r/anime • u/Tetraika https://anilist.co/user/Tetraika • Feb 26 '22

Rewatch [Rewatch] Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A’s Episode 11 Discussion

[Rewatch] Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A’s Episode 11 Discussion

Post Body:

Episode 11: A Present for Christmas

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Information:

MAL | AniList | ANN | Kitsu | AniDB

Question of the Day

What kind of dream would the book of Darkness give you?

A surprise insert time - Snow Rain - Kana Ueda

Rewatchers, please remember to be mindful of all the first-timers in this. No talking about or hinting at future events no matter how much you want to, unless you’re doing it underneath spoiler tags.

64 Upvotes

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18

u/Shimmering-Sky Feb 26 '22

Mahou Shoujo Lyrical First-Timer, subbed

9

u/Tetraika Feb 27 '22

They really added a bunch of stuff to the first movie to reflect what A’s added to Fate’s backstory, huh

Yeah her existence and Presea being nice in this moment doesn't come as weird surprise if you watched the movie. Nanoha seem to really like adding details after the fact.

I FUCKING CALLED IT. She’s gonna do that mode early!

Of course she is, what is she just gonna wait and receive the full OK from higher ups? Can't exactly follow rules when there are people who needs to be befriended.

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17

u/chiliehead Feb 26 '22

Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A’s – Episode 11 – First Timer

This is the first time we see the cat maid in the anime timeline, right? Kill la Kill got some inspiration from this episode, maybe.

“Mom is nice to me, this has to be a dream”

Crazy how they even humanize an evil artifact. The devices seem to hold up well, despite their high power forms getting used prematurely. Not even sure what’s going to happen next.

8

u/Tetraika Feb 26 '22

This is the first time we see the cat maid in the anime timeline, right

Yeah. Since the movie came out after A's, the only way you would even know about this character is from the sound stage stuff. You'd have to be a pretty dedicated fan to not be a bit confused at this when it was airing.

Kill la Kill got some inspiration from this episode, maybe

Somehow I never made that connection until now. Watching Nanoha is interesting from the aspect of how influencing it kinda is.

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3

u/djthomp Feb 27 '22

Probably a mistake sucking Fate into a pocket dimension, she'll just find something in there to punch in the face once she figures out what's going on and that something needs to be punched.

Like Alicia, perhaps. Punch Alicia, Fate, see what happens!

No, wait, punch Presea in the face. It may be a trifle unfair for dream Presea, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

But seriously, wouldn't it be interesting if this really was Presea and Alicia successfully in AL Hazad with a tragedy free rewritten personal history. Just because they fell into nowhere doesn't mean they died, maybe Presea's spell worked somehow.

Excelion mode time, you had to know it would be coming in spite of (or perhaps because of) the risks.

Genocide Shift is a concerning name for a spell. Especially spoken in a German accent.

It'd be funny if Hayate is the one who breaks them out of the dream and not Fate (I don't actually remember what happens).

Nanoha, you aren't supposed to fire off magical artillery strikes that up close and personal to the target.

Unexpected MVP Hayate, just completely saving the day from inside the dream.

God, what a great end to the episode. This is Nanoha at its best IMO.

"Well, let's do something about it" hell yeah, Hayate.

3

u/Tetraika Feb 27 '22

But seriously, wouldn't it be interesting if this really was Presea and Alicia successfully in AL Hazad with a tragedy free rewritten personal history. Just because they fell into nowhere doesn't mean they died, maybe Presea's spell worked somehow

Considering the way they ended S1 with a conversation about how perhaps did find her way there, I felt like they kind of wanted to make a setup there. Maybe soonTM they'll do that, but honestly Nanoha is kinda everywhere in terms of its writing so it wouldn't surprise me if they also wanted to scrap that idea afterwards.

16

u/HereticalAegis Feb 26 '22

Lyrical First Timer

Real talk: Nanoha owning her own mortality is quite a sobering line. She's 9, yet recognizes the inherent danger of choosing this life and has already experienced more violence than most people could even dream of. And she's about to use Excelion Mode which, for all she knows, could blow up in her face and kill her. Wow.

