REVIEW: ‘Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ Season 2 Episode 7 — “The Divine Revolte”

Frieren Season 2 Episode 7, “The Divine Revolte,” sees the party finish preparations for their confrontation with the Demon threat. As Frieren (Atsumi Tanezaki, Spy x Family), Fern (Kana Ichinose, NieR Automata ver1.1a), and Methode (Reina Ueda, Rascal Does Not Dream…) strike out to hunt the demons, Stark (Chiaki Kobayashi, Hell’s Paradise) and Genau (Tarusuke Shingaki, Bartender: Glass of God) stay behind to protect the fallen until they can be retrieved. 

Standing at the center of this episode is Genau. We continue to learn about the mage. From the opening flashback until the final frames, Frieren Season 2 Episode 7 continues to expand upon the character, diving deep into who he is.

The most significant thing the narrative explores is how Genau views himself. To hear him tell it, he is not a good person. In the opening flashback, where we see him and Methode first paired together, he confesses as much to her. We hear him espouse familiar sentiments that goodness, kindness, and compassion send people to their early graves. His cold demeanor seems consistent with these viewpoints, but it doesn’t all ring true. 

Frieren Season 2 Episode 7 explores Genau, paving the way for fascinating character growth.

Frieren Season 2 Episode 7 is littered with small examples of how Genau is far closer to being a good person, if he isn’t already, than he claims to be. Even in the opening flashback with Methode, as he claims not to be good, we see him casually feeding birds. In this very same scene, he tells Methode not to end up like him. A statement that directly contradicts his view of himself. If he cares so little, why warn her?

Highlighting Genau’s contradictions even further, Frieren Season 2 Episode 7 pairs him with Stark as they stay behind to guard the dead. Stark is the only character who holds a viewpoint of himself as contradictory as Genau’s. Stark’s inability to see himself as a brave person makes him the perfect person to share the stage with Genau. It is almost unfortunate that their time together gets cut short by the arrival of their adversary. 

The other side of Frieren Season 2 Episode 7 follows the portion of the group as they search for the demons. The standout element of this side of the story is an unfortunate miss. As the three women walk, Methode persuades Frieren to let her pet her and give her hugs, much to Fern’s disapproval. 

The team’s efforts to search for demons aren’t in vain.

Methode’s love of small, cute things has created some memorably heart-warming and laugh-worthy moments. Her hugging Frieren to test her hypnosis magic on her and her reaction to meeting Serie helped make the often stoic mage a standout of the Exam Arc. Sadly, Methode’s affectionate nature is taken a bit too far in this moment.

What kills the joke here is how long it is drawn out. A flashback, interaction with Frieren, and a tug of war for the elf with Fern are all strung together to make for an increasingly awkward moment. It takes a couple of off-the-cuff instances that felt funny due to a sense of random occurrence and tries to recreate them into one overly long bit, with diminishing results. 

Just like the boys back in town, the interpersonal interactions are interrupted by the arrival of their foes. With Methode squaring off against one demon on her own, Frieren leaves the second opponent to Fern, stating that this is a First-Class Mage job afterall. Fern’s concerns about her ability to best her foe are dismissed by Frieren, who assures her that she is up to the task.

Doubt clouds powerful characters in Frieren Season 2 Episode 7, offering a glimpse into their humanity.

Fern’s denial of her skills as a mage creates a fantastically unifying theme between the two parties. Like Genau and Stark, Fern’s denial of what she is capable of expands the narrative’s central element, allowing it to persist throughout the episode. 

The opening shots of the battles in Frieren Season 2 Episode 7 look great. Speed, danger, and awe are all woven into the presentation, allowing both heroes and villains to impress. The movement and attacks of the lead villain, Revolte (Shin’ichirô Miki, Trigun Stargaze), particularly stand out, as his four swords and serpentine body lash out at Stark and Genau, creating a truly threatening foe. 

Frieren Season 2 Episode 7 delivers some interesting character moments and sets up a great set of battles for the next episode. While its attempts at humor go a bit astray, the depth of its character and the beauty of its visuals more than make up for a couple of failed jokes.

Frieren Season 2 Episode 7 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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