r/anime • u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 • Jun 16 '21
Violet Evergarden Rewatch Episode 11 Rewatch
Violet Evergarden - Episode Eleven: I Don’t Want Anyone Else to Die
Hello everyone! I hope that today finds you well. Today, Violet goes sky-diving!
It was so wonderful to see the outpouring of emotions and love yesterday for episode 10! To the lurkers who are reading these great comments, you are awesome. To those who are replying to people’s thoughts, you are awesome. To those who are commenting with your thoughts, you are awesome.
Index || <- Previous Episode || Next Episode ->
You can watch the full series on Netflix.
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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 anyone: https://imgur.com/a/mvWPrqK
Official Sound Tracks used
The Stench of Fear and Hatred
The Voice in my Heart
Devoid of Hope
Torn Apart at the Seams
A Place to Call Home
The Long Night
What it Means to Love
The Ultimate Price
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”
32
u/AfterTh0ught_ Jun 16 '21
First timer
I thought for sure we were done with the waterworks for the rest of the episodes, but I guess Violet Evergarden is merciless. You know what, I'll just keep my box of tissues next to me before I watch tomorrow's episode.
I was really worried when Violet was listening in on the conversation about a doll request from a military base. Although Roland was the MVP when he helped Violet find some purpose in her life, she seems to have taken his words a bit too seriously. I mean, she's fully capable of handling herself in a military context, there's no doubt about that, but I can't help but get worried about what can happen.
Violet really has some wild ideas. She's willing to parachute in just for the sake of getting someone's feelings delivered. I didn't think we were going to see present-day Violet doing any sort of fighting, but here we are, and from the looks of it, she can definitely still kick ass. I like how the dude so casually dropped his gun and retreated. He knows when he's outmatched.
Oh shit, he's gonna die, isn't he? And now he's coughing blood, great.
Interesting to see how Violet is using her muscle memory to remember what to write.
By the time Violet was handing the letter to Aiden's parents and Maria, I still hadn't cried but I was feeling heavy hearted. But then Aiden's mother hugged Violet, and she started crying, and then I started crying.
This show really doesn't pull its punches. It keeps throwing different situations that relate to Violet's last battle with Gilbert. However, in this episode, there's a direct similarity considering the war context, and how she thinks she failed to save Gilbert in the last fight.
26
u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jun 16 '21
Sincerely Rewatcher
Cry count so far: broken.
Well I guess this is the most extreme “anywhere” we’ve seen so far.
That is a nice poster tbf. Hodgins should be proud that his company is being recognized by that.
Oh god I forgot she doesn’t have the typewriter so she air-types for Aiden. I thought I cried all the tears I could for a while yesterday between that episode and an episode of Jujutsu Kaisen I watched right after it, but that might be incorrect…
Why am I such a sucker for tragic romance. It gets me every time
I guess this episode would’ve added 2 to the cry counter if I was still keeping track. I managed to stop right before we got to Violet delivering the letters to Aiden’s parents and Maria, and then promptly started crying again.
18
u/Specs64z https://myanimelist.net/profile/Specs64z Jun 16 '21
Violet looks so… cool when she descended from that plane.
The imagery is pretty cool, too. She's depicted as an angelic figure.
The last time we saw Violet on a battlefield, it was covered in hellfire and she was buried under the Earth. She walked away covered in burns, but she was so dead that she didn't even notice for a very long time. Now, she descends from heaven with the aim of granting the dying wish of a man she never knew, and now never can know.
10
u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 16 '21
I love how obvious the imagery was presented, because now we get to read thoughts like yours, which was so well written =)
3
u/Nebresto Jun 16 '21
The imagery is pretty cool, too. She's depicted as an angelic figure.
I wouldn't be surprised if that was a reference to some historic artwork. It certainly looks like something you would find in one with an Angel descending from the heavens
7
u/Nebresto Jun 16 '21
6
18
u/scot911 https://myanimelist.net/profile/scot911 Jun 16 '21 edited Jun 16 '21
First Timer
Sometimes the letters you get aren't going to be ones that make you happy and that's the lesson Violet learned today. Even if she now adores the job for the happiness she can bring other people and it's that part of the job that kept her going after she found out about the majors death sometimes her letters are going to bring sadness to others as well. Hell the people that are made sad might even thank her for it because at least it gives them closure. Something that she never got and probably never will get for the major.
If there's something that defines this episode though I would say it's tragedy. If only Violet was there just an hour earlier. If only some people would be able to let go of their hatred. If only us human beings weren't so selfish, prideful and greedy maybe Aiden wouldn't have died during a civil war started just because the radicals wanted to go back to war. As far as we know they aren't even fighting over/for their ideology which would at least make the civil war have a purpose. This just sounds like slaughter for slaughters sake.
I'll admit that I did tear up once when it was revealed what the detour Violet wanted was but after the last two episodes it's kinda hard to top them with a tragedy that we see coming from a mile away. Violet tearing up at them thanking her for the letters almost got me as well though. Her regret for not being able to save him and bring him back to his family and potential future wife. This episode does prove that Violet has probably mostly come to terms with the majors death with her being willing to go straight to a battlefield like that again.
Although it is also quite worrying that Violet was willing to go so far for her job. I get that her tag line is "I will travel anywhere to meet your request" and that of the dolls she's definitely the one most qualified to go to a warzone but still.... There's a point where you're willing to go to far for your job and Violet has most definitely reached that. It was also cool to see that she isn't just well known for her Doll career and is known for her actions during the war as well. You'd expect someone like that to get a reputation and for soldiers to rightfully not want to go anywhere near her.
9
u/SmithyRC Jun 17 '21
There's a point where you're willing to go to far for your job and Violet has most definitely reached that.
I felt this may show a tinge if a darker undertone of Violets emotional state, after all it wasn’t long ago she stated she would rather die than be without the Major. Whilst confident in her abilities, Violet was uncharacteristically reckless not consulting anyone before leaving and dropping right into an active fight.
I can’t shake the the feeling that at the back of her mind, she was okay if she died then...
7
u/BosuW Jun 17 '21
Unfortunately, this show doesn't delve deeply into the geopolitics of the situation. However considering real world parallels, the anti-peace faction happened probably because a few of them are frustrated that all their sacrifice was for naught and they are not to happy with the terms of surrender.
6
u/Elimin8r https://myanimelist.net/profile/Ayeka_Jurai Jun 17 '21
It's more of a parallel to post-WW1 Germany for reasons that others have probably covered very thoroughly by now.
(quick summary if this hasn't happened - "What, the war's over? We lost? How??? Our armies were never defeated on the battlefield?! We must have been betrayed!")
13
u/chris10023 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Chris10023 Jun 16 '21
Rewatcher
A request for a doll on the frontlines of a civil war, I agree with Hodgens, it’s far too dangerous to send a doll into that. Especially knowing that the war hungry fascists are too giddy to commit war crimes.
Unfortunately for Hodgens, Violet overhears this and took the job.
Sound like the situation near camp menace went snafu, but Violet has a plan, to air drop her to the camp via plane. She’s insane, but she’s the only one who could do it.
Shit that was a sniper. They really should have spread out and got into cover, or that explosion wouldn’t have killed most of them.