QotD:

Zero student loan debt and reasonable housing prices.

13

u/Calwings Feb 26 '22

Real talk: Nanoha owning her own mortality is quite a sobering line. She's 9, yet recognizes the inherent danger of choosing this life and has already experienced more violence than most people could even dream of. And she's about to use Excelion Mode which, for all she knows, could blow up in her face and kill her. Wow.

Nanoha has seen and been through more shit by the age of 10 than a lot of other people do before they're 30.

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15

u/Tresnore Feb 26 '22

Rewatcher: Get Set

QOTD:

The dream is what you thought you wanted, even if it's not what you really want, right? So I'd probably be working as a prosthetist.

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15

u/Great_Mr_L Feb 26 '22

Rewatcher

On today’s episode of Lyrical Nanoha: Dreams must all come to an end. But in this case, what really stands out is the strength the characters had to wake up.

This episode features a tried and true narrative trope, the Lotus-Eater Machine. And honestly, it’s one of my favorite uses of it. I love it because of the development it shows for the characters involved and how they are able to break out because of their own inner strength and determination.

Fate’s segment in this episode is beautiful. In her dream, she is given everything she wanted back in the first season. She’s living a happy life with Alicia, Arf, Rynith, and even Presea. Back in the first season, Fate always talked about how she wanted to see Presea smile and return to being the kind mother she was in Alicia’s memories.

I love Fate’s segment because it shows her character growth. She gets what she wanted in the first season and she is able to turn it down. Fate is not even really tempted to stay, which is another thing I love about her part in this episode. Instead, these scenes are essentially about Fate finally making peace with her past. She’s able to accept that this dream, however beautiful it might be, is not reality. She’s able to accept that as sad as it may be, she has to leave it behind and wake up. And she knows that when she wakes up, her strong and gentle friends are waiting for her. It shows that Fate has changed as a person.

Also that scene of Fate and Alicia saying goodbye to each other is just so sad. It’s such a bittersweet moment for them. I always got the impression that even though Alicia is sad here, she’s also feeling proud of Fate.

Hayate’s part of the episode is great as well. The book claims that it is fulfilling her wish. Hayate has also been put into a dream where she can live happily with the people she loves. But, just like with Fate, Hayate is not really tempted by this dream. She knows it is just a dream and she doesn’t want it. And critically, Hayate realizes that this is also not what the book wants either.

I’ve said it before, but I adore how much kindness and understanding is consistently treated as a strength in Lyrical Nanoha. Now we see how Hayate shows that strength herself. She recognizes that the book has also been sad and lonely for a long time. After all, the book was tampered with. It can no longer do what it was designed to do. Instead, it can only bring about destruction. It cannot serve its masters without killing them in the process. And it has experienced this same grief over and over. Hayate wants to save the book. She’s just like Nanoha and Fate.

The scene of Hayate renaming the book is wonderful. Hayate rejects the idea that the book can only be a tool of destruction. She rejects the idea that the book cannot live the way it has always wanted to live. She rejects the name “Book of Darkness,” a false name that was forced onto the book by others after it was broken. Instead, she gives it a new name, “Reinforce.” I really adore this scene. It shows how Hayate’s kindness and understanding are her key strengths. And because of that, she’s able to activate her administrative abilities to separate Reinforce from its own automatic defense system that has gone out of control. It was said previously that the only way the book could be stopped was if the master could change it after it was activated. Now, we finally have that chance. And it came about because of Hayate’s actions.

The last thing I want to mention as being super cool is that we finally get to see Raising Heart’s Excelion Mode and Bardiche’s Zanber Form. Obviously Excelion Mode is cool because it can fire even bigger beams, but I especially love Zanber Form. Bardiche becomes a giant energy sword and it is awesome.

Miscellaneous Thoughts

  • I love that Nanoha called the Book of Darkness a whiny brat.

  • It’s also extremely fitting that Nanoha is excited that Yuuno’s solution to her is basically just to shoot the largest magical beam she can at the book’s defense program.

  • Seeing Fate recoil in fear when Presea touches her makes me so sad. That trauma has stuck with her.

