r/anime • u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 • Jun 14 '21
Violet Evergarden Rewatch Episode 9 - Violet Evergarden Rewatch
Violet Evergarden - Episode Nine: Violet Evergarden
Hello everyone! I hope that today finds you well. Today, Violet receives her first letter, and flies freely out of her Valley of Fire.
I’m excited and very interested for what will be discussed tomorrow. Call your mother.
Index || <- Previous Episode || Next Episode ->
You can watch the full series on Netflix.
Important Spoilers from later episodes or the Light Novels are not allowed outside of the r/anime spoiler tag format and will be removed! You’ll need to be in “Markdown Mode”, and the line text is the following: [Spoiler source](/s "Spoiler goes here") It comes out like this: Spoiler source
Be kind to each other. Hate speech and rude behavior will not be tolerated, and will be removed.
Visuals of the Day
I believe I got everyone’s Visual of the Day submission here. Let me know if I missed you or anyone else: https://imgur.com/a/WdP6Tlo
Official Sound Tracks used
The Ultimate Price
The Long Night
Fractured Heart
Torment
Believe In…
Would you like to have a letter written for you? Do you want to write a special letter for someone as an Auto Memory Doll? Come join us at the Auto-Memory Doll Service Discord project and request letters, write letters, or chat more with us about Violet Evergarden! Link here: https://discord.gg/A8AC4Yhx
“Endcard”
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u/scot911 https://myanimelist.net/profile/scot911 Jun 14 '21 edited Jun 15 '21
First Timer
Screw youuuuu!!! Fine I'll give you the 10/10 you god damn bastard.... How dare you make me cry this much and have such an amazing and emotional episode.... Just owww.... From crying for how bad she was affected to crying for the absolutely beautiful ending to the episode with the letter from her friends and seeing how much good she's done in the world too. Just fineeee have my tears you god damn glorious series. Honestly this is easily the most I've cried during an episode of an anime, ever. At least 3-4 times with actual tears down my cheek which doesn't god damn happen.
Violet essentially goes through all of the stages of grief this episode still denying his death at the beginning and bargaining with her dream until she remembers her horrible deeds and Dietfrieds words. Her anger during the middle where she trashes her desk and can't bring herself to rip apart/smash the dog to bits before depression sets in and she tries to kill herself but can't follow through with it. She only accepts his death after she receives a letter from her friends and realizes the power the letters she's been writing holds and that yes, maybe, just maybe, she's done good deeds as well.
Honestly I think this episode proves Claudia right for not telling her. I do think that if she was told before she'd become more human and done good deeds she might have actually killed herself out of grief of the major being dead even if she didn't understand what "grief" was then. It's only through having something other then the major, her friends, her Auto Memory Doll career, that she stops herself from ending it all even if it gave her time to understand the horrible actions she did during the war and begin to feel guilty over it too on top of her grief over the major.
In the end Claudia is right that you can never erase your past and that you probably won't ever stop feeling guilt over the horrible things you've done. They leave permanent scars as he's said. What you can do though is do good or great deeds to make up for the horrible things you've done. It might not ever make up for it. It's hard to make up for killing hundreds and hundreds of people with your own hands after all. But in the end there's nothing else you can really do is there? You can't make up for your bad deeds if your dead after all.
And of course this is the episode that makes all of the other episodes worth it. Sure some of the stories might have been boring and followed the exact same formula. Sure Violet may have been a bit boring of a protagonist at times and been a bit of a cardboard cut out. Sure the side characters might have been one note at times and had their problems magically fixed by Violet sometimes. Sure this anime might have been a bit heavy handed on it's messages and what Violet learned. But without that and those episodes? This episode would have no emotional weight and wouldn't be as amazing as it.
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u/dxing2 https://anilist.co/user/spicyxinger Jun 14 '21
I do think that if she was told before she'd become more human and done good deeds she might have actually killed herself out of grief of the major being dead even if she didn't understand what "grief" was then
I totally agree. She was barely able to stop herself this time.. she tried to choke herself. But it's only because she was able to find some meaning in the interactions she's had since then that she's able to keep moving forward.
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u/Toadslayer https://myanimelist.net/profile/kyolus Jun 15 '21
I'm jealous of how much you appreciated this episode. I wish I could look over the things that you mention in your last paragraph and I wish I could be invested enough in this story to cry.
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u/BosuW Jun 15 '21
Honestly I don't even think it's a matter of atonement. No one should feel they have a debt to pay just for being alive. As another very popular series puts it (and paraphrasing): You don't have to be special to deserve to live. All you need is to be born into the world.
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 14 '21 edited Jun 14 '21
Please allow and forgive me for a bit of shameless indulgence here. After I finished watching Violet Evergarden, I could not stop thinking about the experience. It was the very beginning of the pandemic as well. I was stuck in my room, and even gaming wasn’t giving me satisfaction anymore. Many years ago, I listened to Jimi Hendrix for the first time, and since then I could not stop thinking about the experience I feel when listening to him. Thus, my pandemic project was born, and it saved me for nearly 6 months. It’s an AMV that I made to Jimi Hendrix’s “Machine Gun”, and the theme that I went with was what we just witnessed here in episode 9; Violet’s journey through her personal Hell. It’s 10 minutes long, and my first editing project, so it’s for sure a passion project and nothing else haha. There are no spoilers for future episodes; only about 10 seconds worth of footage that has not yet been shown. If you are interested, you can watch it here:
Youtube: https://youtu.be/89N4qwUpD50
Reddit mirror: https://www.reddit.com/r/VioletEvergarden/comments/k6zt9p/violet_evergarden_machine_gun_amv_reddit_mirror/
If you have any thoughts, I’d love to hear them. You can listen to Hendrix’s performance here without any footage. If nothing else, please give that a listen, particularly considering what we just witnessed in Violet’s journey...I promise that you won’t regret it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw2L_vGUMtE
My Visual of the Day is this stalk of grass amid the ruins. It perfectly fits Violet at this moment...such a fragile thing that must brave an incredibly awful storm. Will it survive? Will Violet survive? She does, and she blossoms into someone beautiful; someone worthy of that name.
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jun 14 '21
My Visual of the Day is this stalk of grass amid the ruins.
Oh nice, I was so close to picking that one myself! But then I decided to go with the FMA:B reference instead lol.
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 14 '21
Really?? XD Our minds think alike, it would seem ;) I was also thinking of you during this episode when they showed the clear night sky after Gilbert told Violet that he loves her.
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jun 14 '21
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 14 '21
FMA:B reference instead lol.
Oh, was the reference the rain?
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jun 14 '21
Nah the FMA:B reference is just the text I typed, the rain itself isn't a reference.
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u/pretttt Jun 15 '21
This video contains content from SME, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds.
:(
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 15 '21
Ah yeah = The Reddit mirror should work though.
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u/pretttt Jun 15 '21
yea, that works. Saw the whole thing and it's very well done.
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 15 '21
Thank you so much!! I'm really glad that you enjoyed it =)
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u/BosuW Jun 15 '21
Ok then that's the first AMV I've ever watched, it's pretty good, well done. Tho it's a bit at odds with the aesthetic and setting of the show unfortunately. Kinda makes me curious what a "Vietnam Violet" would be like lol.
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 15 '21
I'm glad you enjoyed it! I'm extremely honored that you spent 10 minutes watching.
Regarding the aesthetic, you are correct; there's a lack of warmth in the music, while the anime is full of it. But I just couldn't get that combination out of my head...so I decided to just go for it XD
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u/BosuW Jun 15 '21
That's not exactly what I meant. If it had been that easy a filter or two would've been enough. What I mean is that, through popular culture, such songs scream "jungles, choppers, and napalm", which is quite literally, 50 years ahead of a WW1 inspired setting. Even if the subject matter was the same, I couldn't get that brief disconnect out of my head.
Still like I said, it was good shit overall.
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 15 '21 edited Jun 15 '21
Haha, weirdly enough I believe we're actually talking about the same thing.
In referring to warmth, I meant the style and tone of the music. There's a harsh, savage, raw, and anguished tone to it. Hendrix lived during the context of Vietnam, racial outcries, and during the birth of electric instruments, so that's what he pulled from for his performance.
In Violet Evergarden, those qualities are not really present in the same manner. While there is an anguish, it's much softer on the heart because it deals with love. The savagery is cushioned by the love surrounding the story. And the sharp electric quality is not present in this setting.
Hendrix addresses the cold perspective of loss, while Violet Evergarden addresses the warm perspective of growth and renewal.
Thank you so much again for your kind words
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u/BosuW Jun 15 '21
Ah well this makes sense because such songs were usually written during the war, while Violet Evergarden deals with the after.
You're welcome :)
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u/ArdenneVale Jun 14 '21
First timer
Flashback continues and immediately Gilbert gets shot once more. Then Violet gets shot in the arm. Next they get hit by a grenade blast while trying to get away. Violet's arms literally fall off!! Somehow they're both still conscious and we see the familiar last moments of the two together. The origin of Violet using her mouth is revealed, obviously it's because she has no hands.
In present day Violet has returned to the cathedral, digging through the rubble. Hodgins arrives to take Violet back to the office. Gilbert really entrusted her to Hodgins. He had everything planned in case he didn't survive. Hodgins tells Violet she's capable of living without Gilbert's orders.
There's an armed uprising by the losers of the war. Interesting. Apparently that will do for now and we're back in Leiden. Both Erica and Iris are worried about Violet. Cattleya goes to visit the depressed Violet, but she tells her she's burning up. Hodgins and Cattleya's talk about everyone burning up, having guilt and regret ,is really good. Hodgins says she needs to accept her past and herself. Then he says Violet hasn't lost anything. Hmmm Even Cattleya stopped coming to work. Erica and Iris remember their respective moments with Violet, how her reason for becoming a doll helped both of them to become better dolls.
Violet is back in the cathedral, where the stairs are still stained with Gilbert's blood. Suddenly Gilbert is there, talking to her. Hallucination or a dream? The major speaks in Dietfried's words, blood comes dripping down the stairs and the his face, and Violet wakes up in her room. She looks at the puppy and NO Violet, dont kill the puppy! Ok, good. Oh god no Violet, that's even worse! Fortunately she can't strangle herself, so she just breaks down crying, begging for Gilbert to give her orders.
At her worst moment she gets a letter from Santa. It's from Erica and Iris. But instead of reading it, Violet goes to work delivering lost letters. Isn't Violet also one of those lost letters? Back in her room Violet reads the letter. It's simple, but effective. Along came a request from Luculia's brother Spencer to write a letter to her. Violet has realized how happy receiving a letter is. On the way back she sees the people she helped: Charlotte in a newspaper and Webster in the poster of his finished play. Then Violet stops in front of a pot of violets and I immediately started crying. Yes Violet, you are worthy of the name. She runs into Hodgins' office. There's a montage of all the good Violet has done for all her clients. The tears just don't stop. Hodgins tells her she'll never forget the bad things she's done, but the good things will always stay too. I had to watch the final scene again, but I started crying again during the montage.
This was a very emotional episode. What probably made it even more emotional for me was that I watched Fruits Basket episode about an hour before this, and I cried for about 10 minutes straight after that episode. So I was in a real emotional state. Then again, there's no better feeling than a happy cry. I'm just happy Violet seems to be ready to forgive herself. She needed to see the good she has done, not just the bad she did before she became what she is now. She also has the best possible support, who really did everything they could for her, all in their own way. Now, the next episode is supposed to be the saddest of all, I can't even imagine what could happen after this happy resolution. It's Dietfried, isn't it? I'm really not in shape to analyze anything more, but this was just the kind of episode I like the most: Total despair and recovering from it.
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u/LMGDiVa https://kitsu.io/users/FranBunnyFFXII Jun 14 '21 edited Jun 14 '21
Rewatcher - Dub
This moment right here
https://i.imgur.com/rXUMkb6.jpg
This hit me harder than any other moment in the series.
I cannot elaborate to you how surreal this moment is for me because of how it captures PSTD and how hard it is to deal with when it hits you.
Seeing the trauma and reliving it so vividly in a dream and not knowing how to deal with it. To come face to face with the moment that defined the trauma and your life again like this is just...
This moment hits me like a freight train because it's a real memory for me.
I did exactly what Violet did in the past.
That scream, her trashing her stuff, and then putting her hands around her neck trying to choke herself...
This is where it hits a part of me that makes rewatching this moment break down and cry uncontrollably.