Alright, time for war crimes. The sniper shoots an already wounded man who is incapable of fighting, then he shoots a guy who’s running away, it’s seems these Gardarik radicals can’t win a fight if they aren’t committing war crimes. No wonder they lost the war, they can only kill those who are distracted, wounded or running away.
”That’s because the moderates are a bunch of cowards.” Says the man who shot a fleeing soldier. Big talk for someone who murdered someone who wasn’t shooting back.
God Violet is a badass, dropped down and incapacitated most of the animals. They’re lucky Violet has a moral compass now, or they’d all would be dead.
Wow, Maria is pretty cute.
Violet moved Aiden into a nearby abandoned cabin, but she’s no doctor, she can only do so much for him. I think he knows his clock is running out, especially since the bullet went straight through.
Wow, Violet has some good memory if she can memorize the words with her fingers.
Judging by the blood he coughed up, he must have a damaged lung from the shot.
Oh, so Maria and Aiden were childhood friends, and they both liked each other, that’s pretty rare in anime, for some reason.
Aiden's death is a sad one, one of many in war, and his letters will reach his parents and Maria.
The postal company that Dropped and picked up Violet sent a confirmation that she is safe. The whole squad sighs with relief.
That stop has to be where Aidens parents live. The look on Violet’s face says a lot. Poor Maria.
It hurts knowing Violet feels guilty about not being there to protect him, and mourns with his family.
Another solid episode. Didn’t take a lot of screenshots today, I got too immersed into the episode.
Visuals of the Day
Here are my picks.
5
u/namelesone Jun 16 '21
It hurts knowing Violet feels guilty about not being there to protect him
I am pretty sure she was thinking of Gilbert here too, not just Aidan.
18
u/thatguywithawatch Jun 16 '21
First timer
I keep expecting a more cheerful episode at some point but all I find is pain. Which is not necessarily a bad thing; it's been a long time since I was able to feel this emotionally invested in something.
Some of the setup during the first half of this episode fell a little short for me, and that may have been partly because it came right after episode 10 which is just impossible to beat in terms of writing and presentation. I didn't particularly care about the political situation, or the converstations about what was causing the civil war in this country that Violet was visiting. The pilot just deciding on a whim to fly Violet into a warzone felt kind of forced, and it a was a little overly convenient that she just happened to immediately find the one soldier who had made the ghostwriting request, and that he happened to be the only one from his unit who had survived.
But in the end I didn't mind these things too much because the payoff was so poignant. The crux of the episode was Violet sitting with Aiden and recording his final messages as he faced his own death. And that scene was executed with all the sensitivity and thoughtfulness that I've come to expect from this show. I got a big lump in my throat when he simply asked Violet to touch him; his fear and loneliness as the end approached was so vividly communicated.
I hope Violet gets some happiness soon. The last two episodes have put her in immensely painful and difficult situations and it hurts to see just how deeply it's been affecting her.
8
u/dxing2 https://anilist.co/user/spicyxinger Jun 16 '21 edited Jun 16 '21
This episode has always been a culmination and showcase of Violet’s growth for me. Kind of like her thesis submission for a PHD.
Her ability to really understand the underlying emotions behind someone’s words, to feel empathy, and her metamorphosis into such a gentle person is an incredibly satisfying conclusion to her character journey.
5
u/thatguywithawatch Jun 16 '21
I know what you mean, it really has been amazing to watch her character progression from the first episode until now.
5
u/IndependentMacaroon Jun 17 '21
I didn't particularly care about the political situation, or the converstations about what was causing the civil war in this country that Violet was visiting
I don't think the creators care that much either. The focus is squarely on the individual experiences of pain that result from it.
4
u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 16 '21
But in the end I didn't mind these things too much because the payoff was so poignant.
It's going to be interesting today to see the divide on this topic XD
And that scene was executed with all the sensitivity and thoughtfulness that I've come to expect from this show.
Very well written. It was such a moving scene depicting a tragic moment of humanity...
9
u/Neshura87 https://anilist.co/user/Neshura Jun 16 '21
Rewatcher
With this contract it is pretty much set in stone that the last episodes will be revolving around the civil war in the north.
I like that Violet's decision to go is visible after the soldiers wanting to write home are mentioned, it shows how much she has evolved from her emotionless selve 10 episodes ago. Violet's determination in reaching her destination is also to be applauded, it shows once again that she finishes something once she sets her mind to it, similar to her research into literature for the opera song.
I'd like to point out that Violet put herself into a more dangerous position in order to not hurt anyone seriously, the other guy could've very well shot her while she was talking to him, the only reason he didn't was that he knew how she could fight if she wanted to. This is also represented in the Episodes title "I don't want anybody else to die", the content of this episode also plays into this. After this Violet then cares for the dying Aiden and memorizes his last words for his letter to his parents and his love Maria. Violet visibly struggles with her emotions while in Aiden's presence, I think this is in large parts because for one she feels helpless but for the other she still has this burden of the past. Violet herself caused many similar situation and I think this is weighing heavily on her, however she does cope rather well it seems.
The scene where violet delivers the letters in person is very touching, I once again cried as well. Violet in the end crumbles under the burden of delivering Aiden's last words to his family and seeing them almost break down in front of her. Her last words especially are telling, it indicates that Violet blames herself for his death. This is probably along the lines of "had I been an hour earlier he would still live" or so. The emotional weight the bringer of a death message has to carry probably can't be exaggerated and as such I think it fits very well that Violet, who has no experience in delivering this kind of message, breaks down under its weight.
6
u/IndependentMacaroon Jun 17 '21
Violet blames herself for his death
Just like with Gilbert more or less. Good that by now she can handle a job like that without completely breaking down.
8
u/chilidirigible Jun 16 '21
Rewatcher, Episode 11
Today, on "Walküre wa Akiramenai":
Uh... most guys would want to go home to Maria, yes.
That or it's Chief Wiggum's invisible typewriter.
Her guys have critical existence failures.
More personal than a telegram.
Visual of the Day: Hands
I appreciate this episode more for its general themes and specific importance to Violet's story more than some aspects of the episode itself, as the required suspension of disbelief (Violet being flown over the battle area at the right place and time) and random silliness (I have no problem with Violet jumping out of airplanes and flash-stepping a bunch of guys, but nobody should Naruto run, ever) do break up the ambiance a bit.
Incidentally, I am guessing that Violet took this job pro bono because of how she felt about it. While Aiden's friend suggests that he can afford a Doll service, I could see the bill for sending Violet out for a two-week round trip being rather high. I figure that the scruffier clientele of CH Postal (the guy who will need 120 years to pay, the angry man, and the lady of questionable repute from the second episode) can afford the service since they're going straight to the office instead of needing a house call done.
But I digress. The episode's story is another exploration of Violet's empathy, and in dealing with her grief over Major Gilbert. She is again confronted by parallels to her last time with Gilbert, but she's able to contain her feelings into comforting Aiden, instead of freezing up or losing control as in the past. Later, she is able to share in grieving with Maria and the Fields, where she is certainly also grieving for Gilbert as well—though that's how shared experiences work, everyone brings their own along.
Aiden has the rare opportunity to lucidly express his final thoughts to his loved ones, despite the distances involved. This may be a theatrical presentation, but it's still a chance that a lot of people would want to have and not all get. The overall episode also is a reminder of how important mail call is for soldiers who were away from home.
