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This EPISODE adapts THREE MANGA chapters »
VOL.3 — Chap. 18: “The Undead Army”; Chap. 19: “Raid” and 20: “Master’s Technique”).
HIDDEN ITEMS MARKED WITH THIS ICON, MIGHT CONTAIN MILD SPOILERS FROM THE MANGA. To show them, just click to expand (they’re hidden by default). They won’t ruin the experience of watching next seasons but might make them less surprising.
OPENING TRIVIA: a mysterious character!
Who is the only character in the intro that we don’t see during the first half of the season (“Cour1”) episodes 1-17?
(Answer at the end of this Guide)
In this Episode at timestamp [2:00]Churches in this world
The episode starts within a church in the City of Granat. Churches in this series are places where priests use the magic of the Goddess to heal and help adventurers. They usually (but not always) have defensive barriers that serve as obstacles to monsters and demons too, to protect people that take refuge within them.
In this Episode at timestamp [2:45]The Graf regrets stopping Frieren earlier…
Yes, Frieren was right to try to kill those demons, but we can’t blame the Graf for trying to buy time and lure them, he was hesitant on taking revenge over them. But of course, that would not be honorable for a governor like him.
In this Episode at timestamp [3:06]Granat knows what happened 80 years ago
The party of Heroes was responsible for repelling Aura 80 years ago. So the Granat family owes them a debt. We don’t know for sure if Lügner and Draht were with her at that time, but she had a number of undead soldiers with her, and (maybe) some other demons along her side.
In this Episode at timestamp [3:40]Was it exactly 80 years ago…?
Again the years are not strictly 80, but maybe more (87 in this case?). Their encounter with Aura probably took place on the first half of their 10-year journey in any case.
What TRACK of the OST is played during this scene?»
“Magical Defense Training”.
In this Episode at timestamp [4:15]When and how did Aura regain her power…?
She stood hidden for almost all of Himmel’s life. Around 30 years ago, Aura started again using his “guillotine modus operandi” and beheading soldiers. She travelled again from her hiding place in the north to the Granat domains, probably wanting to finish what she had started.
NOTE: The non-canonical “Prequel Novel” of Frieren has a full chapter dedicated to how Aura could have been recovering, training and fighting undercover throughout those all those 50 years after Himmel’s journey.
In this Episode at timestamp [4:32]The magic of the Seven Sages
Is indeed out of the charts and normally humans would have a hard time fighting against them. Their principles are also so hard to decipher that is considered to be “beyond human comprehension”.
WARNING: MILD SPOILER OF SEASON 02 from the MANGA (click to reveal)
There is only another of those 7 sages alive apart from Aura, but his power his also something to truly fear, as we’ll discover in season 2 of the show.
How does Granat know so much about how the spell of obedience “Auserlese” works?
As we see, it’s not the first time his family has faced this threat.
Also, many warriors (and probably some mages) have fought against Aura, and some might have escaped with news of the horrible use of her spell.
He does mention something that might shock us though: that the scales are balanced and are fair. How might he know this?
We don’t exactly know, but lets theorize just for the sake of it—
If a skilled mage observed from afar the scene of other mage challenging her, he/she might know how much MANA both of them have, right? After all, Aura DOES NOT HIDE her mana from the eyes of others. So, if we could see how much the scales tip on her side, we could also observe that is PROPORTIONAL to the difference of mana, right?
Also: AURA is quite the chatterbox when it comes to boast about her power and how she can challenge anyone alive. So it is possible that, same way as Frieren knows how Auserlese works, others might have learned over the decades about it too… After all, the study of magic has progressed a lot.
BUT hey: knowing the rules of the spell, or even invoking it, does NOT mean that its underlying principles are understood. Übel uses magic by intuition for instance, ignoring the principles that make up for those spells —something that Land despises (see their conversation at EP22).
In this Episode at timestamp [4:54]Granat’s son and his sad fate…
The very son of the Graf is now one of Aura’s puppets. How unfortunate and tragic…
ALSO: note how in the next scene, he wields the Sword he won on a tournament —from that monarch the Graf mentioned.
In this Episode at timestamp [5:48]How long have been the soldiers under Aura’s controls?
The bodies of those under control of Aura decay over the years, but until something is left of their undead corpses, they keep obeying her.
That means that some of them might have been under her control for 50 years even!
(We know that the son’s Graf has been dead for 10 years approximately).
In this Episode at timestamp [6:42]Why does Aura sever the heads of the soldiers she captures?
