REVIEW:‌ ‘The‌ ‌Promised‌ ‌Neverland‌,’ ‌Season‌ ‌2‌ ‌Episode‌ ‌6

The‌ ‌Promised‌ ‌Neverland‌ ‌‌Season‌ ‌2‌ ‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌highly‌ ‌anticipated‌ ‌return‌ ‌for‌ ‌fans‌ ‌of‌ ‌both‌ ‌the‌ ‌manga‌ ‌-which‌ ‌has‌ ‌ended‌ ‌serialization-‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌first‌ ‌season‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌anime.‌ ‌Season‌ ‌1‌ ‌of‌ ‌‌The‌ ‌Promised‌ ‌Neverland‌‌ ‌aired‌ ‌in‌ ‌Winter‌ ‌2019‌ ‌to‌ ‌critical‌ ‌acclaim.‌ ‌Season‌ ‌2‌ ‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌direct‌ ‌continuation‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌previous‌ ‌story,‌ now with Promised Neverland Episode 6, ‌tracking‌ ‌Emma‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌children‌ ‌of‌ ‌Grace‌ ‌Field‌ ‌as‌ ‌they‌ ‌fend‌ ‌off‌ ‌the‌ ‌demons‌ ‌that‌ ‌inhabit‌ ‌their‌ ‌steadily‌ ‌growing‌ ‌world.‌ ‌

 ‌Promised Neverland Episode 5 focused on Emma and all the escapees of Grace Field and their sudden exodus from the shelter. It also solidly represented a strong departure from the source material in the manga. From my perspective, it made clear that we’re no longer going in chronological order. Instead, the series has cobbled together 

Additionally, Promised Neverland Episode 5.5 was a mid-season recap episode covering both season 1 and season 2. While it had the potential to be interesting, the recap ultimately was unnecessary. Viewers who have engaged with either the source manga or the first season didn’t need a recap, especially of this cours’ first four episodes. It only served to weaken an already upsetting second season.

Now, viewers are back to the meat of the series with Promised Neverland Episode 6. Will it meet expectations, or continue The Promised Neverland’s steady downfall?

Like I’ve said before: time will only tell.

Promised Neverland Episode 6 kicks off with episode five’s big reveal: Norman is still alive, and better, he’s well and undamaged from the demons. It’s a tearful meeting as Emma runs into Norman’s arms and embraces him for the first time in so, so long. Emma can barely believe it. Ray has a similar emotional reaction, though his shocked reaction comes through a slap to Norman’s cheek versus Emma’s warm hug. Still, there are tears all around as the triad celebrates the gift that is life. There are even more tears due to the simple fact that they’re reunited in their on-going struggle against the demons.

However, the children of Grace Field won’t have to struggle for too much longer, now that Norman is back. Like always, he has a plan in mind for their freedom, though, as with a lot of the plot choices in this cour, it doesn’t seem to fit the ethos espoused by the show. In fact, it goes directly against everything built up in season 1.

Norman’s plans also don’t fit Emma’s own ethos. She doesn’t want to hurt others. In fact, Emma’s been pretty clear about that from the moment she realized that humans were food. Emma doesn’t want to be food. She also doesn’t want anyone else to be shipped from the farms or hunted. She doesn’t want to have to continue to struggle in vain just to survive. But she also doesn’t want to turn against it. Emma says it best: the demons have names. They have lives and identities. They have families.

Family is a critical part of The Promised Neverland. In fact, I’d argue that it’s critical to why fans love this series. Their experiences brought everyone through a truly nightmarish scenario. It’s that very special bond that saves them and keeps them together. Their love is ultimately what kept them fighting. 

But Promised Neverland Episode 6 seems to be very willing to let all of that fall by the wayside… or so it seems. 

Promised Neverland Episode 6 leaves a lot to be questioned by the end of the episode. I closed the tab wondering if Emma, Ray, and Norman will remain a family. Honestly, I don’t know if they’ll end up on opposite sides of a very human struggle. While all of their desires are understandable, I personally think seeing Emma and Norman face off against each other as enemies would be heartbreaking. Losing those found family elements would mean losing the heart of the series.

Promised Neverland Episode 6 isn’t a bad episode. Actually, I think it’s pretty okay. However, Promised Neverland Episode 6‘s downfall is the previous episodes. The first half of this cour has diminished a lot of the warmth found in season 1. Seeing Norman again feels so, so good… but then you remember that this show has gone off the rails. That it’s no longer the same heartfelt, powerful story in season 1, or even in the first three episodes of the series.

At this point in the cour, I’m not sure how The Promised Neverland will end. As of this episode, The Promised Neverland has deviated so much from the manga that I don’t know what to think. I think that there’s still potential for a solid ending, but to be honest, I don’t know if that ending will be good, nor do I think it’ll be happy. If anything, I sense that it’ll be anything but happy. But as I keep saying: time will tell. That’s really all you can say about this second cour.

The Promised Neverland Season 2 is streaming now on Funimation.