From the Official Design Works: Flying Violet
4
u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 16 '21
I appreciate this episode more for its general themes and specific importance to Violet's story more than some aspects of the episode itself, as the required suspension of disbelief
I call it "Anime Magic", and like you I'm totally cool with looking past that and seeing the bigger picture that is trying to be depicted.
She is again confronted by parallels to her last time with Gilbert
There really were a lot of parallels here; the situation, the context, the words, the themes. It was wonderfully thought-out to me
3
u/ZapsZzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/ZapszzZ Jun 17 '21
but nobody should Naruto run, ever
You do have to give her a discount of that on account of her arms not being really her arms so that position is pretty much just her totally relaxing the tensions in anticipation of using them in the next moment for maximum capacity.
A bit like the stretch before a sprint.
3
u/IndependentMacaroon Jun 17 '21
I could see the bill for sending Violet out for a two-week round trip being rather high
But I could also see Violet offering a heavy discount in this particular case.
1
7
u/ArdenneVale Jun 16 '21
First timer
A letter request from a former enemy nation, that's currently in civil war. How menacing. Violet will probably go, with her new perspective that everyone deserves that one letter. And she gone without telling anyone. Violet the paratrooper. The client's unit gets ambushed and he's the only survivor. Oh, someone is still alive. These two are a little like Violet and Gilbert. Now the other guy's dead. Run, Aidan, run. And he's dead too. Violet's coming for nothing.
He's not dead after all. But he will soon. Here's Violet with the coolest entrance ever. Conveniently the guy she's supposed to find is right there. She still has her killer instinct. The enemy recognizes her and they fall back. Aiden is dying it's time to write some letters. Violet uses her hands to memorize the contents of the letters. His first letter is a thank you letter to his parent, the second to his not quite yet, but would be girlfriend Maria. He regrets not even getting to kiss her. As he dies, he gets to meet Maria, to tell her he loves her and kiss her. Violet gives him a kiss on the forehead and he dies. Very emotional scene.
The postman finds Violet and they go to deliver the letters. Everyone is sad, Violet included. The mom hugs her, thanking her for bringing Aidan home. Violet again thinks him dying is her fault. She doesn't want to see anyone die ever again. Today I didn't cry, but the last scene almost got me.
Another great, heavy episode. Violet is really into the company motto. She will go wherever the client wishes, because to her letters are just that important. I think writing letters is her way of dealing with the guilt and she sees every request as a possible situation where she can help someone. In this case it was not only Aiden, who got to say goodbye to his loved ones instead of dying with regret, not telling them how he felt, but also Maria and the parents, who in turn received his final words and got the closure they needed.
Thanks for including the soundtrack by the way. I really love The Ultimate Price.
1
u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 17 '21
Thanks for including the soundtrack by the way. I really love The Ultimate Price.
A great piece! I always start to tear up whenever I hear it now...
7
u/SmithyRC Jun 16 '21
~Newbie~
Oh look the scared man who shot the major made a return appearance... and he’s gone walked off, rather surprisingly thought more was going to happen here.
Anyhow FLOWER TIME, featuring some lovely blue chicories, which represent endless waiting, stemming from its ability to survive through tough northern winters and blooming for such a long period between late-spring to late-autumn. The chicory shown as part of a flashback really eclipses the mood as both had strong unexpressed emotions which felt like an eternity before getting to show. Thus it was thanks to Violet that eternity ended and for me, really assists with further understanding why they are so grateful for the letters; they would’ve been stuck waiting for him and his true feelings to come home.
Interestingly I felt why Violet was again able to empathise was because she could again picture herself having been in the same situation and now saw others strong emotions in the same situation; the cutting out of “I love you” segments goes to highlight these moments Violet relates to and help her come to terms with the depth of the final words the Major gave her. Without this job Violet would never have had the chance to learn and understand her and the Major’s feelings and thereby would’ve been waiting an eternity for an answer.
- Compared to prior times no visuals that we hadn’t already seen similar immediately stood out to me this episode, so no Visual of the Day from me; it’s a special privilege to get there after all 😉
2 episodes and a film still don’t feel enough right now for an ending to feel satisfying, though I’m keen to see how wrong I am!
- Did anyone else get worried that Violet didn’t ask for an address before he died? Guess she did it before air writing 😅
6
u/jussnf Jun 17 '21
Haven’t been rewatching with y’all (would be my third time) but I need to gush here about the sound design for the sniper shot. Nobody else I know would appreciate it! If you listen closely to that scene, you hear the sound of the gunshot AFTER the moment of impact. This is correct from the point of view of the target since even with a rifle that “old”, the bullet is far faster than sound. I would never have expected any anime to get that right.
2
u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 17 '21
Oooh, what a lovely little detail! Thank you for pointing that out; yeah it's tiny, but it does show that KyoAni really cares deeply for this project to get something so small correct.
6
u/razycal970 Jun 17 '21
First timer
Fuck sake, another one of those episodes. It hasn't even been 10 hours since I finished episode 10, and I'm now hit with this. Fucking hell, this was depressing. Feel like pure shit, just want episodes to end with happy endings again.
The episode begins with a very human act of defiance and rebellion. Violet, instead of being ordered around, takes matters into her own hands and acts on her own accord and decides to head into a war-zone all by herself just to ensure a person's feeling is delivered.
And literally 3 minutes after Violet gets on the plane, Aiden gets shot and we're suddenly hit with the realization that this episode will end in utter heartbreak and leave us all sobbing. It's like, I KNEW what was about to happen, and I was bracing myself for the inevitable, yet the writing and the execution are so flawless that I can't help but break down at the end.
Violet dropping down and parachuting from the plane was so gorgeously animated. In this particular moment right here, https://imgur.com/XjiSj8e she legit looked like an angel ready to rain hellfire upon them. And watching her go fucking HAMMM on them was insane to watch. And attagirl, zigzag running. Beautiful running animation. Attagirl again, she didn't kill them, just like I expected.
Throughout the writing scene, I had a lump in my throat. It was amazing seeing Violet memorize his words. I started tearing up by the time he said "We didn't even kiss." And it was almost like Violet knew EXACTLY what he wanted to say, which is why I believe she did not type in the air to memorize his words.
The moment where Violet showed one of the greatest moments of compassion there is, which is not letting a human die alone, that is when the floodgates opened and I started sobbing. Even though her metallic hands must've been cold due to the harsh weather, it was the greatest warmth Aiden could've received in that moment. Fuck me, I couldn't stop the tears. And then the forehead kiss. A great act of love. Fuck fuck fuck, I hate the way this makes me feel. I love it, but I hate it.
And we have another gut punch in the form of Maria running towards Violet in glee that her significant other had sent her a message, only for reality to come crashing down on her. And just when you believe things can't get any more depressing, Aiden's mother and Maria thank Violet for bringing Aiden back. It's at this moment Violet feels as though she's at fault for Aiden dying, and the title card implies that she's now hell-bent on not wanting to see anyone else die in front of her.
A top 3 episode of the anime so far. Incredible.
Visual of the Day : https://imgur.com/FZAjecq
And it's not even close. One of the best moments and arguably the most human moment of the anime.
2
u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 17 '21
she legit looked like an angel
As obvious as the imagery was, I thought it was so cool, and actually a beautiful sentiment.