It is her way to protect herself from the few strong-willed warriors that could attack her: to behead them. Without their brain to try to fight against her orders, only their bodies remain, and sadly, they can’t help to obey her like puppets.
Episode at timestamp [7:26]How comes that Frieren is able to free the soldiers from the Sage’s control?
In those 80 years after killing the Demon King, the elf mage has probably studied many grimoires regarding the control of the undead. She knew first-hand of the power Aura had, so it is understandable that she looked for a way to free them from these invisible chains. She’s probably tried this against some undead before… and now is the time to use that powerful dispelling magic to fight Aura’s army.
Mages know it’s important to carefully analyze control magic cast on beings and things, prior to trying to dispel it.
(We’ll see another notable character dispelling a different kind of magic, in an early arc of season 2.)
In this Episode at timestamp [7:50]Is there other reason to dispel the binding of those soldiers?
Frieren is probably luring Aura into using the scales of Submission! Using a powerful dispelling magic —and likely faking that her Mana is slightly diminishing (reducing it to less than a tenth)— probably will lead her to think she is less of a threat.
How astute of her!
Last time our elf faced this undead army, she probably used lightning magic (Juradjim, the one with violet rays she used against her replica) and other “flashy” combat spells she learned from Flamme. But of course the burns and strikes were noticeable in the armors of those poor dead people.
MANGA vs ANIME: in the manga Aura recalls how literally one of the “flashy spells” did send her puppets flying away!
In this Episode at timestamp [8:16]“Himmel is rotting in the ground”, Aura says in some translations.
How cruel! But she DID fear him: so much to stay hidden until hearing news of his death.
Still, it surely pissed Frieren to hear those words. If she had doubts about killing the Sage, they are probably gone by now.
Aura, you have unleashed a monster!! (She is a demon and does not understand those feelings so the voice actress usually does use a neutral tone for that phrase, by the way).
What TRACK of the OST is played during this scene?»
It looks like a variation of “The Warrior’s Path” but, it does NOT appear in the OST.
[From here on we find the manga chapter 19: “Raid”]
In this Episode at timestamp [8:40]The church as a safe place
A church can act as a refuge for those hurt or even for dead ones that should be protected from being eaten by monsters or demons. So it’s not uncommon for mages or others to cast barriers around them to create that protective environment.
In this Episode at timestamp [8:55]Curiosities: animations like this one!
Can you recall in this show, more animations like this —where some character putting on a jacket or clothes is SO AMAZINGLY ANIMATED?
We’ll see one similar when Kraft the Monk puts on some clothes in the winter cabin, in EP.11
In this Episode at timestamp [9:05]How comes that Fern is so unsure of their possibilities to win?
Ok, she’s fought monsters before, in big quantities even. But unknown demons are something she probably is facing for the first time and causes her to feel uncertain of the result.
No wonder she questions whether they could have won their previous battle till the end either. Linie had some unknown magic ready. Stark had his two arms bleeding, and the Graf was injured. The guards in the palace, well… were probably all dead.
Can you blame the purple-haired mage to have reasonable doubt to think they cannot win again easily, having exhausted the surprise factor too?
In this Episode at timestamp [10:12]Tracked by blood!
Their dialogue about the bloody arms of Stark makes some time for the demons to sneak towards them. Also it helps Fern notice something about these stains that is not right. The mana in them is so subtle, you cannot detect it unless focusing on it, from close.
Tracking people or creatures with magic is something we’ll watch again in this show. Remember how Frieren used one spell to locate the seed rats hiding place where the blue-moon weed bloomed? Well, the elf mage might know other tracking spells that could come in handy in the future too…
In this Episode at timestamp [10:43]Too late, Fern!
Great shot of Fern determined to get rid of the stained clothes, but it’s too late! She’s immediately attacked and pierced by Lügner’s blood magic: Bluterei
In this Episode at timestamp [10:00]Linie the acrobat!
Not only Linie has a spell to create physical weapons, she’s also a skilled swift acrobat while using them. Her animations flying around are another great eye-candy during this episode.
In this Episode at timestamp [11:47]How comes Fern is so calm during this scene?
Fern’s calm and nonchalantly listening to the demon shows a side we hadn’t seen much from her. Some would say she’s got ice in her veins here.
Remember that she was ready to die after his parents were killed in the southern wars? And her main purpose in life, to give Heiter a peaceful send off, was achieved. She is probably not so worried about her death since she was a child. Sad, but powerful. Also, she has learned some steel nerves from Frieren herself too…
In this Episode at timestamp [12:02]So… it was not a noble thing for mages to hide their mana?