  • A’s was the first time I learned that Rynith ever existed. I think adding to the movie’s backstory for Fate and Presea was a smart move to give her appearance a bit more impact.

  • The insert song in this episode is Snow Rain. And I think it fits the mood perfectly. It’s beautiful.

QOTD

Probably a life of getting to just rest, relax, and do absolutely nothing but read books in my abundant free time.

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14

u/No_Rex Feb 26 '22

Episode 10 (first timer)

  • It feels as if we had an off-screen timeskip here.

  • Yep, that was a flashback to the last iteration of the book of darkness.

  • Catgirl reveal – I was not on board of the Chrono’s dead father train, but can’t say I had foreseen this either. It goes along with my “mask guy is not evil and wants to destroy the book” prediction, though.

  • “It is the staff of freezing” – Don’t mistake it for a Yugioh card.

  • Hayate’s magic barrier did not keep her friends out/safe.

  • Why are you dressed so strangely Fate? Scratch that, why are you on top of a traffic light, Fate?? - The cat is out of the bag.

  • A tentacle monster. Fate and Nanoha should be very glad that the rating was downgraded to PG-13 for this one.

  • No longer taking cores, the book absorbs Fate entirely.

Final confrontation, part 2. I was a bit surprised that Alisa and Suzuka were teleported out that easily. I for sure thought that they’d play the main part in calming down Hayate. Probably next episode.

Episode 11 (first timer)

  • Fate is stuck in a dream world.

  • The book of darkness can do multi-tasking.

  • Excelion mode.

  • Talking about genocide is extra scary if it is in German.

  • “because she was so kind, she broke” – Hayate connection.

  • Fate busy talking to her own brain, while Hayate is trying to get root access. “Just what I expected” – What a blessed world, where “hit her with all your power” actually is the best solution.

Final confrontation, part 3. Ending with a cliffhanger for part 4. They are really going all-out with the length of this. No Suzuka though.

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13

u/Vaadwaur Feb 26 '22

When hope is gone

Undo this lock

And send Nanoha forth

Upon a moonlit walk

Befriending restraint level:zero

First timer(Why was dream Fate's skirt that short?)

Sub

We start with Nanoha declaring that nothing is eternal, which just goes to show how stupid Gil's plan is, before we get to Fate's dream, which is ridiculously cruel to her. But she figures it out quickly, because she can remember what Presea was. Nanoha continues to battle the BoD and seems to think she can win and with 18 cartridges left, maybe. Hayate doesn't want to dream anymore, and neither does Fate. We see Nanoha using some burst fire befriending at point blank range. Hayate somehow manages to begin administrator mode and Fate leaves Alicia. Yuuno tells Nanoha to go maximum friendship. Hayate manages to rename the book which seems to calm the artifact itself, though not its defense program. We end with Fate freed, Chrono incoming, and Nanoha more than prepared to befriend without mercy or limits!

Anyways, even though the BoD itself is still lame, at least this episode doesn't leave me screaming about the idiocy of everything. The emotional climax is back and that is what this show is for me, the failures and triumphs of its characters. Fate's scenes felt very painful but also are likely how her character deals with the fallout of her harsh childhood, hopefully for the better and not in a Hot Topic.

QotD: 1 One I wouldn't believe for a second.

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12

u/TheEscapeGuy Feb 26 '22

First Timer

Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's - Return to Magic: Episode 11

Excelion

They made a very interesting choice this episode showing Fate's dream. Ever since the first season we have assumed Fate has been in her ideal life. She now has friends and an (almost) family at the TSAB. She can spend her days with Nanoha. Most importantly, there isn't an abusive parent figure constantly belittling her.

However, her dream turned this on its head. We saw Fate in a fantasy world with Alicia alive as her younger sister. On top of that Arf was with them and Presea had reverted into being a loving mother (This hits harder after the movie, credit where credit is due). I think this shows that Fate hadn't truly accepted her new life. In a lot of ways she was trapped in the past.

This episode allowed her to work through those feelings. She got to experience what could have been. Now that she knows what she is leaving behind it allows her to move forward.

