Forum - View topic(The) Faraway Paladin (TV).
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smurky turkey
Posts: 2008 |
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Maybe I am remembering the first season wrong, but season two has hooked me in a way that the first one did not manage to (I did like it a lot though). This week we had a talk with the dragon, a falling out due to not being able to reach an agreement with said dragon and a fight, though saying fight would suggest that some chance of victory is present. Sure, if the dragon stays in one place and does not use the transformation word when Will does his thing they can win, that does not seem likely though. The location is one that does not seem like a place where reinforcements will suddenly show up so.....GG?
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2875 |
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S2 #10
At long last, the episode and season title's owner is formally introduced. Valacirca is ancient, and has seen countless lesser beings come and go with many going to their deaths by his agency. To that end, it has no need for ambushes or surprise attacks. That does not preclude its propensity of playing with its prey before doing the deed. Gus was right in that this Dragon cannot be negotiated with; by its very nature it will agree to temporary truces only to break them when it tires of the fetters binding it. As for Will, getting a panic attack right before the Dragon expected a reply is a nod to earlier in the season when he was agonising over his fears. His patron goddess gets him over the line, as did his adopted mother when all five of them were scared witless when the dragon first spoke. Although the preamble seems unnecessarily grandiose and padded, the classic fantasy showdowns between the protagonist and antagonist tend to follow this template. The animators certainly took the trouble to build up Valacirca as the greatest challenge William has faced in this franchise to date, and he's faced quite a number to get this far. With the formalities over, William and the others get their shot at forging their own legends or perish horribly if they fail. As for the battle, it's clearly multiple phases since one episode isn't going to cover everything. William was given fair warning by Gus about what the Dragon is capable of, and it was only at the last hurdle where his guard let him down and they were caught unawares. Again Gus was proven correct, and it is going to come down to brute physical force since magic in any form is completely pointless against a being which has mastered the art aeons ago. William to the dragon's surprise is strong enough to pierce dragon scale, so at least he can distract the dragon if he targets one of its old wounds. It's clear the eye which does not glow is what the five of them have to aim for, easier said than done against something which towers over them and can fly plus transform at will. So things look bleak for the party. What of the next episode's title? If Gracefeel is going to play any part in helping her favoured paladin get out alive, next week will show what that role might be. Even if all she can do is distract the dragon somehow for a few moments, it will have to be William and the others who perform the actual slaying. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 2008 |
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I wonder how much Valacirca stating that he can not change since he is a dragon says something about him as an indivdual dragon or dragons as a whole. When one mentions dragons you think treasure hoarding, selfish, powerful and not at all shy when it comes to violence. If all dragons in the series are like that then trying to come to a peaceful solution with one is a fool's errand.
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Gisan Otaku
Posts: 88 |
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After watching this latest episode, I got to wondering. Are dragons required to take etiquette class? I mean Valacirca gave quite the introduction and politely praised William's "parents" and "grandfather". I guess when you are the top of the food chain, you can afford to take your time to give your victims false hope before crushing them.
He is not the only huge dragon that was articulate and spoke well. Of course I am speaking of Smaug. Even he complimented Bilbo "You have nice manners....for a thief!" (The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug) Isn't it interesting on how there are so many similarities between this work and Professor Tolkien's works. |
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15495 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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With modern fiction like the D&D and stuff, the biggest dragons tend to smarter than a normal person, and have gone past a point where they know many languages, and how to use social interaction to either increase their hoard or protect it. Fitting the sort of trope of welcoming a new person with the appearance of pleasantry, but turning the moment they feel insulted or threatened. Or it is the remote places in the world that no creature is meant to go or will obliterate on sight and chase halfway across the world. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 2008 |
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Huh, I had wondered about how Will and the gang were going to pull off a victory. They are not strong enough to win without aid and the elves and giants are not going to come in the clutch. I suppose the logical answer is that the gods will have to step up then. Gracefeel lending some aid makes sense, Stagnate less so, yet at the same time it fits his nature. The gang is now powered up(?) and back in the game for a final round.