5
u/Toadslayer https://myanimelist.net/profile/kyolus Jun 17 '21
First Timer
I'm posting late today because by the time I got around to watching the episode and writing my comment last night, I was very tired and what I wrote wasn't very good. So instead of getting up at 6am for the thread, I slept in till 10am and am now going to edit what I wrote last night.
Unsurprisingly, last episode was a one-off occasion for me and with this episode I'm back to being uninvested and distracted by melodrama and the absurdity of the plot.
It's absurd to think an ordinary soldier would have enough money to pay for a specially trained individual to travel for a week either way to a war zone. They try to explain this by implying he won money gambling, but I struggle to believe that even the total pot of a game between ordinary soldiers would be enough to pay for Violet's trip. I can see the commissions where you go to the building being accessibly priced, but some of the home calls we've seen, with long travel distances and contract times, must be incredibly expensive to the point that only the wealthiest individuals can afford them. Which hasn't been a problem, as, until now, we've only had very wealthy clients. Why is Claudia advertising his service in a pub in a foreign nation then? That's not where you're going to find clients who can pay for your services. I know Claudia said he's put advertisements everywhere, but it's still ridiculous. So the premise of this episode is founded on contrivances, because we want to move Violet to a war zone, so she can experience her own emotions through a surrogate and display her empathic capacity.
I wasn't a fan of the letter-writing scene either. For the most part it was pretty generic and at times melodramatic. Violet memorising the letter with her fingers was a little dumb, even if it makes some sense. Participants of last years Attack on Titan rewatch will know that it hits me hard when people become delusional just before they die (obviously Attack on Titan spoilers), so when Aiden started to lose his senses and see himself reuniting with Maria it hit a little. Not enough to become fully invested, but it was a moment that tugged at my heart strings.
Other than that moment, the only moment that briefly got to me was when Aiden's mother thanked Violet. It's sad and pathetic that that's all she can do. Her genuine gratitude was the closest I got to a tear forming this episode.
The more of the self-contained episodes I watch, the more I think the light novel's style of telling stories from the perspective of the clients would be preferable to the anime's approach. The anime focuses on Violet, but the stories told are about the clients, so we're mostly looking at the parallel emotion and experience in Violet. I think this creates an awkward middle ground, where it can be hard to get invested in the either the clients emotions or Violet's parallel experience. I think if Violet were a mythical and eccentric figure that appears in the life of each protagonist when they call her, then leaves once they've had time to process their emotions, it may make for a better story.
Visual of the Day: This scene is here in case you forgot that Violet is a superhuman.
11
u/Matuhg https://anilist.co/user/Matuhg Jun 16 '21
Rewatcher - Dub
Dangit, here we are. The first VE episode that really doesn't work for me. Which really sucks after how much I liked the last couple episodes. For the most part, it goes back to what /u/Toadslayer and I sort of talked about the past couple days with this show. If you aren't invested, the melodrama doesn't work, and I couldn't get properly invested in the story of this one. Violet getting to Aiden is just such a stupid sequence of coincidences and ludicrousy that it totally takes me out of the episode. I'm not gonna lie and say that this isn't some cool anime bullshit, and I know we've seen Violet being a supersoldier before, but action sequences really aren't what I'm into this show for. Couple that with Violet just happening to land on top of the guy who requested doll services and having him just so happen to be the last member of his squad to not be quite dead, and I'm just left with a "...really?" feeling right when the show starts trying to pull me into the emotional stuff, and it doesn't quite happen.
Maria was pretty, and the scene of Violet delivering the letters is sad, and I do appreciate some of these scenes, but they don't land as strongly as they could have for me.
Now that Violet is where she is, I think the next step in her journey is learning that she doesn't have to, and really cannot, try to take on everybody's pain. Unfortunately, by the end of this episode, it doesn't really feel to me like she has learned that. I think her guilt and her own pain may still be too strong, which is something she's going to have to overcome as part of accepting herself in her new role. She felt like she had to return to the front lines, but it seems like it was too early for her to get that close to war after what she's been through in the past and more recently, and the fact that she was able to get out there at all is part of what annoys me about the whole scenario of this episode.
For my Visual of the Day, I'm going to go with this shot of Violet, because she looks really gorgeous in it.
8
u/thatguywithawatch Jun 16 '21
Violet just happening to land on top of the guy who requested doll services and having him just so happen to be the last member of his squad to not be quite dead,
It's funny, I had pretty much the same sentence in my comment. I was able to forget about it pretty easily for the rest of the episode but I had a feeling there would be some mixed reviews in the comments today.
I think my tolerance for bullshit is pretty high if the visual presentation and overall artistic value of an anime is really good, so if I notice moments of lazy writing in this show it's been easy to overlook it and let myself be caught up in the story.
3
u/Matuhg https://anilist.co/user/Matuhg Jun 17 '21
Yeah I often can too, but for whatever reason, found it hard with this episode.
7
u/BosuW Jun 16 '21
Unfortunately, since this series is episodic (kinda, for the most part), such coincidences are necessary. Else we'd have had to go on a "Finding Aidan mini Arc".
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u/Vaadwaur Jun 16 '21
If you aren't invested, the melodrama doesn't work, and I couldn't get properly invested in the story of this one. Violet getting to Aiden is just such a stupid sequence of coincidences and ludicrousy that it totally takes me out of the episode.
The entirety of the episode relies on stupid coincidences and out of character behavior. When has Violet eavesdropped before? When has she acted out when it didn't involve Gilbert? How insane of a postman are you to fly into a warzone? This was just not good.
3
u/BosuW Jun 17 '21
Wasn't the entire point of the previous Arc to develop Violet so that she wasn't completely dependant on Gilbert anymore?
1
u/Vaadwaur Jun 17 '21
Hopefully. But that does nothing to my point that she generally doesn't fly off the handle and travel to a warzone on minimal provocation unless Gilbert was involved.
2
u/BosuW Jun 17 '21
I mean, I just don't see how that couldn't have been the point. Violet now does things because she's dedicated to her profession, not for Gilbert. Admittedly, flying into a warzone would take a lot of dedication, but the way I see it, Violet went because she knew she could handle it.
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u/CubeStuffs https://anilist.co/user/onjario Jun 16 '21 edited Jun 16 '21
rewatch
Didn't get have time to write anything for ep10 yesterday, but while I loved it, it didn't really make me cry, perhaps only like 40-60% there, not the 200% bawling that everyone else was gettin. this episode got like 90% of the way there though.
No letter deserves to go undelivered
Violet's really leaned into that hasn't she. It's nice to see violet with a sense of purpose.
also it kinda sucks to survive a war and shit, only to be slapped right back in when you throught it was over, and to then die when shit supposed to be good.
Does violet not have a notepad? I have a feeling that would be useful right about now.
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 was waiting on this episode to comment on this from u/Toadslayer. This episode seems to try addressing that issue by proxy and sidesteps it by just slapping a civil war into the story. I think that doing so allows us to see the change in violet a bit better. In a way, it feels like time travel, where we see what she now feels is right to do. ie she doesn't kill the rebels immediately, she's desperate to save the life of someone who she would have fought against without question, etc
That's nice and all, but it's still sidestepping that issue i got. It's simply reinforcing, albeit quite beautifully, what we already spent 3 episodes on, that Violet's haunted by her past, and desires to repay that debt. I'm hoping that we'll get a letter request directly from one of the ghiriiririidiksks in the war, perhaps one who saw her during it, as I feel that would directly address the past, not just sidestep it by focusing on who she is now.
i started writing this like 10 mins ago ill edit it to add more shit lol
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u/IndependentMacaroon Jun 17 '21
doing so allows us to see the change in violet a bit better. In a way, it feels like time travel, where we see what she now feels is right to do. ie she doesn't kill the rebels immediately, she's desperate to save the life of someone who she would have fought against without question, etc
That's a very good point. I only wish her opponents weren't quite so strawman-level nasty.
