#The Emilia camp cares about Subaru so much
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How many worlds need to be unmade to separate you from the ones you love?
#I think it is incredibly important for people to remember that it took Al 5765 tries for him to separate Subaru from the Emilia camp#Even excluding Roswaal’s craziness#That is still 1704 tries#And even then#Al still couldn’t separate Subaru from Beatrice and Garfiel and Petra#The Emilia camp cares about Subaru so much#Anyway I hope the rest of arc 9 is about the Emilia camp going on a bunch of side adventures#re:zero#rezero#al rezero#rem rezero#ram rezero#emilia re:zero#roswaal l mathers#otto suwen#frederica baumann#subaru natsuki#beatrice#arc 9 spoilers
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Honestly the reaction ficlets are more of a setup for. Something else.
Reaction Fic Aftermath: The Inn
“Subaru, maybe this isn’t—”
“—and we have arrived!” Subaru enthusiastically slammed the door open. “Bonjour! Hello! The Emilia Camp is here, so let the meeting commence!”
“S-Subaru?!” Ferris shrieked, his eyes widening. He was sitting in one of the chairs holding a cup of tea, which had now spilled down his front. He didn’t seem to care. “Subaru, what— WHY ARE YOU HERE?!”
“What are you doing here?” Crusch demanded, quickly standing up. She turned to face Emilia. “What is he doing here?” she snapped. “Why did you let him come here in this state?”
“I—” Emilia stammered.
“We’re here because of Anastasia’s great deal, of course!” The merchant in question was sitting right across from the healer and his Lady, all three of whom had startled violently at his introduction — as had Wilhelm, Ricardo, and the Pearlbaton triplets, all of whom had been standing over their shoulders. Wilhelm was staring at him with a horrible look on his face. Subaru grinned at him, and felt his stomach tie itself into a knot when that look only deepened in response. “I know we got sidetracked with — uh — but you didn’t forget the whole purpose of this meeting, right? Emilia-tan needs her father figure back after all, and you said you could hook us up with a lead on a good crystal he could snuggle himself back to sleep in! We’re a little later than planned but now that we’re here, why don’t we get right—”
“You shouldn’t be here,” Ricardo interrupted, voice harsh in a way that Subaru realized he had never heard from him before. A hand clasped around his arm, gently but firmly. “We need to talk about what just happened, and you absolutely should not be here for that. Now come on, we’ve got some spare bedrooms where ya can lie down —”
“I don’t need rest!” Subaru objected loudly, shaking him off. “And we don’t need to talk about it. I can sum up the major talking points right now! It was a really weird experience, I— I’m a lot less useful than everyone thought, and let’s all hope it doesn’t happen again! There, done!”
“That is not—!”
“Why is Subaru even here?” Wilhelm demanded. Subaru flinched at the pointed lack of a ‘-dono’ suffix. It made sense that the Sword Demon had retired the nickname after the events of — of — but it still stung, much more harshly than Subaru would have anticipated. It made him want to cry. “Lady Emilia, you must have known that we would need to talk about — why did you bring him here for that?”
“I— I thought that leaving him out of it would be mean!” Emilia stammered. “Nobody likes being talked about behind their back, right?“
“He is clearly in no state to participate in any discussion right now, and especially not about this!” Crusch retorted. “Allowing him to come to this meeting was cruel, and I must insist—”
“Hey, that’s pretty rude!” Subaru broke in, voice high-pitched in an attempt to sound as cheerful as possible. “I’m right here, aren’t I? And I can make my own decisions, you know: picked out my own outfit this morning and everything—”
“Subaru, stop talking,” Ferris snapped, visibly frazzled. “This isn’t the time for jokes, just—”
“Who said I was joking? My style might not be the same as yours, but I think I’m very fashionable, thank you very—”
“Subaru?!” a new voice shrieked. Subaru spun around to see Felt in the doorway, accompanied by an equally-horrified Reinhard. Behind them, Rachins had already started to back away. “What are you— you shouldn’t be here! Isn’t that common sense?!”
Subaru flinched, but tried to play off the growing hurt. “You wound me!” he crowed, hand to chest in a theatrical pose. “But I forgive you, because clearly you are confused from the long journey and still a little jetlagged—”
“What is— Subaru, don’t sidestep this! Get out!”
“There’s really no need for— I can behave myself just fine! I know I was horrible last year but I’ll definitely do my best today, so it’ll be—”
“That’s not what I—!”
“Lady Felt is right, Subaru,” Reinhard insisted, stepping forward. “Why don’t we just—”
“I don’t need to ‘just’ anything! Why would you half-ass your work when you can give it your best—”
“Natsuki-kun.”
“—And yes, that is I! Natsuki Subaru!” Subaru spun to face the speaker, finger guns at the ready. “How can I help you, Lady Anastasia? You need some sewing advice, or — well there’s not much I can do, but I promise to try my—”
“Natsuki-kun.” Anastasia’s voice was gentle, amidst all the shouting. “Ya don’t need to do this.”
Somehow it was that gentle tone that came the closest to making Subaru burst into tears on the spot. He could feel himself starting to shake, and took a step back. “I…” He desperately fought back his tears: he couldn’t cry! Not here, not now— not after THAT, when they already thought so lowly of him— and had every reason to think— “I-I…”
“…and we could probably stand to— you’re HERE?!”
Subaru relaxed very slightly at the sight of the grape-haired asshole, who had only just walked in alongside his — his little brother, right, the one who had come to deliver the initial invitation. There, this could work. He’d just provoke him like he always does and then things would go back to normal.
“Hey, asshat, how’s the past year been?” he tossed out immediately. “Met your little brother the other day, I think I like him more than you actually—”
“Subaru, stop that,” Ricardo said immediately. “This isn’t the time, just—”
“You beat up any more peasants while I was gone? Hope you didn’t, that’s not a great look you know—”
“Will ya please just calm down a second here—!”
“I mean what— what would your pa— your parents think of you for doing something like—”
“No!” Ricardo snapped. Subaru flinched away from him violently. “Do not finish that sentence! Yer behaving very badly right now, kid— you need to leave before you say something you won’t be able to take back—!”
“Captain, that’s too harsh!”
“Yer gonna freak him out even—”
“What are you talking about?” Subaru tried to laugh off. He felt dizzy. “I’m not — it’s the rest of you who are— freaked out right now—”
“Will one of nya PLEASE take care of nyer knyight already?!” Ferris cried, turning to face the other members of the Emilia Camp, all various shades of lost and panicked. “If he won’t leave on his own, then—”
“On it— c’mon, Captain, let’s just—”
The hand on his bicep was gentle, but for a moment it felt like the world’s most dangerous vice grip had threatened to close around his arm. Subaru recoiled violently. “Don’t—!”
Garfiel flinched away, eyes wide with hurt. Subaru felt a stab of guilt and immediately tried to laugh it off. “Wait— Garf, you just startled me, that’s it! It’s not— It’s not like I thought —”
“Will one of nyew who DIDN’T try to kill him— Oh crap I think that’s pretty much all of nya isn’t it—”
“That’s half the people in this room Od damn it—”
“It’s not like it ever really— you weren’t even supposed to KNOW about this, so can’t we just—” Subaru wanted to cry. He really, really wanted to cry. “It wasn’t that big a deal and it never happened! So just drop it already so we can go back to—”
“Subaru that is a VILE suggestion—!”
“Why do any of you even care?!” Subaru didn’t even know what he was saying anymore. He was talking too fast. His blood was roaring in his ears. He was going to pass out. “You didn’t— didn’t care before, so why is it suddenly—” A flash of anger suddenly cleared his panicked mind, like a bolt of lightning through a stormcloud. “All of you are just faking this!”
Ferris stared at him, mouth agape. “WHAT?!”
“Yeah, okay, I get it! You don’t actually give a shit! This is a ploy to get us to— to step out of the election, or give up something important, or—”
“Subaru, sto—!” Emilia’s voice barely reached his ears.
“Well it’s not gonna work! I already know that sort of trick and I’m calling your bluff now, so you’ll just have to find a way to fight us fair and—”
“Natsuki Subaru, that is ENOUGH!”
Subaru squeaked, finally falling silent. The rest of the room fell quiet as well. Julius rarely got angry enough to raise his voice like that, but when he did, people listened.
A look of guilt briefly flashed through the man’s eyes before hardening into — something else. A large hand wrapped around his wrist and pulled, hard, with Subaru finding himself forced to stumble along as his senior knight pulled him further into the inn.
“I am removing my junior from this situation,” he told Anastasia, bowing briefly and slightly as he moved past her. “Please feel free to start without us.”
“Thank you, Julius,” Anastasia said. He saw Crusch mutter something to Ferris, who bowed wordlessly before starting after them, but Subaru was pulled out of the room entirely before the knight could catch up.
“Now,” he heard Anastasia say as they rounded the corner, out of sight. Her voice suddenly sounded much colder. “I think we need ta have a bit of a talk…”
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A while ago someone asked you for your thoughts on Garfiel. I figured the sibling set should be complete, so what are your thoughts on Frederica?
HALLO FINNB!!! interesting question :o my thoughts on frederica are. a little mixed. but ultimately i think what we’ve seen from her so far is interesting and that she has a lot of potential here.
we just dont know all that much about her :(( on one level i get it—rezeros cast is immense and naturally tappei has to rotate through everyone and give every character focus and spotlight at different times. but bc we dont know that much about frederica i feel like shes mostly just Kinda There, yknow? :<< we know way more about garfiel and i feel like frederica being kept on the backburner for so long kinda works against her and the emilia camp in general writing wise just bc she just has to be stuck in I Havent Had My Character Arc Limbo when the emilia camp is the main group we see consistently for rezeros main route ig. or at least thats my thoughts on it atm :<<
plus i was honestly kinda sad frederica didnt get to go along in arc 5 If Only bc she didnt get to see what her mom is up to firsthand. then theres the actual arc 4-5 interlude with frederica and garf trying to bond after sanctuary that i HOPE gets included in s3 :<< frederica is just lacking in screentime and literally almost any info at all for sure. which makes me sad bc tappei LET ME IN I WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT HER !!! >:(((
and again i get it that tappei cant develop every character in existence at the same time. dude has to juggle the most massive cast especially by arc 7. but definitely this has its drawbacks especially with the way tappei writes everyone. bc at the moment frederica is one of the characters suffering the most from it—she appeared all the way back in arc 4 and four arcs later i cannot tell you all that much about her :<
i do think though that what we do see from her so far is interesting!! her insecurity regarding her appearance, like her sharp teeth, her being so fond of petra while also being so dead set on disciplining petra firmly when needed (which is sweet!!!), that one ss where frederica takes care of ram when shes feeling more under the weather than usual (which is Again super super adorable), frederica listening with a smile as emilia gushes about subaru to her. and also her just flatly pitying otto and hearing this guy say hes totally normal and being like “he Literally cannot perceive himself accurately at all” + dropping otto in the anime just to hug petra is fucking hilarious i need fredotto fics to actually acknowledge this.
but also other details like—and ok granted i dont remember every detail on frederica (yet) but leaving garfiel like that is still kind of. a dick move HAH. and i know her reason was smth along the lines of wanting to improve the outside world for demihumans iirc but like whats her Full Reasons for doing all that?? what was she even planning to do?? why couldnt she talk to or see garfiel more in this entire time period?? i think it comes with the interesting implication that frederica isnt entirely as nice and sweet as she looks—or at least that of course she herself is flawed. which is fun!!