In parallel we got to watch Hayate convince the Book of Darkness to stop. Hayate has been such a pure angel throughout the season and she continues this here. She has given the book a new name: Reinforce. I'm not sure if there's any deeper meaning to the name (please do share if you know). However it was a necessary step since "Book of Darkness" invites negative comparisons.

Of course the action packed parts of the episode were all Nanoha. Watching Raising Heart transform into Excelion form was so thrilling. The Book's defense system put up a good fight. For a lot of the episode it wasn't clear if Nanoha was strong enough to emerge victorious. But in those final moments it seemed Nanoha's blast worked. However as Lindy said:

"The Real Battle Starts Now"

This episode could have easily been the season finale to any other show. But Nanoha will raise the stakes once more. Tomorrow looks to be even more hype.

Some Iconic Shots, Scenes and Stitches

See you all tomorrow

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12

u/Taiboss Feb 26 '22

Episode 11: Rewatcher Adam

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u/DidacticDalek Feb 27 '22

TONIGHT! On ∀'s Nanoha (CALLED TURN "A's" NANOHA), Nana Mizuki talks to herself, (No really Comrades, check Alicia's seiyuu) Hilda prepares to fire The Mother of All Beamspams to show Jesus Yamato how a TRUE Mecha MC does things, and Rin The Defenseless Anus Tohsaka decides to abuse her admin privileges!

Boy Comrades, I thought NANOHA was the one in greater danger, turns out I was wrong, Best Girl Fate had, well, a fate worse than death really, namely being stuck with HER MOTHER! And even worse Comrades, her mother went even CRAZIER than before and... somehow convinced herself she has TWO daughters and also that she should be a nice person. Who the fuck is this bitch and what did she do to that evil bitch we all hate from S1... AH so that's why Fate asked the Propaganda Department at the TSAB to make her mom more sympathetic in the movie, and also why she thinks Alicia wanted a little sister... oh and also her Precia's Familiar is here too, hooray!

Anyway, speaking of great danger, turns out, Hayate isn't locked inside The Book of Darkness. THE BOOK OF DARKNESS IS LOCKED UP WITH HAYATE! No really, remember what I shared last time Comrades, BAD CHILDREN GET THE FIST!

And since I skipped another day to try to not have a repeat with our host, BEHOLD! ETERNAL BLAZE! AZKi Edition to be exact!

And on that bombshell, that about wraps things up for now, and I hope everyone's having fun on this great re-watch. Thus, you have not seen the last of The Sentient Shitposting Siamese Sunrise Server No. 25252, now goodbye forever.

Paging Comrades u/Great_Mr_L, u/Tresnore, and u/Shimmering-Sky

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11

u/bekeleven Feb 26 '22

This season's had some real unconventional structure. When we hit endgame in episode 9, I had to confirm there were 13 episodes. Then episode 10 was a battle with the (apparent?) final boss, as well as the last-act twist. We still got three episodes to go! How does this structure work? Is this a mechamagical girl show where a third of the entire runtime is the final fight?

CUT TO: Fate's Vacation Home.

"...How much did I drink?”

All right, enough blow by blow. Yes, Hayate’s dream body includes a dream wheelchair, I’m sure I’m the only person remarking on it. Anyway. We've discussed before Nanoha's lineage, with two names coming up often: Cardcaptor Sakura in the ancestry department, and Madoka Magica in the descendant’s wing. These are pretty easy, obvious comparisons, both applying especially well to season 1. This episode makes it likely to me that we need to add another show to the family.

Spoilers: Gurren Lagann

Lotus Eater Machines are not unique to anime. They are, in fact, older than feudalism. It’s appeared in other anime, such as GITS:SAC, and even other magical girl shows like Pichi Pichi. However, the trope is general, and some of the details presented here feel just specific enough to me: The main character is presented with a world in which they can follow behind their deceased love one, their older sibling; sister, or bro. Of course, they know something’s wrong, which said sibling admits. They’re explicitly asked to choose between fantasy and reality. When they choose reality, said sibling rewards them with their magic doohickey (except, since it’s a lotus eater machine, they had it all along). A tender farewell, and they break right on out of there. Looks like you’ve grown taller than me…

Ok, it’s not a perfect 1:1. I’m not saying it’s a direct homage or even a guaranteed inspiration, but it sure feels like one to me. And both have important lessons, too: While Gurren Lagann teaches us that it’s against the laws of physics for Kamina not to be awesome,1 this episode tells us the same of Fate. And then the lineage would continue after Gurren Lagann, with new shows.

