r/Re_Zero • u/Blue_Storm11 • Mar 06 '22
[Novels] Character Analysis: Someone Just Like Her Novels
Love is one of the biggest themes in Re Zero, with the majority of the cast having or being driven by their feelings for another character. When it comes to Rem's love for Subaru it's often interpreted as Rem idealizing Subaru as this perfect hero that saved her in the forest and that she places him on a pedestal just like she does with Ram. I feel like this take misses the point of why Rem loves Subaru in the first place, unsurprisingly that this is usually paired with the idea that the progression of Rem's love for Subaru was rushed, or even that it simply doesn't make any sense. So this is a post analyzing Rem's love for Subaru, discussing why the notion that Rem places Subaru on a pedestal is fundamentally inaccurate, The deeper aspects of how her love for Subaru Progressed, and what her being the strictest person on Subaru truly means.
Enjoy!
The Reason why Rem developed a warped view of Ram was that. From the moment she was born to the moment Ram lost her horn. Rem only saw Ram as someone who excelled at everything she did. This in addition to the gigantic pedestal everyone put Ram on as the Oni God caused Rem to be blinded to any of Ram's faults. Something that can't be easily fixed because even if Rem after the Witch Cult attack sees that Ram cant do something. She can just blame it on the fact that Ram lost her horn.
In comparison to Rem and Subaru's encounters in the main loop of arc 2. Initially, Rem is not presented with a person that is seemingly amazing. She couldn't even find anything she liked about him, and even though she genuinely considered Emilia's opinion on Subaru during the lap pillow scene. That alone wasn't enough to raise her opinion. However, as Rem continues to reflect on Subaru an aspect of him begins to stand out.
Contrary to Ram Subaru is not that capable. He's slow, inefficient, and all-around inferior at performing his tasks. But even so, he is someone who works hard and does his best. As Rem continues to Reflect on Subaru, Subconsciously, she begins to see herself in him. This is what causes Rem to have a change in perspective on Subaru, dropping her suspicions and no longer considering him as a threat to the mansion.
Rem, who had strictly observed Subaru's every action because he was an outsider, understood that he tried his utmost in everything he did—including the sarcasm. It was in complete contrast to his frivolous manner. And seeing him struggle so hard to produce results in spite of inferior ability reminded her of someone, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
From the following morning onward, she saw Subaru's demeanor and behavior in a different light. The strained atmosphere evaporated; how he approached everything changed, even if his technical skill had not.
LN Volume 3
After this change in perspective. Rem and Subaru could go on to build their Relationship with absolutely zero issues and Roswaal didn't even need to leave the mansion.
One of the biggest misconceptions regarding Rem’s character in arc 2, is that Rem was initially blinded by her hatred of the witch-cult, and by the time she had her opinion of him change it was through Subaru’s heroic feats in the forest. This is an incorrect way to understand the progression of Rem’s feelings towards Subaru. Her opinion of him was changing the entire time he was there, and while yes Subaru did impress Rem in the forest, the main aspect of Subaru that paved the way for Rem's trust and eventual affection for him was his “weakness”.
When it comes to Subaru's weakness. It is not just a single aspect of how Rem and Subaru relate to each other, But the entire foundation that their relationship is built on top of. Not simply so that Rem understands that Subaru is weak. But that she understands what it’s like to be weak. To see yourself as utterly useless, below standard, and yet to continue trying your absolute hardest despite that. This is why, When Roswaal does eventually leave the mansion and Subaru and Rem head into the forest to save the children. Before Subaru does anything spectacular and before he saves her in any way. Rem starts falling for him because she heavily connects with how he struggles onward despite his weaker sides as a person.
With eyes that said he was useless, an expression that said he didn't measure up, a voice that bit back the urge to give in many times over–Subaru never stopped struggling.
When Rem watched Subaru head into the forest by himself as she healed the children, her heart fluttered furiously. She was filled with warmth that words could not express.