also her relationship with clind is. ………..naturally of course i dont trust tappei with anything regarding children and clinds weird shit with children but ignoring tappei for a moment i do at least appreciate the complicated thoughts frederica has about clind. how she had feelings for him once and they still linger but she keeps her distance bc hes like That, you know? that feeling of broken trust and “i cared for you now what do i do with This Feeling” is So interesting to me i just hate clind’s whole thing with children bc tappei will never write it in an entirely serious and satisfactory manner 😭 BUT greed if and the dynamic between frederica and clind and frederica having to help kill / kill clind bc of greedbaru and echidnas shit is SO interesting (and clinds lore apart from being Creepy About Children is very interesting). but also poor frederica……….. ;-;
and poor frederica bc if the rumors about her getting more development by like arc 10 or 11 are true then shes gonna be stuck in I Havent Gotten Development Yet Limbo for a while ;-;
but yeah anyway. the frederica crumbs so far are interesting, the shit going on with frederica and garfiels family is Interesting, and i definitely dont trust tappei with children 👍 but i hope we get more info on frederica and that her character arc slaps really hard !! i Need to learn more about her!!!
im not fully familiar with fredericas side of the complicated family drama but if memory serves me right her birth was. not an entirely happy affair bc her poor mom has been through A Lot of shit and frederica was a product of that. and then her mom later tries to go find garfiel’s dad. like all of that is just so incredibly sad to me and again, i wish frederica was there to see what happened to her mom in arc 5, and also im curious about how thats affected frederica more in depth. knowing she wasnt exactly wanted. having these demihuman features from her dad (im assuming), whos also One Of the people who hurt her mom. knowing that she was born a burden, learning that her mom cant entirely take care of her and isnt in a stable life situation and almost certainly isnt mentally stable herself. garfiel coming along and their mom leaving. frederica leaving garfiel in sanctuary herself. her growing up admiring clind, which is an unfortunate parallel to what couldve happened with her mom and garfiel’s dad. its just so so tragic to me and theres a lot of things you could explore there!!
frederica to me seems like someone whos probably grown up too fast, who comes off as composed and very disciplined and likes taking care of others but also fumbles a little at growing closer and is insecure and uncertain herself even as shes good at being the older and wiser one to petra and later garfiel a bit. but also we dont know much about her so im kinda just spitballing here but she has potential methinks :,) im definitely sad that it seems like the fact that shes a pretty anime waifu or whatever kinda overtakes discussions on her character sometimes ;-;
and also one of my pals is really passionate about animals and gave me a whole lecture once a few years ago on why they think fredericas beast form design fucking sucks and i cant remember all of their points now but like i Will back them up i think garfiel and fredericas beast forms could look better but im not an expert at illustrating animals so HAH i cant speak on that. but def the eyebrows on the beast designs is so…… whaaaaat is that 😭 go FULL beast design or NOTHING. WHERE IS MY EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA BUFF FREDERICA BEAST DESIGN !!!
also ngl i just think frederica looks really cute in this shot <333 ALSO iirc she feels like she cant wear cute outfits bc shes insecure about her body and :((((( GIVE THIS GIRL ALL THE CUTEST OUTFITS IN THE WORLD PLEASE :((( and also i just think its a tragedy just how much shes sexualized :(( and i just think there are. a lot of AFAB specific and girlhood specific themes you could explore with fredericas storyline but tappei is tappei so all the foundation is there but idk if i entirely trust him. but on another level i think its fascinating yeah!!! sad how much it flies over audiences heads sometimes.
in conclusion: i like frederica i hope we see more stuff from her. and im crying about how she reportedly wont be getting development for a wall :<<<<
#ask#rezero#re:zero#frederica baumann#PUT THIS GIRL IN ALL THE CUTE OUTFITS HER HEART DESIRES !! i need to see more cute art of her :<<#and on a serious level i think in general frederica and her mom as characters hit Different also as an afab person#;-;;;;; their plotlines….. ;-;;;;;;;;;
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Echidna (ask character meme)
Now the real question is - which version of Echidna? >:3 Let's go with the Echidna Subaru interacts with.
Sexuality Headcanon: She's somebody who would be curious about all forms of love as part of her thirst for knowledge, so I can see her being interested in anybody that could provide a new experience.
A ship I have with said character: Hmmm, Emidona maybe? I've seen some cute fanart and it is funny seeing Echidna lose her shit over Emilia just being nice to people.
A BROTP I have with said character: Toxic brotp has to go to Subaru, but like... any of the witches works. I really want to see more about them interacting, but I've been slacking lately. Oh, and if we're counting all forms of Echidna, then Omega and Palmyra and Colette is pretty interesting.
A NOTP I have with said character: Subaru. I dont mind it if its portrayed as a very toxic ship, where its very clearly wrong, but it feels weird seeing a witch willing to let him die millions of times for her curiosity just have a happy relationship with him. Sends a bad message to me.
Oh and Echidna/Roswaal. That one's just...yeesh.
A random headcanon: Scarfdona has a lot more going on behind the scenes (Capella trying to hunt her down in Cat's Eye, for example) but I have a strong feeling Echidna intentionally made her in a way to obscure certain knowledge (like how she was made, her purpose, memories) just so that if Echidna-As-Omega were to meet her, it'd be a goldmine of new info.
But I could be very wrong! I just want more info on how exactly the different Echidna's matter to the plot.
General Opinion over said character: Very polarised. Witch Echidna was fascinating, I love her long rant in the WN/LN (which got fully adapted in the manga as a whole page spread!! 2000 words over like two pages) and the sheer psychological horror she poses during arc 4 as Subaru's surrogate parent - super good. Her relationship with Beatrice is so cruel but there's so much you can do with that dynamic. I don't care for Echidna and Roswaal's dynamic beyond how messed up it makes Roswaal, but even there I can admire the writing.
But I'm not really fond of the several different Echidna's running around. I can understand Omega, but Scarfdona doesn't even have a unique name. I have very mixed feelings about Scarfdona, from her shortening Ana's lifespan by spamming Jiwald uselessly to her muted role in the Ana camp (Only Ana knows her, despite meeting Scarfdona when she was 12. I know she's an intelligent character but keeping that under wraps for 10 years??) It just feels like that iteration is very lackluster compared to what we've expected from Dream Echidna and Omega.
Thanks for the ask!!
#ask#echidna rezero#rezero#I could say a lot more about scarfdona but im reserving judgment for when I finish cats eye#So far though its a mixed bag#May need to reread arc 6 to properly decide
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Oh the timeloop factor is absolutely imperative to this not just becoming a feel-good au where Kenichi and Naoko know their son is okay. Even though it's still partly that. Because even if it seems good at first, this follows canon so he's absolutely not fucking okay.
I set the reunion during the timeskip, where there are no loops, but that doesn't mean Subaru isn't absolutely traumatized. All the great fluff concepts Tumblr user Sufferu gave are awesome, but there's another side of the coin here.
Subaru having panic attacks should be nothing new to the Natsukis (he'd have them every day before school) but they were never quite like... This. It's beyond social anxiety, it's trauma. Seeing their son break down so violently out of no where would terrify them- what the fuck happened??? Why does NO ONE in the Emilia camp have an explanation? They were with him the whole time, and he CERTAINLY wasn't like this when he left home, so when did this happen? Why won't he tell them?
And then there's the self harm aspect of it too. We know from Beako in arc 6 that he'd started cutting over the timeskip but self harming behavior has been present in him since arc 2. I honestly think he'd do his best to hide that from his parents, he never wanted to show how much he was struggling to them to begin with. He'd probably think he was breaking their hearts, he'd probably regress to the same guilt he felt back on earth.
But at the same time, he did learn a lesson from the trial. That his parents love him. So maybe he'd still be more willing to talk to them. Maybe not about everything. But his feelings at least. If anything it's possible he comes out of the timeskip feeling even better than in the canon timeline!
(And on a tangential note, if all his friends start really liking his dad, some of his insecurities around living up to him might return too- maybe he'd withdraw a little before eventually everyone kinda reassures him that they knew Subaru first, that Subaru is their friend that they care about, and SUBARU is the one with amazing accomplishments under his belt. Kind of a reversal of his childhood. Subaru is not Natsuki Kenichi's son, Kenichi is Natsuki Subaru's father.)
Anyway. The timeskip eventually ends. Arc 5 happens. And 6 and so forth (but I don't imagine Naoko and Kenichi would come to the watchtower, they might come to Vollachia out of worry)
If they accompany everyone to Priestella, they may even go on that walk with Subaru when he savepoints. They'd have to see his reactions to RBD. Imagine you're having a normal pleasant conversation with your son one moment and then, out of absolutely NOWHERE, he starts screaming and completely breaking down, inconsolably so. And then he's in a hurry to leave. What just happened?
And God forbid he has to watch his parents die at any point. He's seen his friends die so many times, even Roswaal points out that he no longer feels grief at their deaths, just shock and anger. But no grief. Because it can be undone.
But watching his parents die would be... Different. He loves everyone in the Emilia camp so much, I don't want to understate that, but these are his PARENTS! The people who raised him, the people who seem stronger than anyone to him. The safest people to be around, the ones who protect him. His parents.
How would he feel seeing the unreachable goal that is his father actually die? The man he saw as his role model, something to always try and live up to, the strongest man in the world to him. And he just dies, as easily as anyone else, and Subaru has to watch. It doesn't feel like it's possible for THE Natsuki Kenichi to die, come on, it's a joke. Please wake up. Please save the day like usual. Please.
Or Naoko? The person that he calls "the woman he respects most," the one who told him that it's not how you start but how it ends. And it ends for her painfully, bloody, all the love and bubbliness she possessed entirely gone. All the pride and reverence he holds for her has become a corpse. He's scared, he wants to cry to her, but there's no answer. He's just a kid and he wants his mom.
And the worst thing would be if either or BOTH of them died protecting him. This can be undone, he can reset. But he would have preferred dying before them anyway. There's no reality in which they should die for him. He can reset. They shouldn't waste their lives when he'll reset.
But in timelines where he does die before them... He's watching them watch their son die. He knows the impossible grief he's forcing on them, just like in the second trial. Is there any way you can unsee that? On either side? How can he do anything but cling to them and sorrowfully apologize after. And they'll never understand where this came from.
He'd feel guilty. The guilt he had back on earth would come back tenfold. Why did they have to come here too? Why did any version of them have to suffer these deaths? Why did they have to look for him? They should leave. They should hate him. He shouldn't be their son. He shouldn't have been born. Then maybe they'd be living their happy lives on earth, and none of this would have happened. If he wasn't so useless as a son he could have taken better care of them. He'll always be that same failure. He's so sorry.
I'm imagining a rz au where Satella accidentally isekais Kenichi (While he's holding Naoko's hand or something) and then she's like "ah fuck got the wrong guy again hold on." And a few minutes later she grabs Subaru, and the rest of arcs 1-4 play out exactly the same from his perspective. Meanwhile his parents are off in some other part of the country, living more mundane fantasy lives after the initial "what's going on where are we is that guy a lizard" shock. And naturally they're worried about their son being by himself on earth, wondering where they went, barely getting by all alone etc. until one day they hear about the amazing new knight who defeated the Great Rabbit and White Whale, Natsuki Subaru! And they're like what the fuck
#sorry i made a cute concept to counter w the sadness of the canon storyline only to make it sad again it's my curse#here's a funny concept for this to even it out again:#kenichi catches subaru once again staring a julius for his ''long legs and supple hips'' and hes like you know it's okay if you're gay righ#and subaru's like WHAT!!!!!!!#also imagine them seeing arc 7/8 babybaru. their hearts would melt. despite everything#i also think they'd he absolutely taken by beako. remember she's their actual daughter in school:if!!! natsuki beatrice my beloved#it's so sweeeeet <3#also sorry it took a while for me to write this up through the day ignore typos or stuff like that it's just been between stuff#re:zero
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First time read through light novel vol. 7. Random thoughts.
Through some kind of mistake, Rem had completely accepted Subaru, but he knew all too well that the Subaru Natsuki she saw was an ideal far removed from the real thing. Compared with the man she envisioned in her mind, the cards that the real Subaru held were few in number, and poor in quality—
But he learned, now that he stood at the playing table, no one cared about his personal problems.
All anyone in his position could do was try to win with the cards he was dealt.