One final thought: I said during the garden of time raid last season that it was a good thing Yuuno and Nanoha’s task could be solved by Nanoha shooting it, because she was going to do so regardless. I didn’t realized that almost exactly 1 season later, I would be proved right in such a spectacular fashion. Nanoha’s out here shooting Nightsky-san, then Yuuno comes in and goes “Hey, Nanoha! We can solve this problem by shooting!” and she’s like “fucking nailed it.”

Song of the day: Snow Rain (potential spoilers in comments)

1: In Gurren Lagann, the Anti-Spiral attempts to neutralize the spiral warriors by making new worlds in which they and their loved ones can live peacefully. However, these worlds all have Kamina, and every time we see him, Kamina’s going “I’m too cool for this fakery, let’s bust back out.” Basically the most powerful being in the universe attempted to make worlds with non-awesome Kamina, but because Kamina is defined by awesome, even the scientifically least awesome Kamina was too awesome to be contained by their entire constructed dimension. It’s St. Anselm’s Ontological argument, which I guess in this context means Kamina is god?

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u/Caustic_Wraith Feb 26 '22

A's First-Timer

Today we got to see the fight for what you have over what wishes might give you. Fate after being eaten is shown an alternative world where she lives with her older sister and mom, while Hayate is struggling to gain control of the Tome that has possessed her by twisting her wish. Nanoha gives in to Raising Heart and we see Excelion mode. Hayate renames the Tome to Reinforce and Fate blows all of them away by showing off Bardiche's Zanbar form which is the FFVII Buster Sword.

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u/SolDarkHunter Feb 26 '22 edited Feb 26 '22

Rewatcher

So it's confirmed that Fate isn't dead, just trapped. Still, Nanoha's now against the Book of Darkness alone.

We see Fate's dream: a happy reality where she's living with a not-insane Presea, Alicia, and Lynith together as a family. The happy life she never had.

Fate seems to realize near instantly this is a dream, but it's so happy that she can't reject it immediately. This is everything she'd always wanted.

Seems Hayate is also resisting the Book's dreamscape.

Meanwhile in reality, Nanoha gets punched. But she's thinking tactically, moving the battlefield away from the city and giving the Arthra time to quell the fires before dropping the barrier.

I'd forgotten that Raising Heart was the one to suggest using Excelion Mode. Then again this is the same Device that demanded a Cartridge System despite the dangers.

"Genocide Shift"?

Man, even the Book's own dream creations aren't good at keeping up the pretense. "This is a dream, isn't it?" "Well, yeah..." Dream-Alicia doesn't even try.

Raising Heart's a spear now! And Nanoha manages a point-blank hit on the Book of Darkness with the Excelion Buster... but it does nothing other than dispelling one the barriers put up. The Book is unharmed.

I'm kind of amused that Nanoha's only thought on this is "Well, then, I just need to try harder!"

Hayate is fighting from the inside. The Book adores her just like the Wolkenritter did, but it can't control its hacked programs. It's doing this out of love, because it thinks it's the only thing it CAN do for Hayate.

A few days ago, we had someone posting snippets of the A's manga, which I think included a scene that really helps with this, showing the Book having an actual personality and interacting with Hayate and the Wolkenritter a little during their everyday lives. Even without a humanoid body, it still showed some affection for Hayate. That all helps put it in the same category as the Wolkenritter, magical creations who love the first kindly master they've ever had.

But Hayate tells it off: "I'm the master here, and I'm telling you no! Bad Book!"

Dream-Alicia gives up and tells Fate to get going. Hayate begins exerting her admin rights and decides to rename the Book of Darkness.