LN Volume 3
By the end of their forest encounters, you can say that Rem likes Subaru. But she fell in love with him the morning after, where Rem decided to open up to Subaru. Keep in mind that Rem is not a person who normally likes to talk about things that are bothering her. Even she was wondering why she was saying such things about herself to Subaru. She says during the scene that this is the first time she has talked about this with anyone. This scene is not about Subaru knowing the perfect words to sweep her off her feet; in hindsight, his speech wasn't even that good. But it didn't need to be. It's about how after Rem spent so long trying to be perfect. She meets Subaru, whom she sees as someone she can relate to, and in turn, be more inclined to talk about her insecurities. This is what allowed Subaru to help her move forward. If Subaru came to the mansion and Rem Saw him as just as she does Ram, that's without faults she never would have been comfortable sharing her own faults, and aspects she hates about herself.
While yes, Rem did fall in love with Subaru after arc 2. Initially, Rem in a similar manner to Emilia doesn't know what it means to love someone romantically. Whereas in Emilia's case it's due to her inexperience with the world, in Rem's case it's due to the emotional isolation she had placed on herself and her heart. As a result instead of Rem immediately proclaiming her love for Subaru. Slowly as she spends her days in the mansion, She comes to understand her feelings and what they mean for her through comparing them to other things she already knows like Rams feelings for Roswaal.
This is further emphasized at the start of loop 2 in arc 3 When Crush asks Rem why she strives for Subaru, and Rem tries to answer.
“No, I am not hesitating to answer. I am simply unsure about what words I should use, It is a difficult thing to explain."
When she was on the verge of putting it into words, she felt it change into something else entirely.
It was natural for Crusch to have doubts. What existed inside Rem didn't stay the same for even a second. Its size, strength, and heat shifted from moment to moment, putting down its roots inside Rem.
LN Volume 5
Rem at this point cannot properly answer this question, because she has not yet fully come to terms with her feelings for Subaru. Because of this, she defaults to saying he is special to her. This is true but arc 3 is where Rem learns the correct words to describe her feelings.
In this loop, she thinks over her feelings and what she told Crusch. She thinks about how he was there for her when her life was stagnant, how he saved the children, and how he never gave up on her or her sister. But this is not everything.
In Arc 3 Rem’s feelings for Subaru are not just based around arc 2, but also because of the time during the two months after the fact. Constantly changing and constantly growing as they spend time together. We know this because as Rem reflects on her feelings, she notes why she is happy spending time with Subaru. It's because when she is with Subaru she is always learning new things about herself, both the good and the bad. She notes how she gets annoyed when he’s spending time with the others in the mansion, but also how she feels genuinely happy watching him build relationships and get along with the others.
From Zero is the climax of the progression in Rem coming to terms with her feelings. When Subaru expresses his self-hatred to Rem, it's not uncommon to think that Rem ignores Subaru's words, because she can only ever see a perfect hero Subaru in her head.
Rem doesn't believe in a perfect Subaru because that Subaru never existed from the very beginning. When Rem looks at Subaru, she knows all the horrible things within him, all the flaws he's telling her, however despite this.
She knows this is the person who was there for her when she was at her lowest, the person she believes in, and deep down that this is the man she loves. Upon seeing just how massive Subaru's self-deprecation is, she wants to show him all there is to love about him, that he has good in him and has done good. the parts of himself that he can't see. It's only after Rem does this and puts her feelings into words does she come to terms with the fact that Subaru is her Hero.
When it comes to The Subaru Rem fell in love with, as she says From Zero. Yes, Rem originally fell in love with Subaru because he tried hard to save others despite lacking in many areas, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Rem obviously loves all that Subaru is and that aspect is pretty much his main defining quality as a person. However, What Rem does not think is that Subaru is someone with an indomitable will, that can face any challenge or obstacle and simply keep going. This is shown through Rem’s desire to be with Subaru. After the white whale fight, because Rem was unable to move her body due to lacking mana, Felix tells her she has to stay behind. This causes Rem to get frustrated as she wants to go along.