This is sign I think Subaru has grown a little bit, though he is still growing. It's not about him, and Ferris later seems like he's trying to drill that into him a bit more later when Subaru wants to help with the battle preparations. It's good that he wants to help but sometimes he's unintentionally making things too much about himself, just to ease his own feelings. There are places where he would be getting in the way if he tried to help and Subaru's learning to accept that; to be patient and give his services where he can actually be of use, not just to help himself feel better. And damn, does he put that new maturity to good use in the big battle.
Originally, these negotiations had been Rem’s appointed duty. He could easily imagine how being unable to divulge her task to Subaru and having to speak with Crusch day after day had whittled away at her spirit.
Subaru had continually rotted by himself while the future of the Emilia camp had been entrusted to her—she must have suffered under that burden.
He hoped that in some small way, this victory repaid the girl whose feelings had supported him for so long; if so, then for the moment, that was enough for Subaru to be happy.
I really like this part. Again, it's not all about Subaru. He's acknowledging how much Rem's had to deal with while he was having his breakdowns and indulgences during his prior loops, and how much she still did what she could to support him in spite of it all. We're getting a little more that she does have a life outside of just Subaru and a little more added on to why he feels he's been so selfish. It really feels like he is now doing this for her. It's not like Subaru was completely self-centered before but I imagine there were times, especially with Emilia, where he wanted to help, but he wanted to be the one to help. He wanted good things for her but part of him cared more that he was the one giving them to her, verses her just getting what she needs in general. It's like how he couldn't feel happy that Otto was in support of Emilia first time he met him, though of course that was when he was at one of his lowest points.
And, of course, I'm absolutely reveling in all the sweetness of Rem supporting Subaru through his negotiations. Even if it's just holding his hand and reminding him she's there, he clearly appreciates the strength and courage it's giving him. Obviously they're not a romantic couple but this is the kind of stuff I love to see in romantic relationships. Just the basic comfort and support they find in each other's presence.
“...If I am gone, will you remember me just as long?”
“...I don’t wanna answer that. It’s bad luck.”
Speaking with a voice of dismay, Subaru gave Rem’s forehead a little poke.
When he touched Rem’s forehead, she smiled with a happy expression, almost as if she’d received the reply she had been hoping for.
Given something I believe I've been spoiled on for what happens later in the story (after where the anime leaves off), this feels like a very cruel monkey's paw bit of foreshadowing.
“Subaru.”
“...What?”
“I am fine with being your second wife.”
They were words to make a man unwittingly halt in his tracks.
When Subaru, unable to resist, looked toward her, Rem made a face like that of an adorable puppy, seemingly wagging her tail as she awaited Subaru’s reply.
Oh, good grief, just how far is this girl gonna—?
“If Emilia-tan’s a very generous first wife...”
“Well then, when we get back you must convince Lady Emilia. I shall try hard as well.”
Rem clenched the hand not grasped into a fist, very animated as she spoke with a smile.
Speaking jokingly like that broke all the tension, driving home to Subaru how weak he was. He truly couldn’t hold a candle to the girl.
I'm...going to have to see where the story goes from here, and how truly joking/serious Rem was with that second wife line. Just to put it out there, I don't really have a good view of polygamy. I'm always going to think that, 1st wife or 2nd or 3rd or wherever, someone is always going to be treated like second best and second priority. What they're receiving doesn't feel like real love and that's not fair to them. The only way I can see myself supporting a polygamous marriage in this series is if it's made clear Emilia and Rem are attracted to each other as well as Subaru and want to bang. Then it at least becomes three people who love each other as opposed to just "the guy and his two prizes".
So, first time you read this part in the novels or watched it in the anime, was anyone else afraid of the White Whale not showing up where and when Subaru told everyone it would? Like the world would just want to gut punch him one more time and have everyone think he's a fraud? I remember I was.
One theory I have for why the witch's scent grows stronger, not just when Subaru RBD, but also when he tries to talk about RBD is that maybe the witch likes when he acknowledges her "gift" to him. But she's also quite screwed up and doesn't like it when he tries to "share" what's between them, thus why she punishes him or those around him for doing so.
In front, behind and up above, he saw yet another whale-shaped figure high in the sky, scattering mist all around.
—The infinite mouths of the three White Whales laughed together, drawing out the despair of men.
Subaru, Crusch, the soldiers, everyone, etc.
Though pests had interrupted it, the White Whale’s mission was to cover the world in mist. This, too, was the command of its instinct, and doing so was the purpose of the White Whale’s existence.
One thing I've enjoyed about the various light novel series I've been reading is that, compared to their anime, I get a better idea of various characters' and monsters' mentalities. The best example I could give would be the goblins in Goblin Slayer (that they are not mindless creatures; that they know EXACTLY what they're doing to people and they enjoy it) and this bit with the White Whale is another good one. It seeks to cover the world in its mist and thus destroy/consume/erase everything (maybe?) And it doesn't know why it seeks to do this. It just does, suggesting there is something else, possibly the one behind its creation, driving it.
It's also interesting that, to the White Whale, the witch's scent is described as foul, despite the stories that she's the one who created it. This brings to mind a couple different theories.
Satella didn't actually create the whale. Someone else, perhaps one of the other six witches did or one of the archbishops.
Satella did create the whale but maybe used one of the other witches to do it. Puck did mention something about Gluttony when he sensed the whale approaching in the last loop.
Satella REALLY cannot tell the difference between positive and negative emotions, even more so than we were already led to believe.
Kind of cruel of Rem to trick Subaru into thinking she was dying, but at least we do get Subaru's completely true feelings out in the open. Back to the polygamy matter, I don't have a problem with Subaru being indecisive between Emilia and Rem or being in love with them both. It's not just that they've done so much for him, in which case the relationship would feel just like how Emilia described, just the two of them repaying debts to each other. Both women have been a hugely positive influence on Subaru's life. They've impacted it for the better and helped push him into being more of a man he can live with being, and it works the other way around too. It would be hard to imagine his story without either of them in it. I feel the same way with Code Geass in regards to CC, Shirley, and Kallen in Lelouch's story. It was the only "harem" series I've ever watched where I had trouble saying who the MC should end up with, because all three were irreplaceable in his life and story. Take any of them out and it loses a lot. Emilia and Rem are a similar case.
As Rem looked back at Subaru, now beside her, large tears filled her blue eyes. It was not being left behind that she feared. No, what she feared more than anything was—
“When you are in distress, Subaru, I want to be the one offering my hand faster than anyone. When you hesitate along your path, I want to be the one pushing on your back. When you challenge something, I want to be at your side, stopping you from shaking. That is—that is all I wish for. So please...”
Again, more great parallels between Subaru and Rem, as this isn't dissimilar to what he wanted to do for Emilia.
Wilhelm might just be the biggest example of a tsundere I've ever seen. Married a woman he loved from the bottom of heart for what was assumedly a decent amount of time...never freaking told her "I love you" until he finally killed the beast that killed her.
As for Theresia, it's definitely a case of why context is so important. She never wanted to be the Sword Saint. She only did so because she found purpose in saving as many lives as she could with the insane power she had (the whole "great power, great responsibility" chestnut). If Wilhelm is strong enough to protect and save people, to where her absence would make no difference, then she doesn't have to be the Sword Saint anymore and can live the life she wants. It's what makes it an actual kindness vs. some chauvinistic BS. Probably helps too that she'd already helped put an end to a long war, so she wouldn't have been needed as much anyway.
“So it is said. The existence and origins of demon beasts are mysteries to us. Some propagate in the same manner as ordinary living creatures, but some suddenly appear out of nowhere like the White Whale. Though, properly speaking, the only exceptions on par with the White Whale are the Black Serpent and the Great Hare.”
Oh...I'm so not looking forward to meeting those two. After how much tragedy just the White Whale caused, what the f**k are those things going to do? My money would be that whatever it is, it will hurt Subaru quite horribly.
This book potentially answered a question I had in my last post. The Witch Cult is after Emilia because they see her as an impostor of the Witch of Envy, or at least so the characters in-story are speculating.
Not sure how many people here are fans of Rising of the Shield Hero but after this I kind of want to see the White Whale and the Spirit Tortoise duke it out. That sounds awesome. Mountain Turtle vs. Witch Fish.
Original Reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Re_Zero/comments/gub735/novels_first_time_read_through_light_novel_vol_7/
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POINT/COUNTERPOINT: Rem and Subaru Are the Best Re:ZERO Couple, Actually
Editor's Note: This is the second of dueling articles analyzing the best relationship of Re:ZERO. Emilia fans click here.
When it comes to love triangles, the main character and first love interest usually end up together, and the second love interest is mainly used to test the bond between the MC and the first love interest. Even if the second love interest is likable, the main couple often feels superior. That isn't the case in Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-.
Emilia captured Subaru's heart first, but with how the story and development of characters progress, at times, it doesn't feel like Emilia and Subaru are the destined couple of the series. It's not a matter of preferring one pairing over the other, but rather the story itself presents a strong case for Rem. Let's explore Re:ZERO's unique approach to the love triangle trope and how the relationships develop.
Emilia and Subaru
When Subaru arrives in Lugnica, he's saved by Emilia after finding himself in a dangerous situation. Utterly grateful, Subaru helps Emilia find her insignia and they get to know each other as they journey throughout the city. At first glance, this is a sweet encounter. Here are these two characters who, at this point, don't have many people to lean on, enjoying each other's company. Watching Season 1, I initially interpreted Subaru's affection toward Emilia as less romantic love and more idealization, building up this perfect person in his head because it doesn't feel like there are many defining moments showing why Subaru is so drawn to Emilia. While there are cute moments bringing them together, to me, there were actually stronger moments highlighting Emilia's confusion about Subaru's affection toward her and the tension it brings.
Subaru always says he's doing everything for Emilia's sake. Emilia IS Subaru's strongest motivation, but constantly seeing Subaru hurt starts to overwhelm her. Emilia isn't ungrateful, but she doesn't understand why Subaru's pushing himself so hard. Without realizing it, Subaru is inflicting Emilia with a sense of guilt and distrust. Emilia allows Subaru to accompany her to the capital, but he doesn't listen to her, embarrasses her, and puts himself in danger, once again claiming it's all for her. Frustrated, Emilia delivers a powerful speech, shedding the perspective that Subaru may be partaking in these crazy situations, not for her, but for his pride. Which I can understand because Subaru wants to be better than who he was. All Subaru wants is for someone to understand what he's going through, while Emilia just wants to be treated normally. Sadly, the characteristics they desire from one another aren't achievable at this time.
Emilia and Subaru reunite at the end of Season 1 and the issues they faced were more or less cleared up. They even share a touching moment with Emilia offering to help carry the burden Subaru feels from failing Rem. With Emilia and Subaru in a better position at the beginning of Season 2, I was excited to see the progression of their relationship, but there were still issues holding them back.
Season 2 focuses on liberating the sanctuary in which Emilia has to undergo trials to do so, and they're no joke! Emilia's having a difficult time completing them because of obstacles holding her back, like confronting her past. Since Subaru loves Emilia, he's willing to take on the trials for her so she doesn't have to suffer, but Emilia is having none of that! I understand Subaru wants to help Emilia, but she gets annoyed with Subaru over this suggestion. It's her journey, her past she needs to overcome. By trying to do it for her, I felt Subaru was unintentionally undermining Emilia's strength and ability to complete this challenge on her own, stunting her growth as a character. Subaru means well, but this is another instance where his ideals get in the way. By only seeing Emilia as this girl he needs to protect, he fails to see who she really is and what she needs to do for herself and those around her.
Subaru also dislikes showing weakness in front of Emilia, preventing them from growing closer. In Episode 35, Emilia expresses how she felt relieved seeing Subaru's vulnerability for the first time. Subaru would rather Emilia never witness that side of him because he doesn't want her to see him as a "weak, helpless loser." This moment shows Subaru can't be 100 percent real with Emilia. Even though Subaru's been able to unwind around Emilia before, he still felt ashamed. Feeling like he needs to be seen as "cool and collected" is another issue preventing their relationship from maturing. For so long, Subaru has only seen one side of Emilia, and he's only shown her one side of him. Luckily, we see some change by Episode 40.