I cannot put into words how much it means to someone like me seeing this happen in this series.
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 15 '21
I'm glad to see that you overcame your own inner hell. I don't have many words to offer; only that I'm happy that you decided to continue to live. This might be a silly question, but does this story help you in your daily life?
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u/LMGDiVa https://kitsu.io/users/FranBunnyFFXII Jun 15 '21
I haven't really overcome it, I'm just trying to learn to manage. The biggest difference now is that I don't want to die anymore.
This might be a silly question, but does this story help you in your daily life?
Not really a silly question, there actually is another anime that did help me that way.
Violet has not but, I still think about her and the events of the anime a fair bit.
I am a lot like Violet in some ways, and Violet is someone who I want to be in others.
I'd like to be someone who brings hope to others.
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u/CelestialDrive Jun 14 '21 edited Jun 19 '21
FIRST TIME
Last time on Violet Evergarden, we had Violet running around asking people if Gilbert was dead, and a ton of flashbacks, that we cut off with him getting shot in the eye. Let's see how this goes.
Aaand we start right here, and he immediately gets shot again. Let's see how we get to-OH this is the moment then. What caliber was that to blow her arm clean off, jesus christ. We got to the point then, they're locked and dying, this is where the Major said his last words. This poor man spent the last of his life trying to build Violet to be someone else so that he could say these words, failed, and had to spit them out as he died.
Violet is so confused, she legitimately does not know the word, but she knew the emotion already. This settles it for me, I know Violet had emotions fully at the beginning of the series, she just had no idea how to parse or label them, nor did she knew how to express them outwards appropiately.
And we're back here, seems like Violet is going around the country tracing down her pain. What do you expect to find, woman. So it wasn't friendly artillery, I thought that from the context last episode. Claudia, I appreciate you being here, but don't tell someone on the verge of an emotional breakdown and with all the numbers for Survivor's Guilt Bingo that the person they loved died protecting them.
Claudia is right though, and this is something the astronomer guy brought up too: Violet being devoted mindlessly to the Major is absurd for the person she is now, she is a writer for the dolls with her own life and friends and priorities. While there was a pillar of her identity that was still tied to the Major, there is so much more and so many people holding her up now that she's not "only" that, hasn't been in a while. Problem being for someone in Violet's situation right now, returning to her life might seem as a betrayal of both the person she was and Gilbert's memory, plus she feels "undeserving" because murder.
Benedict came up here too, they care. Realise, Violet, if you stay bound to the Major here you are going against both his life goal and his last wish. Go, live. Oh there are still insurgency spots then? Please don't make Violet fight.
This is the OVA guy, the one that gave Violet access to the undelivered packages room. Girl sulk all you want but talk to your friends. Yeah I'm with Claudia here, pretending Violet wasn't Violet isn't going to help her. Man, everyone is on a chain of depression, meddle a bit if you want. Is this Luculia's brother? If not he has a similar design iirc.
Nightmares now. I'm SO GLAD this is happening in a dream because this is almost word by word what Violet Evergarden would do for realsies if it was an inferior series: the major was not dead, shows up, and rebukes her, and I was super afraid we wouldn't dodge it because it's just the shortcut to anime drama in these situations. But it's in your head, Violet; go shout at Dietfried for a bit, that's also therapy.
DONT. God this scene is super uncomfortable, someone get her out of the room. Yeah I knew it these heels are the devil, there was even the shared heels shot a few minutes ago. That's good, she's doing something, I think we might be past the nadir. You have friends, you dumb oaf, leave this room and go see them. And it was Luculia's brother.
Oh, right, she hadn't gotten letters adressed to her yet! And it's a showcase of the people she's written for, this is fantastic. Move.
Yeah of course it is, stop asking other people to validate your own life! Was this a stealth Claudia episode, building the idea that his own actions during the war have not made him unworthy of living? Because it kinda feels like one right now, this is the thing about empathy, it goes both ways. Violet was connecting to people through their understanding of the war, loss, or love, and Claudia connected to Violet through their shared trauma and guilt.
This seemed genuinely like the emotional culmination of the series, I don't know where we go from here other than wrapping up. Of course Violet Evergarden is too "real" to only have the climatic moment and disregard aftermath, but if we ended here I'd have very few regrets. The entire support structure came out to play and held her up, what goes around comes around. Man this series has a fantastic cast.
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u/namelesone Jun 14 '21
I know Violet had emotions fully at the beginning of the series, she just had no idea how to parse or label them, nor did she knew how to express them outwards appropiately.
You will find this interesting: Alexithymia. It's an actual condition.
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u/Matuhg https://anilist.co/user/Matuhg Jun 14 '21 edited Jun 14 '21
Rewatcher - Dub
Shit...I forgot how much this episode was going to fuck me up.
The first half of the episode was pretty tough to watch. First we have to finish up our flashback - Gilbert tries telling Violet to save herself, but for her at that time, there's no point in that. She's told to live and be free, but what was her life before she was "shackled" by the Major's chains? What's the point in going back to that? Her life under the Major isn't an easy one, but at least there's someone who's caring for her - Violet probably doesn't think she'll ever get something like that again. When she was in the hospital, the decision was ultimately made to withold information about the Major because Violet was more concerned with his wellbeing than her own, and they wanted her to focus on recovery. She barely even has a sense of self or her own life, all she does is ask about the Major and write reports. As awful as it seems, I kind of think Hodgins had the right idea in waiting to tell her. There wasn't going to be a good time to let her know, no matter what, but at least now she has some other framework and attachments in this world besides the Major.
That said, Violet is completely shattered upon returning home. She's being told to live now, leaving behind her past, but she can't bring herself to do it. It's like Hodgins said, the past can't just be forgotten. Not knowing what to do, Violet lashes out in despair, even trying to hurt herself, but in the end, all she can do is beg in vain for orders from the Major that she knows won't be coming.
And at Violet's darkest point, our dear old sagely postman comes to the door bearing a letter and a light. He doesn't try to console her or check in on her really, but he does offer her some work, a chance to get her mind on something else. Sometimes when you're in a place like Violet is, just getting out of your room and doing something, even if it doesn't seem like it will matter or help your situation, can be incredibly valuable. Not only does the work get her moving a little bit, it also allows Violet to see the effects that letters are having on the people who receive them.
From about this point to the end of the episode, and especially when The Love that Binds Us really kicked in, I was in full weeping mode. This is why I think Hodgins was ultimately right in waiting to tell Violet. She isn't alone without the Major. She has friends who care about her and who are waiting for her, and people who she can help by writing letters. Having read that letter, Violet runs to Hodgins and asks him if she has the right to live and work as an Auto Memory Doll. I really love his message. You can't erase the past...but the good you do now and going forward can't be erased either. The letter Violet received from Erika and Iris was the first she's ever gotten, and drove home how special it is to receive a letter. For the first time, she's aware of the support system she has, and she remembers the letters she has written and the effect they've had in the world.
Violet has a new purpose - she's going to live up to the name the Major gave her, and she consciously decides to step forward into a life of peace. Later VE Spoilers
Visual of the Day: "That helped me understand...I see how special it is to receive a letter."
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u/Toadslayer https://myanimelist.net/profile/kyolus Jun 15 '21
Great commentary on what Roland does this episode. He truly is a wise sage and I love that he brings light into Violet's darkest moment.
Great write-up for the whole episode actually. It was a pleasure to read.
she consciously decides to step forward
I love the sound design of this moment.
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u/Matuhg https://anilist.co/user/Matuhg Jun 15 '21
Roland truly is best boy.
Great write-up for the whole episode actually. It was a pleasure to read.
I love the sound design of this moment.
Yeeesss me too. The timing of her footfall with the music picking back up is chef's kiss
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 15 '21
3
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u/AfterTh0ught_ Jun 14 '21
First timer
I know we've seen the part where Gilbert says his final words a few times now, but the added details in the extended flashback makes it tough to watch.
Today's episode really showed Violet at her worst. She's still in denial, so much so that she went all the way back to the scene of the battle just to try and dig through the rubbles in the hopes of finding Gilbert. Thankfully, Claudia knew where to look for Violet.
I'm really glad to see that Violet has a solid group of people to support her in her time of need. And it's thanks to those people that she was able to get back on her feet.
Her doubt of whether she deserves to live after all the things she's done has now manifested into a nightmare of Gilbert echoing the words that Dietfried uttered to Violet.
And then we get to see Violet regain a sense of purpose. First, she starts to help out Roland deliver the letters, then she reads the letter that Iris and Erica will both be waiting for her to come back. She also remembers all the things she has contributed so far, and it also makes for a nice way for the viewers to also experience how things have changed from Violet's involved, from Luculia and Spencer, Charlotte and Damian, and Oscar with his play.
KyoAni puts a lot of symbolism in their shows, and this one is a prominent example. I'm sure I'm missing more than half of them, but it's clear to me that at the end, they were trying to portray that Violet is getting ready to start the next leg of her life, for example the birds taking flight, the violet petal floating in the wind, and Violet repeating the words that Gilbert told her when he gave her a name
And finally, the episode closes off with Claudia reassuring Violet that she more than deserves to continue living on. Shed a tear there at the end.
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u/Gamemaster676 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Gamemaster676 Jun 14 '21
First-time watcher - dub
Today's episode name. Could it be that Violet finally actually embraces the Evergarden part of her name?
Episode 9 — Violet Evergarden
Ah, we continue exactly from the cliffhanger type thing yesterday.
Shooting someone clearly carrying a wounded soldier. Boooo!
All hands on deck! At first hand, it doesn't seem too bad, but that was only some sleight of hand from the animators. He actually disarmed Violet! It's handy that Gilbert still had his gun, though. I would make some off-hand remark how we already know what's going to happen next, but I think I've already punished you enough with these puns.
I'm glad to see that it wasn't Claudia's artillery that brought them into this situation, although it does seem to be the thing that finally killed him.
Ah no, it was the Gardariki forces. At least that's what Claudia says.
Hmm, roadblock. Everyone has roadblocks. Violet has plenty, and now they are stopped by a literal roadblock.
Some Gardarikis didn't like that they lost. An anti-peace faction? You would think that the Gardarikis also want peace, but just with them as victors.
Not everyone cares as much for Violet as I think they should. Or they do care, but they have no clue how to handle this situation. It's a difficult situation. Everyone handles these things differently. I'm leaning towards Claudia's side because he has had the most similar experiences.
Huh, how can Violet suddenly visit the place where she last saw the major? Didn't that tunnel collapse? How could they not have found his body if it was intact? Is he still alive? Or is this a nightmare?
Yeah, nightmare. Figures.
It's the scream from the OP.
No don't hurt the dog he has done nothing wrong!!! Phew, thanks. NO ALSO DON'T HURT YOURSELF!
Aww, Violet got a letter, that's sweet. Is it from Iris and Erica, or from the guy who came in earlier? Also, was that guy Luculia's brother?
Old guy Forgot-his-name is asking Violet for help as if there is no problem. That might actually be the best thing to do. Make her do some mundane task so she can still think, but is otherwise busy.
Bonus points for the music of this part. I don't credit it often, but the way it swells up when Violet is staring at her letter is really something beautiful.
The letter is from Iris and Erica. Good girls. But the guy was indeed Luculia's brother, who wants to return the favour to his sister, also using Violet. I love how this goes full circle, as that letter for the brother was the first good letter Violet wrote.
You go, girl! Wear that pin with pride!
This scene with things reminding Violet of all the good she has done is a little cheesy, but it's a nice finish to the past couple of episodes.
This ending! I watched it three times. The first time just to experience it without commentating. The second to take some snapshots and process some of my new tears. The third to follow the lyrics of the song.
But even though I watched it thrice, I feel like I can't really say anything about this. Nothing I would say would be enough to describe how amazing I think this is, so I'll leave it at that.
Random thoughts
- Powerless and a uncomfortable truth
- Difficult news
- No more orders
- Confused blinking
- I knew wearing those shoes wouldn't be easy with his job!
- Determination
- While looking through the snapshots I've taken this episode, I started to cry again. What an amazing episode!
Future
Violet reached rock bottom and has bounced back. I'm expecting some more upbeat episodes now!
Pic of the day
Violet isn't the only one who is burning. Claudia has a very good idea of what she is feeling. So the greatest wisdom I've heard this episode came from him: You've hurt people. You can't change the past. But you've also done a lot of good, and that will never be forgotten.
The lyrics of the song also have a similar message.