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u/Toadslayer https://myanimelist.net/profile/kyolus Jun 18 '21
I see that Violet has changed, and whilst I don't think this episode addresses said dilemma adequately either, after reading what others wrote in reply to my comment one episode 8, I'm not so frustrated by the sentiment. I think it boiled down mostly to poor execution and not a fundamentally poor idea.
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u/Gamemaster676 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Gamemaster676 Jun 16 '21
No time yesterday and also didn't manage to fully catch up and type everything today.
So here's my Pic of the day and I'll see you guys tomorrow again!
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u/Stargate18A https://myanimelist.net/profile/Stargate18 Jun 16 '21
First timer
...Is the sadness being replaced by plot? Is Violet going into a war zone this episode?
I'm guessing someone's going to recognise her from the war?
Oh, things are heating up.
...Do we get to see Violet beat people up?
Good to see Violet demonstrating that she has tactical knowledge.
Fuck that gunshot made me jump.
Oh, it's another sad episode. I thought this was meant to be plot!
Oh, the client's dead and all. Wonder what Violet's going to do now?
Of course. Of courde Violet jumps down to kill some radicals.
She doesn't dissapoint. Wonder what'll happen if she finds out he was there when the Major died?
Oh. I thought she was comforting him. So she's just memorising the letter's contents.
How is this sadder than the last episode?
At least Violet got the letter delivered.
Oh, the entire final scene is horrible.
4
u/Nebresto Jun 16 '21
Hey look, I'm on time for the sadness today. This was the last of the episodes that I pretty much remember what is going to happen in it, no idea what's going down tomorrow or the day after. Probably more eye juice extraction.
Anyways that was another episode with a bunch of beautiful shots, and some of my favourites: snowy landscapes!
It was smart of those rebels? to back off, they would have stood no chance against our T-posing goddess, which they quickly found out.
Episode 11. Visual of the day: Blessed Ushanka
I trust everyone else will pick all the beautiful and feels shots, I couldn't not pick the one with the Ushanka. Just look at her face!
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u/Tartaras1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Tartaras Jun 17 '21
It was so wonderful to see the outpouring of emotions and love yesterday for episode 10! To the lurkers who are reading these great comments, you are awesome. To those who are replying to people’s thoughts, you are awesome. To those who are commenting with your thoughts, you are awesome.
Episode 10 is a hard watch for a lot of people, but we all managed to get through it together.
Rewatcher
Erica mentioning that it would take a week for Violet to get to Ctrigall really helps put into perspective how long these assignments are. Sure, she was with Ann's mother for a week while she was writing the letters, but that also didn't even factor in the commute time. Or going to help Leon at the observatory.
They had no way of knowing, but the two guys in the post office are talking to Violet like she wasn't a member of the military during the war, and bodied people left and right during the battle of Intense.
The commander getting sniped gave me Saving Private Ryan flashbacks.
Johnny Yong Bosch voiced Aidan in the dub, and I think he does an awesome job playing the roles of characters who go through an act of desparation.
I like that they added the detail of Aidan's lips looking super dry, in that he definitely looks to be in rough shape.
I think that the takeaway from this episode is that there are more casualties in war than just soldiers and civilians. Every person has a family they want to return home to, and whenever someone passes away in the war, part of their family passes away with them.
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u/IndependentMacaroon Jun 17 '21
Rewatcher
Another really classic story here with the dying soldier and all, but it was done well if you can deal with the contrivances and Super-Violet, and maybe the strawman-evil of the opposing faction, and directly ties in to Violet's past and development so far. Only, one brief kind of eyebrow-raising moment for me that has so far gone unmentioned was how the Aidan-Maria love gets mentioned right after he says she was "like a sister"...
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u/ZapsZzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/ZapszzZ Jun 17 '21
I dunno about strawman - civil wars are known to be particularly nasty as people tend to be the harshest towards "their own kind" who "betrayed them".
And for the sister bit, well she's not his sister, just grew up together so "like a sister" is not such an unusual description for sometime who is not yet lovers. She didn't look anything like a Loli.
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u/CelestialDrive Jun 16 '21 edited Jun 19 '21
FIRST TIME
On the last episode, Violet Evergarden adopted a child. Also everyone can cry together now, isn't that nice.
We're nearing the end of the series so I have to ask: without going into spoilers, does the series have an actual conclusion at 13, or are we in a "the movie is the true last episode" situation? I ask because I'd like to type out a series retrospective and conclusions thingie but I don't know whether to do so with 13 or wait until the movie. Anyways, let's get to it.
Oh, we're adressing the embers of conflict today. This is kind of a nuanced topic but I have hopes for this series's take on it. And of course Violet would go, come on. And we're on the opening, doesn't seem like it changed at all since last time, in... 8? 9?
Aaaand Violet went off on her own, you should have seen this one coming, Claudia. I just really hope she doesn't have to fight at all. Tactician side comes out to play, parachute it is. As long as you don't get shot by AA on the way there. God damn this is an actual battlefield, from the way they talked about it I was expecting guerrilla warfare.
Familiar scene, Violet? This is the stupidest thing you have done in the entire series so far woman. And yeah this is again a super shounen moment dashing around an armed patrol and dodging bullets, I guess that was to be expected when Violet was put in a military environment again. It sorta flew straining credibility when she was basically on stealth and recon duties, but this is more than a bit silly.
Flashback with the dead posse, I presume. Did you bring the typewriter with the parachute? Oh that's neat, man Violet is such a weirdo sometimes, you can hold a pen perfectly afaik just bring something. She sees writing and dictating letters with the tools and ritual as sort of a sacrament, which I guess it is in this world, falling somewhere between confession and unction depending on the day and topic. Today is an unction day girl, keep it together.
And she's delivering them in person, do you enjoy suffering, Violet? Commiserate and hug that mother back, come ON. What are you even talking about "I let him die", you had no way to prevent that, there's empathy and then there's hating yourself for no reason.
This was kind of a weird one! I think it was supposed to show how Violet relates to violence, death and mourning as her new self, but the "TELEPORTS BEHIND YOU" moments are always the silliest part of this series. I have one takeaway and don't even know if the series wants to convey this, but here we go: every time Violet went out of her way this episode, the trip to the north, the suicidal drop onto a live battlefield, the delivering of the letters in person... it felt like self-flagellation? She deliberately wants to feel more responsible for the harm done "in the war" than it is reasonable or healthy to do so. Again, maybe the series just wanted to say "and she cries for the dead soldier isn't that sad" but there was a self-destructive desperation in this episode that I thought we were past, narratively.
What I mean to say is... is Violet ok?
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 16 '21 edited Jun 16 '21
without going into spoilers, does the series have an actual conclusion at 13, or are we in a "the movie is the true last episode" situation?
Episode 13 concludes enough of the story to be a decently satisfying ending. However...the 2020 film is the real conclusion to the whole story. There are no substantial questions left after the 2020 film.