Subaru professed his love for Emilia time and time again, but it was difficult at times to understand why because it felt like Subaru was never giving an authentic answer. This time around his confession is genuine. He's telling Emilia every quality he loves about her, respecting her strengths, and recognizing her weaknesses. Subaru told Emilia what she needed to hear, even if it wasn't easy. This moment lifts Emilia and they're finally at a place of mutual understanding where they can raise each other up. Although Emilia and Subaru established a stronger bond at this moment, and I acknowledge and better understand Subaru's genuine feelings for Emilia, there was another connection I couldn't help but feel attached to because the story already spent a great deal of time developing another strong relationship, Subaru and Rem.
Rem and Subaru
After thwarting Elena's murderous plans, Subaru awakens at Raswaal's mansion to the sight of twin maids Ram and Rem. At first, Rem is suspicious of Subaru because of the witch's scent and ends up killing the guy in one timeline. You'd think getting killed would be a deal-breaker, but Subaru feels a deep sense of appreciation for them taking an interest in him and he works hard to earn their trust, which eventually pays off with Rem.
Later surviving a mabeast attack, Subaru and Rem have an emotionally connecting moment. Rem has a dark past, and although she's worked hard to take on her sister's responsibilities, she still lacks self-confidence. Subaru understands there's more to Rem than how she's presenting herself. He helps her realize she is her own person with great qualities who doesn't need to live solely for the purpose of being her sister's replacement. After what they went through, they both realize if it wasn't for them looking out for one another, their outcomes would've been worse and they can now lean more on each other moving forward.
Rem remained by Subaru's side from that point on, staying with him through thick and thin. She was loyal and comforted Subaru after his confrontation with Emilia. She cared deeply for Subaru's well-being, and even through multiple resets, Rem was always someone who supported him. They're a strong team who trust each other and go to great lengths to protect one another from the witch's cult. Another positive aspect of Rem and Subaru's relationship is his ability to express pain without feeling like Rem will judge him. Their attachment to each other is immeasurable, and because the story really built up their connection, it felt like these two could make it work. So much love was given to Rem in Season 1 it's hard not to get attached to this pairing. If you told me Rem and Subaru would be the main couple of the story, I'd believe you.
After the battle with the white whale, Rem and the Crusch camp is attacked by the sin archbishop of the witch's cult, Regulus Corneas. When Subaru and Emilia catch up to everyone, Subaru is crushed to see Rem among the victims. Subaru uses Return by Death in an attempt to rectify the situation, despite his fear of dying. He usually avoids it at all costs, but when he finds a lifeless Rem, he doesn't hesitate to use his "gift" to fix the problem. It's intense, "I suppose," but this moment shows how much Subaru is willing to sacrifice to keep Rem safe. Afterward, Rem remains asleep, and even though she isn't physically with Subaru, the relationship they've built still plays a huge part in his journey.
In Episode 37, Subaru's once again on the verge of breaking, but he's brought back by the one person he really wants to see: Rem. At first, this moment is adorable as Subaru and Rem reconnect, but Subaru knows this isn't real. "Rem" is actually Carmela, the witch of lust who literally says she only appeared as Rem because Subaru wanted to see her that way. Insulted anyone would try to replace Rem, Subaru expresses how important she is to him. Rem is his rock in hard and trying times. When he was wallowing in misery, breaking down from his failures, it was Rem who was there by his side. It was only Rem who he felt comfortable enough around to show his fragility. To vent all of his insecurities, and Rem had the patience to listen. Subaru knows Rem will tell it like it is, even if it's not what he wants to hear. Again, we see how deep the bond between these two runs. So much passion was delivered in this speech, and the reason I feel like Rem and Subaru can make it to the end is because of instances like this, where Rem is the one Subaru wants to be with most during these real and raw moments.
Emilia is the first love interest, and knowing Subaru's feelings, it's clear how the pairings will play out. Still, a strong case was made for Rem, and I believe her to be the first significant, meaningful bond Subaru established. Regardless of which pair you ship, it's thanks to great development and storytelling that makes conflicting feelings possible, and the love triangle that more bittersweet.
What about these relationships do you enjoy most? Sound off in the comments!
Veronica Valencia is an anime-loving hot sauce enthusiast! You can follow more of her work as a content creator on Twitter and Instagram.
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By: Veronica Valencia
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Screenshots of my favourite moments from Re:Zero Arc 7 (Part 2):
This raises questions. Actually just one: Why does Al’s authority not work as a child, and Subaru’s does?
Stargazers were much more horrific than I originally imagined. When they’re first described its phrased as “The Stars give them knowledge about the future”. When in reality its “The Stars highjack their brains and rewrite their reason for existing, forcing them to devote your existence to a singular goal at the expense of everything else”. They’re basically cosmic horror antagonists.
Between “The world hasn’t been destroyed” and “Only Natsuki Subaru can do that”, I think it’s safe to conclude that Al has at least some idea of Subaru’s ability. But that just raises more questions WHY DOES HE KNOW???
That’s an interesting thing to say, Al. Why would you say something like that?
SHE CREATED A HEINKEL-SHAPED IMPRINT IN THE WALL LIKE A FRIGGIN CARTOON CHARACTER THAT’S SO FUNNY
Every time before this when Subaru thinks back to people important to him, he thinks about the Emilia camp. Then when he becomes Natchuki Subawu, he’s only able to think about the people he’s met since he entered Vollachia. It’s a small detail, but it still manages to be unsettling. He’s still thinking about people who are important to him, but it shows how Child Subaru’s brain is adjusting what Subaru considers to be important.
It really says something about the Gladiator Island loops that Subaru having to go back further in time is framed as a triumphant moment.
AAAA she worries for him she cares about him she wants to be there for him AAAAAA
Damn, Abel really said “I have no friends” like it was a positive thing.
Rather than try to add my own commentary on this hilarious exchange, I will instead make use of the words of tumblr user Sufferu:
She really just out and stated that that Vincent’s probably gay. What an icon. Also as a bonus, she acknowledges that the fact Vincent’s probably gay has no bearing on whether of not he wants kids. Serena is like the #1 ally in all of Re:Zero. Also “I didn’t ask if you were serious, I asked if you where sane” is a hilarious line.
Alright, let’s do this
(Deep breath)
Fellas, is it gay to help a man get his cart unstuck, have that man ask you if you would die for him, have that man hire you when you said you wouldn’t, help that man become the next ruler of the country, become his right hand man, closest confidant and body double, discover that the man has had is death is prophesied as the first event that will lead to the destruction of the country, (and has planned for this, arranging things to ensure the country has the best chance of surviving after his death), and then decide to usurp that man’s position on the throne in order to take over his identity so you can die in his place in order to deny fate?
Wow, fore shadows. I wonder if this could mean anything’s for future arcs of Re:Zero. Nah, I’m probably just imagining things.
Man imagine only being able to kill Al 6 times. Those are weak numbers. You need to step up your game Todd.
#re:zero#rezero#subaru natsuki#al rezero#vincent vollachia#heinkel astrea#chisha gold#emilia re:zero#todd fang
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How do you think Subaru and Otto could actually work out like long term relationship work out
INTERESTING QUESTION ANON i think it depends on whats going on with the situations they get into or whats happening in the timeline theyre in but i think ottosuba in any sort of longer term relationship (as friends or romantic partners) would work out in one of several possibilities:
good ending!! they stay good friends for the rest of their lives, resolve all differences, recover a bit from their respective insecurities and traumas over time, and stay close :) otto may or may not get hung up on subaru a bit in the back of his mind (bc he probably wants subaru carnally judging off of the Details that rezero staff keep adding into otto side content) but he’d do his best to move on 👍 and ultimately theyd be happy!! yay happy ending!! this is the best case scenario.
their relationship tragically explodes in their faces due to Too Much Conflict and it may or may not end in some death
Somehow. Against All Odds. In Some Sort of Alternate Universe…. subaru and otto are dating romantically and they always need each other anyway in any universe so im just gonna assume theyd probably get married and be attached at the hip (good ending) or be. you know. their typical codependent selves and make each other simultaneously worse and better.
but either way metaphorically i think theyre basically married regardless of how they define their relationship bc they Do need each other. they are staying by each others sides forever if they can help it.
i think in general though if we’re talking more of that main route complicated friendship, imo i think realistically on ottos end there could be somee sort of unrequited romance there (too many little details about ottos attachment to subaru that add up and heavily remind me of rems attachment to subaru). subaru isnt privy to it and neither of them fully know about each other, as much as they do still Know a good amount of things about each other. i think that their current main route dynamic is like i said either gonna end in tragedy or itll be rocky for a while and then eventually end happier.
i dont think theyd get into a romantic relationship ever as they are now in main route unless you mess around with the timeline a bit. ottos otto with his avoidant tendencies and his desire to help subaru as much as possible so of course hes gonna be the type to stand by and be happy for subaru at his wedding or whatever but be dying inside a little knowing itd never be otto there. and subaru shows far more romantic interest in emilia and previously rem obviously, but julius is way up there of course. otto is a best friend but not a lover.
otto fully admits to subarus face that he cant date a woman as he is now bc she wouldnt be his priority. the most important thing to him. bc otto is otto he probably means his career goals (being the emilia camp internal affairs minister and getting his own store) but the line is so open ended it makes total sense imo if he also meant prioritizing the emilia camp in general—especially subaru.
i think otto is currently at that level of clinginess that even if he went to eventually date or marry someone who isnt subaru, he’d still think of subaru. and its not that subaru doesnt want and need and love otto or see him as lesser than subarus other loved ones, bc subaru really really cares about otto and loves him unconditionally, but when you think of who subaru thinks of and turns to first, naturally youre probably thinking of beatrice or emilia or rem or julius. of course every dynamic subaru has with different loved ones of his is special in their own ways, otto included, but otto continually seems to be shadowed when it comes to subaru.
and otto of course knows that. hes not the First to be there for subaru. he knows this the moment he starts interacting with subaru more in arc 3 and 4 and witnesses subaru do so much for emilia. when otto also witnesses emilia caring so much for subaru, excitedly rambling about him to frederica while otto watches quietly and wonders why hes jealous of emisuba’s closeness. otto watches emisuba quietly again and realizes why they care so much for each other, why subaru fights so hard for emilia. otto is bitter when subaru doesnt ask him for help bc otto was there always following in subarus footsteps. otto goes out and risks his life while emisuba argue and then eventually kiss in the tomb. otto watches again as julius’s existence further threatens otto’s insecurity of being useless to his loved ones and julius fits in with emisuba while otto cant.
i do think its interesting to note though that otto of course steps back because he wants subaru happy, and bc he also cares about emilia too—but otto gets defensive with julius for all sorts of reasons. my personal theory is that theres also a sense of loyalty here bc in ottos head, sure hes not gonna be like subaru’s Lady. but ottos the Closest Man in subarus life, right? (until julius comes along after otto spends a year living with and serving subaru.)
its also interesting to think about how this compares to otto if, where the dynamics with ottosuba are slightly reversed all bc otto IS the first person to be close to subaru. otto isnt a dog following at subarus heels in the same way anymore, hes not a shadow—theyre both in the light instead as equals, and instead of otto supporting subarus dream, its subaru supporting ottos dream (of opening a store and running a successful business!! which they kinda did bc they got their own market stand!!). inadvertently theyre also supporting each others Implied dreams: curing their loneliness and having someone at their side who truly cares for them and spends all this time with them. main route ottosuba also support each other of course but theres far more cost with all the trauma theyre going through and the conflicts rising between them that theyre not fully aware of (rbd and both otto and subaru hiding info/parts of themselves away).
in a general long term, ottosuba would have to put everything out in the open and be fully honest with themselves and each other to the best of their ability if they want to still have their friendship by the end of all of this bc all the lies and insecurity is tearing them apart :((
otto and subaru are people who need to be needed. they kind of try to secure love towards them at times by becoming indispensable to other people, they submit to other people with their own insane devotion and theyd go to any lengths.