Well, for demons, apparently is a huge shame. As we’ll learn in the next episode.
Also, Flamme thought they were “mocking magic” when they did it, so probably yes: it’s not considered typically a “fair” and “noble” tactic, but an underhanded one.
In this Episode at timestamp [12:33]Linie “likes to take her time” in battle?
Apparently so… that is why she does not go for the kill from the start? Also, she is sizing him up because he said he knows Eisen’s techniques.
But Stark has been training one special technique of his own that Linie hasn’t observed yet, so she cannot foresee 100% what is in store for her.
In this Episode at timestamp [13:14]Fern decides to take matters (and her staff) on her own hands
Fern is probably getting concerned about Stark too, so she decides to use float magic to retake her staff quietly —and not go down without a fight!
In this Episode at timestamp [11:55]Did Lügner spare Fern intentionally?
Yes, we have observed Lügner’s behavior and he is indeed proud and resentful, so he always tries to strike back for everything. Her attacking Fern by surprise was intentional. And probably, as our purple-haired mage reasons, he wanted her to suffer a humiliating blow and interrogate her before finishing her off.
In this Episode at timestamp [14:36]What did Frieren do with that monster’s horn?
MANGA vs. ANIME: it is hardly noticeable in the Anime, but clearly depicted in the Manga…
how Fern’s master is picking up a monster’s horn, probably because it’s useful in some recipe or for a spell..
In this Episode at timestamp [15:00]Frieren has been training Fern, oh so well…
Frieren does not only train her by making her fight often, she does enhance her best skills too.
Fast “zoltraaking” is one of her strongest suits, and of course she will use that frequently. The other strong suit of Fern is that she can aim and shoot precisely from very far distances… remember that rock she trained so much to pierce? Keep that in mind when watching all her next fights, and you’ll notice that a lot.
[Chapter 20th from the Manga “Master’s Technique” starts here]
In this Episode at timestamp [15:20]Like a western movie duel!
That tense silence and sights before the shooting starts: reminds us so much of a western’s gunslinger duel… such a sensational scene!
(Also: Fern is a quick draw indeed).
In this Episode at timestamp [16:20]What does the name of the spell that Lügner invokes mean?
The word “Balterie” is likely an altered form of “Arterie” or artery in German. In some dubs is rendered as “Bluterei” though. That could come from the verb “bluten” (bleed).
In this Episode at timestamp [16:12]Why is Stark so scared during almost the whole fight?
He never got to beat his master, he likely was not get very close to it!
ALSO: although Eisen had a moment when he felt panic when facing his disciple, he never mentioned that to him. His lack of confidence is notorious this time, just because he is facing a “copycat” of his master which reminds him of how powerless he felt around him. So… that would be the reason why he is on the defensive most of the fight.
What TRACK of the OST is played during these scenes?»
The complete musical theme “Zoltraak” is used during this incredibly well animated battle scene. SO EPIC!!!
In this Episode at timestamp [15:10]Awesome details during Fern’s battle
- Lügner deflecting some shots using his hardened blood. WOW
- Fern shooting back without looking, probably aiming where she feels mana coming. OMG!
- Her “deca-swarm-attack” that she has undoubtedly tried with monsters before.
- Our girl slowly turning back amidst a bright cloud of dust and magic! WONDROUS
- The rapid flashing shoots and Lügner sweating (literally) to stop them all.
MEMES: Did you heard about…? “Fern’s catwalk”
This scene where Fern calmly advances towards Lügner, AKA “the catwalk” has been praised by a multitude of fans, and become one of Fern’s favorite memes.
In this Episode at timestamp [17:57]Yes, Lügner has underestimated her
The demon has clearly misjudged the situation and Fern’s mana (which she is clearly suppressing). Now his attitude changes, and he even asks (a first-timer for him during these episodes) Linie to come help him to create an opening (distraction).
In this Episode at timestamp [16:50]Now, turn for the best moments in Linie vs Stark
(We recommend it watching it in slow motion or 0.5x to have the full sense of these scenes!)
- A flying jump kick by Linie like a martial arts expert. WHAM!
- She throws her axe in front of her and picks it mid-air before attacking holding it with both hands. BAM!
- Flipping the “axis” of the Ax to nearly get our red-haired boy blind.
- A mortal jump with a sword attack impacting steel-on-steel. KABLAM!
