Unleash the beast.
Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.
This week was all about heroics as Isidro lead a daring escape, Casca leapt into action, and Guts outfought not one but two opponents.
"Reunion of the Den of Evil" got off to a great start, with Guts unleashing the beast on an actual beast. It's been a long time since The Black Swordsman has been center stage, so it felt cathartic to watch him unload a crossbow like a machine gun, throw a grenade, then guillotine his opponent before strutting out of the heathen cave. The sweeping combat shots and quick cuts really elevated the action, making this one of my favorite battles of the season so far.
Guts vs a goat monster.
There was also a fantastic showdown between Guts and Serpico on the bluffs outside the cave. Since the Holy Chain Knight refused Farnese's order to kill Guts back in Episode 3, I didn't expect much of a fight. Au contraire. Serpico pulled out all the stops, using a combination of brains (making sure the setting sun was in Guts' eyes), speed (swinging up and around Guts whenever the latter struck out), and agility (stealing Guts' grenade) to gain the advantage. I definitely had a whole new respect for the nimble knight, even after the Black Swordsman finally got a handle on things (literally). It will be interesting to see how Farnese reacts when she hears Serpico failed to kill Guts. She was definitely peeved at her soldiers for letting Guts run off, although it was hard to tell if she beat them up because she was mad or because she enjoyed it.
Meanwhile, Isidro proved gallant by leading Nina and Casca out of the cave via a back route. "Monkey Pants" may not be as flashy as Guts, but he impressed me with his improvisation skills, evidenced by the winch he made for Casca so she could be lowered down the cliff wall. (The faces he made while trying to coordinate the escape were pretty funny; he's a good soul, not a good soldier.)
Casca to the rescue!
It was a bummer then that Joachim raised the hue and cry after running into Nina on the ravine floor. Isidro was so close to getting everyone to safety, and I could tell how much it pained him to tell Guts the girls were captured by the Holy Iron Chain Knights. It wasn't even Isidro's fault. There was absolutely no way for him to know that Casca would leap down the cliffside to try and save Nina from being taken prisoner. (How cool is it that even in her current mental state, Casca is still determined to help other people?)
The only person on Guts' team who wasn't heroic this week was Nina. She had her chance at the end, but when the Knights turned her and Casca over to the Inquisition, she let that chance slip by. It was a frustrating moment. She's sick, so why not take one for the team? Then again, if I was shown that torture room, I'd pee myself, too. Perhaps Nina will find her courage in the next episode (if she survives, which doesn't seem likely).
The Verdict
"Reunion in the Den of Evil" was an amazing episode. It featured a lot of great action, revealed a few surprises about the cast, and pushed the show closer to a showdown between Guts and the Inquisition.
Editors' Choice
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