with ottosuba specifically, otto is the first to die for subaru and reach out to subaru first, even in the white whale loop bc otto goes back for subaru after regretting pushing subaru out of the wagon. subaru knows otto is willing to die for him. subaru in arc 8 thinks about how he needs otto and how it would suck for otto to die, and in general, otto is a source of safety and dependability for him. otto is smart and capable and loyal, he can solve problems that i cant figure out by myself, and i can count on him and tease him. that sort of sentiment. subaru to otto is the first person to actually want otto, the first person to Literally claim otto as his (arc 4 wn subaru joking about otto being “his side toy”, but also the otto’s diary episode where ram calls otto subarus accessory and otto admits he likes it), the first person to actually want otto to stay to the point of hiring otto without his consent, the first person to—like otto with subaru—search for otto first by sending ricardo to save otto from the witch cult.
ottosuba get into a feedback loop where they need to be needed, and they need each other and acknowledge the other has things they dont have (otto’s calculating nature, subaru’s idealism and determination). otto is also different for subaru bc hes someone he can pull along in a way subaru cant with other people his age in his life—otto has to be teased and poked and prodded and pushed and normally subaru doesnt get this sort of role, and otto needs someone who can be pushy like that so he can actually be pushed to admit he Wants Connection. at the same time though, otto leads subaru by the ear, instructing and helping subaru with strategy and demanding subaru turn to him for help, pushing subaru to accept it for once. its a true feedback loop for sure !!
hypothetically speaking if they were in a romantic relationship itd just be like their usual dynamic as friends but with extra steps. theyre as clingy as ever, but either way…. they have issues to get past. and i think itd have to start with otto, bc due to rbd subaru is Incapable Of Talking all that much about that anyway. ;-;; ottos the one whos literally holding back, and he needs to be honest about his general insecurities and try to communicate and admit stuff like “im scared we’re all going to get hurt so i keep wanting to do anything to stop that from happening” or “i feel horrible just not being able to do anything while the rest of you are out risking your lives bc i dont want anything bad to happen to you and i Need to do something to help” or “maybe i just need you to keep needing me so that i know you wont leave me behind again” or “i thought that the only thing i was good for was literally staying in your shadow and doing all the shitty stuff that you cant” (hahaha otto does not know about subarus bad case of stockholm syndrome and dying and being tortured sooo very much ;-;;;;;).
i think itd take a lot of work to get past the current hurdles in their dynamic, especially with rbd making it more messy, especially with subaru not being able to talk about it, especially with ottos Shit probably is gonna hit home for subaru bc hes felt Similar, especially when ottosuba as a dynamic mirrors other ships like emisuba (otto is the subaru, subaru is emilia) and remsuba (codependency and sacrificial tendencies :,) ). so this is all gonna be uncomfortably close to home over and over for subaru, otto is allergic to vulnerability too, and otto is once again in the shadow of everything subaru is so. if they want a healthier dynamic everythings gotta be in the light <33333333333 </33333333
anyway and i think in long term either they fix all their shit or they sort of fix it by being Unhealthily Attached At The Hip At All Times. the latter would just be Extra Codependency Speedrun Any % where its like otto if where they live together and spend time together all the time except if they get separated for two seconds the abandonment issues start showing (that subarus had for a long while but ottos been slowcooking since his backstory). they hear the other needs them for something (this happens often) and immediately drops what theyre doing to run over there. they either fight to sacrifice for each other in weird little cold wars or theyre working scarily in sync bc if one person goes the other Always Follows like a damn guard dog. theyre not a duo, theyre one and the same. ottos control freak ass gets to pull subaru around and Protect him. subaru keeps a close eye on otto and Protects him, but lets otto lead him around as much as subaru likes to push otto’s buttons a bit. its kinda like their pre-arc 6 dynamics but dialled alllllllllll the way up. theyd be like the remsuba sort of sweetness where its unhinged af and most definitely not the healthiest thing in the world but if it works it works right ahahahahahahh…..
i also think in general a romance between ottosuba would be highly domestic yeah but in the old married couple way. very similar to how their friendship is anyway. being simultaneously hopelessly helplessly fond but also so very annoyed but also i see you everyday, so of course im annoyed (i love you). stop drooling on the pillows when you sleep >:<<<< dont stay out of the house for too long. dumbass. idiot. and i think on subarus end for ottosuba romance to start he’d have to 1. recognize ottos feelings are Probably Not Entirely Platonic and 2. i think if subaru did ever gain more Romantic feelings for otto itd be more subtle for him? ottos the one who falls head over heels like hes gonna give himself a concussion, subarus the one who has otto there as this nice constant until subaru realizes one day that he erm Needs and Wants Otto So Very Much. waiiittt a goddamn minute you Like Liked me this whole time????? thats INSANE…. (has never been wanted carnally by another guy before).
anyway i hope that makes sense anon 👍👍 ty for the ask :3 sorry if i answered it a little off bc i misread ur ask or smth ;-; but i hope you enjoyed reading this regardless 👍 anyway have some posts that remind me of them ;-;;;;;; —
#ask#rezero#re:zero#natsuki subaru#otto suwen#a suffaru analysis ask thats a Little shorter than usual? no way akdndn#everyday subaru is an intrinsic part of ottos character and constantly appears in ottos life. Do Not Separate :<#i remember deafknell reading otto side content and telling me that i was onto smth with ottos feelings abt subaru and i rejoiced. now i Know#im not entirely tweaking 👍
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why otto is so pissed off at subaru (arc 8 ch 24)
hello im otto posting Again but im writing this in an attempt to understand this subject myself (and totally not as a reference for later…) and also bc some people in the fandom seemed to be confused on Why ottos so angry at the moment. but i really think the key reason why hes so mad at subaru right now comes from this: otto treasures the people he cares about far above anyone else—to the point where if he needs to make sacrifices, he absolutely will because the people he cares about (his friends in emilia camp) go First before everyone else in his mind.
like. thats ottos key reason for everything hes been doing in arc 8. all his other reasoning branches off from that—like him wanting to leave vollachia for dead and only take the people his camp cares about. otto sees the path that will keep his camp safest—ie just going into vollachia to rescue rem and subaru and then immediately getting out—and he chooses that rather than subaru and emilias more noble approach of refusing to leave vollachia and its population of 50 million people to die. otto himself is aware that his own strategy is Callous, especially after roswaal told him in chapter 24 that he agrees with ottos proposed strategy of just leaving vollachia. but otto thinks that its 1. entirely necessary and 2. he Knows that thats the optimal way to keep the emilia camp safe.
he knows that staying in vollachia and helping vincent is a massive risk to his whole camp. otto being a merchant values equivalent exchange and Hates too much cost, which is On Top of otto knowing that going out of their way to help vollachia is risking the entire emilia camp’s lives. but otto Knows subaru and emilia. and he knows that subaru and emilia are idealists at heart that will do everything they can to save Everyone, which is why despite being Extremely Unhappy about all of this, otto plays hard to get so vincent is the one who asks for their help. that way, at least the decision to help vollachia looks more like accepting the request of vollachias emperor and adding more accomplishments under their belt and Less Like just going out of their way to vollachia for no benefit at all.
otto valuing his camp above everything else is also why he creates distance between himself and julius and anastasia and emphasizes that theyre enemies. for otto, its Absolutely the emilia camp above everyone else.
then theres the whole louis situation. otto, of course, knows that subaru cares about louis Despite everything shes done.
so. essentially. i think ottos extremely pissed about subaru always going out of his way to try and be a hero because otto knows this comes at a Detriment to subaru (bc otto CARES about subaru!!! he knows subaru is WAY too selfless and forgiving and he cant agree with that!!!) and otto worries for the cost of subarus decisions, especially with the current conflict regarding louis. otto has accepted that, unlike the majority of his camp, that he has to be the Bad Guy. because in ottos mind, no one else in his camp is going to be bold enough to be the ruthless morally questionable one. he thinks its 100% necessary to play this role to minimize the costs and threats to his camp.
which is why he hasnt told anyone, despite knowing this from his dp, that louis/spica is innocent.
hes fully aware that—even though hes manipulating his own camp—louis will be more likely to be eliminated if he keeps quiet about the fact that she has Zero malice. louis being eliminated means one less threat to his camp. and otto KNOWS that subaru cares about louis and is upset at the idea of her dying (which is at least partly why otto snapped at julius in chapter 23!!), but ottos decided that killing louis comes at a far less cost than keeping her alive. because keeping her alive means dealing with the consequences of the emilia camp calling her an ally and rem and subaru recognizing her as their daughter when louis has affected So Many people. otto knows this and wants to prevent it at all costs.
otto wants her dead for these reasons. otto figures that he has to be the one walking in darkness bc he not only wants to help emilia and subaru and preserve their idealism (bc he Knows that its important to them!! its who they are at heart and he cares about them in turn bc of their kindness and goodness!!!), but otto also wants to help by being the necessary evil. because someone has to.
that, of course, wont stop otto from being pissed at subarus decisions. this also, of course, wont stop subaru from being pissed if he ever finds out otto withheld the fact that he knows louis is 100% innocent just so he can make sure that 1. the rest of emilia camp stays suspicious of louis and 2. louis gets killed. i really do think ottos questionable decisions will eventually catch up to him—because he stands in direct opposition to everything subaru stands for.
subaru wants to save everyone. he wants to have it all, even if it costs him. otto, meanwhile, chooses only who he cares about because hes not idealistic enough to believe he can have everything, and he believes that sacrifices have to be made even if its cruel. and he knows that subaru cant do that, but it still angers him because hes trying to keep subaru safe while subaru insists on trying to accomplish everything without sacrificing anyone. otto doesnt think its possible at all. but otto knows its not in subarus nature to be pragmatic.
which is why otto takes A Lot of the things subaru has been doing in arc 8 Extremely Personally. because its Very personal for otto.
#IVE BEEN TRYING TO PUT INTO WORDS ON MY THEORY ON WHY OTTOS SO MAD AT SUBARU RN BUT I THINK I MANAGED TO SAY IT ALL IN THIS POST HAH#arc 8 makes ottosubas relationship even crazier…. The divorce arc of all time. thesis and antithesis. they will never agree on anything ever#again aldndndnd#i keep otto posting. its a problem. im very normal about him i promise (is not normal)#rezero#otto suwen#arc 8 spoilers#natsuki subaru#i love otto bc hes been introducing even more moral gray area which is very interesting to me. also bc his development has been perfectly#leading up to his fucking edgy ass ‘i cant walk in the light’ bullshit. otto 😭😭
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Not meaning to throw any shade at Rem, but I hate how her character ended up being restricted to only loving Subaru. It became her personality and her reason to exist
Meanwhile my man Otto has layers and fun dynamics with everyone WHILE also being codependent and hopelessly in love to Subaru (in my point of view)
I hope that now Tappei will be able to balance Rem's character and give her another personality trait besides her love for Subaru
ok so if anyone else is seeing this, this is referring to a poll i made a few days ago pitting rem and otto against each other bc theyre both the resident codependent subaru devotees and they do parallel/contrast each other a bit 👍
but yeah anon… not to affect the poll results or anything wkdndnd but i agree a lot with you!! i have mixed feelings on rem bc i do love her a lot—im halfway through her and ram’s prequel novel and im enjoying it a lot, and also i liked her the moment i watched season 1 of the anime for the first time. shes an intriguing character with a well written backstory and her own set of flaws and traits. but i think the big thing is her and ottos relationships with subaru, while subaru is first place in both of their hearts and subaru comes first before anyone else at this point, rem and ottos flavors of Dependency are different?