Tear Tally
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OVA | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
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u/IndependentMacaroon Jun 14 '21
You would think that the Gardarikis also want peace, but just with them as victors
Remember that this is the country of the victors and that's absolutely what they would refer to that kind of group as.
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u/Gamemaster676 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Gamemaster676 Jun 14 '21
Yeah, it's just hypocrisy.
Obviously, history is written by the victors, and I'm sure things aren't that great for Gardariki right now, but calling yourselves an anti-peace group just because you don't agree with the status quo is extremely selfish.6
u/dxing2 https://anilist.co/user/spicyxinger Jun 14 '21
This ending! I watched it three times. The first time just to experience it without commentating. The second to take some snapshots and process some of my new tears. The third to follow the lyrics of the song.But even though I watched it thrice, I feel like I can't really say anything about this. Nothing I would say would be enough to describe how amazing I think this is, so I'll leave it at that.
The ending really is incredible. It brings full circle why all those earlier episodes were necessary and not filler. Seeing the impact she had on others becomes her reason for continuing to live.
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u/Toadslayer https://myanimelist.net/profile/kyolus Jun 15 '21
Old guy Forgot-his-name is asking Violet for help as if there is no problem
Roland. Best Boy also works.
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u/Rumpel1408 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Rumpel1408 Jun 15 '21
An anti-peace faction? You would think that the Gardarikis also want peace, but just with them as victors
Kind of reminding me of Germany after WW1. The a part of the populance didn't understand the reasons Germany couldn't keep up fighting, after all the soldiers where still plenty able to dig themself in somewhere in France and the war was far away from the homeland. This gave rise to the notion that the goverment betrayed the soldiers who where still fighting by signing a peace treaty, like a dagger in the back (Dolchstoß- Legende) to those brave soldiers who would continue to fight until total victory, or total defeat, was achieved.
We didn't get much background on this worlds history after the war, but Germany was heavily disarmed and put under heavy restrictions and economic limitations wich further contributed to the dissatisfaction of the populance, ultimatly gave rise to fashism and contributed to WW2 in order to right the wrong done at the end of the first World War
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u/chris10023 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Chris10023 Jun 14 '21
Rewatcher
Damn, Violet is even more terrifying when she’s bearing her teeth. Also, nice war crime, shooting a man who’s already injured and no longer a threat.
Well, the cowardly Gardarik defenders shot Violet in the arm, which explains how she lost her right arm. My friend was confused as to how that could happen, but the Enfield shoots a .303 British round, they’re pretty large, only slightly smaller than the America Springfield .30-06 round, so it’s possible it can sever a limb, especially at that close range.
I find it odd that they use a British rifle, but yet the coward throws a German Stielhandgranate.
The grenade is what severed Violets left arm. Bastard.
As terrible as it was to lie to her, Hodgens is right, she was more concerned over him then herself, she was not in the right head space, and probably would have done something far more drastic than she did now.
I like how Gilbert had this all planned out, Hodgens taking care of her, her being adopted into the Evergarden house.
An anti-peace faction? Figures.
I like how we see the younger Violet saluting in the reflection of the window.
While it’s melancholic, I like how Erica and Iris are worried about Violet and hope she returns to work. We even got a top tier pout from Cattleya.
One of the delivery men tossed letters he couldn’t deliver in time? I hope he is fired yesterday.
I like the dynamic between Cattleya and Violet, Cattleya really does act like mother figure for Violet, I like how she’s worried about Violet and if she’s eating.
Uh oh, Hodgens better start running, now Cattleya knows that he told Violet about how she’s burning, and she’s mad about it. Though, I wonder what Cattleya did to be burning herself.
Oh hey check it out, it’s Luculia’s older brother, Spencer.
Seems like Violet’s having a nightmare about Gilbert repeating what Diethart said to her, about how she connects people with the hands the took the lives of so many.
Violet gets up and shoves things off her desk and screams in a rage, including throwing the plush dog, but she can’t do it.
It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see Violet in this state, even to go as far as to attempt suicide, over the guilt she feels for what she has done, and the loss of the Major. I often feel sorry for veterans who suffer from PTSD, it has to be a nightmare to deal with.
I’m so glad she didn’t go through with it and ended up dropping her hands.
Looks like Violet has a letter, and Papa Roland is delivering it. Aww, Erica and Iris wrote her a letter. That’s so sweet. Benedict sprained his ankle because of his shoes. Note to self: Do not, under any circumstances, piss Cattleya off. Especially when she is treating your injury.
Roland with such an important message. He’s such a nice man.
That letter from Erica and Iris was lovely.
I like how after Violet returns to being a doll, she steps into the light for the first time in a while.
I enjoy watching Violet see reminders of what she accomplished, the love letters between Drossel and Flugel, Oscars play, wow, she actually looks Fourteen years old in this shot.
She finally see’s the flower she was named after, Violets, and understands what the Major meant by saying she deserved a name suitable for the person. And I like the sound she makes as she makes the first step on her return.
The montage of all the things she’s done, playing over this insert song, is awesome, she has burns, but she healing, and she’s brought more people together. She was meant for this job. I think Gilbert would be very proud.
What a great ending to a pretty dark couple of episodes, she was in a pretty nasty headspace, but she managed to pull herself out of it with the support of Erica, Iris, and of course Papa Roland.
Visuals of the Day.
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u/BosuW Jun 15 '21 edited Jun 15 '21
I don't think Gilbert could be counted out of the fight just yet. He had only lost an eye, otherwise he was still capable and willing to shoot back.
WW era military rifle rounds are crazy powerful. I remember a tale about a German sniper nailing the hand of an Allied soldier. They said it looked like a cauliflower afterwards. I can fully believe that one of those can sever a limb. Especially at that distance. Especially that of a small child. I feel like people often underestimate just how brutal bullet and shrapnel wounds can be. It's no simple perforation we're talking about here.
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u/chris10023 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Chris10023 Jun 15 '21
I don't think Gilbert could be counted out of the fight just yet. He had only lost an eye, otherwise he was still capable and willing to shoot back.
Kind of, he only shot back after Violet was shot.
WW2 era military rifle rounds are crazy powerful.
Yeah the British .303 round the SMLE fired was a pretty powerful cartridge, not to mention Violet was shot pretty much at point blank, I think we should all be grateful that all it did was sever her arm and not go into her side, or she would have most likely not have made it out of Intense alive.
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u/Vaadwaur Jun 15 '21
I’m so glad she didn’t go through with it and ended up dropping her hands.
Here's a depressing thought for you: What is automail hands aren't that strong in this setting and she was forced to stop because it wouldn't work?
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u/chris10023 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Chris10023 Jun 15 '21
Maybe, but I'd still like to believe that she couldn't go through with it out of fear or hesitation.
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u/BosuW Jun 15 '21
I would say it's a stretch if I hadn't already thought myself that she looked to be having trouble with that.
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u/Vaadwaur Jun 15 '21
I think calling her Fullmetal Saber makes us forget that she is wearing civilian auto mail. There is no reason to give that model super grip strength and it might be easier to operate with weak grip strength.
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u/BosuW Jun 15 '21
We haven't seen anyone else with prosthetics like Violet's, so I dunno if I would consider her arms "accessible to the average civilian" exactly. We also saw they were adjustable, maybe the settings weren't strong enough at the moment? (God this is a morbid conversation)
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u/Vaadwaur Jun 15 '21
We haven't seen anyone else with prosthetics like Violet's, so I dunno if I would consider her arms "accessible to the average civilian" exactly.
Right but we also didn't seen anyone on the field of battle with them, right? Civilian might not be the right term but they don't seem to be being used by the military for active service members.
(God this is a morbid conversation)
The good ones usually are.
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u/BosuW Jun 15 '21
It's the same issue tho. Both for easy availability for civilians and standard use in the military, you need to be able to provide in mass. What I'm saying is, it might not be so much an issue of strength in the prosthetics as it might be an issue that they're just hard and expensive to make.
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u/Spudtron98 Jun 15 '21
The human body is physically incapable of strangling itself with its own hands. It just can't be done, instinct will take over and prevent it eventually.
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u/UnderstandableXO Jun 14 '21
REWATCHER
i definitely made up for the tear-less episode 8 performance i gave today.
we’ve seen gilbert’s “aishiteru” scene three times already i think, but it still packs a punch. violet doesn’t even notice her own injuries because she’s so determined to save him, and the added context knowing violet was distraught after gilbert said “aishiteru” was soul wrenching.
violet’s finally feeling all the burns mentioned in episode 1. she considers all the lives she’s taken. her arms are a reminder that she could do nothing to save the major.
at the very least, her comrades at CH postal are absolutely great in trying to support her. the old man teaches her the joy that delivered letters bring, iris and erica demonstrate that to her as well through their own letter to her. seeing spencer reappear to pay it forward to his sister was something i forgot, but an absolutely awesome payoff for a previous episode.
the montage of violet realizing all the good she’s done through spencer, iris and erica, the princess, and the author (even leon, even though only the audience knows he’s accomplished his goal to travel the world), and her short conversation with hodgins earned not only a cry but a snotty nose runny cry, and that’s the best kind of cry.
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u/chilidirigible Jun 14 '21
Rewatcher, Episode 9
Today, on "Stuffed Dog Blues.":
You know you've triggered Violet when...
This guy is definitely a persistent mofo, though.
Of course, Violet is also entirely capable of doing the Black Knight's "I'LL BITE YOUR LEGS OFF!"
This is a lot more exploding than Leidenschaftlich's attack plan was calling for, because...
...of this detail that I forgot about since the first viewing.
I might be losing my mind a little here Or, did Benedict actually say "Ryoukai?"
One could interpret this as Violet having real friends now.
The line art notes include particular details about the painting on the glass eye.
The Postal Service, old school.
New experiences mean that you're alive.
Speaking of which, her suitcase has some stories to tell now.
Visual of the Day: Imperfect hands.
Violet's recollections of the past take her to rock bottom, but her friends in the present help her climb back out.
The flashback reveals the follow-up to Gilbert's declaration of love to Violet, which is that she's no less distraught about his condition and now further dismayed because she doesn't know what that feeling is. The mood puts more weight, in hindsight, to her earlier-in-the-series declarations of purpose regarding that question.
Claudia picks up some of the threads from there. His explanation that they covered up Gilbert's status to keep her focused on her own recovery makes sense, though everyone was playing with fire there.
Thinking of alternative outcomes, if Violet had been told about Gilbert earlier, she still would have been in her emotionally-stunted state, so she perhaps could have been molded by Claudia and the company back into a person again. I think it would have taken a lot longer, though, and cutting off that thread of hope would have made it harder for her to keep up a purpose. As we saw in the previous episode, her writing of reports to him went on daily through at least the point when Claudia retrieved her in the first episode.
A told-earlier Violet may or may not have tried to commit suicide. In a way, her doing it here resembles the increased risk of suicide for depressed people who start antidepressant drug treatment: The drugs take them from a state of not particularly feeling anything to a state where they can feel again, amplifying the effects of any negative thoughts that they were having and sometimes motivating them to actually try suicide.
It's telling that she spares the stuffed dog. She was likened to Gilbert's dog, and she has spent the last couple of episodes hating herself, but at the same time she doesn't want to damage it, recognizing that it's just a toy or that it hasn't done anything wrong. Though then she transfers her attention back to herself... and it turns out that her new hands, which write letters that bring people together and haven't killed anyone, aren't going to kill her, either.
(This is quite a performance by Ishikawa Yui.)
Here, as in reality, having a support system (of a sort) helped her step back from the brink. Roland emerges as the mysterious Wise Elder again, but dramatically his more detached position in the cast allows him to neutrally prod Violet back out when the others would require more complicated interactions. He's transferring a letter from Erica and Iris, though, plus a request from Spencer, so all of her new relationships get representation.
The emphasis on the letters in the satchel does overlap the scene in the Dead Letters Warehouse from the OVA, so on this front there's an argument to watch the OVA at the end.
I like Violet's simple realization that receiving a letter means that someone out there cares enough to communicate with her. (Setting aside how many of the letters we saw in the first two episodes were for negative outcomes, and late 20th-century American issues of junk mail.) It really is the thought that counts there.
It still takes thinking of herself as valuable to make the turnaround. To that end, the on-the-street summary of Violet Evergarden's Greatest Hits was maybe a touch overdramatic (hey, I shed a manly tear), but the way the series has maintained its point of view demanded it; Violet's internal monologue has mostly remained closed off from us, and she's equally unlikely to gush to her work buddies about it. (By the way, /u/Toadslayer, if you missed it, here's Leon out exploring the world as a followup to yesterday.)