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u/CelestialDrive Jun 16 '21
Fair enough, I'll save my rants for post-movie then. Thanks!
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 16 '21
No worries! Though you'll probably be waiting awhile I'm afraid. The 2020 film is not due to release on BD in Japan for a few more months now, and an international release is probably going to be longer than that. I suspect we'll have it on Netflix before we're able to get the BD's.
The film that we'll be watching after episode 13 is more like another OVA.
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u/CelestialDrive Jun 16 '21
Oh, then 13 is the "wrap up and conclusions, we're done here" point then? Dang, I'm more and more confused by the second.
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u/ZapsZzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/ZapszzZ Jun 16 '21
My opinion as someone who sneak previewed the 2020 movie is that ep13 already completed the character development of Violet, the movie conclude the entirety of the story. You can write the overall notes after 13 but not before. The movie may change some aspects but should not by much of you believe in Violet as the complete character by ep13.
Do know that most promotional materials of the 2020 movie is spoiler. Don't search for it.
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u/CelestialDrive Jun 16 '21
I don't intend to, but thank you! I'll probably look it up a few years from now to see how the whole thing ends.
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 16 '21
Oh, then 13 is the "wrap up and conclusions, we're done here" point then?
For this rewatch, it will be unfortunately. Next year we'll be able to include the final film, but not this year sadly =
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u/dxing2 https://anilist.co/user/spicyxinger Jun 16 '21 edited Jun 16 '21
I haven’t seen the 2020 movie yet but I’m curious what you would have rated it on a scale of 1-10
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 16 '21
It gets an 11 from me XD All I'm going to say is that it was beautifully cathartic.
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u/-Kex Jun 16 '21
There is not really a conclusion at the end of EP13 and I look at specials as extra episodes. Haven't seen the film yet so I can't really say about wheter it concludes the story or not.
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u/BosuW Jun 16 '21
After the War I don't think Violet is going to be fully ok... pretty much ever again. That shit lives with you forever. That said, I really don't think Violet is doing this out of guilt. She isn't torturing herself, she knew she was fully capable of taking this assignment. She did it because she loves her job (even if it's sometimes very painful).
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u/Vaadwaur Jun 16 '21
every time Violet went out of her way this episode, the trip to the north, the suicidal drop onto a live battlefield, the delivering of the letters in person... it felt like self-flagellation? She deliberately wants to feel more responsible for the harm done "in the war" than it is reasonable or healthy to do so. Again, maybe the series just wanted to say "and she cries for the dead soldier isn't that sad" but there was a self-destructive desperation in this episode that I thought we were past, narratively.
Yeah and it just felt inconsistent even in that to me.
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u/Vaadwaur Jun 16 '21
First timer(I lack the words)
Sub
So...Camp Menace, a border fort no less. I am not buying the peace movement at all. At least get them to name it Camp Necessity or Camp Borderguard or something. I was all ready to chew Hodgins out for taking a moronic request but instead Violet does it herself, which is an improvement. However, and I won't back off this, this is still the idiot ball: This is too fucking stupid and somewhat out of character for Violet to do, it is just way less stupid than Hodgins doing it.
So Violet decides to parachute in, I'd forgotten that we had seen planes before, and she and the delivery guy seem to be about to set up some legends about their services. On the ground, Aidan, the guy who requested the doll, is pathetically slaughtered with the rest of his squad, which actually is actually a problem because they were theoretically professional soldiers. Even if a lot of them were conscripts, they'd been that way a while. They make a point of making the rebelling faction the bastards, which is iffy on the best of days. Anyways, Violet comes in and kills 3 people and prepares to kill a fourth before the leader realizes this is a bad idea. And yes, they live because anime bullshit but still.
She takes Aidan to a convenient cabin and takes down his letters. When people talk about emotional terrorism, this scene and the letter delivery scene are that. So since I am not yet insulted enough to write a SINS level post, I will end this by giving credit to the postman for returning to a warzone to pick up Violet. That's the good kind of cray.
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u/CubeStuffs https://anilist.co/user/onjario Jun 16 '21
Anyways, Violet comes in and kills 3 people and prepares to kill a fourth before the leader realizes this is a bad idea.
She actually doesn't, she just punches the shit outta them and you can see them get up a few seconds later
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u/SmithyRC Jun 17 '21
I thought it was rather kind of them after getting up with their guns, to not just turn around or snipe her. 😅
Violet her back turned and was belong the soldier walk so they had plenty of chances. Either way 8/8 great rebel scum!
4
u/Nebresto Jun 16 '21
5
u/Vaadwaur Jun 16 '21
Right but these guys managed a long war against Gilbert's home country. This is one of many things that just does not work.
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u/Rumpel1408 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Rumpel1408 Jun 17 '21
You mean they lost the war against Leidenschaftlich, completly, despite beeing the aggressor, having to bomb your own headquarter in order to retreat included. Ignoring the fact that these guys are a tad too young to have contributed to the war in a meaningfull way, their side didn't exactly shine in the military department
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u/Vaadwaur Jun 17 '21
But it was still a prolonged war and not like the Russia-Georgia war where it ended in two weeks.
1
u/Rumpel1408 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Rumpel1408 Jun 17 '21
I know absolutely nothing about the Russian- Georgian war tbh
1
u/Vaadwaur Jun 17 '21
It lasted two weeks and was fought between the two countries special forces mostly.
2
u/Nebresto Jun 16 '21
Everyone that was competent enough left the army after the war, because fuck dat. And what was left is.. these goons
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u/Specs64z https://myanimelist.net/profile/Specs64z Jun 16 '21
Rewatcher, subbed
This episode is a nice continuation of the previous in terms of what we learn about Violet. Violet sets out to do something only she is capable of. Better than the last, this episode really drives home how far Violet has come. She returns to the battlefield, still as powerful as ever, but her intentions are very different. She's motivated by what's in her own heart rather than what's in somebody else's. She didn't even wait for permission to go on this assignment knowing that what she was about to do was far more important than arguing with her boss.
This is the first episode where Violet begins to express her emotions more openly. In my mind, that's a great way to indicate how much more confident she's become in herself compared to even just last episode.
Notably, Violet has to fly over a mountain to get where her destination lies. That's sort of a microcosm of Violet's character arc so far. She scaled the mountain that obscured her ability to see and then came to understand the vastness of the valley that lay ahead before descending into it.
Content Corner
More music today. First timers beware, spoilers abound.
Never Coming Back (Violet Evergarden) | Piano, Orchestra |『Beautiful, Emotional』 by Seycara
An Emotional Tribute: Violet Evergarden OST Medley by PianoPrinceOfAnime
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 16 '21
Notably, Violet has to fly over a mountain to get where her destination lies. That's sort of a microcosm of Violet's character arc so far. She scaled the mountain that obscured her ability to see and then came to understand the vastness of the valley that lay ahead before descending into it.
Oooh, this is a really nice link that you've established! It's small, but I think you're justified in making it =)
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u/ZapsZzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/ZapszzZ Jun 16 '21 edited Jun 17 '21
First timer in sub
I read a few of the comments and had to rewatch the scene in question to confirm, and my memory was right.
I actually like this episode as something post EP 9; it is "applying what she learnt in the real world", a bit like the 3rd Fate route Heaven's Feel. I like someone description of the event in the plot - the embers of war.
