REVIEW: ‘Delicious in Dungeon’ Episode 21 – “Eggs/The Golden Country”

As the journey to the bottom of the dungeon continues, we learn much is afoot in the outside world. With the politics surrounding the dungeon shifting, the party might run out of time to complete its quest. As if that wasn’t enough, Delicious in Dungeon Episode 21 (Dungeon Meshi), “Eggs/The Golden Country,” reveals that Laios (Kentarô Kumagai) may be the prophesied savoir meant to free a trapped people, held at the whims of the Lunatic Mage for over a millennium.

Rather than return to our main protagonists down in the dungeon, Delicious in Dungeon Episode 21 first catches up with Kabru (Wataru Kato, Kaiju No.8) and Shuro’s (Shinji Kawada) combined party as they reach the surface. While they initially plan to rest before delivering their report to the Lord of the Island, the presence of a Western Elf ship prompts them to make haste. We learn through Kabru that the elvish presence heralds potentially violent events, as he surmises they must be here to deal with the dungeon.

Kabru explains that he used to live near another town neighboring another dungeon. When the dungeon went out of control, the elves dealt with it. While the exact details are absent, Kabru clearly blames the elves for how brutal the death toll ultimately was. Of the entire town, he was the only survivor. Not wanting to see a repeat of those events, he and Shuro rush to the Lord’s house, hoping to intervene before it’s too late.

When the duo arrives at the lord’s house, they find Namari (Akira Miki) outside. It seems the elves have been in talks with the lord for hours, increasing Kabru’s fears that a disaster may be inevitable. Despite orders not to disturb them, Kabru and Shuro enter, hoping to keep the lord from handing the dungeon over to the elves.

The meeting with the elves is an intricately woven moment of personalities and politics. Each of the elven characters delivers a strong presence, both through their personality and visual design.  While there is a level of dismissiveness for Kabru’s concerns, it doesn’t feel heartless. The elves are presented as big-picture-focused characters here. They know what can happen if a dungeon isn’t maintained. While we only get Kabru’s memories of what the elves have done in the past, Delicious in Dungeon Episode 21 does hint at reasons why the elves take such drastic action when they see a dungeon going out of control.

It is also mentioned that one of the elven leaders in charge of securing Kabru’s hometown’s dungeon took him in since no one else remained to look after the boy. This important detail helps show that the elves do seem to be acting out of concern in these matters overall.

During this scene, we also learn more about Kabru’s motivations concerning the dungeon and Laois. While his presence in the story is tied up with his past and his town’s destruction, he has personal reasons for seeking out Laios and wanting to help him.

We learn that the reputation of both Laios and Falin is what drew Kabru to the dungeon’s town. Hearing about their kind-hearted generosity, Kabru hoped that they might be the adventurers who could help him. However, upon meeting Laios, he found himself less than impressed. A simpleton obsessed only with monsters, Kabru couldn’t believe Laios would be capable of aiding him. However, given where Laios and his party are, Kabru is forced to admit to himself that the less-than-optimum hero may be the best shot at putting the dungeon in check.

As the meeting with the elves wraps up, Kabru buys some time to hopefully diffuse the situation before the elves take control, potentially repeating the fate of his home. With the meeting wrapped up, Delicious in Dungeon Episode 21 returns to the dungeon to catch up with our heroes.

The back half of the story takes the dungeon party into some unexpected places. It opens with the discovery that the haunting figure born of Laios’ hallucinations is real. When Izutsumi (Mitsuho Kambe) constantly senses an unseen presence, Laios puts together that the ghost he thought he was hallucinating is real. The party quickly learns that the spirit is the one that saved them from a trap several episodes ago. The specter asks them to accompany him to a place of importance. With no other plan, the party agrees. They soon find themselves pulled into the walls by ghostly hands.

When they come to, Delicious in Dungeon Episode 21 sees the party in an idyllic setting. A cozy town nestled around a tall castle, surrounded by peaceful fields, awaits them. We learn this is place is known as the Golden Country. The people live in peace, even using monsters as livestock, with no concern. Marcille (Sayaka Senbongi) can sense a special barrier that keeps the monsters calm. This also seems to affect Izutsumi, who quickly regresses to a largely feline persona, clinging closely to Marcille in overtly cat-like ways.

While everything seems peaceful and ideal, the party learns the truth about the town. The people are ageless and require no food to eat. With no needs or dangers to contend with, the people have been left for over a millennium with little to do. They still grow crops, make clothes, and do other daily activities, though it is clear these are done purely to maintain some semblance of sanity. One can only do nothing for so long.

The biggest bit of news where our heroes are concerned, though, comes when the mayor of the town reveals a prophecy. Stating that a hero wielding a winged sword would save them from the captivity the Lunatic Mage has put them in, they believe that Laios is that hero.

The best part of the moment Laios’ prophesied status as savior is revealed is the reaction from his comrades. The utter panic and dread displayed by Chilchuck and Marcille at the potential of Laios trying to be anyone’s savior is priceless.

While the humor often falls short in this series, Studio TRIGGER nails this moment of visual humor. That Laios could be entrusted with such a task is laughable. After all, this is the guy who, upon seeing the sister he’d rushed off desperately to save transformed into a monstrous chimera, could only respond with, “That’s so cool.” The man doesn’t take anything other than cooking monsters particularly seriously.

With the final shot of the episode showing Laios grasping his sword with grim determination, it seems all but certain he will accept the town’s wish for him to save them. Whether or not the narrative can convince the audience that Laios is capable of such a task remains to be seen.

Delicious in Dungeon Episode 21 introduces some interesting new characters, as well as lots of new world-building. However, it also puts one of its stars on a path that may strain the audience’s suspension of disbelief. How well Laios can handle what this story places on his shoulders will be interesting to see.

Delicious in Dungeon Episode 21 is streaming now on Netflix.