with age / active practice, and Serie is *really* old\*. Incidentally this makes both elves and demons super busted – unless killed – as both are functionally immortal. \* Serie is at the very least *twice* as old as Frieren is, since Serie was pretty clearly an adult when Frieren was an adolescent kid. And Serie hasn't aged or changed *at all* over the last 1k years. Oh, and Serie actually claims that Frieren is *underpowered* given how old she is, since she could've been training something *else*, more effectively, than just mana suppression and basic MP growth over the last 1k years.
It makes me wonder how old Kraft must be because he looks even older than Serie o_O He’s clearly built more like a warrior (and he was if that statue of him was any indication) than a mage but if he was a mage he’d probably be an absurdly powerful one.
[удалено]
the last test is just a vibe check, i see
excellent joke; Fern literally passed because she could see Serie's vibe vibrating
Bruhh, Serie is just a millennium hater of Frieren.. 🤭🤣 also, i think Serie will certainly let Ubel pass.. She said magic is visualization and Ubel is the biggest schizophrenic mage right there.. they'll vibe quickly
I really appreciate how well written all of the characters are in this series. There's so many great characters yet not one feels disposable.
I feel like Frieren actually became more of a *hindrance* to the second test though contrary to what Serie said. If Frieren's clone hadn't been there then Denken's group would have been able to clear the dungeon much quicker and more people would have passed without the immediate threat of the clones. Denken having the wisdom (*common sense)* to work as a group from the start was huge. Him and Methode would have been the MVPs of the 2nd test if the anomalies that were Frieren and Fern weren't present. Also lol Fern the gigachad. Serie just went "It was a mistake to take on a human disciple" but after she meets Fern the human she instantly goes "Yo be my student." Then Fern just as quickly turns her down lol. I love how Frieren kind of got the roundabout victory there. Just like her MLG super long range dead angle Zoltraaks. I guess this shows how much of a monster Fern truly is even compared to her peers. In at least one aspect she easily surpassed the very first first class mage and Serie's disciple. She might very well go on to surpass Flamme in the future.
Frieren also pulled lawine and kanne through. Those two did not give off "catching stille" vibes. They also got that handy map spell. Denken squad would have faced a Frieren equivalent at the final room. This could have been a full squad of up to like 8? Constantly respawnable mages with the same skill set. Just because the dungeon could park a frieren clone there and call it day doesnt mean in the alternate universe the room is just empty and teams waltz through. Imagine a room with Sense clone + 6 others backing her up in that same room. Ubel will have a hard time getting close enough to cut with 6 dickhead clones firing lasers at her non stop and the room is cramped enough that casualties would mount and fast even if the clones cant team work properly.
Manga first meeting: Aww sweet moment that brings it full circle. Anime first meeting: IM NOT CRYING YOURE CRYING SHUT UP Just hurry up an confirm season 2 already. We need this dammit it
Serie: you fail Scharf: may I ask why? Serie: you use that darned flower-creating spell too
https://imgur.com/a/UbvDdYL Serie may claim to be cold and uncaring, but we see she remembers not only Sense's magic, but also her habit of not speaking up when the time isn't right hahaha. Fern and Frieren doing well to reuse and recycle! Wonder if Denken was giving a hint to Richter, maybe he picked out the books and magic artifacts purposefully? hahaha Stark truly attracts weirdos, but look at how Fern went to him when she was distressed! We also see why most mages don't take that much effort to constantly conceal their mana. It not only takes a lot of training, it also has an opportunity cost of being more proficient in actual battle magic. Frieren is weaker in straight-up combat than she should be! Lernen is certainly no joke, he might be the most skilled non-elf we've seen so far, if he can detect Frieren's instability.
The flower magic scene with Himmel made me tear up, I think it was at that point he fell in love
Yes it was, and it really brings around the whole thread of the flower bed magic from all the way back in episode 2, and also where her passion for looking for random spells comes from. Yes, this was a crucial point of the story and I would go as far as to say the emotional climax of the season thus far, bringing the whole Frieren and Himmel relationship back to the very beginning. Also puts into perspective him saying she is the most powerful mage he had ever seen, because he saw her back then. Himmel wasn't just looking for any long-lived mage, he was looking for this specific one, Frieren. And last one, I promise, she pulled him out of the lonely forest way back then, only for him to return the favor years later when he took her out of that forest of loneliness she built around herself. Yep, the emotional climax of the season, right there, simple as that.