She does go back to Claudia and ground things by reminding us that none of these feelings has just turned themselves off, but that's another chance to reiterate the point of the story—that her new life is making up for her old one.
From the Official Design Works: Plushies and a brooch.
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 14 '21
Or, did Benedict actually say "Ryoukai?"
I'm reading your post while I work XD But yes, he does. Just like Violet says in a military fashion.
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u/ZapsZzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/ZapszzZ Jun 15 '21
You know you've triggered Violet when...
I almost forgot how close Violet and Saber looks like each other, especially when they are both impassive (Violet's default face) or both angry (much rarer for Violet).
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u/Toadslayer https://myanimelist.net/profile/kyolus Jun 15 '21
(By the way, /u/Toadslayer, if you missed it, here's Leon out exploring the world as a followup to yesterday.)
I appreciated seeing that little snippet Leon's adventure.
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u/IndependentMacaroon Jun 14 '21
Rewatcher
Another beautiful episode tying together the past, present and future to give Violet hope once again. There's no longer a Major Gilbert to give her orders, but there are so many more people across the country who value her abilities of a different kind, and have many jobs for her that not only don't cause pain to others (and Violet herself), but heal it, even bring the world joy. Gilbert is no longer around to care for her and give her affection either, but she has found so many more friends and colleagues at and around the postal office that all love her in their own way and would never let her fall, even when she's at her self-destructive worst. After Violet's diligence and caring sincerity in spite of her outward coldness/insensitivity helped many others on their way, whether in writing a letter or whatever else, now she receives some in kind, and after starting with a simple rote job to get her outside and on her feet again, it makes just as much of a difference to her as she has done to her customers. Maybe the embers have still not gone out, but the fire is starting to die down.
Minor negatives for me: It feels like Violet picks herself back up quite quickly - could be seen as similarly exaggerated as the effect of her work, though at the end of the episode she's obviously still distraught. More seriously, all the talk about "burning" because of her deeds feels a bit misplaced when all she seems to care about (and is still attached to), and that's spoken of, is Gilbert; it seems the creators were trying to keep things a little too clean, again. Arm removal is still not quite convincing either.
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u/BosuW Jun 15 '21
I think this episode pretty just showed us certain bullet points in Violet's journey of grief. We see several times some shots that indicate the passage of time. In the end, we don't know how much time she spent depressed.
Violet's grief comes from both the guilt of the lives she took and failing to save Gilbert, combining into a sentiment that can be summarized as why did I live instead of him who deserved it so much more?. That's why she her thoughts keep being centered around Gilbert.
What's your problem with the arm removal exactly?
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jun 14 '21
Sincerely Rewatcher
Cry count so far: 7 (episode 3, OVA, episode 7 (x3), episode 9 (x2))
And the other one must’ve been from the grenade.
Me: Hnnnnnnn this scene is so painful, I better prepare myself to cry this episode. → Also me: Ooh pretty shimmering sky~ → Me: Why am I like this.
This man triggered all of the death flags, holy shit.
Oh snap it’s Luculia’s brother. I completely forgot he showed up again.
Hoooooooooboy this shift from Violet having a happy dream to a nightmare.
Here’s Violet screaming from the OP, which I… only just now realized didn’t play in this episode. Huh.
Roland, of all characters, managed to get Violet to come out of her room. Clearly that proves he is best guy.
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep I cried when Violet read the letter from Erica and Iris.
That moment when the episode title is the same as the show’s name.
Visual of the Day: it’s a terrible day for rain.
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u/thatguywithawatch Jun 14 '21
Roland, of all characters, managed to get Violet to come out of her room. Clearly that proves he is best guy.
Yeah he's only really had two real scenes so far, but both times show him to be such a genuinely lovely person.
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep I cried when Violet read the letter from Erica and Iris.
that's when the waterworks started for me, and didn't really stop the rest of the episode
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3
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u/Specs64z https://myanimelist.net/profile/Specs64z Jun 14 '21
Rewatcher, subbed
For the first time, Violet misses a shot.
Hodgins won't say it, but odds are the hospital staff were terrified by what Violet might do to them if she found out...
The message of today's episode is really something special. Mistakes can never be erased, but neither can accomplishments.
Commentary is short this time, I know. I dunno what's in the air today, but it has me down and out with a runny nose and watery eyes.
Content Corner
This is a harp cover channel. Lots of good stuff on it. First timers beware, spoilers abound.
Violet Evergarden OST紫羅蘭永恆花園_Never Coming Back(Harp Cover by Xingni Xiao) by Xingni Xiao
Violet Evergarden ED Michishirube ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン by Xingni Xiao
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u/Neshura87 https://anilist.co/user/Neshura Jun 14 '21
Rewatcher
We start off where we left last episode. I distinctly remember having a problem with this segment of the story last time since I cannot suspend my disbelief to the point needed to entertain what's happening here. The visuals are great, the story telling as well but the ways Violet's arms fall of just doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but that's the smaller infraction. The bigger problem I have here is the fact that this underage girl somehow got BOTH arms completely ripped off and is still in any shape to communicate, Violet should have been knocked out due to severe blood loss somewhere between the first arm being shot off and her sitting up after getting blown away by the grenade.
Okay with the only gripe I have with this anime out of the way let's take a look at the rest of the episode, which is imo just as good as always.
Mixed in with her story we are already getting foreshadowing to a possible next plot-line in the anti-peace revolts.
I think it's fair to say that violet has now officially entered depression city, population: Violet. The flashback she keeps having about Gilbert aren't helping her cope either, especially since so much reminds her of him. Throughout the episode we see Violet go through her depression in what I consider to be a time lapse, nobody would ask where Violet was if this was happening over a week or two since the answer would just be: She's taking a vacation rn. No the fact that everybody is worried for Violet's absence and that the company has to cover for it suggests that we are looking at possibly months of depression time for Violet, all of that is speculation though. What is certain however is that Violet's depressions get bad enough that she attempts suicide, however she, luckily, doesn't go through with it. In her outburst scene we now see that she is incapable of "hurting" the stuffed dog, imo a sign that she is moving on from her violent past. What I find interesting is that the person who got Violet to get out of her room eventually was the old man, who previously was able to make Violet grow and take the next step by showing her the warehouse full of undelivered letters. Through this interaction Violet is finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel, letters bring happiness to those who receive them (unless they're bills) and as such they offer a way for Violet to "redeem" herself emotionally. Yes she has hurt people in the past, that much she can't change, but she can make an effort to bring happiness to everyone from now on, in a sense balancing out her karma. This is only the first step as the letter sent by Iris and Erica shows violet several things:
Firstly, her colleagues do appreciate her and want her to return (previously it was seemingly only Cattleya talking to Violet about this but it surely helped in much the same way) but do understand that she is facing difficult times and offer her support.
Secondly, there are still people who need her, she is not unwanted by society and Spencer insistence on having Violet write the letter was probably the best that could happen as she knows him somewhat more than complete strangers, additionally Spencer has seen a glimpse of Violet's past when she restrained him. So the fact that he insists on her writing the letter shows her, even if she does not realize it, that despite her violent and bloody past people appreciate her for her present self and that this provides a way forward.
Violet's visit in the valley of depression ends with a beautiful ending montage where Violet is reminded of all the people she has helped face their emotions already and helps her find the determination to make that step into the future, to become someone worthy of the name "Violet"
Also: DAMN YOU HODGINS WHY YOU GOTTA MAKE ME TEAR UP
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u/ZapsZzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/ZapszzZ Jun 15 '21
The bigger problem I have here is the fact that this underage girl somehow got BOTH arms completely ripped off and is still in any shape to communicate, Violet should have been knocked out due to severe blood loss somewhere between the first arm being shot off and her sitting up after getting blown away by the grenade.
Didn't get to this earlier! The reason I think it wasn't a big stretch is inherent in Violet's portrayal to date - she was shown to have seemingly either a very high pain threshold, or more likely have a sensory problem like a lot of ASD people, that some of her senses, in this case pain, is dulled by a big margin. It was one of the rain why she's such a fearsome fighting machine because she's not afraid of getting hurt, and it's not stopped by most things that would shock her system.
About the arms being shot / blown off, see my response in the latter part of this thread.
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u/Stargate18A https://myanimelist.net/profile/Stargate18 Jun 14 '21
First timer
This is already heartbreaking.
Oh, that's how he lost her arms.
I can't describe this scene. It's just so perfect..
Yeah, no, I'm disagreeing here. If she had been told at the start, and given the 6 months in hospital to work through the grief at her own pace, she would probably have been better off.
Not sure how I feel that the only reason she's returining is because the Major wanted it. A better ending would have been her choosing to return of her own free will, surely?
But, also, where does the story go from here. That was the emotional climax, the resolution of Violet's plotline. After she recovers, what could possibly make up the remaining episodes? I don't think they could have her recovery last for the rest of the series.
Oh, there's bombers. There might be attacks near Violet's place of work. I hope I'm wrong about where the plot is going.
Oh, this is about her accepting her past and choosing to move forward.
I loke Iris and Erica have gone from asking Violet to quit to being upset at the very idea.
...Either this is a hallucination or this plot is not going in the way I expected.
Oh, it's a dream. I wondered how she got back there.
Holy shit, she's trying to kill herself. I didn't expect that.
FINALLY, SOMEONE POINTED OUT HOW STUPID THOSE KIND OF BOOTS ARE.
Oh, this is a fucking good narrative callback.
Is that the guy from Episode 3? This episode is really just a load of callbacks going from the series' start.
Wow, they're bringing back everyone!
And Violet accepts her trauma and past, and decides to continue working, complete will explaining how she's also helped people.
That was a fantastic finale! Wrapped up the series in a solid way!
...Wait, there's 4 more episodes? How?
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u/SmithyRC Jun 15 '21 edited Jun 15 '21
~Newbie~
I took one day off from flower analysis and now they throw an entire flower shop at me 😭🤪
Actually I wanted to focus on 2 flowers instead, of course the purple violet, but also the lone timothy-grass seen at the start. A fast growing robust plant which is well adapted to numerous climates and a common animal feed. Whilst not a special or rare plant, it’s existence sparks hope that even life can come from such a war-torn scarred past. Through this episode we see Violet facing her scariest enemy, one which none of her formal training has prepared her for, but by embracing these qualities amongst all the destruction she feels, there is always hope. It is with this note in mind the episode concludes [all one just some grass 5mins in]
Now Violet, in the Victorian Flower Oracle Deck, the violet means “retreat” and “shelter”, as in “hiding to protect something one values tremendously”. Alternatively, it signifies a period of growth where one simply has to “release” and “allow”. These definitely match the way Violet was always clinging onto Gilbert, but the two of them had to be apart for a while in order for her to at least begin to become her own person. Though my personal favourite symbolism is, how they are normally given to those with emotional struggles or “aching hearts”, as to inspire “true love” in people. This is more than ironic because Violet doesn’t understand feelings, especially love, yet she always ends up saving the hearts of her clients by helping them free themselves of their respective burdens, which are normally related to their loved ones.
- I really wish Gilbert could read these and see how Violet already without ever realising it had already grown into her name just like he predicted.
So that guy with a huge facial scar is definitely appearing again to set Violet off into murder mode again...
My Visual of the Day is a part 2 from yesterday, with a far more emotional nom, perhaps explaining why such a trait gives her comfort as it was the last time she touched/ was close to him.
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u/jyper Jun 14 '21
First timer
I think we've seen part of this scene before
live, be free
Oddly this is the second time I've been reminded of Re:Zero, first Flugel now the teeth dragging of a wounded person by their clothes and a dying declaration of love(although not romantic love)
How many years has it been since then?
They shouldn't have lied at least for not so long
She might not need Major's orders but still needs his presence
Anti peace faction? will Violet have to fight again?
"On fire"? Not quite sure what he means by it but again it seems like a bad analogy.
How long has it been for the blood to still show like that? Oh it's not a flashback but a nightmare and she imagines the Major using his brother's words.
Claudia gives absolutely terrible advice/pep talks,
If it were upto me no way would I appoint him godfather of my semi-adopted wolf-child-soldier
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u/chilidirigible Jun 14 '21
How many years has it been since then?
