Overlord II

Episode 12

There's lots of fun stuff going on in this penultimate episode. The Demiurge (aka Jaldabaoth)/Momon fight promised by the opener finally happens, providing a nice back-and-forth exchange between the two as they put on their show for Evileye. Based on the discussion that followed last episode and Ains's internal comment about being hired for this task by Marquis Raeven, I am now more convinced that this isn't part of any great plan by Ains. Demiurge's reaction to Momon's arrival and the ensuing dialogue had a very ad-libbed feel, but Demiurge fortunately has the wit and instinct necessary to play along with his master. (He's probably the only one of the Floor Guardians who could pull that off.) Climb and Brain also get their turns facing off against Zero and Succulent, the latter in disguise as Tuare. (I fully expected that the girl they rescued wasn't the real Tuare, but I thought Succulent had been captured back in episode 9?) Then Zero gets to do all of his power-ups so Sebas can once again prove his badassery by taking out the foe with a single kick.

Somehow in the midst of all this, the series managed to worm in some more lighthearted developments while also filtering in background details. Evileye was recognized last episode as distinctly more powerful than her compatriots, but her comments this episode suggest that she's also both centuries old and either undead or in some other state that doesn't require a heartbeat, which makes me all the more curious about the face behind that mask. These are some pretty big revelations to be throwing around while she gets romantically flustered over Momon; apparently she's attracted to powerful types, and this is the first time in a long time that she's run into a male adventurer stronger than her. She's even apparently concerned that Momon might become romantically interested in Lakyus. This has all sorts of amusing potential, especially since Ains is clearly misunderstanding her reactions (though Narbarel isn't), and it complements Ains' own internal laments about whether or not he's being a cool enough leader. The music and sparkly effects do a great job of playing up this angle.

The game mechanics aspect of this episode is also interesting, though more heavy-handed. The way the Raise Dead spell is described falls in line with how it functions in most editions of Dungeons and Dragons, even down to how the one brought back is hampered or outright incapacitated in the short term. The explanation about why only extraordinary people can be brought back is a welcome touch that often gets overlooked in these situations.

That all plays into the episode's final scene, which may be its most impactful even though it takes place well away from the action. Princess Renner has impressed me before with the way she hides her intelligence and obsessiveness behind her sweet façade, but now I may have to elevate her to my all-time-favorite yandere character. She certainly takes that character type to a whole new level by deliberately sending her faithful servant into danger so that she'll be in a position to nurse him back to health when he's recuperating after being raised from the dead. It's a cleverly calculated move, since it plays on her fake persona by making her seem like she wants to make up for sending him into danger, which would allow her to lavish attention on Climb without it seeming suspicious. And that expression of hers in the last shot proves that the franchise hasn't forsaken its penchant for wonderful twisted faces.

The only real flaws to this episode are that the animation doesn't hold up consistently outside of key action sequences, and Tia not looking burnt (given the way she died) is incongruous. It certainly leaves a lot to anticipate next week, as Demiurge's scheme involving the Flames of Gehenna remains unclear, and even Ains doesn't seem fully aware of the details. So far, Overlord II has had one of the strongest and most consistent runs this season.

Rating: B+

Overlord II is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.