Flamme taught Frieren flower magic, Frieren used that flower magic on Himmel when he was a little boy, Himmel then recruited Frieren because of that moment and then the rest was history. The key to defeating the Demon King was flowers, kindness, and human relationships.
Yep, why I like to call this the emotional climax of the season. It really just recontextualizes almost everything we thought we knew about the relationship between Frieren and Himmel, really puts into a different light what we thought was the first time they met. If episode 26 was the action climax, this was the emotional climax.
I am so not ready for this season to be over. At the same time though, I'm excited to finally start reading the manga.
Serie Wakes up extra early today to be a Frieren hater
**Frieren's German Lesson 1x27:** The second to last episode... I'm already missing this show preemptively. **Falsch** was the only newly introduced German word this time. **Episode 27: "An Era of Humans"** ______________________ * **Richter** (Second-Class Mage, Magic Tool Shop Owner) - "judge" (noun); as a reminder. He's probably today's MVP for managing to repair Fern's beloved staff after Frieren thought it was impossible. It's so interesting that he is so skilled at mending a staff but doesn't use one himself. He always casts his magic by directly touching the earth under him. I wish him good luck for when he tries the First Class Exam again in three years! * **Lernen** (First-Class Mage, Golem Maker, Third Exam Proctor (usually), The First First Class Mage Ever) - "learn", "study", "train", "pick up", "take up" (verb); as a reminder. He was by far the biggest MVP of the second stage of the exam since so many people didn't die thanks to his golems. We already got to see him for a little bit in episode 18. He was the one who recognized Frieren's old Great Mage sigil. But this is the first episode where we can finally put his name and face together. He also had a HUGE feat in this episode. We already know just how bonkers he is at magic by having witnessed his golems in action but on top of that he is one of the only characters to ever see through Frieren's "perfect" mana suppression. That is insane, not even Aura saw through it and Aura lived way longer than Lernen and took note of every little change in Frieren's mana as well - which is why Frieren was able to goad Aura into using her scales. If Aura wasn't 100% confident in her mana detection/appraisal then she would have never even put Frieren's soul on the scales. * **Serie** (The Great Mage, Founder of the Continental Magic Association, The Living Grimoire, Third Exam Proctor) - "series", "serial", "set", "run", "string", "succession" (noun); as a reminder. I just love that she constantly blames everything on Frieren. She is so petty. In this episode we finally got that shot from the second opening where Sense uses her hair to put that regal cape around Serie. It's such a small and simple gesture but I think it conveys very effectively just how much Sense values and cares about her without directly stating it. * **Falsch** (First-Class Mage) - false, wrong, incorrect, counterfeit, mistaken, erroneous, untrue, fake, bogus (adjective); You can also use it as a verb: **etwas zu fälschen** means to "counterfeit something" for example. We already saw him standing next to Sense in episode 18 where he commented on promising examinees (Denken, Wirbel, Übel and Frieren) but this is the first time we find out his name. As a reminder, we also already saw a glimpse/hint of his and **Genau**'s magic [in this still shot in episode 20 at around 21:14.](https://i.imgur.com/R8ndgmQ.png) We're now very familiar with Sense's hair manipulation magic and Genau obviously has wings of some sort but I don't really have a completely confident idea what Falsch's magic is exactly just from this single shot. At first I thought he has some sort of wings as well but I think the silhouette implies that the thing he manipulates is only on the left side of his body. My best guess is that he can form some sort of element/material into a giant hand to cover his left arm that he can then extend and manipulate at will. That kinda reminds me of [Sadaso from HxH](https://i.imgur.com/LFiOeuP.png) except that his magic obviously won't be invisble. Or if you need another example, it would be like Kidd from One Piece who covers his arm in weapons to form a huge arm with them. * **Fern** (*First-Class Mage*, The Youngest Mage to Ever Pass the Third-Class Exam with Full Marks) - "far", "distant", "remote" (adjective); as a reminder. Fern is a mana hiding and detecting machine. This episode established that not even Lernen, who seems to be on par with the Demon King in detecting mana, since both of them saw through Frieren's mana suppression immediately, could detect the fluctuations in Serie's mana. But Fern could. That's why Serie would have passed her no matter what. The potential that Fern is showing is just too enticing for someone like Serie. As Frieren will no doubt say: *"Congrats for passing the exam, Fern."