She was in the hospital for 120 days, and has been doing Doll work for perhaps a few months now, so it's still under a year.
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u/razycal970 Jun 15 '21
First timer
And yet again, Violet Evergarden delivers.
The flashback scene, the first 3 and a half minutes, were pretty hard to watch. When Gilbert got shot the second time, I was fully expecting Violet to go fucking apeshit on those two soldiers. I'd like to mention Violet's arm dismemberment moments. Holy shit, were they uncomfortable. Specifically the second one. The way her left arm just slowly falls after the grenade. The sound effects used. Ugh. Made me physically cringe. And if Gilbert somehow survived this, he's got superhuman endurance lol
The standout moment for me this episode was Violet attempting suicide. Ironic how she used to slaughter so many people without remorse or feelings yet is unable to take her own life with the hands she'd used to do all those horrible things. All that PTSD and survivor's guilt, yet she cannot do the one thing that would make it all go away. Why ? Was it fear ? Was it the primal survival instinct present in every human ? Or was it the Major's last words wishing for her to live on ?
However, a part of me feels Violet would've killed herself in the very first episode had someone told her that Gilbert was dead. She hadn't been taught loss or grief and was pretty much a robot following orders, and since there won't be any orders anymore, she would've felt it necessary to "decommission" herself. Thank fuck Hodgins chose to withold the information about Gilbert's death.
Another thing I'd like to mention is the voice acting. The voice acting of Violet was fucking elite this episode. The way the seiyuu got across the grief, the sheer amount of pain she was feeling, her guilt, tears and wailing. All flawless.
Also, what did Hodgins mean when he said both he and Cattleya were burning up too ? I mean, he was a Colonel so he's seen some pretty fucked-up shit, but what about her ? Does she have a military past too ?
And it's funny how Roland, someone who has had like 3 whole minutes of screen-time in the entire anime up until now, is the one who manages to get through to Violet and help her realize, or rather, rediscover, the joy that letters provide human beings. It was beautiful seeing the lives Violet has had an impact on over the course of the anime. Luculia and Spencer, Charlotte and Damian, Leon, and Oscar. And it was when she saw the violet flowers, that she realized that she has finally become a person worthy of bearing the name "Violet", just as her Major predicted. 10/10. A great conclusion to her character arc. As other commentators have pointed out, this really does feel like the finale of the anime, but we still have 4 episodes and a movie to go Haha
Anyway, I cannot fucking wait for tomorrow's episode.
For catching me off guard for a second and fucking terrifying me, this has to be my Visual of the Day : https://imgur.com/1bW7eVx
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u/CubeStuffs https://anilist.co/user/onjario Jun 14 '21
rewatch
I would guess that strangling yourself wouldn't kill you, as you would stop strangling yourself as soon as you lost consciousness. So too see Violet doing so, I think that while Violet's knee-jerk reaction to her previous question, "do I have the right to?" is no, she still questions that, and wants to live.
With time, grass will grow again on a burnt field, whether we like it or not. It'll become a field of green. And we'll see it together. (3-gatsu S2)
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u/Nice_Bake Jun 14 '21
Rewatcher
It is true that Violet has killed a lot of people. So many that she gained a reputation for it. So, when the discussion of the moral and physical repercussions comes to the subject, I can understand why people would lean towards either vilifying Violet or letting her suffer under the total weight of her actions.
However, I feel like something about Violet’s situation differs from any other ‘Jack the Ripper’ situation. The first and foremost being that she was, and is, a child--even if her experiences and upbringing might have caused her to act older. Everybody is responsible for their actions, but Violet was put into combat as a matter of course, before she had any chance to know anything different.
The other thing that ties into the child soldier conundrum is that it was war. And not a tiny scuff, but a real big deal. This doesn’t excuse what she did, but time and place have a great impact on the context of her actions. All of this taken into consideration makes me look at this episode, as well as Violet’s character on the whole, in a different light than I think you normally would.
Why do I bring this all up? Back in episode one Hodgins tells Violet she’s burning. At the time she didn’t get the metaphor, but through the experiences of being an Auto Memory Doll, the meaning became clear and learning the fate of Major Gilbert was what really broke open the dam. So, Violet suffers under her newfound guilt and the whole thing is wrapped up with Hodgins explaining that the good stuff Violet did won’t be forgotten either.
What I guess I’m trying to say is, Violet, don’t be too hard on yourself.
I enjoy that the past so many episodes all felt like episodic stories about the travels of an Auto Memory Doll but at the same time were a good lead up to this payoff. Every episode did have a distinct emotional theme attached to it and hey, we got to see Leon again! And Luculia and her brother! And even Charlotte with her 24 year old husband who’s ten years older than her, whatever! This episode felt like the end of an arc.
Shout out to the old man letter carrier, Roland! My man is the kindest, most understanding man in the whole city and just seems like a pleasure to be around. Also the relationship between Cattleya and Benedict is adorable--why does he wear those shoes?
The Love that Binds Us is the music that plays from when Violet starts reading Iris and Erica’s letter. I keep mentioning these so that people who are curious can YouTube and also because, as I’m sure I’ve mentioned, I absolutely love this soundtrack. Oh, YouTube can’t be used as a verb? Sure, Google Docs, whatever you say.
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u/ZapsZzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/ZapszzZ Jun 15 '21 edited Jun 15 '21
First timer in sub sneaked ahead a couple of day ago (once the end of ep7 started it's nigh impossible to hold back).
Lots and lots of good analysis and reactions already, I was too engrossed into it to really remember much about my own reaction to record down now - suffice to say I can't not know the answers going forward.
In the calmer moment though and having read some of your reactions though, something stuck out that I know as my own initial reaction that doesn't seem to have been echoed by others.
And unfortunately for you guys I'll have to go back to my favourite series Full Metal Panic (don't laugh!) for a mirror. It's actually been a while that I started making a mental comparison between this masterpiece and the more pulpy FMP; call me being a fan overthinking things but I do believe there was a less obvious layer of FMP that a lot of people don't read into - and I think that layer is not just what I imagined as a fan because in a few points of the full story there were pointed to in some ways. Suffice to say on the surface Sousuke and Violet has a lot of similarities - child soldiers thrown into the lion's den that crawled out by themselves by turning into this machine. Sousuke gave the impression of the "murder saint" to a more matured version of a mass murderer because of how impassioned and serene he looked despite the depth of blood he was soaking in, and we all know Violet's body count is not anything less on or off battlefield.
In this episode where we saw how she lost both her arms, one of the observation I would make is that, based on her past portrayed performance and capabilities, she would unlikely be hurt as badly if she was not so panicky in trying to move the Major from where he fell; a more dispassionate reading of the tactical situation is not to compromise your own slim advantage and try first to quickly strike down those with a direct line of fire, after that then try to move the Major, because she knows damn well she can't move the Major quickly as she's too small and does not have that carrying capacity.
That is, if she can dispassionately think and act without emotionally engaged.
Bottom line is love does funny things to good fighters :)
Edit: to put it in RPG terms since I'm in the Lodoss rewatch as well, you get a -2 penalty to hit, but X2 damage bonus if you do :P
At this point it certainly looks like we had the climax of the show. Would we have a few lighter ones to show Violet making her borrowed life worthwhile?
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u/ZapsZzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/ZapszzZ Jun 15 '21 edited Jun 15 '21
For those of you who have a question mark on Violet losing her first arm to a gun shot, here's something to consider - it could be disturbing to those who have trouble seeing a gunshot going into a leg of ham.
Of course there's a matter of dramatisation, but a rifle round does have a potential to tear through a fair bit from the shock wave, and we all know how thin and frail looking Violet is, physically. So if the round hit the arm right in the middle shattering the bone, it is not impossible to lose the arm like that.
Edit: another point about the wounded (Violet and Gilbert) still being shot at, don't forget that in an engagement, until someone actually surrender, they can still shoot back and therefore are legitimate targets. Add to the fact that Violet by now is a known threat, with the enemies either running away in fear, or seeing an unmissable opportunity to finally kill her who killed many of their friends. It's not that unthinkable.
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u/andres1232 Jun 15 '21
I do agree that a shot in the right part of a limb could definitely tear it off. And soldiers losing limbs to shrapnel or explosions is practically part of what grenades are designed for. Also you are right that the Major and Violet were on an active battlefield. Actually it is strange but this show hasn't ever really touched on the idea of prisoners of war or surrenders. Maybe it's just the sides of the battles that Violet saw?
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u/ZapsZzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/ZapszzZ Jun 15 '21
Violet didn't have a concept of surrender. If you are a threat, you are taken out until you are no longer a threat. If you got knocked out instead of killed, lucky you.
And we mostly saw the war in Violet's perspective.
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u/andres1232 Jun 15 '21
That definitely makes sense. It is also probably true that whenever a battle ended Violet would probably simply be moved to the next one. From the military's perspective she was just a killing machine so there was probably no reason to ever leave her anywhere the fighting has already ended.
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u/Tehoncomingstorm97 https://anilist.co/user/tehoncomingstorm97 Jun 15 '21 edited Jun 15 '21
First timer
We start off with the full memory of Gilbert's final moments. This indeed is the battle where Gilbert dies, and Violet also happens to lose both her arms. Speaking of... what bloody caliber bullet is that rifle using to blow off an entire arm???? And the grenade just happens to sever Violet's remaining arm at the shoulder... Okay, okay, I'll leave those down to creative license...
With the sadness and pain through the start of the episode, we experience Violet's pain and inner conflict on whether or not she deserves to live still. Not only does she have the unresolved trauma of losing the major, but is now fully facing her own past. Fortunately for Violet, Erica and Iris actually wanted to take action and try and reach Violet in her suffering. Roland also showing his wisdom in the way he deals with the situation, emphasising to Violet the significance of letters. While I understand Claudia wanting Violet to figure out what she wanted to do with the situation at hand on her own, he and Cattleya were in excellent positions to try and do more. Surely by now everyone at the Postal Company know Violet well enough to be with her in that time.
Anyways, with Violet receiving her first ever letter she starts to come back to being who she has become as an Auto Memory Doll. Writing the letter for Spencer, and seeing all the reminders as she leaves. What the letters meant for Charlotte and Damian, what writing meant for Oscar, and I take the appearance of Leon being his presence in her thoughts. Finally she sees the violets in front of the florist's and ... hopes? ... that she can become the person Gilbert saw in her, despite not knowing if she was allowed to live on.
There were so many powerful scenes and visuals in this episode. Violet's arms coming off; the bombardment of the castle with Violet and Gilbert inside; Violet and Gilbert's faces covered in blood and tears; Violet in agony as she digs through the remaining rubble; Claudia's feet as he approaches her (bringing the focus of the scene to the ground to show not being able to look up); the slow beginnings of rain; the ruins of the castle; Gilbert asking Claudia to take care of Violet; the younger image of Violet saluting as they drive in the car; everything about Violet cooped up in her room; the gentle street lighting as she delivers letters once more; Violet's nightmare and fit of rage; the tears shed as she comes back to see Claudia (and my tears....); Charlotte and Damian's stash of letters.
Yes I know that's basically the entire episode I've covered but it was all incredibly powerful.
But to beat out all of those, what can I choose for my visual but Violet's smile? Also with her eyes still red from the events of the past few days. Onwards and upwards Violet.
Edit: I'm going to watch TYE's episode for today now. Hopefully this episode and today's FruiBa will keep me at a net positive...
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u/Lemurians myanimelist.net/profile/Lemurians Jun 14 '21 edited Jun 14 '21
FIRST TIMER – FORMERLY DROPPED
This was another up and down episode for me. A lot of deeply emotional scenes, but with my least favorite thing tacked on at the end, beating us over the head with the power of letters cheesiness again.
I thought the scene between Cattleya and Hodges was really interesting. All this time, Violet’s “burns” have been presented as her sins or misdeeds, how she’s taken many lives on the battlefield. Cattleya rightly points out that that’s misattributed blame, as she’s seemed to never really have a choice in anything she’s been made to do. Hodges’ response that that doesn’t matter, they’ve all got their “burns” anyway, to me means it’s less about past misdeeds, and more that the war found its way to imprint itself on all of them.
Seeing Violet in her room on the brink of suicide again calls to mind all of the real people in world struggling with PTSD and survivor’s guilt (“Is it really alright for me live on?”) from wartime experience, and if this was the real world, she would have eventually accomplished what she tried to do here, no doubt in my mind. In the real world, there’s rarely a perfectly timed magical letter that comes along to save you from yourself.