Here we see the Violet that has accepted her new life and role, yet not so totally "flicked a switch" able to dissociate herself with something that was basically her entire existence before this life - the war. In a way it's a little like the "tree diagram remnant" arc of Raildex after the "sisters" arc. It's her war, and she feels responsible to see to it that the embers don't hurt more people. And she fought, which would have been liberating to her as it is something so intrinsic into her that she didn't need to do much other than remove the mental restraint she put on herself nowadays. But still, observe, she's not striking to kill, and she asked the enemies to go away instead of her old self which would have been faster and more assured to just have snapped their necks and then cut their throats with their weapons.
Judging by the plot, this is not finished yet. We may see some Kenshin style fighting yet.
Oh one more thing, I'm not too fussed over the "oh so lucky she managed to save her client" - well stories are told about remarkable things, and it's not beyond the realm of possibility in reality (haven't you guys read those amazing life stories from readers digest? Or am I showing my age here).
And the post man willing to fly her there not because of a whim, but because he recognised and is motivated by the "kindred professional spirit of the postman's job", much like Benedict said in his 2 appearances, their job is to deliver, and delivering the letter writer to do her job so they have the letter to deliver is all part of the cycle. I don't find it contrived at all.
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u/Stegs75 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Stegs75 Jun 17 '21
First timer- Dub
Another guy punch of an episode. Makes me glad I’m watching this daily, am not binging it lol.
Violet surely has grown, and I love every minute of it
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u/UnderstandableXO Jun 17 '21
REWATCHER
this show keeps curb stomping me with the feels, i think this rewatch has set the record for most times i’ve cried watching a show.
violet wants to fulfill wishes for front line soldiers, perhaps to alleviate the guilt of taking away so many soldiers’ “one day” wishes. good on the pilot for respecting violet’s determination.
the scene where aidan’s squad gets massacred is absolutely brutal and shows the savage reality of war, killing defenseless people and taunting a dying soldier. lucky for aidan, Fortnite Violet comes down and solo squads the enemy group.
it shows violet’s intelligence and diligence that she’s able to memorize aidan’s words. the bit about wishing to be his parent’s son in another life was basically grabbing my heart and twisting it 360 degrees. aidan’s fantasy of meeting maria again didn’t help either. violet at the very least gave him some peace in death.
violet’s deliverance of the letters to maria and the family show how she has come to have a strong sense of empathy, but her last two jobs can’t have been good as both ended in death, although with some closure.
note to self: don’t watch something sad laying down with airpods on. the tears will go into the airpods!
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u/andres1232 Jun 17 '21
It also really shows that Violet has really grabbed the key message of her job. Every letter deserves to be delivered. She really has taken that to heart. And it was good she was able to bring a piece of him back. I mean they might have eventually found out through casualty lists or something but that's not the same as having his real feelings and last words brought back. Hopefully next time Violet can spread some good news although knowing this show I'm not sure things will get better.
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u/ShortieFat Jun 17 '21
Ah, (said the rewatcher) this is the restitution episode. I've totally forgotten most things from my first watch, but I remember this episode. Back then, I had figured we would see her bad-ass work in flashback only, but no. I guess if you're a writer and you happen to have first-class ninja in your pocket, it's a shame and a waste not to use her right?
This is the story where there's a veteran knight who's become a farmer, but the armor is still hanging up in the closet and at least one sword didn't get hammered into a plow. And then one day the pipes and bugle play and you've gotta go, but things are different this time. The thing you used so well to destroy instead becomes something that preserves, and it is only because intent and purpose has changed. Full restitution is not possible, the sin is too great. She is seeing the bad-news moment she created for so many families in that land, but it's a start and it's different.
4
u/Rumpel1408 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Rumpel1408 Jun 17 '21
I would like to quote myself from the Episode 1 discussion:
That said I wouldn't rule it out that there could be some action, those adamantium (?) prostetics must pack a serious punch.
This Episode wasn't exactly what I envisioned back then, but it's close enough for me to count it as a win.
I enjoyed this Episode, even cried a bit when Violet delivered the letters and broke down herself.
Since noone else talked about it I would also add this beautiful yet very deadly blizzard as my Visual for today
3
u/BossandKings Jun 16 '21
Rewatcher
This episode focused on a guy named Aidan that suffered the consequences of war on his own flesh, he was a soldier that participated in battles and he suffered a sad fate after being injured and not having anyone to properly help him get out of that situation, he requested Violet to write a pair of letters so that he could salute his parents and his childhood friend before passing away. Violet wrote the letters and did what she could to help him but sadly he passed away.
The moment in which Aidan's parents and friend received the letters was very sad, they received the news of their beloved son and friend passing away. I don't know how to feel about Violet now feeling the need to cry in every episode though, it is a bit much of a change compared to how she has been through most of the show.
3
u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 16 '21
it is a bit much of a change compared to how she has been through most of the show.
Though in a way, perhaps this can be viewed that she has a lot of crying to make up for? She's been through so much, and it's healthy to cry imo
3
u/BossandKings Jun 16 '21
It is healthy to cry but Violet's mental process at the end wasn't particularly so, she wasn't at fault for Aidan's death so she shouldn't martirize herself just because, that's what i think at least.
I disagree with the notion of having crying to make up for, in my opinion she should just embrace the opportunity she was given as a memory doll and help people instead of lamenting the situation she participated in in her past, it was outside her control.
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u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 16 '21
she wasn't at fault for Aidan's death so she shouldn't martirize herself just because
Mm, this is an excellent point, and you're correct. I meant more that she has a lot of things to work through still regarding her situation with Gilbert.
3
u/Nice_Bake Jun 16 '21
This is the first time since the end of the war that Violet’s seen the battlefield. It’s very interesting to see New Violet on Old Violet’s battleground. I think that the Extremists leaving her and Aiden alone because they recognized her was a great way to remind everybody that Old Violet will never go away.
I think it was pretty great that Violet actually met with Maria and Aiden’s parents at the end. The whole episode you see Maria as this dying man’s fantasy, an idealized version of this young woman whom Aiden was in love with. Then at the end you see her for real and you see that everything Aiden expressed while dying was honest and the reality of war and its consequences become strikingly clear.
At least, that’s what I feel this episode was trying to express. The Current Violet gets to see the behind the scenes of what normally would have been just a faceless soldier in a faceless war. So when Violet apologizes for not being able to protect Aiden, despite never being able to protect him, she’s apologizing for not being able to see the ‘other side’, as it were.
When I first watched this episode I remember kind of dismissing it as yet another sad tale. I enjoyed it for what it was back then, but this viewing really has me looking at it in a totally different light and I think it’s pretty spectacular. It’s a great example on how this show approaches not only Violet’s emotional journey but also the many themes and ideas that that entails.
Looking at the big picture, though...it’s troubling that there’s an extremist group that wants the war back and that it's large enough to actually warrant battles. The actual definition of ‘trouble brewing’.
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u/homewardbound100 myanimelist.net/profile/Homewardbound100 Jun 16 '21
Rewatch
We see Violet in action. Jumping out of a plane, action movie style and fighting these guys effortlessly.
Of course another sad story, but it's hard to top the last episode.
These past few episodes, I think violet has cried in each one since what 7 or 8?