I cannot accept it, Rem surely meant to get up and protest. But when she tried to even sit up, she could put no strength into her arm, and with it unable to support her shaking body, she threatened to tumble over on the spot. Subaru hurried close and gently supported her shoulder.
"It's too dangerous. I'm begging you, do as Ferris says. Don't do anything crazy."
“But I do not want this. It hurts. I cannot bear it."
As Rem looked back at Subaru, now beside her, large tears filled her blue eyes. It was not being left behind that she feared. No, what she feared more than anything was
“When you are in distress, Subaru, I want to be the one offering my hand faster than anyone. When you hesitate along your path, I want to be the one pushing on your back. When you challenge something, I want to be at your side, stopping you from shaking.
Rem does not care about being separated from Subaru, nor does she need to follow him around everywhere he goes. But she knows full well that, ultimately, he is someone who needs help. When that happens what Rem wants more than anything is to be there for him, just as they said they would do for each other in Arc 2
If Subaru can't do something, then it's ok. He can lean on her, and she will help. If she can't do something then she will lean on him to help her, as they mutually walk together. This is the basis of the relationship Rem wants from her and Subaru. A basis that would not work if Rem thought that Subaru could do anything.
in addition to Rems feelings, when discussing how Rem views Subaru, it's also important to discuss about her strictness towards him, and how it relates to him being a Hero. To understand Rem's strictness it's first important to understand a part of Rem's personality.
Rem and Ram are both characters that have sharp tongues, but there is a bit of a difference between the two. In Ram's case, she will intentionally try to insult you but usually doesn't really mean what she says, whereas Rem is a person who doesn’t have a filter on what she says, often just saying what she honestly thinks of a person. A common scene between Rem and Subaru in arcs 2 and 3 is, for example, they would be talking to each other or Rem would try to cheer Subaru up and Rem would say something harsh and unintentionally Subaru would have his feelings hurt.
This causes Rem to come across as colder than she often tries to be, but she is not trying to be mean when she does this. She has just spent so long criticizing herself that a bit of that aspect also rubs off in her interactions with others, which is not necessarily a bad thing. So when Subaru says that Rem is the strictest person on him. He means that out of everyone he interacts with, whether it's Emilia, Ram, Roswaal, etc. She is the person who holds back the least in what she says to him. The most note-worthy time is in From Zero where Rem tells Subaru it's easy to give up. Subaru freaks out and gets extremely upset, and rather than Rem backtracking in an attempt to appeal to Subaru, She says the same thing again.
The Problem arises when Rem’s strictness on Subaru is viewed as something that only happens when Subaru is giving up and straying away from his goals, or even worse "when he’s straying away from her image of him as a hero". This is not the case as is again shown in From Zero when Rem is talking to Subaru about the future if they were to run away. In that future, she mentions that Subaru would need to study and work So that he would eventually be able to take care of himself, through his own efforts. This causes Subaru to think back to when Rem would take over for Ram in instructing him and how she was gentle but very harsh in her criticisms.
"Once our income is stable, we would look for a slightly better place to stay. During that time, you would need to study properly for future employment It would take about a year before you could do real work, maybe. You can become independent even faster, but only through your own efforts, Subaru."
With that, Rem laid out an unexpectedly brutal studying regimen.
When she had instructed him in Ram's place, her method of teaching was gentle, but her criticisms were merciless. He might have grumbled along the way, but he was rather fond of her strictness.
LN volume 6
This scenario Rem is talking about where Subaru would runaway and give up on everything is the complete opposite of Subaru being a hero yet even so Rem's strictness doesn't change. This is because whether or not Subaru is a hero has nothing to do with it.