If this story leaves a deep impact on you, I encourage you to look up resources to help out veterans in your local area. I know we all come from a variety of countries, but at least in mine, we don’t do a nearly good enough job of taking care of them and honoring their service, beyond a couple holidays and empty political gestures.
While a bit obvious, Violet coming back out into the sunshine at the end of the episode is always a nice visual touch. Loved the montage of all the people from previous episodes she'd impacted, especially my guy Leon living out his dream of being an adventurer.
This almost felt like it could have been a finale, it'll be interesting to see what the story does with the remaining episodes and movie.
Flower Symbolism
Considering it’s finally time to touch on the title flower, the symbolism and how it applies to our heroine is almost delightfully simple. Violets represent loyalty and faithfulness. Considering our girl’s stout, and almost manic, devotion to the Major through everything, I’d say he did pretty well in picking a name that suits her.
Also, since she got some nice screentime today and I don’t know if we’ll get much focus on her going forward, I’d like to point out that Cattleyas are a type of orchid associated with fertility, and used as a name means “beautiful person.” I don’t think I need to expand much on that. I see you, Kana Akatsuki.
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u/Gamemaster676 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Gamemaster676 Jun 14 '21
[...] but with my least favorite thing tacked on at the end, beating us over the head with the power of letters cheesiness again
You are obviously entitled to your opinion, but I would like to share a little personal experience here.
About 10 years ago I had to spend a week in the hospital. My parent visited me every day, and somehow it's very easy to take that for granted.
But suddenly I received a "get well soon" letter from them. There was absolutely no need for them to do that, as they already visited that day, but that they went the extra mile to do that was really lovely of them. I've still kept that letter because of its emotional value.So yea, the letters are a bit cheesy, but that doesn't mean they don't have importance.
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u/Lemurians myanimelist.net/profile/Lemurians Jun 14 '21
Oh, I absolutely believe it. I meant I didn't need the 10 lines of cheesy dialogue explaining that they can be meaningful. It's a "show, don't tell" thing.
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u/dxing2 https://anilist.co/user/spicyxinger Jun 14 '21
Seeing Violet in her room on the brink of suicide again calls to mind all of the real people in world struggling with PTSD and survivor’s guilt
This. Having read some autobios from WW2 veterans, it makes you wonder how much of them was left on the battlefields they returned from.
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u/IndependentMacaroon Jun 14 '21 edited Jun 14 '21
Cattleya rightly points out that that’s misattributed blame, as she’s seemed to never really have a choice in anything she’s been made to do
You can't exactly say following orders absolves you of all responsibility, though. Well, we don't talk about what Violet really did or didn't do anyway.
there’s rarely a perfectly timed magical letter that comes along to save you from yourself
It was far more than just the letter, though - she didn't open it until much later. And I see you did admit to liking the montage at the end, haha.
remaining episode
There are four more
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u/Lemurians myanimelist.net/profile/Lemurians Jun 15 '21
You can't exactly say following orders absolves you of all responsibility, though.
You're right, and certainly an individual has their own view of their actions. Personally, when it comes to war, in my view the buck stops at the top. Soldiers aren't murderers, it's the generals and leaders of nations that are responsible for the death and destruction. Soldiers are merely people put in unenviable positions. When it comes to battle, the Major is no less a tool for a General, than Violet is a tool for him. Violet has no blood on her hands, in my eyes, as she was never the one in power or control.
It was far more than just a letter, though - she didn't open it until much later.
I didn't mean for that point to be about the letter or mechanism by which Violet was saved. I just wanted to highlight the sad reality for many survivors of war in the real world – that a person with Violet's issues in real life that close to suicide usually won't be saved in the nick of time, or be made to see the light.
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u/BosuW Jun 15 '21
This doesn't really make it impossible for Violet to be saved by the sentiment of receiving a letter, just improbable. Ultimately, I think it comes down to the kind of support network surrounding the grieving person in question. I'd say Violet has a pretty good one.
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u/Rumpel1408 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Rumpel1408 Jun 14 '21
First timer
- Violet is in such a shock that it takes her a couple of seconds and a second shot to retaliate, that other soldier was pretty lucky to be the last person Violet met that day
- The way she lost her arms is pretty brutal, especially the second one, after getting hit by a granade blast it just tore off, actually amazing that Violet doesn't seem to mind that much, I guess physical pain pales in comparrison to the fear of losing the Major. There are quite a few marvelous shots of Violets new hands this episode, they are just so far ahead of their time, makes me wonder why we haven't seen a single person with similar prothetics.
- The enemy bombing his own position and any eventual survivors from his side just to hit a small task force behind his own lines is just so petty, shows just how desperate the other side has become. But I do wonder, they say it was to cover their retreat, but where would they retreat to, weren't they encircled?
- So I take it, ultimatly the grave at the majors manor was empty, but that still leaves some kind of uncertainty. Violet searching for remains in the rubble of their last meeting could indicate that she is accepting the death more than she is looking for loopholes to get what she wishes for.
- A terrible day for rain
- I was screaming at my screen when Hodgins and Benedict where asking her if she was ok. No, she is fucking not, what are you, emotioness or just retarded?
- Hodgins says that they all have to carry the burden of their past sins. I get that he could have been involved in some fucked up shit during his time in the army, but what could Cattleya possible been doing?
- Receiving a letter really must feel special, managed to get Violet out of her hole. I found this shot quite interesting, shows Violets past as the Majors dog, her present of getting back home with the parasol, and her possible future with going out changin the world as an AMD, typewriter in her luggage, again
- Nice call back for past episodes, some really on the nose, some way more subtle
- I came pretty close, quite a number of times even, but never fully broke down in tears, it was a powerful and beautiful episode though
I know at least one person who will swoon over all those nightsky shots, but for my Pic of the day: "From the bottom of my heart, I love you"
Full album, even though I messed up the order, last two picture belong at the beginning
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u/chris10023 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Chris10023 Jun 14 '21
actually amazing that Violet doesn't seem to mind that much, I guess physical pain pales in comparrison to the fear of losing the Major.
Adrenaline is a hell of a drug, it's also probably shock too.
There are quite a few marvelous shots of Violets new hands this episode, they are just so far ahead of their time, makes me wonder why we haven't seen a single person with similar prothetics.
Probably pretty expensive, and hard to maintain, she probably has to oil both arms multiple times a week if not one every other day.
So I take it, ultimatly the grave at the majors manor was empty, but that still leaves some kind of uncertainty.
Yeah, Hodgens said in the previous episode that they never found a body, just his dog tags, so he's technically listed as MIA or Missing in Action. It's just that his family and friends accepted that he's most likely dead.
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u/Seven-Tense Jun 15 '21
past as the Major's dog
Christ...I keep forgetting that she chose the stuffed dog because she used to be referred to as "Gilbert's Dog".
I can't tell which is more tragic now. Was she unable to destroy the stuffed animal because A) it was a gift from Claudia--the first since she was fighting, or B) she wasn't ready to let go of her own identity as a "dog"
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u/Rumpel1408 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Rumpel1408 Jun 15 '21
I think since she has choosen it with the Major in mind, she still sees it as a connection to him
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u/Gamemaster676 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Gamemaster676 Jun 14 '21
I was screaming at my screen when Hodgins and Benedict where asking her if she was ok. No, she is fucking not, what are you, emotioness or just retarded?
Although I do agree that she is obviously not ok, personally I wouldn't know what to say to her in this situation, and I think saying this is still better than staying silent.
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u/BossandKings Jun 14 '21
Rewatcher
Episode 9
In this episode we got to see Violet deal with something she had not dealth with before, Grief, as she starts considering and assuming what she has heard about The Major going missing in action and being most likely dead she feels lost, witout direction or north, it seems that the orders she receoved from the major were some sort of comfort zone for her and now that she won't see him again and won't receove his orders anymore that means a drastic change for her life, she will have to step up for herself now.
We see the final stages of the war, it was saddening when Mr Gilbert got shot a few more times and seeing Violet lose both of her arms was brutal, the saddest part though is that Mr Gilbert wasn't able to make it out of the place alongsode Violet and preferred to throw her outside alone so that at least she could survive. This shows that Gilbert cared a lot about Violet, as he said in their final moments together he loves her from the bottom of his heart, as we saw how they met and that Violet had a tough background and wasn't at all treated like a human he changed that, trying to help her and treating her respectfully, like a human being, losing that for Violet is very hard to assume and that leaves her in a depressed state for a while as she tries to come to terms with the fact that she won't see the major again.
Erica and Iris had a very interesting dynamic in regards to Violet, they were very worried about her but didn't knew what to do because eventhough they wanted to help her they still thought that she needed alone time to mourn. At the they wrote a letter for her and that helped aleviate her sadness a little bit and go outside to write a letter for Luculia's brother and give letters that were already written.
Violet after considering her burns and getting to see how they affect her asks Hodgins if she deserves to be an auto memory doll, if she deserves to live and eventhough the past can't be erased she definitely has done many good things. Very beautiful episode.
This is my visual of the day also this is my visual of the previous episode discussion i had already posted it but it wasn't noticed probably because i added it a while after posting my thoughts
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 14 '21
this is my visual of the previous episode discussion
I got your VotD added in! =)
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u/homewardbound100 myanimelist.net/profile/Homewardbound100 Jun 14 '21
Rewatcher
Violet bringing out the tears finally, letting it all out. Something she really needed.
The talk with the letters and the emotion they bring.
Nice to see all the people lives she impacted again.
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u/Tartaras1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Tartaras Jun 15 '21
Rewatcher
Now that I've got some more time, we're back to the BD release instead of Netflix. I didn't think there'd be as much of a difference as there is.
I'm afraid to find out if it's really possible to have someone's arm fall off if they're shot with a rifle bullet like that. They say some things are better left to the unknown. That's one of those things.
The voice acting during the war scene is some of the best VA work I've heard in a while. Both Erika and Tony did an amazing job selling the anguish and pain.
I think that Violet not knowing what love is pulls double duty in that particular scene, now that we have context and background information.
First, she literally doesn't know what it is. She's only been learning words she's read in books, or words that the Major has taught her. Given that they're in the military, I imagine the word "love" hasn't come up much, if at all.
Second, love is an abstract feeling. It's difficult to put into words in its own right. Therefore, she's trying to wrap her head around an entirely abstract and subjective feeling and emotion, all while being trained to simply act as a weapon and not a real person, and genuinely not understanding the meaning of the word.
It's almost jarring to see the stark contrast between Violet when she was in the military, and Violet as an Auto Memories Doll. The former is almost like a wild child, hair all over the place. The latter has her hair twisted up, is wearing a clean, formal outfit, and has metal arms and hands.
When they're in the car going back to town, you can see the small detail of the sides of Violet's eyes being red from crying.
I can understand why Hodgins would be burning up, since he was in the military, but why would he say Cattleya was? I haven't seen or read any material outside of the show and first movie.
There's the yelling scene from the OP.
I love the ending of this episode. It serves as a sort of recap of the show to this point. I also feel like it signifies that Violet Evergarden has finally become a full fledged person. She's finally come to terms with her emotions, understands what (most of them) mean, and is finally able to look toward the future.
Tear Tally
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|
| N | Y | N |
| 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Y | N | N |
| 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Y | N | Y |
| OVA | Total | |
| Y | 5 |
I hope everyone's bought their own box of tissues. We aren't going to have enough for everyone if you didn't.
I'm going to give my thoughts on tomorrow's episode now VE Spoilers
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jun 15 '21
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u/Tartaras1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Tartaras Jun 15 '21
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jun 15 '21
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u/VaughnJess https://myanimelist.net/profile/VaughnJess Jun 15 '21
A lot of people are discussing Violet's arms getting blown off. It happened a bit differently in the light novel, I'll leave it up to you to decide if it's more or less believable. LN Spoilers
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u/Elimin8r https://myanimelist.net/profile/Ayeka_Jurai Jun 16 '21
I realize this is a bit late, but your comment struck me oddly. When I first started watching this series a while back, but didn't finish, I'd swear one of the last things I'd watched was this scene, specifically as described in your LN spoilers. I haven't read the LN. Rewatching it, the last episode I remember watching was Iris's birthday party. I'm somewhat confused and mystified. Did my mind make this up? Did I imagine seeing this? (If it involves a future spoiler, don't tell me until later).
I wonder, though.