like with rem, i think its the point that her whole being ends up revolving around subaru. not that otto isnt like that either, of course, but otto has Way More of a life outside of subaru. otto has a whole group of people from the emilia camp to marone and his family that he cares about other than subaru, and on top of that, ottos job in the emilia camp is to communicate with others both within and outside of his camp. then theres his dp, which is also dependent and ABOUT communication. when it comes to rem and otto, theres absolutely no competing on this, otto is the one with more of. a Life. not that rem doesnt have other people she cares about and other people she talks with and other people she likes (and also rem was unfortunately Gluttonyed), but the top two closest people in her life were always ram then subaru. otto got lucky with his loving family, bc rems Entire Life has molded her into being dependent on others. shes told by her family that the only reason shes alive is bc ram saved her. ram is the only person who loves her. she envies ram and then she feels so guilty after her village is destroyed and rams horn is gone (especially when rem is initially. kind of Glad that rams horn is gone). so rem places her worth on serving the people she loves—ram and subaru. rem has spent her WHOLE LIFE like this. remsuba as a relationship has its ups and downs but arc 3 rem is, while sweet and well meaning, shes not the healthiest. remsuba isnt the healthiest. and then arc 7-8 comes in and yeah while rems pov of subaru and the whole situation is Understandable from what little she knows, yeah its not the healthiest either (and also i dont forgive her for being mean about natsumi wkfndnd).
not that ottosuba is the Healthiest given they seem like theyre going to become. a bit Toxic in arc 8 if they keep being stubborn, but the big difference is in how otto and rem devote themselves. bc rems problem (in arc 3) is that she enables subaru a little too much. i mean sloth if exists for a reason, she ran away with subaru and RAM AND EVERYONE ELSE DIED. ottos problem is that hes 1. obsessed with opposing subaru and 2. not straightforward with his feelings the way arc 3 rem is. bc at least pre gluttony rem is gonna straightforwardly be like “id do anything for you” and “i love you” etc etc. like yeah ottos like “youre my friend!!” but hes also gonna complain nonstop about subaru to his face and say shit like “ill leave at the first sight of danger!!” RIGHT AFTER RISKING HIS LIFE FOR SUBARU. and also even then arc 8 rems siding with subaru on louis so shes enabling him in that respect too (even though arc 8 rem is different from arc 3 rem of course). ergo, rem is the one who wants to support subaru Unconditionally. even if its not what youd consider the right decision. otto tries to help subaru get what he wants, but if otto doesnt agree he starts getting aggressive. rem makes herself pliable and into a bit of a doormat for subaru, otto starts getting out the pitchforks and tries to control things bc he thinks his way his best for subaru in the end. that, and while subaru does go first in ottos heart, hes STILL loyal to the entire emilia camp as a whole (minus roswaal). thats why he wanted to leave vollachia, he wanted to save the ENTIRE emilia camp.
but like you said anon—while the point is that rem ends up centering her whole life around subaru, i feel that tappei handles otto (who has SIMILAR PLOT BEATS) with far more nuance. like while otto will literally do anything else besides actually say “i love you” or “id do anything for you”, his arc is more straightforward and consistent than rems. again, rem got gluttonyed and a bunch of different stuff have happened with her so of course her arc has been more Dramatic in its changes, but with otto he grows and changes but at the same time he doesnt change At All. his arc 8 self is doing stuff hes been capable of this whole time, vollachia and subaru just bring out his more hidden traits. the narrative is just way more consistent with emphasizing that while otto thinks hes in the right, hes also Wrong in a lot of ways. his mindset rn is Not Healthy and i feel that the narrative shows that more with him than it does rem a lot. like the writing literally goes out of its way to shit on otto a bit for being a little messed up in the head, while you have to read more into rems plot and then some audiences just completely miss the point of her character. that and—yeah, rems reasons are all very understandable, but i feel that tappei romanticizes her a bit too much. all you have to do is look at sloth if bc sloth if seems a Bit too fluffy to me despite the absolute Dark Backdrop. like yeah. subaru rbds back to arc 3 at the end. but i feel like sloth if just sweeps a lot of the dark underbelly under the rug. ottosuba as a dynamic to me just feels more Equal than remsuba does, which is probably a bit strange HAH bc ottosuba as a dynamic is based on Conflict (especially when you remember ottosuba across the ifs too) and their power dynamics in arc 8 are likely going to get crazy at some point.
plus its like—the way the whole louis situation has been handled made me think that tappei wouldnt even bother examining the Problems with louis and subaru + rems relationships with louis, but luckily arc 8 has been getting into that more. so like i dont completely trust tappei with female characters (he has a habit of. fumbling the bag a bit with them sometimes, imo. he gets out such great complex main female characters then he starts messing up with their writing like halfway through). but like you anon, i hope that rem gets far more character development. the poor girl has spent her whole life basing her worth on others….
and well. again, i think the difference in how the writing treats otto vs rem is probably also bc ottos a boy and rems a girl. so of course otto consistently gets a bit more nuance, and of course certain parts of the audience just see rem and think “waifu who would do anything for you” rather than “this is a traumatized girl who means well but has poor boundaries and Codependency Issues”, and some people see otto and think “he doesnt love subaru that much lol” and sweep his own codependency and Issues under the rug. and then you look at the narrative and, like you said anon, otto is allowed to have fun dynamics with everyone while still being Fixated on subaru. rem hasnt had much of a chance in that category yet.
#rezero#rem#otto suwen#ask#arc 7-8 spoilers#also i think its def up to personal preference with whether you prefer rem or otto in the end. definitely#bc like ottosubas more flexible as a relationship. theyre platonic in canon of course but ottos love is so Intense that you can easily read#into it if you so choose. and even then theres no denying that its very intimate and intense from ottos pov anyway.#remsubas more explicitly romantic and also you know. a bit influenced by gender roles if only bc its a straight ship and ottosuba are of#course the same sex.#and also of course rem and otto have different plots different arcs etc etc. course theyre handled differently#just yeah i feel like tappei still treats them differently for. Reasons. and theyre definitely percieved differently for. Reasons.#everyday i die inside bc rems character is often flattened to just be about Subaru while ottos whole thing with subaru is half forgotten#about by some english fandom ppl??? like r u fr rn 😭😭😭 theyre both more complex than they seem!! pls!!
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this may be my like third ottosuba post in a row but like hear me out okay like theres something about how varied their dynamics are in each if. like its about the inherent tragedy of it all - the "you ruined my life" and "you betrayed me" and "you've hurt everyone around us and theres nothing i can do, so goodbye forever" and "i hope you rot". its the forced subservience that pride otto and wrath otto have to have, except wrath otto breaks free of it and indulges in just stabbing subaru, knowing subaru's going to die anyway. pride otto serves subaru, knowing he's marching towards his grave, knowing he's aiding subaru in all his crimes, knowing he doesn't have the energy to care anymore. greed otto has watched subaru manipulate everyone around them and he's had enough - they were almost friends, and otto WANTED to be friends, wanted to BELIEVE they were friends, but it was never the case. and so he leaves behind the first person he ever considered a friend, along with the camp he could've befriended too. and then theres gluttony otto - an otto whos become friends with subaru, an otto that has subaru as his closest friend, an otto whos found community in the emilia camp and has garfiel as his younger brother and cares about all these people so much. and then subaru destroys all of them, and it's just otto and garfiel left until subaru destroys garfiel too along with ottos younger brother regin, meaning subaru killed two of ottos brothers in one fell swoop. subarus this twisted version of himself now, claiming that he destroyed priestella and so much of the people within it so he could get to OTTO. it's like rubbing salt in the wound - in some fucked up way, otto is now the biggest priority in subarus life. like most people in the if routes, otto gets crushed just like any other victim of subarus plans and decisions, but in gluttony if he still decides to keep his bravado and anger and his last words are LITERALLY "eat shit, you phony". he damn well knows theres no hope for him and he still decides to go out fighting. ottosuba in each if really is just. theres a violence to it - and not just literal violence, i mean as in gluttony if subaru considers otto a threat, and otto is also someone who has a lot of memories specific to him about subaru. pride subaru is basically otto's second "master". otto steals power away from wrath subaru by helping in taking him down. otto completely disregards greed subaru and avoids the same fate as the rest of emilia camp by REJECTING subaru when the whole point was subaru being GREEDY. subaru couldnt keep otto with him, while otto managed to break free of subaru.
it's about the power dynamics of it all - especially when BOTH of them are capable of the same manipulation and mind games.
#I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS ON THEM OKAY. PLS. THEY HAVE SUCH DIVERSE DYNAMICS ACROSS EACH IF.#rezero#natsuki subaru#otto suwen#ottosuba#extremely feral over them. i think its like whats interesting about their dynamic is that theyre on more equal ground compared to other#interesting important dynamics in rezero ifs. like theres emisuba and reinsuba for example.#like otto is a mostly normal dude by fantasy world standards. and subaru is of course also just a normal guy until subaru goes on to#commit atrocities and he ruins ottos life in the process. they are so weirdly entangled with each other in these ifs.#theyre similar too..... just. smth about their power dynamics has me Thinking fr. esp when its not depicted that much in fandom content T^T#i love them fr. theyre both fucking insane. i want to see them make each other worse.#pride if#wrath if#greed if#gluttony if#uhhh rezero if spoilers...#otto just goes fuck you (derogatory) to subaru in all four of these ifs. king shit. you tell him otto.#ottosuba just seem sooo normal until they go on to be partners in crime with and against each other
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whats ur writing process like? :o for both ur solo fic writing process and ur writing process when it comes to collabs? just asking out of curiosity as well 🙏🙏 love ur fics op <3
Ahh bless you <3
Generally my writing process is kind of... all over the place. How it works for me probably isn't the most efficient, but it's one I've built after working with some close friends on a lot of collab projects.
I usually start with, well, the basic idea. Often my fics come from either having read something in canon and going "man I wanna see this" or it's a requested fic from a friend of mine.
From there, I tend to write out the barebones premise onto a doc as a stream of thought. No editing, no backtracking, just the basic ideas of what I want characters to say or do, and anything important that pops to mind from the idea. I'll tend to include little notes to myself like side stories to check or style notes here.
I'll use a WIP as an example here:
Joshua stares, very mixed feelings. Im sure they were no match to you, brother. But julius keeps hyping up subaru, and doesnt seem to be relenting on this. So joshua doesnt push, and instead asks about the rest of the camp? Ana pipes up about roswaal being quite conniving, someone not to be underestimated. joshua frowns. isnt roswaal that weird noble with lots of rumours around him (see: josh juukulius careful encyclopedia 1)
Nothing too fancy here - just trying to get the basic idea out on a doc with the bits and pieces needed to make it come together.
Then I try to refine it a little so it's closer to a draft than quick notes for me to refer to:
[Joshua stares at Julius. Very conflicted -- Julius has made a good friend, but he's putting himself down again. Another Reinhard type, possibly. "I'm sure they were no match to you, Elder Brother." Julius waves his hand dismissively, fond look on his face. Says something praising Subaru for his efforts in the Whale hunt. Joshua narrows his eyes, but doesn't push further. He knows his brother won't relent on this. Redirect focus to the rest of the Emilia camp. Set up main points of interest - Roswaal, and Emilia. Do some background work here; where is everybody sat? Noise of the restaurant? Details. Feed into the quiet discomfort Joshua has by making things go quiet before he asks about everyone's opinions on their rivals]
Lots more detail here, while still keeping room for flexibility -- I don't like being too strict with my outlines outside of plot points because otherwise I end up feeling like I'm not challenging/doing anything creative, just following a script.
After that point? I just write it out like normal. If I think the start of the fic is boring, I'll start writing from a point that actually interests me, then reassess if maybe I want a cold open or not for the story. I'm a massive nerd for the small details, stuff like body language or subtleties in what characters focus on so generally I enjoy starting from a place with a loooot of room for little notes on background.
For collabs, it's very much down to who I work with! The main people I work with are the reason I adopted this style of planning, but usually I leave it up to my collab partner to decide how we wanna plan, since I'm usually flexible in that regard! I used to write a lot more freeform without plans, so it's primarily for the benefit of telling a more well rounded story I plan at all.
I'd definitely love to do more collab work. It's difficult trying to fit schedules together, especially as I'm quite lazy with writing, but collab work always feels fun and ends up making me write outta guilt of not being that one person in the group project. Think the only thing that stops me nowadays is trying not to overcommit, or seem far too clingy with writers I really admire haha.