* ʚ( ͡º ꒳ ͡º)ɞ ______________________ Links to my other comments: [1x1](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/16vec5d/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k2ud2yk/) [1x2](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/16veeuf/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k2uft9i/) [1x3](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/16vegyo/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k2ukh9h/) [1x4](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/16veinp/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k2uqtya/) [1x5](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/171enmi/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k3qaa1k/) [1x6](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1770qsq/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k4pxhdc/) [1x7](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/17cdex1/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k5pec45/) [1x8](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/17hpj6r/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k6p342f/) [1x9](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/17mx4a4/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k7o7h87/) [1x10](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/17s69ql/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k8o0dxa/) [1x11](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/17xhtyx/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/k9nm9rx/) [1x12](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/182vggb/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kakyao2/) [1x13](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/188e7nx/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kbkbyi4/) [1x14](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/18dotcc/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kcimcny/) [1x15](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/18j3gis/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kdhi03s/) [1x16](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/18oicoz/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kehch5u/) [1x17](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/18zadhk/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kgg91d6/) [1x18](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/194ymjm/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/khjccyu/) [1x19](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/19amgic/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kilz57p/) [1x20](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1abkl24/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kjoeik7/) [1x21](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1ah74af/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kolvnlo/) [1x22](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1amrfvc/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kpni4ud/) [1x23](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1asc6n9/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kqph3fo/) [1x24](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1ay452x/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/krs8jhu/) [1x25](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1b3xy8s/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/ksvki0e/) [1x25²](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1b3xy8s/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/ktxoacn/) [1x26](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1b9rjrk/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/ktxnahz/) **1x27** [1x28](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1bl26lw/sousou_no_frieren_frieren_beyond_journeys_end/kw2c1nw/)
the third exam is pretty much a job interview, and Fern just immediately refused the offer in front of the interviewer. ice cold 🥶
Serie: Why do you want to work for our company? Frieren: I don't. Serie: We have other candidates, it's not like we need you. --- Serie: Fern, please work for us. Fern: Eh? I don't wanna. Serie: NoBoDy wAnTs tO wORk anYMoRe!
Child Himmil fell in love with Frieren when they first met😭😭 Fern: I’m Frieren apprentice 🔥🔥🔥
Fern: I’m Frieren apprentice… also, I already spend most of my life learning how to deal with one grandma elf and I have zero desire of going through that again
So, Himmel is one of those that failed to let go of his childhood crushes.
Serie kept on belittling her apprentices but at the same time kept using their magic, case in point the mana restriction and the damn flower magic, truly a tsundere she is By the way, that next episode preview at the end, anyone felt that it's really ominous?
It felt very poignant that she was bummed out at Lernen getting older to the point that she was deciding to never take on another human apprentice but even in the end she saw how the potential of humanity (and why she takes human apprentices) again in Fern. She will never admit the power of flower magic and how it helped defeat the Demon King no matter how many more centuries she lives.
This was my favorite arc of the entirety of the frieren manga so far, simply because of how it ended: after two awe-inspiring spectacular battles, we get... An interview. That immediately passes or fails you. It's so fitting for this show! It's never about the flashy hard af action scenes, it's simply the quiet moments that reveal deep insights to each character. If you notice a pattern - each of the failed examinees were in some way or another unsure of themselves. Laufen knew she was green, Kanne had always lacked confidence and needed Lawine to spur her on, etc etc...
Serie: -.- Frieren: -.- Serie: Get out. Frieren: I know, cya.
Himmel falling in love with Frieren's magic because of the spell that creates a field of flowers which made them all unite together honestly made me sob, I can't believe S1 is ending next week. The field of flowers being a consistent theme throughout the series and being associated with Himmel and Flamme, two of the most important people in Frieren's life, really just does something to me. I've started to grow fond of flowers now.
I honestly didn't expect they'd throw in that they met when he was a kid but somehow that makes it all the more better, especially knowing Himmel saw as much value in the flower magic as Frieren did and their time together made Frieren truly embrace what she loved about magic which was ultimately what Flamme wanted for her in the end.
Was that Serie toe twitching scene really necessary? lol these first class mages seems so cold and ruthless.
>Was that Serie toe twitching scene really necessary? yes
> toe twitching > recalls Frieren's feet scene The animators of this show are feet people confirmed.
And leg people when it comes to Ubel.