REVIEW: ‘To Your Eternity,’ Season 2 Episode 15 — “The Self, Worn Down”

With the long-awaited Nokker attack finally underway, Fushi is stretching his senses to their maximum to maintain the city’s defense. But it seems even he has limits, and the attackers are going to test every one of them. Meanwhile, overlooked in all the confusion of battle, March has returned to life in To Your Eternity Season 2 Episode 15.

With so much focus going into the preparations for battle and how much time has passed since it was revealed that Fushi’s companions could be brought back to life, the sudden reminder that this was the case with last week’s reveal of March’s resurrection was a complete shock. Seeing March back and moving was a tremendous moment. And To Your Eternity Season 2 Episode 15 plays the follow-up for her wonderfully. Rather than rush a reunion, this episode sees March lost, desperately trying to find Fushi in a strange city. While I think not having them meet back up right away is a great call, I hope they don’t postpone reuniting them for too long.

But while March’s return is a highlight for the series, the big focus of this episode is the battle for Renril. To Your Eternity Season 2 Episode 15 does a masterful job presenting the scale and immensity of the conflict. Trebuecht fires projectiles, walls are cracked, and fortifications are stormed. While the initial moments of the battle are waged almost exclusively by Fushi through the network of connections he has laid out over the past several episodes, we see in time that even he has his limits. When exhaustion finally takes him, it is up to his comrades to hold the line.

As has always been with To Your Eternity, the action in these moments neglects excitement or awe, choosing to focus on the impact of the battle instead. As lives are threatened and the combatants clash, there are no “wow” moments to be found—just the screams of soldiers and the ringing clash of swords.

It is at this moment that the episode reaches its emotional peak. With every hand needed to fend off the Nokkers till Fushi can regain his strength, we see Ecko prepare to do her part for the defense. This silent girl has been an emotionally safe place for Fushi since her arrival. Her innocence and cheer have brightened more than one episode. Seeing her eyes as she prepares to experience the terrible reality that is battle is both heartbreaking and inspiring. That she should have to face such a thing feels like a crime. That she willingly does so for the sake of her friend is wonderous.

The other emotional tone that rings through the din of To Your Eternity Season 2 Episode 15‘s raging battle belongs to Fushi. Even as he holds back the bulk of the Nokker’s assault, he struggles with each life he feels slipping away. While his perceptions have grown to an immensely larger scale than just himself, he still processes everything around him in an extremely personal way. While his unwillingness to see even a single death as an “acceptable loss” feels commendable, it will also destroy him. The toll it takes on Fushi is a sad reminder of why those faced with the terrible choices brought by battle are generally scared so deeply by them.

To Your Eternity Season 2 Episode 15 does a fantastic job of fully enveloping its narrative in the battle for Renril. The initial clash is fierce and demanding of its defenders, and who will be left standing when the smoke clears is a nerve-wracking question that still needs to be answered.

To Your Eternity Season 2 Episode 15 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.