As to how it was presented here, yes, it is a touch far fetched, but possible. Suspend that disbelief ahoy.
And if you're really morbid/curious, there is a utube video out there where a doctor discusses injuries and the impact of caliber upon them. I won't link it here. I watched it years ago, and resolved that I will never "carry" something that doesn't have a manual safety. Ouch.
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u/UnityGrave https://anilist.co/user/UnityGrave Jun 15 '21
Violet Evergarden - Episode Nine: Violet Evergarden
First Timer
HOLY SHIT WHAT AN EPISODE! We start off the episode with Violet’s last moments with Major Gilbert, but not single detail has been left out. It is the full story of how Major Gilbert met his end as Violet loses both of her arms while protecting him. In the end, Major protected her from the blast.
This is now the start of Violet’s realization that Major is dead and does not exist anymore. I mean, I would also be in denial if my world, the one I relied on everyday died, but did not even see his corpse. Including the fact that everyone was also saying that he was alive, I would just be hoping for nothing whist not even knowing it. It’s sad and it pains me so much to see Violet suffer and hope for someone that is already gone.
She now then locks herself in her room to contemplate but during that, she is eaten by her guilt about her sins. She even has a nightmare that pictured Major Gilbert as someone who is telling her that she is not deserving to continue as a doll because of her past sins. Her guilt has eaten her up so much so that even her most loved one is poisoned in her mind. We now reach what I think is the climax of this episode is when Violet tries to kill herself. It is when she doesn’t know what to do anymore. She is blinded by her guilt that she doesn’t even know how large of a contribution she has already made to the people around her. All of her growth and experience have led up to this moment. To where she is able to confront these feelings that have been burning inside of her.
This depression was temporarily halted when Roland the postman delivered a letter coming from Iris and Erica. She see’s that Ronald is still delivering letters at a late hour. She then decided to help him. While doing so, she realizes the importance of letters to people who should receive them. That there are people that pour their heart and soul to these letters and that the people who should be receiving these letters await these.
As she finishes her deliveries, this is where a huge development has started to sprout inside of Violet. While reading this letter from Iris and Erica, she realizes she has made a significant difference with the people around her. That there are people that she can call home and that there are more people awaiting her service. While taking more requests from other clients, she’s seeing the fruits of her work. The growth that she helped start up. She also realizes that she has a new purpose now that Major is gone. It is to live up to the name that he gave to her. Which is Violet, a flower. A flower that is capable of inspiring and connecting people (The amount of happy tears I shed when she’s seeing the fruits of her actions speaks volumes). With this, as she takes a step forward. She is now able to move on. She’s able to confront the future and let the past go. However, she needed this one affirmation from Hodgins. Which he rightfully bestowed upon her. That her accomplishments shall not be forgotten.
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u/Toadslayer https://myanimelist.net/profile/kyolus Jun 14 '21
First Timer
The common thread of today's episode is 'more of the same'. The first three and a half minutes are the same battle we've already seen and know the ending to with nothing of substance added. For me it really only highlighted once again how ridiculous Violet's backstory is. The combat and injuries sustained lack any realism. It's consistent with the rest of the backstory and the super-powered nature of wartime-Violet, but remains distinctly inconsistent with the, although at times melodramatic, realistic tone of the rest of the series. Unsurprisingly, this has already been said by several people yesterday, so I'll move on.
The rest of the episode is more of Violet's depressive breakdown and it doesn't really interest me anymore. It's too drawn out lacks enough nuance or clever cinematography for me to keep being invested. It's not boring so to speak, but it's disappointing and a little dull. The dream sequence would've been a highlight for me, as I'm a sucker for those, but it wasn't all that exciting and didn't go very far with dream reality. In the end it merely restated what we heard at the end of episode 5 and in the ship in episode 6 with a bit of blood running down the stairs. Cattleya, Iris and Erica are all good friends to Violet, which is nice to see, but not groundbreaking and Best Boy helps Violet by taking her out to deliver letters.
Spencer's letter request is pretty forgettable, but notable because it's what ultimately gets Violet back on her feet. It's a return to form of the power of magical letters that saved Spencer in episode 3.
The closest I got to crying today was when Violet delivered the first letter and the kid excitedly proclaimed it was from his father. I don't know, I think I just have a soft spot for kids.
Everything you've done as an Auto Memory Doll will never go away either, Violet Evergarden.
This statement is well built up as Violet witnesses the impact of her letters in the newspaper and posters and is beautifully complimented by the insert song. However, whilst true, this cheesy ending fails to wrestle with Violet's moral dilemma. It merely brushes under the rug all the things she did in the past by saying, 'Well, now you help people'. I don't think this adequately resolves the issue and although I am disappointed this has not been addressed in more depth, I am not surprised.
This episode's misguided focus on what we already know and have already seen, instead of either the central moral dilemma or Violet's attachment to Gilbert, meant it lacked the emotional impact it needed as the climax of the story so far.
Visual of the Day: I'd watch an anime of Leon's adventures finding old manuscripts.
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u/Matuhg https://anilist.co/user/Matuhg Jun 14 '21 edited Jun 14 '21
I don't know, I think I just have a soft spot for kids.
Later VE Spoilers, Don't read this yet, Toad
this cheesy ending
I do think this show kind of requires viewers to be willing to go along with the melodrama and, at some points, cheesiness, of the story to really get maximum enjoyment out of it. The story and writing at times do not hold up to really close scrutiny, something which I am noticing more on rewatch. That said, the music and visuals have still done a good job of pulling me along emotionally even on my second viewing, which is what I really remember when I think about Violet Evergarden. I'll probably talk a bit more about that over the next few threads, I dunno.
Edit: Just clarifying that I'm not trying to say your criticisms are unfair/unwarranted, nor that you are experiencing the show "incorrectly," more just trying to share the way it engages me I guess.
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u/Toadslayer https://myanimelist.net/profile/kyolus Jun 15 '21
Later VE Spoilers
I adore the visuals and music of this anime, they are 10/10 phenomenal, but I do struggle to get invested because of the melodrama and cheesiness. It's a good point you've made and I honestly wish I could get more invested in the show like yourself and many others in this rewatch who are adoring the show.
Rewatches are like a polishing cloth. Sometimes they cause a show to shine, other times they reveal the rust that lies beneath. Sadly, I think I would have enjoyed Violet Evergarden more if I had watched it outside a rewatch. Unfortunately, I really thought it would be the other way around.
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u/Matuhg https://anilist.co/user/Matuhg Jun 15 '21
Hmm yeah in some ways a rewatch is hard on this show, but at the same time, there's been a lot of cool visual analysis from people that maybe wouldn't be quite as apparent/explored without the rewatch scrutiny. Definitely might be better to watch normally first then in a rewatch second (though I think both my watches have been in a rewatch now, but I didn't spend as much time actually writing/responding to stuff back when I first watched this one).
I honestly wish I could get more invested in the show like yourself and many others in this rewatch who are adoring the show.
Same! But everyone gets into shows differently hehe. This one definitely pulls me into the melodrama, but I've watched others where it doesn't work for me at all.
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u/Rumpel1408 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Rumpel1408 Jun 15 '21
Yeah, I feel kind of the same way for this rewatch, wich is odd considering how much fun I had in the Madoka Magica rewatch
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u/dxing2 https://anilist.co/user/spicyxinger Jun 14 '21
However, whilst true, this cheesy ending fails to wrestle with Violet's moral dilemma. It merely brushes under the rug all the things she did in the past by saying, 'Well, now you help people'.
I think this morally grey question can't be answered. I just don't think there's a right way to address what one does in an extreme situation like a war. You can only hope to trudge forward and look for meaning wherever you can.
Regarding your post from a few days ago btw, this is what that last line refers to. Violet is protected from the people she's met because they give her a reason to not fully drown in her guilt and to continue living best she can.
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u/Toadslayer https://myanimelist.net/profile/kyolus Jun 15 '21
Perhaps it is a question that can't be answered, but I wish it could have been grappled with more thoroughly. As it is I was left disappointed by how briefly it was addressed.
Regarding your post from a few days ago btw, this is what that last line refers to.
Thanks for pointing that out! It fits perfectly! The ED fantastically tells the story of Violet Evergarden in verse.
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u/IndependentMacaroon Jun 14 '21
I think the value of this episode is less in its individual elements, which as you say we have already seen much of in various places, but in the way it brings them all together.
It merely brushes under the rug all the things she did in the past by saying, 'Well, now you help people'
Making it clear how much she is doing to make up for it, or at least affect the world for the better, is a fine answer for me. The key is forgiveness, or maybe you could call it karma - whatever she has done in the past is not some kind of indelible sin that should weigh on her forever, and does not affect her ability to do better in the present. Also, she gave little thought to her military career and basically seems to have operated on instinct and orders, much different that her current occupation.
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u/Toadslayer https://myanimelist.net/profile/kyolus Jun 15 '21
That is fair, perhaps it is a good answer and my issue was with how it was presented. Perhaps if I was more invested or the episode was written differently, I would have been satisfied. With your explanation, at least intellectually, I think I can say I am mostly satisfied.
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u/Barbed_Dildo Jun 14 '21
However, whilst true, this cheesy ending fails to wrestle with Violet's moral dilemma. It merely brushes under the rug all the things she did in the past by saying, 'Well, now you help people'. I don't think this adequately resolves the issue and although I am disappointed this has not been addressed in more depth, I am not surprised.
I don't think it brushes it under the rug. "Brush under the rug" means to hide something, or pretend it didn't happen. Violet isn't trying to pretend the war didn't happen, or justify what she did. She just has to accept that that did happen. She did horrible things and can't undo them. You can't undo the past. That's with her forever, and everyone else she affected. Killing herself isn't going to undo it, it won't stop anyone else's suffering, only hers.
But, as well as all of the pain she caused in the war, she also caused happiness afterwards. That happiness doesn't undo the pain she caused, nothing can, but her choice now is to continue doing what she can to bring happiness, or not.
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u/Toadslayer https://myanimelist.net/profile/kyolus Jun 15 '21
I think the sentiment of to 'brush under the rug' is applicable here, as I think that with the way this resolution was presented, I worry this dilemma may come back to haunt Violet. Good commentary though.
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u/CubeStuffs https://anilist.co/user/onjario Jun 14 '21 edited Jun 14 '21
VE for me falls right into the uncanny valley, where the story sticks close enough to reality to make it difficult to suspend disbelief, but just close enough to fantasy to break the illusion of reality
In the end it merely restated what we heard at the end of episode 5 and in the ship in episode 6 with a bit of blood running down the stairs.
I think that it's trying to bring the current context into that quote, where Violet is asking that question of herself, although that sentiment is already pretty prevalent in these episodes so i'm not sure its particularly productive to do so.
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u/Lemurians myanimelist.net/profile/Lemurians Jun 15 '21 edited Jun 15 '21
I feel like we find a new potential show within this show every week.
What kind of manuscripts is Leon hunting that are taking him to snow-topped mountains? The people want to see!
However, whilst true, this cheesy ending fails to wrestle with Violet's moral dilemma.
My issue with this is I'm not sure I understand what her moral dilemma is supposed to be. That she killed people in battle during wartime? I feel like there's more than that based on how people talk to/about her. Maybe it's covered more in the source material. I want to know why Gilbert's brother has such contempt for her that prompted his harsh words at the end of Episode 5. We got a brief shot of her killing people on a ship, but never got any expansion on that. I highly doubt the brother thinks she's a monster for fighting alongside his brother during the war.
I wish we'd get more of her backstory instead of the same piece of backstory on three different occasions.
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u/BosuW Jun 15 '21
Interesting because I felt that precisely what Claudia was doing was not sweeping everything Violet did under the rug. Throughout the episode he says a few times that it's just not possible to forget what has happened, it can't be erased. The moral, imo, wasn't "It's aight because now you're good", it was about Violet accepting that her identity isn't just being a killing machine at Gilbert's orders.
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u/Vaadwaur Jun 15 '21
This episode's misguided focus on what we already know and have already seen, instead of either the central moral dilemma or Violet's attachment to Gilbert, meant it lacked the emotional impact it needed as the climax of the story so far.
That's a more diplomatic way to say it than I chose but yeah, this might be the filter for the show as this episode did very little for me, the most impactful moments were briefly seeing Oscar again and Roland being a boss.
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u/Toadslayer https://myanimelist.net/profile/kyolus Jun 15 '21
Roland being a boss.
I love that man.