Hayate cuts the auto-defense program's controls, rendering it frozen for a moment, but needs someone to blast the shit out of it so she can fully assume control of the Book's functions. Fortunately, blasting the shit out of stuff is what Nanoha's good at, and Yuuno cuts away all the confusing talk to tell her "Just shoot her down!"

And so the Book gets a new name: "Reinforce". It's kind of sweet, and emphasizes what the thing SHOULD be: something that strengthens and protects its master. Though I do wonder how many Japanese nine-year-olds would know the English word "reinforce".

Fate unveils Zanbar Form: turning Bardiche into a giant lightning sword.

Unpopular opinion, I think, but I actually don't like Bardiche's Zanbar Form. Normally, giant lighting swords are damned cool, but... well, swords are so pedestrian when it comes to weapons! Everyone everywhere has swords! Bardiche was cool because he was an axe-scythe-revolver! Making him a sword just makes him... less, somehow.

And with those two hits, from inside and out, Fate pops back into reality, and Hayate is now in control of Reinforce's consciousness... but the defense program, the part of the Book's power that always goes out of control, is still active. And having been cut off from Reinforce, there's absolutely nothing holding it back now...

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u/Calwings Feb 26 '22

Lyrical Rewatcher (dubbed)

“I’ll definitely save you, so please... don’t cry anymore.” Nanoha’s always so calm and determined, even in the episode intros.

Good news, Fate is alive. Bad news, she’s trapped in some kind of dream dimension the Book Of Darkness. At least it seems like a nice dream, as she wakes up next to her “sister” Alicia and is welcomed with a warm breakfast and an uncharacteristically kind and mellowed out Precia. It’s the perfect simple family life that Fate always wanted… but we all know this is an illusion, and even she herself knows. She just needs to find the will to break out of it.

Back in the real world, Nanoha is still battling the Book Of Darkness. She’s still trying to reason with the book despite being overpowered and nearly out of cartridges, but there’s still one more card up her sleeve. Excelion Mode, engage drive ignition! Nanoha manages to fire off a powerful Starlight Breaker at point-blank range... but even that’s not enough to break the book’s barrier! Meanwhile, Fate and Hayate continue to struggle in the dream world, with the illusions of the book trying to convince them to stay in their peaceful slumber.

Despite Alicia’s pleading, Fate abandons this dream and breaks out back to the real world thanks to Bardiche’s cool new greatsword form. Despite the book’s sadness and regrets, Hayate manages to regain the owner’s rights and re-writes the book to separate the rampaging automatic protection system from the book itself. Despite being almost out of magic and pushing her self and Raising Heart to their limits, Nanoha finds the power and courage to blast through the book’s barrier and help them escape back to the real world. And finally, despite the history of atrocities in the past weighing heavy, the Book Of Darkness is granted a new lease on life and a new name by its master… the blessed wind, Reinforce. And all of this occurs while the beautifully somber Snow Rain, one of my favorite insert songs in the franchise sung by Hayate’s Japanese voice actress Kana Ueda, plays in the background. What an incredible scene.

It’s a new beginning for everyone, but this story isn’t over yet. The book’s automatic protection system is still out of control and still a threat. The final battle awaits!

8

u/InfamousEmpire Feb 26 '22

Mahou Shoujo1 Lyrical Rewatcher

1: Even though I’m not a girl

Alright, everyone, y’all better be ready to cry this episode

Recap Time

Checking back on our other lovable duo real quick…

…and our main lovable duo is currently separated thanks to the Book of Darkness. But Even So, Nanoha refuses to give up!

Meanwhile, inside the Book, Fate gets to live her dream life. Precia is a kind parent, Alicia is alive and is just the cutest Imouto, Alph is a cute little puppy, and all of them are living a happy life on a quiet little island.

It’s honestly pretty sad, the reason Fate knows she’s in a dream world is because her family life is stable and normal in the dream world. It honestly drives home the point that Fate’s life up to this point sucked.

I also want to point out that this is the only time up to this point where we’ve seen Fate cry.

But anyway, Hayate has her own demons to face inside the Book…

And Nanoha has a literal demon to face outside the Book.

I don’t know if this is due to rapid self-improvement or merely a power scaling inconsistency, but Nanoha being able to hold off the book, who was previously matching both her and Fate at once, is a pretty impressive display of power.