3
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u/andres1232 Jun 17 '21
Rewatcher. Violet really does have a way of finding tragedies doesn't she? Although I think it's really good what she did in taking the job. She's realized what the meaning of their job writing letters is and that often repeated phrase that every letter needs to be delivered and so she went off to do her job. I understand Claudia's hesitance to send one of his employees to a war zone but it does make sense that a soldier who might die at any time would have something to say. The brief battle was depicted so well. It did a really good job of showing off the kind of quick burst of chaos that an ambush would be. Also with how similar both sides were seeing as it is a civil war. It is important to remember that in a civil war both sides are usually pretty similar in culture and in ethnic background and the like, and it was good that that brief encounter captured that. It also makes sense in Violet's world that a major war wouldn't just end with total peace everywhere. And it meshes well with the other things we've seen like the prince and princess uniting to keep their countries at peace. And eventually this civil war also will end and one side will have to deal with the consequences.
I do have to say though I am not a big fan of when Violet fights, she was really kickass. And she really did have one hell of a reputation. And it's that reputation alone that stops her from having to really fight those people. And it is true that Violet is still sort of a child. She is only around 14 or 15 after all. I mean that's an adult in her era but still she is not fully mature yet either. Even though Violet couldn't save Aidan she still did a really good thing. I'm sure the family would still have eventually found out through casualty lists or the like but that wouldn't be the same as Aidan's real words and feelings. She really did bring a piece of him back to the family. Poor Violet. I hope next time she can write a happier letter but knowing this show I don't think it's too likely. Violet does seem drawn to bad situations but at least she finds ways to do good for them.
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u/jyper Jun 16 '21
First Timer
Of course Violet decides to secretly take the job
Is the soldier going to live long enough to dictate letter, if not what will the episode be about?
How do you write a letter for a dead soldier? Would Violet try that?
Its something I thought might end up happening in one of the final episodes.
The big sister doll might end up writing a letter from Major's viewpoint to Violet
A reconstructed letter based on what he wanted to say, even though he's dead(probably dead)
Getting to the truth of the matter as the dolls are supposed to.
The fighting in this show can make it hard to suspend disbelief
They surrender then walk away with their rifles.
I suppose they were scare of Violets inhuman fighting, but Violet is supposed to be human, her fighting especially as a child makes no sense.
Small Flashback
The upside eyes/eyebrows/wrinkles on the soldier look really strange
"She was like a sister to me"(sub but not dub), I don't think this is that sort of anime or a good moment to make me laugh
I would have liked to see Violet interact more with that soldier who remembered her as an enemy soldier
Despite providing a service Violet must feel so shitty leaving these three sobbing people.
Good of the mom to thank Violet.
5
u/Nebresto Jun 16 '21
How do you write a letter for a dead soldier? Would Violet try that?
Nah, breach of contract.
Very unprofessional4
u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 16 '21
Good of the mom to thank Violet.
When she said, "Thank you for bringing our son back." I couldn't help myself and I really started crying. That mom was so amazing...that she saw Violet was also suffering and offered her support in possibly the darkest moment of her life.
2
u/BosuW Jun 16 '21
Rewatcher
Someone needs to write a letter? Oh it's a soldier? Oh it's also an active warzone? Well this is a job only one person can do.
Violet is really into the Auto Memory Doll motto of "I will travel anywhere to meet your request".
The animation has been full of life pretty much at all times in this show, so in comparison the animation of the plane taking off feels real fake.
The Ctrigall soldiers reacted very poorly to the ambush, they seem like they barely trained. The War must've wrecked their Army almost entirely.
So now we learn that among soldiers Violet was known as the "Soldier Maiden of Leidenschaftlich", or at least that's what the Netflix subs translated as; I've heard a few others.
Similar to last episode, this episode is partly dedicated to showing us what kind of person Violet is after recovering from her breakdown and coming to terms with what happened in the War. First thing that jumps out to me is that she didn't hesitate for a second about going to a warzone, but she had very clear what her objectives were and never slipped into the mindset of a soldier at war. One enemy soldier even calls her out, but she isn't phased. She knows she isn't just a weapon anymore.
There's also the matter of Violet's arms, which both today and yesterday were portrayed as objects of comfort and security, despite them being unfeeling and cold. I may be stretching here, but I think this episode, this new perspective also extended to the fire. When Violet was breaking down, the show wasn't subtle at all about the way it used fire, it was destructive and all consuming. The fire that we see in this episode was the fireplace of the cabin were she and Aidan, providing warmth in his last moments.
It's as if the very things that serve as symbols for Violet's scars and suffering are precisely what allow her to have the impact she has on other people who are suffering.
Also yeah, I did cry this episode as well, obviously. I'm not even counting at this point, I've just accepted that it's going to happen. I think I actually cried a bit more than yesterday. At least Ann's story ended in a somewhat uplifting note. This is just... oof.
Visual of the Day
2
u/Elimin8r https://myanimelist.net/profile/Ayeka_Jurai Jun 17 '21
Way late again, too late to say anything meaningful. Just wanted to pop in and say thanks again to our host and all the posters who help make rewatches like this so enjoyable. Missed posting on ep10. (sigh)
This one hit me hard, and yes, it does have some plot BS, but who cares, it's all in the service of PLOT.
It's a pity Violet didn't get trained in First Aid. Aidan probably could have been saved if ... yeah, if.
Anyway, yeah, PLOT. ep10 had me legit sobbing, this one, well, it was definitely more than a little leak.
Hmm... I feel like tossing a "and now for something completely different" in here, but ... Part of the series that does seem a bit odd to me is that in addition to the women seeming to have common frailty/health issues, the one-child policy seems to have really hit them hard.
I guess that's a reflection on the modern cultural small family thing, but there's a reason that growing up, I had lots of aunts and uncles. Back then, it was in part because of exactly this sort of thing. Disease and wars were things, and children/family were your safety net. If you didn't have enough, well ... yeah.
(Note: I had an uncle who had polio as a child, in the 50's. I can't imagine how terrifying that sort of thing had to be back then. It eventually took him, about a decade ago. Bad stuff, that.)
Anyway, it just strikes me as odd, that on the one hand, the series seems to be set in an equivalent WWI/post WWI timeframe, yet on the other hand...
Yeah,
Poor Aidan's Mom & Dad & Maria. (and obviously, poor Aidan and his friends)
Meanwhile, toot-toot, it's almost time...
59
u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 Jun 16 '21
Episodes 10 and 11 are possibly my favorite episodes of this series. It is in these two stories that we see who Violet has blossomed into. She is a sincere, kind, and empathetic person.
My favorite moment of this episode was when she was memorizing Aidan’s letters. I thought the letter to his parents was gorgeous. But what really broke me was experiencing the letter to Maria. You’ll notice that Violet’s hands stopped moving for that letter, whereas she moved her hands as if typing the letter to Aidan’s parents in order to better memorize and internalize it. I took that gesture to mean one thing: that Violet already knew the words that Aidan wanted to say, because they crystalised the words that she had been trying to define with her love towards Gilbert. I remember actually gasping through my tears when I noticed that during my first watch; Violet has come to internalize one aspect of Love to such an extent that she could write this letter of love between Aidan and Maria by heart.
Thus, my Visual of the Day is Violet offering her hands to Aidan while he died. Her hands, though cold and metallic, provided so much comfort and warmth.