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2875 |
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S2 #11
One of these days I'll need to get myself a translated edition of Beowulf or one of the Icelandic Sagas and read them from start to finish. I've read enough commentaries to know roughly how they approach showdowns between the protagonist and the great foe to be slain, but the details were always beyond me. This franchise almost certainly takes inspiration from those tales of long-forgotten ages, so much so that modern viewers might wonder why the approach is so peculiar and possibly antiquated with the dialogue used to extend proceedings. For the first time, William is properly outmatched. His compatriots were downed by that surprise attack, so he effectively holds off Valacirca on his own at the cost of his equipment and most of his mana. As prophesied by Stagnate, he would have been doomed to die a Hero's death which Valacirca was more than happy to give after giving him the recognition his persistence had deserved. Yet it is the same Herald of Stagnate along with Gracefeel who intervene, and in doing so bringing the prophesied outcome into doubt as there was no indication deities would help the party in some way. Valacirca is every bit the Dragon he's been built up to be. Still supremely confident in his eventual victory, he derives his entertainment from these rare battles with his life on the line. Holding long and detailed conversations along with the cheeky negotiation with his adversary is all part of the experience for him, and he is fully conscious of what awaits the winner in this colossal clash with high stakes all round. The Dwarf blade appears to be the tool to finish off Valacirca, since the tale would be somewhat soured if a demon blade was wielded by the Paladin of Light to slay a Dragon. It's already taken out one of its eyes, so it's certainly got the edge required to pierce the dragon's heart or take off its head. Just how they're going to go about it will be the centrepiece of the deciding battle next week. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2875 |
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S2 #11
One of these days I'll need to get myself a translated edition of Beowulf or one of the Icelandic Sagas and read them from start to finish. I've read enough commentaries to know roughly how they approach showdowns between the protagonist and the great foe to be slain, but the details were always beyond me. This franchise almost certainly takes inspiration from those tales of long-forgotten ages, so much so that modern viewers might wonder why the approach is so peculiar and possibly antiquated with the dialogue used to extend proceedings. For the first time, William is properly outmatched. His compatriots were downed by that surprise attack, so he effectively holds off Valacirca on his own at the cost of his equipment and most of his mana. As prophesied by Stagnate, he would have been doomed to die a Hero's death which Valacirca was more than happy to give after giving him the recognition his persistence had deserved. Yet it is the same Herald of Stagnate along with Gracefeel who intervene, and in doing so bringing the prophesied outcome into doubt as there was no indication deities would help the party in some way. Valacirca is every bit the Dragon he's been built up to be. Still supremely confident in his eventual victory, he derives his entertainment from these rare battles with his life on the line. Holding long and detailed conversations along with the cheeky negotiation with his adversary is all part of the experience for him, and he is fully conscious of what awaits the winner in this colossal clash with high stakes all round. The Dwarf blade appears to be the tool to finish off Valacirca, since the tale would be somewhat soured if a demon blade was wielded by the Paladin of Light to slay a Dragon. It's already taken out one of its eyes, so it's certainly got the edge required to pierce the dragon's heart or take off its head. Just how they're going to go about it will be the centrepiece of the deciding battle next week. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15495 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Maybe I was just forgetting things, but Gracefeel essentially giving a god blessing in clutch made me laugh when I felt an irony of her being voiced by Aoi Yuuki. Also irony that the same day of watching anime Aoi Yuki was also voicing a character in Shut-in Vampire Princess who was a young looking girl that was a trigger happy flying mage. That is to say I consider a very memorable role of Aoi Yuki to be her Tanya role, and it is so funny to me for what sounded like Tanya giving a divine blessing.
Also, were we not supposed to think that Stagnate was feminine before now? Even if I am all for the concept of gender being meaningless thing for gods. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 2008 |
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And thus ends the second and very likely last season. The final battle was exciting and hectic, yet it felt a tad too short. It felt like some of the characters and the resurrected dwarves did not get to do all that much in the fight. On the other hand, I liked what followed after the fight even more than the actual fight.....so I wish it could have been longer yet do not want to shorten the rest either.
Anyway, the victory tour after the battle was great. Seeing everyone with renewed hope and making plans for a better future. The elves can finally rebuild their town, the dwarves have their country back and the environment has been mostly cleared. The people of Torch Port are now safe too and are holding a feast. As for the dragon's curse/blessing, that might be a tricky thing that needs to be kept in check. I loved the season as a whole. The world is interesting, the characters fun/unique and it was one heck of a memorable adventure. I would like the last remaining novel to be adapted, yet that is probably a fool's hope. |
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Gisan Otaku
Posts: 88 |
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If the web novel is any indication, there is more material available. Now if it is enough for another season, I don't know.
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smurky turkey
Posts: 2008 |
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Well, if you were to use the exclusive arcs of the web novel and also use the content of the final light novel volume you might have enough, but I would not count on that happening.
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2875 |
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S2 #12 End
It's ironic that the episode title is a reference to the dwarf-forged blade, yet the deciding blow is dealt by the life-stealing blade Valacirca was so wary of at the start of the battle. Couldn't have it any other way, especially when William was literally being disintegrated by the dragon breath and had no other option available to him. The result might not have been in doubt, but the process and buildup to get there was given considerable attention by the animators. The best part of the duel were actually in the earlier episodes, with the finale far less fancy than I had anticipated. The explanation for William's sudden vitality despite being at death's door opens up new story paths, but whether or not the franchise will get another adaptation remains to be seen. It's been a competent adaptation, but heavily overshadowed by other offerings this season. The last revelation about Stagnate and Gracefeel being sisters was a surprise, but thinking about it more carefully it's not completely unexpected because of the common cause to be had in their respective domains. William defied predictions of his heroic death precisely because he had done enough to convince Stagnate to intervene together with Gracefeel, and with both of them vying for his soul his life of service will be a long one. How much of an impact the Dragon Soul he absorbed will have is up for debate and for future adaptations to resolve. If there are future adaptations to be had, I'll look forward to them. This franchise isn't so generic to be dismissed out of hand, and the world that's been set up has enough to distinguish it from other fantasy works. It all depends on the commercial viability of said adaptations, and that's really the only concern as everything else is more or less in place. |
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Spastic Minnow
 Bargain HunterExempt from Grammar Rules  Posts: 4614 Location: Gainesville, FL |
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Yeah, if you've read Beowulf (I rec the Seamus Heaney translation) or familiar with the valiant hero ideal of the time, it's impossible not to see the parallels between this story and those. Always willing to face death, and death in battle being a honorable way for a warrior to end. The dwarfs really are Viking allegories. I wonder if other arcs are ruminations of other types of heroic journeys. Maybe Homeric or Persian ideals.
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