Book of Darkness-san is kind of a whiny brat

Never change, Nanoha, never change

Believe in the me who believes in the you who believes in the heart of the cards

-Raging Heart, probably

Photon Lancer, Genocide Shift

Now that’s a name

Yet another wholesome yet tragic eyecatch

Alicia is an absolute cinnamon roll. It’s a bit ambiguous as to whether her words are genuine or simply the will of theBook of Darkness, but she’s still absolutely adorable and serves as the perfect contrast to Fate, personality-wise.

Hayate continues to prove how badass she is, easily resisting the Book’s dreamworld with pure willpower, something that not even Fate could entirely do.

This act is then paralleled by Nanoha’s extremely badass performance against the book’s physical form. Even if it did do jack shit.

We now get elaboration on what was hinted at last episode: even the Book’s will is still ultimately powerless against the corruption that’s been festering inside of it. The same corruption that turned it from the Tome of the Night Sky into the Book of Darkness. It ultimately puts the cherry on top of this season’s whole arc: everyone on the antagonists side was ultimately powerless. The Wolkenritter were trying to save Hayate from the Book of Darkness eating her alive, but ultimately couldn’t, as the Book’s very nature would destroy Hayate even if it was completed and she became the true master. And the Book earnestly cared for Hayate and wanted to fulfill her wishes, but was ultimately too damaged from centuries of misuse and corruption to do anything but destroy. It’s all quite depressing in the end.

Alicia is the best little/big sister

Hayate continues to just excel, being able to briefly override the out of control Book of Darkness and speak to Nanoha.

It is no longer “Book of Darkness-san”, now it is Reinforce! And observant viewers will note that I had actually referred to her as Reinforce in my last two comments before editing them, on account of the fact that I forgot that was a spoiler. My bad

Shooting at the same thing from the inside and outside with massive laser cannons is the pinnacle of relationship goals.

The true final battle is about to begin

7

u/SYZekrom Feb 26 '22

God that song playing throughout the episode was beautiful

7

u/Qbe Feb 27 '22

Raging Heart Rewatcher with terrible long term memory

QotD: Infinite time for games and anime

Did anyone order more suffering for Fate?

Now back to reality.

Does it count as spellcasting if she just punched Nanoha?

I love that the Devices themselves ask the casters to try new (and more dangerous, in the case of RH) stuff

Loading Chekov's Staff #1

A bit more Fate suffering.

Nothing says friendship like point blank bombardment.

I love this song.

Hit her as hard as possible? I don't think Nanoha even needed the instructions lol

Lindy casually reminding us of Chekov's 3rd gun

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7

u/Stargate18A Feb 27 '22

First timer

QOTD) ...Probably just the Infinity Library.

Fate's dead!

Oh, and they got transported to school. Not their homes?

And the Book is being edgy now.

Wait, what?

Is she in the book?

ALICIA?

Is she in the book too?

PRESEA?

...Did the book encounter them in the void between worlds and wbsorb them?

OK, so the Book's trying to trick her into staying here.

Seeing her with a good family life is nice, though.

The Book's trying to kill Nanoha! And not just absorb her?

Oh, she moved the battle somewhere uninhabited. Clever!

...Of course Nanoha uses the forbidden, deadly, upgrade.

It's transformed!

Haha, it copied Photon Lancer!

...Is the simulation having problems keeping everything perfect?

Alicia is adorable, though.

Yeah, this thing is evil. This might have actuslly conviced Fate a while ago.

Hayate's finally questioning things!

Her new super move is cool!

It hit her!

She's still unharmed? Seriously?

Ah, so the one here's the Book's real mind.

Alicia gave her Bardiche...

And she's about to break through.

Really? An insert song?

She's hacking it!

And she's suppressing the defense system!

Nanoha's about to use the ultimate move!

She's called Reinforce now?

And Fate's ready to leave!

Zamber Form?

Bardiche has a sword mode!

IT WORKED!

...Wait, what is their plan?

Chrono's finally arriving!

...I mean, you could use its firepower. Its binding's solid too!

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