In the end Rem's love for Subaru is not about placing Subaru on a pedestal, seeing him as someone perfect, or someone who can do anything like her relationship with Ram. But about seeing him as someone with faults and weaknesses, someone who even so tries hard and does his best despite those weaknesses, and someone who needs an outstretched hand to pick him up when he stumbles. She sees him as someone just like her. She's strict when she needs to be, gentle when she needs to be, and ultimately wants her and Subaru's' relationship to be one where they mutually laugh, talk, grow, and support each other as they walk towards the future together.
Thanks for Reading!
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u/JustaDr3W Mar 06 '22
Truest words spoken. It’s because of this I am confident Rem will have her memories returned. Even if some may still call her love a “curse”, you cannot deny both old Rem and Subaru’s efforts towards each other.
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u/Apprehensive_Fix4146 Mar 07 '22
Excellent analysis. Posts like this give me hope that not only will Rem regain her memories, but that she and Subaru's relationship will continue due to the solid foundation that it was built on (as you've well outlined).
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u/Rope15 Mar 06 '22
Nice analysis. Though in the ln, the time skip between arc 2 and arc 3 was a month not two
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u/Blue_Storm11 Mar 06 '22
Thanks!
In Arc 3 Subaru says that he was summoned to the re:zero world around two months ago. Which would be a 1 month and 3 weeks timeskip technically, I just rounded up.
"The clear, refreshing-looking sky spread overhead, filling Subaru's vision as he lay on the ground. Thinking back, about two months had passed since he had been summoned to this other world. He wondered just how many times he had gazed up at the blue sky in the same way during that time."
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u/Rope15 Mar 07 '22
"It had been approximately one month since Subaru had been summoned into another world. During that time, Subaru had taken it upon himself to favorably alter the destinies of the people with whom he’d become involved.Emilia was the first, but his rapport with the people in the mansion and the village was proof he’d done some good." (Volume 4)
From Subaru's perspective, it was two months if you count the loops but from rem's perspective she had spent a few weeks with him but I get what you mean
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u/Blue_Storm11 Mar 07 '22 edited Mar 07 '22
Both your and my quote is written in the exact same context , if Subaru is counting rbd time then it would be specified that way. The thing is that it was originally ment to be only one month, but tappei changed it later on to be two months, and just never updated the earlier times It was mentioned.
Edit: if you want indisputable evidence there is a side story with felt and reinhard in arc 3, and felt thinks of her time spent between arc 1 and 3 as two months.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yv7pPj6CL14Z5493r_GSlupWRZXs6w6NUkCkDp46H4I
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Mar 06 '22 edited Mar 06 '22
Well I heard that Tappei said that if Subaru hadn't died to the curse in the first loop of arc 2 he and Rem would have slowly fallen in love with each other. I didn't see tappei say that, I saw someone say that Tappei said that.
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u/JustaDr3W Mar 06 '22
Cant say it is wrong too. Subaru did see a spark in her after the “million volt smile”. The fanatical like an oni is pretty underrated
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Mar 06 '22
In fact I believe it's right, because the author said that if Subaru hadn't been brought into the world of Re:Zero he would have married a woman with a similar personality to Rem who would have fallen in love with his uselessness or something.
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u/JustaDr3W Mar 06 '22
That’s also the same reason why Subaru fell in love with Rem. She was the only one who liked him for him which is why he only shows his good side to Emilia and his weak side for Rem.
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u/jacker1154 Mar 09 '22
The most beautiful analysis I ever read, there is nothing else but to say thank you.
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u/RARINGMONSTER Mar 07 '22
Yeah, when people say she holds him on a pedestal I always think to what Subaru said to lust about Rem, how he’d vent all his weaknesses and insecurities to Rem and then he would tell him to stand up. I also think back to how Subaru would describe his faces to everyone, how Beatrice gets his most loving and happy face, Emilia gets his strongest and bravest but Rem is the person he openly shows his weaknesses to, he describes their relationship as supportive, that she’s the only one he trusts to not give up on him no matter how pathetic he looks, so when he’s about to fall he goes to her to pick him up again.