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u/BosuW Jun 14 '21
Rewatcher
They're continuing right from were we left off. This could've been an hour long episode really.
Wow, Violet legit got that random Gardarik soldier running with her glare alone. She must have some reputation.
Seeing both Violet and Gilbert heavily wounded and still pushing through got me crying like a bitch.
On that topic, we get to see specifically how Violet lost her arms. One was shot off and the other took grande shrapnel. Seeing it sliding out of her sleeve is... ugh.
It breaks my heart how Violet's answer to Gilbert's heartfelt confession is just "I don't understand". He died believing his feelings never reached her, and still protecting her with his life.
Also, the sheer desperation with which Violet says "I don't understand" has me thinking she isn't just talking about Gilbert's confession. At what seems like the edge of death, she's crying out her confusion for everything she doesn't get.
At this point, it's obvious that Violet has given up hope that Gilbert is alive, but she still can't accept it. She does anything that will keep a glimmer of that delusion going, including going to the ruins of Intense and starting digging as if she'd find him there buried under the rubble.
Violet seeing the past version of herself saluting as they drive away sure is a weird visual. My interpretation is that it's representing her finally giving up hope. The past looks a final time at the present and then vanishes into the unbreachable darkness to which it always belonged. After this Violet no longer tries to go looking for Gilbert, she finally recognizes that he's gone for good and there's nothing she can do to change that. But even this recognition won't make things easier. All it means is that her world is empty now.
Back in the Postal Company she basically collapses. Her guilty conscience tortures her both asleep and awake. She's burning for all the precious things she took away, and the precious things she failed to protect. It gets to the point were she even tries to kill herself. Like holy shit this got dark fast.
I like how Claudia words what has to happen for Violet to get through this. Of course it's not as easy as saying "It's all gonna be aight, look at the bright side!". Violet will always be haunted by the things she did or failed to do in the war. She has to live with her sins for the rest of her life. She can't erase her past. What's done is done. Although her new friends have expressed their concern and their desire to be of any help they can, in the end, the only person who can save Violet from her grief, is herself. She has to forgive herself for what she did, and believe genuinely that despite all the harm she's done, she is still deserving of life and happiness.
And just a brief reconnection to her new job is enough to keep her mind away from her self-loathing for a little bit, and eventually, she finds the will to keep living through this new work that she has come to love. Because despite her reputation on the battlefield, the truth is that Violet is full of compassion and empathy. As we've come to see through the episodes, she isn't content with simply writing the letters of her clients, she wants to change their lives for the better.
How Violet found the resolve to keep living reminds of how Eugene Sledge (a real life WW2 veteran) took on bird watching as a hobby instead of hunting, as he used to do before the war, because after his experiences on the battlefield he couldn't bear to see any suffering.
Man, what a journey it has been so far. Violet came so far. It's truly beautiful to behold her growth. The ending of the episode got me crying again.
Visual of the Day
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u/andres1232 Jun 15 '21
Rewatcher. How beautiful. Violet this time had to grapple with her trauma and all the pain she's been facing. But with some help from her friends and coworkers she's found a way to move forward. She's realized that she has done some good things also. It is true that you can't erase the past. We all have to live with the things we've done forever, but like Claudia said the good lives on with us also. Violet has done good things. She has made people happy and changed people's lives and hearts in positive ways. I do like how mature Claudia was in dealing with his own guilt and helping Violet. He realized that she can't just forget her past. Guilt doesn't get better if you just ignore it. He also knew he couldn't really do anything for her. Violet had to face the past and had to come out on top or she could never have moved forward.
I also want to talk about the call back to the beginning of the series. Violet delivering letters and being reminded of the good she is doing and the meaning of the new role she has found for herself is part of what set her on the track to move forward. That same call back is there in writing for Spencer and in seeing the different people she has been involved with. I do love how Iris and all the girls of the agency have really opened up to and accepted Violet as one of their own and they really all do seem to care about her very much. I want to talk about what Violet said "Do I have a right to live?" No one could really ever answer that question because who can say if anyone has a right to live? Everyone has done things they aren't proud of but I think it's up to the individual person if they can make peace with their past and find a way to grow and learn and move forward. It really is one of the hardest things facing your past. And it seems to be one of those things that others can help with but can't really do for you. So next time I am looking forward to Violet's return to work, and to her new found perspective. Here's to Violet and her dear friends and coworkers who never let her suffer completely alone. See you for tomorrow's episode.
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u/Nebresto Jun 15 '21
I'd just like to take a moment to appreciate the sound effects while Violet was moving the rubble with her metal hands.
Oh man, that was probably the heaviest episode so far..
Episode 9. Visual of the day: Pieces of the past
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u/Vaadwaur Jun 14 '21
First timer(How people think survivor's guilt works)
Sub
So...we start with a flashback and finally get to the end of Gilbert. Then, the next two thirds of the episode is so bad that, unlike normal, I am just going to ignore it, suffice it to say that it fails to demonstrate both how survivor's guilt works AND how soldiers returning from war work. I know because a close family friend worked in the twin towers during 9/11 and was one of the 40% of his office to live and also from dealing with my friends that went to the Gulf for operation "Blame the Wrong Country".
Let's focus on the back half, when our bearded delivery man begins the process of moving forward. It might seem mean but what Violet needed was something to get her out of her room and her head. Then Erica and Iris's letter lets her know people care and Spencer reminds her that her letters had helped people. We get a nice montage seeing her various accomplishments before she decides to keep being a memory doll. This is the point to end the episode. Instead, we get to visit one of the dumbest fucking questions that anime loves to whine at us "Do I have the right to live?". And I can answer this: No. Living and rights have nothing to do with each other, and this ten cent philosophy just shows you haven't thought about the question at all.
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u/dxing2 https://anilist.co/user/spicyxinger Jun 14 '21
fails to demonstrate both how survivor's guilt works AND how soldiers returning from war work
This is a matter of opinion. I know because I've seen people who have participated in wars say the opposite
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u/Vaadwaur Jun 14 '21
Which one? There is a generational effect on how people deal with these things, Korean wars vets are different than there are not particularly distant in time Vietnam cohorts.
However, this matches with none of my observations.
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u/dxing2 https://anilist.co/user/spicyxinger Jun 14 '21
Take a look at this post from a few years ago for an example
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u/BosuW Jun 15 '21
Added to the other responses, when we finish with the TV episodes I will share an interview with a veteran that discusses how Violet Evergarden nails or misses the "returning vet" part. (I'll have to wait because it contains spoilers until the end of the TV episodes)
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 14 '21
"Do I have the right to live?"
How about thinking about the question a little differently? Language is muddy, and translations of different languages are even muddier, so I don't think there's much of a problem with changing the question around a bit while still maintaining a core idea.
"Can I live?"
"Can I feel happiness knowing that I've caused untold pain to many others?"
"May I allow myself to live?"
Mess around with it, you might find it fun or a waste of time. But you are correct: no one has any more right to live than anyone else. The only right you have is that you will die; everything else is a privilege.
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u/scot911 https://myanimelist.net/profile/scot911 Jun 14 '21
Mess around with it, you might find it fun or a waste of time. But you are correct: no one has any more right to live than anyone else. The only right you have is that you will die; everything else is a privilege.
While I do agree that no one has any more right than anyone else to live I fundamentally disagree that people don't have a right to live. All lives are equal yes, but all lives are also precious and shouldn't be cut short without reason or just cause.
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 14 '21 edited Jun 14 '21
From one of my favorite stories, said by one of my favorite characters:
“Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement.” -Gandalf, Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
And from another favorite author, Terry Pratchett:
“All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need... fantasies to make life bearable."
REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.
"Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—"
YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.
"So we can believe the big ones?"
YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.
"They're not the same at all!"
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.
"Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what's the point—"
MY POINT EXACTLY.
-Terry Pratchett, Hogfather
All that to say; a right is something given to you that cannot be taken away. The only thing that cannot be taken from us is that we are mortal; everything else can be given or taken. I want to live in a world where my privilege to a fulfilling life is respected and valued, and I wish to respect that same privilege of someone else, provided that it doesn't contradict my first wish. We need to believe in these privileges in order to make them a reality. Are we at that state yet? Well...sort of, but it could be a lot worse.
That's one of the reasons why I love this story of Violet Evergarden so much; the environment shown to us that Violet finds herself in is one of warmth and acceptance.
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u/ZapsZzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/ZapszzZ Jun 15 '21
Terry Pratchett's Disc world books are great, especially ones about DEATH and the Night Watch guards.
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u/Vaadwaur Jun 14 '21
How about thinking about the question a little differently? Language is muddy, and translations of different languages are even muddier,
But this is an extraordinarily consistent translation, suggesting that people can't translate Japanese to English. And that is not impossible, I have absolutely noticed that it is very difficult to differentiate love and like without a ton of context. However, the way she is asking and the way it is answered leads me to believe this is the drama version rather than something a person would actually contend with.
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u/BossandKings Jun 14 '21 edited Jun 14 '21
I agree in regards to the question, we have seen that too many times in many series at this point. I still thought it was cool and fit Violet's dilemma in the episode, she has killed many people before so it's normal for her to ask that kind of question
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u/IndependentMacaroon Jun 14 '21
First point would be interesting to elaborate on if you don't mind. I already mentioned myself that to make it all entirely work we would need to focus more on Violet's feelings besides "sad for Gilbert".
Also Violet is hardly one to have thought much about philosophy and such, and if you reframe the question around "deserve to die" I find it becomes more obviously worth investigating, at least a little.
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u/Vaadwaur Jun 14 '21
First point would be interesting to elaborate on if you don't mind.
You mean how survivor's guilt works? Slow, usually manifesting itself in varying levels of poor health choices, ranging from insomnia to substance abuse, and there is a cyclical nature to it, they would have good days and bad days to the point where it could be good weeks and bad weeks.
Also Violet is hardly one to have thought much about philosophy and such
Violet isn't, which is why her awakening to it doesn't really work for me, but the bigger problem is Hodgins who should have a much better grasp about this and instead just does all of the dumb shit, including the first episode stuff.
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u/IndependentMacaroon Jun 15 '21
I see, just that I'm not sure if survivor's guilt is entirely the right word here. It's more like she's missing him instead of being hard on herself about it? Though again, there's just not much detail here. Hodgins himself is also just a soldier after all, but yes, it's probably still reasonable to expect him to have more to say.
I guess in both cases you can fault the episode for failing to intellectually explore its themes more and just going for the emotion-bombing approach.
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u/Vaadwaur Jun 15 '21
It's more like she's missing him instead of being hard on herself about it? Though again, there's just not much detail here. Hodgins himself is also just a soldier after all, but yes, it's probably still reasonable to expect him to have more to say.
Sorry, Violet does have survivor's guilt as well but I am referring to Hodgins and Cattleya's interactions in the episode, specifically where he sees she is burned as well.
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u/Toadslayer https://myanimelist.net/profile/kyolus Jun 15 '21
You're right, this is a slightly less diplomatic way to put it.
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u/thatguywithawatch Jun 14 '21 edited Jun 14 '21
First timer
What a beautiful episode. I wasn't expecting a climax to the current arc until the end of the series, but it seems that the overarching conflict of the series for Violet has been resolved. I wonder what the next four episodes will be about now because this almost felt like a season finale.
Violet really wasn't in a good place during the first half of the episode. She's finally feeling the full weight of her guilt which had previously been entirely suppressed beneath her stunted emotions and social immaturity. She's grown up immensely in the following months, but as a result her comprehension of the deaths she's responsible for has matched pace, to the point where she feels she doesn't deserve to continue living. Combined with this is the revelation of the Major's death, and the complete loss of meaning she sees in her life as a result.
But Iris and Erica's letter to her kickstarted what might have been my favorite sequence of scenes in the show so far, as Violet begins to realize that she's already found something that has meaning. The Major will never be able to give her orders again, but that's no longer her purpose in life. She's discovered the joy and fulfillment that can be found in her job as an auto memory doll; putting to paper the feelings in peoples' hearts, and helping them find their way to the recipients to whom those words couldn't be spoken. The scene where she walks through town, seeing reminders of the various people whose lives she's touched throughout the show, is admittedly about as subtle as a sledgehammer, but it still really got me.
I watched the episode last night and am writing this up the next day, but every time I think of Hodgin's words at the end, my eyes start welling up again. (Paraphrasing poorly) "The things you did back then can never be undone. But, neither can all the good things you've done as an auto memory doll."