- Dwindling a spear before throwing it near Stark’s neck, before getting it back while falling with an acrobatic split upside down. Holy Smokes!
- Her fast movement and air around lifting her skirt and showing her petticoat (closest thing to “fan service” that Frieren has). WOWZA!
- Our girl slowly turning back amidst a bright cloud of dust and magic! WONDROUS
In this Episode at timestamp [18:46]Warriors and MANA!
It’s important to notice that warriors have and use MANA, but in a different way and form. Also, it’s not so noticeable for mages, except for a talented demon that specialises in observing how it flows, like Linie.
But mana CAN be, and IS used, to enhance the power of attacks and weapons: by both humans or demons, as we’ll see also during season 2.
In this Episode at timestamp [19:19]“Little Linie” was with Aura, over 8 decades ago…
Here we see Linie during the Hero’s party fight against the undead army of Aura, over 80 years ago. She was a small child-like demon then.
Afterwards, she probably fled along with the Sage of destruction and stayed hidden until Himmel died —training and learning the techniques of other warriors that Aura defeated along the way. Lügner probably joined forces with them some time after Himmel died.
And what about Dhrat? It is not clear if he joined Aura’s side before Lügner or not.
What TRACKs of the OST are played during this moment?»
Parts of “The Warrior’s Path” and “Fear Brought Me This Far” remind us of Stark’s past and traumas.
In this Episode at timestamp [20:19]Eisen is “all muscle” and no brain?
Does Eisen have muscles instead of brain? Nope: but he thinks like a powerful warrior that knows how to take blows and get back up again. So his “weird logic” only applies to their own case, not to mages, priests or heroes.
In this Episode at timestamp [20:45]What is that ornament on Eisen’s home door?
We see that kind of ornaments often in this world and probably have to do with a superstition or belief… not in the manga though (also, this scene happens near a canyon there).
BUT… this was over three years ago: how comes that Stark (14 at that time) is so “grown-up” here? —probably a mistake in the anime, to be honest.
In this Episode at timestamp [21:00]Great quotes in Frieren:
“The Last Warrior Standing Wins”—Eisen (manga version).
In this Episode at timestamp [21:00]What does the spell name “Erfasen” mean…?
The “imitation spell” name Erfasen comes from a German verb that means “register a record”. Linie has recorded and “reproduced” the moves of Eisen, but her strength is clearly not at the dwarf’s level. She’s a nice (but not great) copycat, that’s all.
In this Episode at timestamp [21:58]Great frames in this episode…
Both ready for the final blow, under the moonlight and with the frantic lights of Zoltraaks exploding. A true feast for our eyes, near the end of this episode…
What TRACK of the OST is played during this scene?»
“Fear Brought me this Far”.
In this Episode at timestamp [22:11]Stark’s gambit…
Both fear and escaping had led Stark to a gloom situation. But now that he is ready to even die, fear dissipates and he accepts the injures in exchange for a chance to finish Linie.
A gambit that pays off for him. He only needed to imitate Fern’s tactic: the best defence was a great attack!
In this Episode at timestamp [22:29]What is Linie thinking…?
The demon girl expression both conveys a sense of surprise and humiliation, for being sent to her death by an apparently “weak” human. Her hand reaching to the moon is likely a reflex action: as she realizes it’s the last thing she’ll see, before dissipating into mana particles.
But for her master Lady Aura, a similar fate and last expression awaits!
In this Episode at timestamp [22:36]A fatal distraction for Lügner…
Oh the irony! Lügner intended to create an opening calling Linie to his aid.
Instead, detecting this girl’s mana vanishing is the perfect distraction for Fern to blast him. Demons don’t feel pain for other fellows as humans do, but the surprise factor of losing his ally is enough to make Lügner lose focus and stop defending for a second, a fatal mistake when facing a “quick draw” mage like our purple-haired protagonist.
In this Episode at timestamp [22:28]Checkmate!
Lügner’s fatal blow and Fern against the moonlit sky are both the best possible culmination to one of the most sensational scenes in the anime (in our opinion).
END of EPISODE'S #09 GUIDEED CHALLENGE.
Can you spot in the ending: a shape made of flowers that reminds us of a Zoltraak spell?
(HINT: it’s pink and appears after a moons‘ animation).
ANSWER to the OPENING CHALLENGE:
Serie is the only character in the Cour#1 Op. that does NOT appear once in any episode of that cour.
She will be introduced at the last part of EP.20, to be precise.
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Wait for the GUIDE of EP10: Next week.