#ask#rezero#fanfiction#thank you for the ask and kind words chief#I plan fics like I speak which is generally one big chunk of ramble slowly condensed and filled out to make sense to people outside of me#But by the time I get to actually filling it out ive already got fifty other ideas I want to write and plan#So they never get done#Forever stuck in the idea board I have on trello
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i think the theory of him being raised as a witch cultist is a interesting one?
hence why is drenched in the smell of the witch, knows alot about their plans and his lack of understanding about the world around him. even the reason why he doesnt know about the witch cult because what do you mean the guy in a robe is a witch cultist thats just jerry the guy who makes bad pasta?
im currently only on arc 5 but i think that there was some meantion of otto having to decode the gospel??? so that might explain why he cant read but can fluent write absolute gibberish.
it could also explain why he was so in love with emilia and wouldnt understand why it was weird bc he would have been raised in an environment that praised the WoE. i think after arc 3 theyd stop worrying about him loving the WoE look alike and not emilia. with how much he vividly hated bettleguese for his plans for the ordeal i think itd be fine
i think i remember a scene where he was slightly sympathetic to the witch cult in arc 3, about how they might have been brainwashed or smth and that would probably set off some flags. someone who was raised in lugunica would either be terrified of the witch cult or at least know to not be openly sympathetic of them. the fact he immediately went to brainwashing would be really weird. meanwhile its kinda just common knowledge most people join cults through manipulation in japan and his lack of exposure to war making him more empathetic.
some of the cast would probably be vemently against this theory, but i feel like the majority wouldnt really care after he really gets into his witch cult slaying mojo. ram i think would the one who might deserve to be the most angry but isnt thanks to her whole thing about putting her emotions over those of the dead and to her subarus kinda just an idiot.
i think the biggest issue is how fondly he thinks of his family and how visibly homesick he is, but with the brainwashing thing they might put their own conclusion together that this joining emilias camp, naming himself as her knight and then drawing the wcs attention by killing some of their vips, it might come off that hes trying to meet with them again which might draw some other reactions wether they think hes homesick enough to try and bring them into the camp/ him go back with them or unbrainwash them while being entirely underprepared to do so.
What are your favorite plausible in-universe theories that the characters have to explain Subaru’s many eccentricities? I’ll go first:
Subaru was a soldier of some sort who served Lady Emilia as one of her only subjects, but after an encounter with the White Whale he lost his Name and thus nobody remembers anything about him beyond the day he saved Emilia from an assassin. The Whale also stole almost all of his memories, which is why he’s illiterate and also lacks common sense most of the time.
#i think this is the longest post i ever made#ram trying to subtly hint in her own ram way that while she does miss her home she doesnt hold his family against him:#barusu looks more pathetic than usual- should lovely ram fetch you that hideous mayo from your hometown or have you realised how bad it is#subaru: oh yeah i never actually liked mayo i just it to spend time with my family- i didnt eat it at all on my own#ram: i see#she doesnt see at all actually#not her fault she just expected to much barusu#wilhelm hearing that his ONLY grandson thank you very much parents are brainwashed witch cultists#most of the knights subaru knows are slighlty concerned that they accidentally killed subarus kind but brainwashed parents#they probably just end up try to help track them down and failing because of misunderstandings rsther than talk about it like adults#then they actually figure out that oh yeah theres no way that would be it
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First time read through light novel vol. 6. Random thoughts.
Hey, can you guess what my favorite episode of the anime is? Here's a hint: it's one apparently a lot of other Subarem shippers hate. I say f**k that! Episode 18 and this book made me love the idea of them as a couple even more! But we'll get to that in a minute.
“By conducting these negotiations, you bear Emilia’s fate on your shoulders. Naturally, everything you say affects her, and it carries the same weight as Emilia’s words. This is not a decision you should make lightly, nor are the words you say easily taken back.”
“...Ah, uh...”
“Moreover, I ask again—should you owe me in this matter, it will mean the defeat of the Emilia camp. Are you truly fine with this?”
It really brings into the focus the problem of Subaru calling himself Emilia's knight without thinking and why the actual knights took such offence to it. At best it was a gimmick with no actual meaning to him and at worst he wanted all the rewards that came with being a knight (or at least what he perceived as the rewards) and not any of the responsibility. That's basically the reality Crusch is making Subaru face; the true burden that is on the one who claims to be Emilia's representative. Being a knight isn't just a game or a fancy title. Whatever he does will heavily impact his lady's future and he never once considered that.
“You hate the Witch Cult. That’s the reason you approached Emilia, is it not?”
Damn.
“—You have not said, ‘I want to save Emilia,’ even once.”
Daaaamn. Obviously, we know the witch cult has nothing to do with why Subaru wanted to hang around Emilia, but it's really telling of his current state that that's what it looks like from the outside. His hatred for Petelgeuse is stronger than his love for Emilia.
The fact that Roswaal has twice now been absent during events that his presence could easily have prevented tragedy is incredibly suspicious. Especially during the mansion arc, where he only left the mansion during the loop Subaru had made a lot of progress in finding the shaman and thus, unlike the previous loops, could have warned him about what was about to happen. It feels like Roswaal is intentionally removing himself as to invite disaster upon his house and Emilia, likely to manipulate her and Subaru.
Priscilla is an oddity to me, because she really feels like someone I should dislike more than I do, as I tend to have an instant dislike for very bratty, entitled, and/or spoiled characters. I'm not sure what it is specifically that's lifting her up so much for me. It's not just the looks, because I've seen attractive female characters I've hated because of their brattiness (I think she and Bitch princess from Shield Hero share the same english voice actor, in fact). I think that, one, there is just this sense of fun and amusement when Priscilla's around, like I just want to see whatever she does next, and two, despite her attitude, I'm not really getting a feeling of shallowness from her. She doesn't feel like she's putting people down just to prop herself up. There is actual strength and depth to her.
Rem followed behind both of them, and he could hear noises coming from her nose every so often. Rem had a keen sense of smell, and she’d apparently picked up some kind of unsavory scent, staring at the back of the iron helm as they walked along.
Well, Al is from another world like Subaru, so it wouldn't be surprising if he also had the witch's scent attached to him, assuming his situation is anything like Subaru's.
“Don’t be silly. You’re Ram, right?”
“I am Rem... Forgive my rudeness, but where have you met Sister, Master Al?”
Rem explained how he’d mistaken her for her nearly identical older sister as she posed the question. However, Al made no reply. He raised up his one arm and touched his helm, busily poking the metal.
“What the hell’s goin’ on here...?”
Al sounded nervous, seemingly unable to process the information. The increasingly rapid tapping offered further proof.
“So you’re Rem...and your sister is Ram?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“This might be a weird thing to ask but...is your older sister alive?”
“...? I do not understand the meaning of your question. Sister is alive, as she should be.”
The instant Rem gave that answer, Subaru, who had been listening to the conversation in silence, felt goose bumps all over his flesh.
“—This ain’t funny.”
Well...that got a lot of theory wheels turning in my head. I was already wondering if Al had his own Return By Death ability, so it's certainly possible he'd met Ram before a restart, though why he'd mix up her and Rem, I'm not sure. Another possibility is that he's maybe experienced Subaru's own RBDs, so while he can't trigger the ability himself he retains his memories from the original timelines. We've seen timelines where Ram has died but also one back at the mansion where only Rem died. Of course, there's also the possibility this story is going to go full Futurama: Bender's Big Score and Al is going to turn out to be a future version of Subaru sent back to the past.
That damn whale is like something out of a horror movie. I don't tend to care for gory horror but I do like movies with unique monsters and killers, so I could easily see myself getting into a movie about a giant flying whale that appears in a dark fog and basically consumes the entire existence of whatever it eats, including its past presence in the world. It's not just memories being erased. The person themselves never was.
You can tell the story is doing a good job of connecting when I know full well that Subaru's going to have another RBD and that everything's going to be fine and I'm still tearing up over Rem basically sacrificing herself to hold off the whale and Subaru is realizing he's allowed her to die four times over.
Huge difference between the books and the anime, as I'm pretty sure in the anime Puck just killed Subaru in the room Emilia died in. There was no bringing her to the witch cult's hidden cave like there was here.
“Unable to even pass a single trial, not even facing a single Deadly Sin, bearing great expectations only to stumble over the first stone in her path...”
The madman looked down at the sleeping Emilia, sighing.
“—Ahh, you were lazy!”
Curious as to what he meant by all that. Now that I think about it, I don't think it's been revealed yet the specific reason the witch cult went after Emilia. Yes, she looks like the Witch of Envy but it that a bad thing or a good thing to the cult? Do these "trials" she was supposed to face have to do with the dragon and royal selection or the witch?
I don't think they said why Subaru can now see Petelgeuse's previously unseen hands. I think I saw a theory about how Subaru's connection with the witch grows stronger with each RBD, beyond just the scent, so he might simply has just accumulated enough EXP to finally level up into seeing them. Then again, I did love Subaru's mocking line to Petelgeuse that the witch has been "cheating" on him with Subaru, so it's certainly possible he just has more of Satella's affection than Petelgeuse and thus he gets more special perks from her.
And finally, we get to the talk between Subaru and Rem at the end. Funny thing, when I first started watching the anime, someone I knew who'd seen it before me told me that, one, it's very different from Isekai Quartet, which introduced me to the characters, so don't go in expecting a comedy, and two, that episode 18 has a Subaru moment that a lot of people hate. Given how the arc had been since before that episode and how Subaru kept falling further and further, I had no idea what was going to happen or what was worse than what he'd already done that'd get people to hate him so much.
And it turns out it's just because of a shipping war. I'm still not sure if I should feel relieved or annoyed. Yeah, I ship Subaru and Rem over Subaru and Emilia, but hating this part of the story just because he still loves Emilia? I feel like everything else except for that one line gets ignored (the line I'm avoiding saying because I don't want a bot to flag this post) and that the lack of all context except Subaru loving Emilia while Rem loves him destroys a lot of why the scene works.
There's just so much to talk about with why I love this part between Subaru and Rem. I'm a big fan of superhero stories and a classic trope I love is when things get dark and everything is brought to its lowest point...only for the hero to make a comeback. And Subaru... The man is broken. He's given up. Not only has he experienced death, failure, and futility multiple times, he's seen the people he cares about be completely slaughtered, with Rem dying, being mutilated, and even erased to protect him and Emilia, the woman he loves, dying directly because of him. He's powerless to change anything, or at least everything he does change seems to just make things worse. He sees himself as selfish, greedy, and arrogant; that he never actually cared about anyone other than himself. He's just spewing all this very justified self-hatred...and Rem counters it perfectly, not saying a single thing that isn't true about what she loves about him. Last volume had her imagining running away with Subaru, so the possible life with him she talks about isn't just something she's pulled out of the air. It's something she's considered and wants, which means it has actual weight when she turns him down.
I think another reason Rem connects to Subaru so much is because she's no stranger to self-hatred. She's also seen her own existence as a blight on everyone and everything around her. That she's selfish and terrible. And the person who helped pull her out of that state, at least somewhat, and get her to start liking herself was Subaru, which is what she's doing for him now. It's what I love so much about the relationship between these two. It's not just that they've saved each others' lives. They've helped each other in incredibly personal ways, despite the fact that neither fully knows what the source of the other's pain is. Subaru doesn't know what Rem felt as she watched Ram's horn get cut off. Rem doesn't know about Subaru's RBD and constant failures. They didn't need to. They simply knew the other needed help and they gave it, with no strings attached. It's why, despite me shipping them together, I'm not upset that Subaru doesn't return Rem's love (yet?) in the same way. There was a great bit of art I saw of the moment, and the words alongside it were "I didn't say I love you to hear it back. I said it so that you would know." Despite her still having some issues, being a little too subservient and obsessed with Subaru, I can believe Rem's love for him is real. When Subaru hated himself and believed everyone else did too, Rem told him that she loved him, not to get anything back out of it, but simply because she wanted him to at least have that to hold onto.
