REVIEW: ‘Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ Episode 25 — “A Fatal Vulnerability”

With Fern believing she can defeat the Frieren replica, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Sousou no Frieren) Episode 25, “A Fatal Vulnerability” sees the test takers enact a plan to overcome the final roadblock in their test. However, the clock is ticking as they learn the other doppelgangers are coming.

No one will ever claim that Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is an action anime. While its moments of combat have been handled beautifully, sizable combat encounters have been a rare sight. However, it would be fair for the viewer to expect something significant from the prospect of a two-on-one fight featuring Frieren (Atsumi Tanezaki) and Fern (Kana Ichinose) versus Frieren’s doppelganger. It would be easy to expect something on the same scale as the Lügner battle. Sadly, this isn’t the case. This might be understandable if this was due to some excellently executed emotional storytelling tying the moment in with Frieren’s past. However, Frieren Episode 25 doesn’t deliver anything that feels worth undercutting the potential of the moment it loses.

This episode opens with a sizable strategy session. Here, we see the test takers finish putting together their plan for addressing their current predicament. With the arrival of some of their peers, they get more intel on how the doppelgangers work.  Plus, they learn of the imminent threat of the other replicas arriving soon. With this new information, the group hurriedly sets about their task of exploiting the weakness Fern is aware of in Frieren’s fighting ability.

Frieren Episode 25 cleverly chooses the weakness it gives Frieren. It is shown that, while Frieren is casting spells, she is unable to track other people’s mana. This small deficiency would be hard for a single opponent to exploit. However, a pair of opponents aware of the weakness can use it to mask a coordinated attack. And as previously noted way back when Frieren first met Fern, Fern’s mana is hard to sense under the best of circumstances. The group then decides that only Freiren and Fern will face the doppelganger. Since Freiren can provide the opening that Fern will need, bringing more mages into the battle only invites casualties. Rather than having them participate in the main event, they will remain outside and prepare for the arrival of their other opponents.

While there are interesting tidbits throughout this opening portion, it starts to drag on. There is a bit too much setup and exposition while not delivering enough of the series’ trademark personality to make it work. It’s not the worst setup sequence viewers will sit through. However, it is a bit of a dull point for a series that generally makes the most out of such moments.

Once the fireworks begin, Frieren Episode 25 treats viewers to a gorgeous, if brief moment of magical combat. While Frieren has always kept herself to using purely basic attack magic in combat during previous fights, the gloves come off here. Viewers are treated to the first deeper look at her repertoire. This makes the moment not only dazzling but fresh. What we see here is strikingly different from anything else we get in the series.

In the middle of this sequence, we get a cutaway to one of Frieren’s flashbacks. We see Freiren once more meeting with Serie (Mariya Ise, Chainsaw Man), this time after Flamme has passed away. Frieren returns to Serie at Flamme’s request to deliver the deceased mage’s will. Through this will, we learn that Flamme has achieved her lifelong goal of bringing magic to humanity. This angers Serie, who thinks magic is special and only a few should wield it.

After reading the will, Serie invites Frieren to take a walk with her. As the pair walk, we get a lot of world-building concerning Flamme and humanity’s relationship with magic up to that point. The scene is gorgeously delivered. As the duo walk through sparkling, sunlit woods, the moment is bathed in warm colors. Further adding to the scene is an image of young Flamme, running about and calling to Serie.

While Serie emphasizes the differences between her and her pupil in her speech, the presence of young Flamme and how the scene presents her makes one question the honesty of Serie’s words. Much like Frieren referring to Flamme in the present day as “an unpleasant woman,” we still get the impression that the old master holds a far more important place in Frieren’s heart than she lets on. This similarity between the two elves reinforces the cyclical nature of Freiren’s journey.

The only complaint I have with this otherwise fabulous moment is its unfortunate placement within Frieren Episode 25. While cutaways like this are common, they always feel more directly connected to the present moment. They feel informative in some way, enriching the present day, rather than distracting from it. For the first time, the latter is true.

The episode wraps with a powerful shot of Fern, moments after she delivers the coup de gras. Despite the ill-conceived distraction and slow start, Frieren Episode 25 still delivers some great moments and gorgeous visuals. You know you have a fantastic series when this is its current low point.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 1 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.