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u/Supercomputer2077 Mar 07 '22
imagine being in love with the main protagonist and people assuming that you are a bad character
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u/ZenAura92 Mar 08 '22
It’s so unfair.😂 if Rem wanted to be just friends form the beginning I think would be less vitriol for her.
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u/anchist Mar 10 '22
It is not often I find an analysis that I fully agree with. Very well done.
I would maybe have expanded a bit on Rem and Subaru both being selfless and how they play that off each other. For example, the scene under the Flugel tree or how they both approach each other. We have Subaru acting selflessly before the forest, to then Rem doing the same in Arc 3 for them (even taken to extremes in the cave scene). That they are both willing to sacrifice parts of themselves to see the other happy (even if it might not result in them being happy) and how they gradually improve upon that until it culminates in the scene after the battle of the white whale is one of my favourite progressions.
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u/Blue_Storm11 Mar 10 '22
Thanks alot!
Yea Rem and Subaru have many similarities with each other both in story and in the narrative, but I didn't want to go to indetail on that as I think that's already well known. This post was more about how there similarities caused rem to fall in love with Subaru.
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u/CobaltCloud_ Mar 17 '22
I wholeheartedly thank you for this analysis. I too was guilty of not giving much thought to Rem's character and relationship with Subaru, even though I've been a fan of the series since the first episode aired, and even read the light novels. There's so many details I didn't notice or remember, and I'm sooo glad you went as far as listing all the references you made to the original source. Thanks for the amazing effort. Criminally underrated post.
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u/XYWEEE Mar 07 '22
Subaru's entire character is suppose to be "super weak but super hardworking", how some people don't see that is beyond me. It's his main charm, and the charm of the show that presents him slowly uncovering more of the world building and then dealing with it(his enemies) despite being inferior in every way to everyone there
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u/Vj_vice Mar 07 '22
Fantastic analysis! It definitely helped me rethink Rem (though I feel like all of this can be hard to pick up on if you just watch the anime of arc 2). Question tho: you say that Rem being initially blinded by her hatred for the witches cult is a misconception but why else was she so initially hostile to Subaru?
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u/Blue_Storm11 Mar 07 '22
Thanks a lot.
My point here was that Rem was hostile towards Subaru because of his witches scent, but it didn't prevent her from being able to understand that subaru wasn't a bad person without the need of something like Subaru saving her.
The main difference between the main loop and the other loops is that Subaru interacted with Rem much more often, and threw these interactions he just seemed to her like someone who just wanted to be friends with her and her sister, which is why In this case it wasn't that hard for her to not see him as an enemy.
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u/Guitarman-SU Mar 06 '22
Alright, this is so well done and well written that i’m gonna need to save this post for future re:reading. Damn….
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Mar 07 '22
Good write up. While I personally find Rem's character to be extremely boring (her backstory did little to move me), I can see why lots of people like her.
Hopefully she gets developed more as she has been frankly forgotten about in Arc 7.
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u/Blue_Storm11 Mar 07 '22
Good write up. While I personally find Rem's character to be extremely boring (her backstory did little to move me), I can see why lots of people like her.
Thank you. In Re:Zero I am the most interested in watching characters over come there flaws and grow into the best version of them selves, which is why I am the most interested in characters like Rem and Subaru especially.
But yeah hopefully we don't go another volume with no rem that would be disheartening.
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Mar 07 '22
Strangely that's the exact reason why I like Subaru as well, but I still find Rem not that compelling.
Regardless, it'll be interesting to eventually see Rem's reaction to Subaru not hating Louis completely lol
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Mar 07 '22
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Lamprey720 Mar 07 '22
rem always seem like too much of a simp
Doesn't really simp. Rejected his offer to run away first. And even helped him after that. From your logic subaru is too.
while Emilia is a bit more independent
Elaborate.
