The Devil is a Part-Timer Season 3

Episode 20

This episode probably had the most setup and exposition of the entire season. It says a lot when you consider that half of the season has just been the characters sitting down and talking about whatever larger plan has been going on in the background. It also doesn't help that much of what was shown in this episode was stuff we already knew or could already piece together. All this episode did was confirm many of those theories and set the stage for whatever confrontation is going to happen in Ente Isla. Speaking of Ente Isla, I'm glad we're showing it this time. I liked the moment when Emi realized how much she missed Japan because of how advanced it is compared to many of the rural villages she was visiting. It was pretty sad that in this world that had magic, as far as class and technological advancements go, it still feels pretty much in the dark ages.

That scene where Emi realizes that her dad is probably still alive because his land is still intact is nice. However, I'm not sure why she didn't just push Olba a bit more about whether or not he had her dad captive. As audience members, we know this was a bluff, and maybe he just caught Emi at an emotionally vulnerable time when she was desperate. But it is a little weird that she is being held hostage off of a bluff even though she is probably one of the most powerful humans on the planet.

The rest of the episode is just a lot of padding regarding Maou and Suzuno going to Ente Isla to figure out what is going on. There were some nice moments with the characters saying goodbye to each other, but it doesn't feel like there was anything super substantial. It would've been nice if there were more heartfelt moments between the characters because we're leaning into a big confrontation, but we're not treating it like one. Maybe I'm reading too much into what the story is setting up, and all this lack of emotional investment is justified because of it, or it could just be a lapse in writing. I won't know until we get to those points, and I'm not sure which one I'd rather have happen. There aren't many episodes left, but it would be nice to read some definitive closure about all these moving pieces, but only time will tell.

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The Devil is a Part-Timer Season 3 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll and Hulu