Blimey, this is starting to feel gratuitous…
For the second chapter in a row, we get to watch poor-old Diane take an absolute pasting. I mean come on… can’t the girl buy a break?
Week 2 of the Diane-obliteration. It’s getting painful…
On first reading of this chapter, I was a teensy bit disappointed. It seemed that the fallout of last week’s carnage was being stretched out, some what un-necessarily, and I wasn’t really sure that this chapter added enough to the story to make it worthy of a really good review.
One thing that I didn’t really care for was the manner of both Diane’s and, to a lesser extent, Helbram’s revivals. Helbram just sort of felt daft, in that he supposedly teleported himself away from the attack (presumably an ability he stole from the mysterious teleporting female Holy Knight) just in time. Diane’s was even odder, given that no real explanation was offered at all… She just sort of got up. Full of wholes. I mean, Giants may well be tough, and she was clearly on her last legs by the end of the chapter, but it still felt a bit ridiculous that she could stand after being pierced multiple times (and then some) by Dreyfuss…
My other criticism is this: what are the Sins doing?! King seemed to be stuck on the other side of his doggy-portal-thing, but Meliodas, Gowther and Ban hardly seem to be rushing to Diane’s aid. I’m sure they’ll make it onto the scene in time, but it would have been nice just to have a panel showing their reaction to the whole affair. Diane fell out of the sky onto the capital… I’m sure they must at least be aware something is up… So why does it seem they aren’t busting a gut to rescue her..?
That said, on re-reading I have to come to the conclusion that actually this chapter could be a pivotal one in the overall story of this arc and beyond. The action itself was fairly inconsequential – Diane was pretty much finished off by Dreyfuss, and then limped about Liones while sneaky ol’Helbram made it look like she was busting up the town. Its implications, though, could be massive. And that end panel… well.
I’ll come to that in a sec, but first off there’s a major other issue I want to highlight. I thought it might have been the case a couple of chapters ago, but now I’m pretty sure – does Dreyfuss not know that Elizabeth is in Liones? I had alwyas assumed that he was aware of the kidnap, and the reason for the Sins attack on the capital. Turns out I was wrong: not only does he not know, but he is being lied to by both Helbram and Hendricksen about the whole affair.
When he finds out (and I’m sure he will, if he hasn’t clocked it already) we could be in for a treat as he and Hendricksen square off about the latter’s machinations….
For now, though, let’s turn to that ending.
I’ll happily admit that this reveal made me smile like an idiot. So cool.
Any qualms I might have had about this chapter were – if not alleviated – certainly countered in a great twist. I’ve always said that Hauser was just a good man in the wrong place, and in this chapter he seemed finally to make up his mind. What was a bigger surprise, though, was Geera’s decision to stand beside him. It had been strongly hinted throughout the chapter, building on an inkling of discontent mentioned a few chapters back (in which she demanded answers from Helbram regarding her father’s demise), that her relationship with her superiors (and Helbram in particular) was less than rosy. Seeing Helbram endanger innocent people – including her younger brother Zeal – in the name of framing the Sins seemed to push her over the edge.
The moment Diane’s bloody-minded heroism turned the tide..? New allies are incoming, it would seem…
Geera’s decision to turn rebel seemed a little rushed, to me, but it wasn’t completely out of left-field (or character) so I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt. What it did achieve was a barnstorming ending, in which Holy Knight faced down Holy Knight, with Diane’s life in the balance. It’s a fight I personally believed would happen eventually, and I for one can’t wait to see the former allies go toe-to-toe, next time…
THE GOOD!
- The ending was a great shock, driving a wedge between the Holy Knights and opening up the story once more. Love the unpredictability.
- Helbram remains one of the most loathsome, depraved villains around, quite happy to kill small children to satisfy his own goals… He’s great. So looking forward to when someone finally dishes out a proper beating on him…
THE BAD!
- The revival of Diane felt a bit… odd. She really ought to be down for the count by now, but is just sort of clinging on, with no real reason offered. All feels a bit flakey, if you ask me.
Overall: At first slightly disappointing, but with a kickass twist-ending, this chapter wasn’t brilliant but did a good job of linking last week’s carnage with new revelations. I give it 6.5/10.
Koba out.
PS – Apologies, Magi #215 is taking an age to come out, but I promise to have a review up for it as soon as it breaks…
Sleeping Geeks 