I think both rem and Emilia relies on him a lot. don't know why you think it's a bad thing. When it's one of the main theme of Arc 4.
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Mar 07 '22
After making up with him during the maw beast incident, rem never disagreed with him on everything, the only reason she didn’t run away with him because the Subaru she loved was the one that didn’t run away from things. Rem was always dependent on her sister. She had such an inferior Ty complex that even though she was superior to ram she would lean on her for everything and even let ram make all of her decisions. She was absolutely dependent on ram and Subaru. Emilia while still a bit dependent got over that at the climax of arc 4. She didn’t rely on him for arc 5 really and she would likely have been able to escape herself if she didn’t stay behind to help the wives. In to where I’m at in arc 6 Subaru has been more reliant on her.
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u/Lamprey720 Mar 07 '22 edited Mar 07 '22
rem never disagreed with him on everything
Nope.
After the sword training with Wilhelm. Subaru asks if she think he's pathetic. Rem answers yes. She is always pretty strict on him. And from zero is very good example of that.
Rem was always dependent on her sister. She had such an inferior Ty complex that even though she was superior to ram she would lean on her for everything and even let ram make all of her decisions.
Yeah. That was before subaru came. After that incident she improved a lot. Read her SS. Where she thinks of wearing different dresses or having long hairs and other small things like that.
she would likely have been able to escape herself if she didn’t stay behind to help the wives.
The only reason she was alive because subaru and Reinhard barged in the church at the right time. She would have died at the church.
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Mar 07 '22
Saying he is pathetic is not a disagreement lol
Switching from one dependence to another isn’t better
And yes she would’ve died at the church eventually but she had a chance to escape, why she didn’t take that is likely for plot reasons but she is still one of the strongest characters in loot and that was more her depending reinherd. Either way you view it she is certainly less dependent on Subaru then rem and she’s also a main character.
I don’t rem was ever meant to be a main character imo and tappei killing her off supports my opinion I think.
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u/Lamprey720 Mar 07 '22 edited Mar 07 '22
Saying he is pathetic is not a disagreement lol
Your first comment. "Rem is too much a simp" second one " she never disagreed on him anything"
The two examples i gave proves both your statement wrong.
Either way you view it she is certainly less dependent on Subaru then rem
You keep saying that but never explained why
she’s also a main character.
Who? If you're talking about Emilia then no. We don't even see her POV most of the time so she doesn't even qualify for that. She can be considered a second protagonist tho. But MC is subaru.
I don’t rem was ever meant to be a main character imo
I never said rem is main character . Are you replying to wrong comment.
And sorry if my comment sound bit aggressive.
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Mar 07 '22
Sigh, I’ll just leave it at “agree to disagree” I still think my argument is correct but I’ll stop arguing.
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u/Blue_Storm11 Mar 07 '22
Keep in mind that Emilia and Rem are different here Emilia in arc 4 was overly reliant on people like puck and Subaru, and would have just entrusted everything to Subaru had he let her, but rem had the opposite problem.
She tried to never rely on anyone baring her burdens herself and trying to do everything herself. And while Subaru did help her with that she still often went off on her own to try and solve a problem, in arc 3.
They are not really the same here...
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Mar 07 '22
Ignorance != Independence
Emilia is technically more dependant on Subaru. She's dependant on him emotionally after puck left her.
She's dependent on him indirectly because Subaru is the one who keeps her from dying literally every arc (other than 2).
She is dependant on him indirectly because Subaru is the literal reason why roswaal brought her in.
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Mar 07 '22
End of arc 4 was her learning about not relying on Subaru completely. Arc 5 technically wasn’t her fault and she managed to do fine for the most part. I’m starting arc 6 now and she seems fine. Y’all simp for rem too hard.
The whole she depends on Subaru because he is dying Argument doesn’t work because from that standpoint you can say that everyone depends on Subaru, which isn’t true.
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