Rem was clearly at least a little upset at the end of their talk, and I can see it being some regret that she turned him down or that he does still love Emilia more, and I'm fine with that. She did the right thing and she is happy the real Subaru is back, but her being a little sad afterwards keeps her human (even if she's a demon).
Honestly, while I do ship them, I think both did make the right call. If or when they hook up, it should be when there's no lingering doubts or regrets they're carrying with them. Where they can have a future where they can smile together and with everyone in their lives they love and can't just abandon. Plus, I want to see Ram as an aunt to Subaru and Rem's kid! That sounds amazing!
And Subaru saying he loves Emilia, even after Rem poured her heart out to him...well, yeah, of course he does. He just found out Rem loves him and has had no time to process it (he was trying to run away with her out of fear and guilt, thus why she turned him down). If his feelings for Emilia were that easily swayed then it'd be hard to say that they were ever that strong or real to begin with, and thus what would have been the point of everything he's been through? It's not like he said it to hurt Rem. Hell, here and in the anime he sounds pretty apologetic as he says it, because he knows it'll hurt her to hear it and he doesn't want that. But it is the truth. So I'm not going to get mad at him for it. It's consistent with his character and everything he's been through and lead to great character moments for both him and Rem. What's there to be angry about?
But yeah, there was a little bit of it in the last chapter but I'm soooooooo looking forward to next volume. I remember just the feeling of hype and "F**k yeah!" going through my chest on my first watch of the anime. Subaru, after hitting his absolute lowest point, pulling himself together with Rem's help and gathering up everything he's got to fight back against the previously hopeless situation and save the day. It made all that heartache and misery so worth the wait.
Original Reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Re_Zero/comments/gr9y77/novels_first_time_read_through_light_novel_vol_6/
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First time read through light novel vol. 10. Random thoughts.
Okay...I wasn't expecting that.
I fully admit I nearly cried when Emilia asked Subaru to tell her about Rem on the ride back to the mansion. It was sad, it was sweet, it was touching. It hit a lot of spots for me.
The Sleeping Beauty illness is a pretty interesting sickness. Rem won't age or need to eat while she's trapped in her coma. She is basically kind of immortal and it's a very subtly cruel fate. No one remembers the victim and not even a natural death can free them of their fate, as they just simply exist without even their loved ones to acknowledge them.
“The contents of the letter of goodwill were written by Rem. I’m the one who asked it to be sent, so if Crusch handed it to the messenger...only the fact that it was handed over stayed the same, and only the contents were erased.”
That was the sloppy adjustment to the erasure of the memory of Rem from the world.
I love stuff like this. A clue hidden in plain sight that was always there and brought up repeatedly, kind of like the small dog in the village being the shaman. Subaru didn't make a stupid mistake and there was no sabotage to try and get the two camps to be against each other. The letter was blank because Rem wrote it and all traces of her existence, save for her body, have been erased. Also really drives home the tragedy that, even if Subaru's save point hadn't been updated to Rem's bedside, there was no way to save her after defeating the White Whale. It was too late to catch up with her. Though now I'm curious, because I don't remember if it was ever stated how far before Subaru had arrived that Ram received the letter, so there is a chance she had read Rem's actual message before it was erased from her mind. I wonder if she was in the middle of making any preparations when it was replaced in her mind as a blank letter?
Obviously it's always been a thing in the story but I think it finally fully hit me with the art
of Subaru and Petra watching the comatose Rem that, yeah, Subaru's eyes really do look pretty villainous.
I know it's an easy typo to make but I can't help but notice the number of times this volume and last keep mixing up Rem and Ram's names, saying that Rem is at sanctuary when they really mean Ram.
“Now, what do you wish to ask about? Daphne, the Witch of Gluttony, creator of beasts in defiance of the will of Heaven to save the world from starvation? Camilla, the Witch of Lust, filled with love for the world, granter of emotions to they that are inhuman? Minerva, the Witch of Wrath, who, lamenting a world filled with conflict, sets people straight through her fists? Sekhmet, the Witch of Sloth, who, wanting a moment’s peace, drove the dragons beyond the Great Waterfalls for that reason alone? Or Typhon, the Witch of Pride, the young, innocent, merciless one who continued to render judgment onto sinners?”
F**k yeah, lore drop! It also again opens up the question of whether Satella and the other witches were really evil or if misunderstandings had history turn them into monsters? Because honestly even this has it feel like it could go either way. We already met the White Whale, which is associated with gluttony. If Daphne created the creature to "save the world from starvation", then it is accurate in a very twisted way. Yeah, people won't starve when they're dead and forgotten or trapped in a stasis coma. Unless Echidna means the beast were created to provide more food, which I don't think works out either given how strong they are. Given Satella's warped way of showing her "love" for Subaru, the implication could be that all the witches desire pure and noble things but are also bat-sh*t f**king crazy and have really messed up ways of going about that.
“...It bears mentioning that I’m a pauper up there with the best of ’em. A Witch’s compensation is not paid in coin. What I seek from you is a pact. My terms are that you are forbidden from speaking to others about what took place at this tea party. You are bound by a similar pact, so it is a simple matter for you, is it not?”
So RBD may be a pact? Would that imply is was something Subaru agreed to? In the story we've seen, I think the pact might have been formed upon his first death, with Emilia dying beside him, and him doing whatever it'd take to save her. I can see an opening for Satella there.
“I succeeded in forming an alliance with Crusch. Satisfied with the results of leaving me there now?”
“Ahh, I am most saaatisfied. Truly, truly, you have acquired something difficult and long yearned for.”
“...That so.”
Subaru: "Oh, by the way, you owe a bunch of money I promised to people in Anastasia's group. Have fun with that."
“The reason is simple. This land has been under the care of the Mathers family, passed down from generation to generation. It began under the lord of this house at the time...the Roswaal from which I inherit this name. In other words, it is from this Roswaal in history that this Sanctuary has been passed down.”
When Subaru broached the issue of his relationship to the Witch, Roswaal followed suit, filling in the blanks. The explanation left Emilia touching her own lips, knitting her refined eyebrows.
“‘In history’... Then the Mathers family has been involved with the Witch of Greed since long...”
So Roswaal and his family have a personal connection to Echidna, one of the six witches Satella absorbed and the enemies of the dragon, whom Roswaal talked about in his goal relating to when the dragon dies. Though it's still up in the air how nefarious his goals are or even what specifically he wants.
“Setting that aside, what are you gonna do about this plate of green peas? I tried to pass it to Daddy, Daddy passed it to Mom, and Mom passed it to me, and we’ve been going around in circles...”
“But Mom hates green peas. I hate even looking at them.”
“And you were trying to overcome me being picky?!”
“Ah, don’t misunderstand me, it’s not just green peas that Mom hates, it’s all food that’s little and round like that. It feels icky to put them in my mouth.”
“That’s not a misunderstanding, then—if anything it just sounds even fishier than before!”
Deflated by his mother’s impactful statement, Subaru grudgingly pushed the plate of green peas Kenichi’s way.
“Well, it’s the husband’s place to take responsibility for the wife, so I’ll leave it to Daddy to reap the fruits of defeat.”
“Hey, don’t make me feel all lonely here, Subaru. We’re family getting along like few do these days, right? In other words, if Mom hates it, Daddy hates it, too.”
“Man, I really feel for this forest of green, nobody’s happy with it!”
What the f**k am I reading?
In all seriousness, this whole section of the book is pretty good. In regards to light novels, I've only read three other Isekai series: Overlord, Konosuba, and Rising of the Shield Hero. And in all three series the MC's parents aren't really a factor that get brought up in many significant ways. Ainz's parents sadly died when he was a kid. Kazuma died and was reborn into a fantasy world, with everyone including his parent having trouble not laughing over the really pathetic way he died, so he doesn't like thinking about them too much. And while Naofumi sometimes thinks about his parents, it's far more often his brother comes up because of the pressure that was placed on him because of their parents. I never would have thought Subaru's relationship with his parents would be such a major thing the story would explore.
This whole part feels a little like a self-help book, in a good way. Subaru reflects a lot on his faults and why he retreated into himself for so long. He's grown, but his also still growing, which I think is really important for a character like him. I know there are people who've seen Re:Zero who have a problem with how sad and pathetic Subaru can be, but given that it serves a purpose and it consistently has had payoff, I don't see why it's a bad thing. Subaru as his is now is not the same man as he was when he first entered the story and, if the quality stays consistent, he won't be the same later in the story as he is now.
“I mean, if you want me to abandon you, you’ve gotta be more proactive about it. Who abandons his own kid just because he crawls into his own shell? If you want me to hate you, you should commit genocide on half of humanity for no particular reason. Then I’ll hate you.”
“That’s a crazy thing to ask for!! You don’t see many villains like that even in shonen manga!!”
Funny enough I feel like a version of Subaru who'd do that would be more like comic Thanos than movie Thanos. Less about trying to save humanity from itself and more just trying to impress a girl. I wonder which AU sin version that would be?
He’d been so convinced he’d kept his inner feelings hidden, but in truth, it had all been in vain. This in spite of the fact that he’d thought himself lonely and miserable with not a single person the wiser.
I love how this can relate back to Emilia and Rem's relationships with Subaru. During the mansion arc and White Whale arc Subaru was cracking under the stress and despair RBD had given him, trying to hide it best as he could but the two still saw through him anyway. Emilia is the one who I think most directly commented on it, offering him the lap pillow when he was overworking himself out of fear and even when he said a lot of terrible things to her on his last loop before they took down the whale, she talked about how sad he looked and how much pain he was in.
It was his bad habit to suddenly lose it in the middle of a conversation. Just how much had he run in circles at the royal capital because of that short temper? He focused on deep breathing. Breathe in, breathe out. He did this a second time, and then a third.
“...Let’s...talk about everything in order, starting with this coconspirator business.”
Character growth. Always welcome. Obviously it might be a little too early to say this but I'm glad Subaru isn't just repeating the same problems and conflicts he did in the first three arcs. He's not over his faults but he's not being tripped up by the same personal flaws that tripped him up before. He's actually learned from his experiences and grew as a person.
Even before Rem was erased, Ram's loyalty to Roswaal was greater than anything else. But I'm really curious what effect we'll see going forward. Is Ram even more devoted to Roswaal than before or has the loss of someone she loved so much detached something within her? Rem was clearly important to Ram too, as we saw fully in the mansion arc loop when she died. Is her relationship with her master going to change now that a significant part of her life is just gone, like it never existed?
“For three days I’ve been watchin’ Lady Emilia challenge the trial, same as you. It’s breakin’ her. Seein’ her come out all messed up like that—I can’t stand to watch.”
Crinkling the skin of his nose, Garfiel brought up the heartbreaking sight of Emilia right after emerging from the tomb.
The number of times Emilia had failed to overcome the trial were adding up. But it wasn’t just that—it was the sight of her turning back: broken, panicked, calling for Puck, then finally sleeping as if her strength was exhausted.
I wonder if the story is trying to put Emilia through basically a similar experience as Subaru's? Being broken by repeated failures in a past she can't overcome. The one advantage she has over him is that everyone knows she's going through a terrible ordeal, even if they don't know what specifically, while Subaru's curse keeps him from letting anyone know he's been going through anything.
“—I told you to take care of your bowels until the next time we meet.”
Oy, this bitch.
This book gave me two things I'm glad about. The first is that it made the loss of Rem a lot easier to deal with by simple virtue of everyone believing Subaru that they knew Rem and she was erased from their memories, in no small part in that the characters aren't stupid and can see the similarities between her and Ram. She hasn't been abandoned and Subaru doesn't have to carry the burden of trying to bring her back by himself. The other is something I've wanted to see for a while and it's Subaru and Emilia on the same page and working together. They're trusting and relying on each other, even if neither knows the other's full story. They're not pushing each other away or keeping the other at arms length. Their relationship can actually DEVELOP because they're actually moving forward together.
Original Reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Re_Zero/comments/hb6g4v/novels_first_time_read_through_light_novel_vol_10/
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