REVIEW: ‘Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ Episode 26 — “The Height of Magic”

With Frieren (Atsumi Tanezaki) and Fern (Kana Ichinose) engaging the Frieren replica, the other mages seek to buy time for the battle to conclude. Splitting up, they seek to defeat as many of their replicas as possible while awaiting the outcome of the main battle in Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Sousou no Frieren) Episode 26, “The Height of Magic.”

Sometimes, I love being wrong, particularly when a series sets up a fake-out so well that I get completely taken. The presentation of Frieren’s “fatal flaw” in last week’s episode is such a moment. That they were cutting the battle too short for it to feel rewarding was a certainty to me. The flashback to Serie (Mariya Ise) took up too much time. But, as Frieren Episode 26 opens, it reveals I was wrong. The battle is still going, and what comes next is spectacular.

Opening with the dust still settling from Fern’s last attack, we see the Frieren replica summon what seems to be a gravity well in the palm of her hand. Its light-warping energy moves and expands until it commands the chamber’s enter center. It draws debris to itself to launch across the room. Countering this, Frieren gathers the rocks to format a war golem. Far more intimidating than the breakdancing one shown earlier in the series, the scale of the duel continues to grow throughout this sequence. The animation keeps pace as well. This delivers the best visuals the series has yet seen.

Outside, Frieren Episode 26 follows the other mages as they set up favorable duels with their replicas. As the clashes begin, the series continues its show of brilliant visual design while also smoothly building out how magic works. As this entry fleshes out the magic system, it reinforces that power level isn’t everything. This is best shown when Übel (Ikumi Hasegawa, Love After World Domination) is faced with Sense’s (Haruka Terui) replica.

While several mages have already been knocked out of the test through the power of Sense, Übel walks into her battle with the utmost confidence. She explains to her companions that she is a bad matchup for Sense. Her signature spell allows her to cut through anything she can conceive of cutting. What is more cuttable than hair? Even the real Sense, detecting the duel about to take place, knows Übel will win. This nuance that can allow a weaker mage to defeat a more powerful one gives so much more tension to battles.

This encounter teaches us more about Übel thanks to a flashback sequence. The incident where she killed a proctor for a previous mage exam is seen. While the moment isn’t as cold-blooded as originally implied, she does seem to have no qualms about seeing others die.

But even as the mages manage to defeat their opponents, they learn time is running out. The Spiegel is restoring the fallen replicas, making the battle utterly winless. All the mages can do is hold out, hoping they last until Frieren and Fern can smash their foe.

Frieren Episode 26 returns to the main hall as Freiren and Fern prepare the final moves in their duel. The episode does a great job of keeping how things will resolve hidden. Who will land the final blow on the replica is a tense guessing game that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.

The music once again comes through in spades. Delivering another powerful accompaniment for the pitched battle, even Call still has tricks up his sleeve, as illustrated by the series’ score. The score’s work enhances the driving energy of the moment immeasurably.

The highlight of this moment isn’t the final blow, though. It’s the revelation that comes after. When Fern lands a fatal strike on the replica, her foe lashes out with a power Fern has never felt before. Smashing her into the wall, Fern struggles to grasp this energy. While the replica focuses on Fern, Frieren dismantles it, saving her apprentice.

As Frieren helps Fern up, we learn the attack was the greatest in Frieren’s arsenal. One she hasn’t used for 80 years. Fern realizes the attack the replica unleashed on her was one saved for the Demon King himself. Despite her pain, the compliment isn’t lost on the young mage.

Frieren Episode 26 manages to not only deliver a fantastic entry but also rights the biggest complaints I had with its predecessor. The scale and spectacle is on full display here. With only one more test, I cannot wait to see what comes next in the First Class Mage Exam.

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