Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? IV Part 2 Episode 11

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? IV Part 2 Episode 11

The (Fake) Power of Friendship

Overall, I thought Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? IV Part 2 Episode 11 was a good conclusion to Season 4. But, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the first part of the episode.

Ryuu seeing her friends again in the afterlife and having them tell her to go back and save Bell was fine. It was probably supposed to be more emotional than I thought it was. This is a trope I’m not the biggest fan of. And, I saw it pretty recently when I watched Ranking of Kings a few weeks ago (review coming tomorrow).

But, in my mind, the worst part of the episode is what came after Ryuu “reunited” with her Familia Members. She rejoins the battle against the Juggernaut alongside Bell. And when she does so, she uses the power of friendship to take the monster down.

The Astraea Familia in the afterlife from the anime series Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? IV Part 2 Episode 11
The Astraea Familia in the afterlife

To be clear, Ryuu didn’t really use the power of friendship here. A real example of the power of friendship at work is when Welf crafted his indestructible sword. In Episode 5, he was able to make the world’s first indestructible sword by thinking about his friends.

That’s not quite what happened here. Instead, Ryuu used her own magic to take down the Juggernaut. But, she was pretending like the ghosts of her friends were fighting alongside her. They were not. Everything we saw Ryuu do, she did with her own power.

Still, that doesn’t mean I can’t say I thought it was cheesy. Even though it wasn’t actually the power of friendship, framing it that way is kind of lame. But, I completely understand why it was done that way. It makes sense for Ryuu’s character arc throughout the season.

Xenos to the Rescue!

Let’s talk about the Xenos for a bit. They’re really the heroes of this entire rescue operation. If it wasn’t for the Xenos, Bell and Ryuu might not have made it out of the Dungeon alive. Well, actually, we know for a fact that it was only thanks to them that Bell survived.

Specifically, Marie was the MVP of the season. When the Juggernaut broke Bell’s neck, who was it who healed him? It was Marie. And at the end of this episode when Wiene located Bell and Ryuu, whose blood healed their wounds? Again, it was Marie’s.

Earlier in the season, I predicted that Marie’s healing ability would come up again. Initially, I figured she’d heal Mikoto’s wounds after the fight against the Floor Boss. But, this works too. It actually makes even more sense because it’s what saved Bell in the end.

Lyd and Wiene checking if Bell is still alive from the anime series Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? IV Part 2 Episode 11
Lyd and Wiene checking if Bell is still alive

Oh, and I almost forgot. Marie was also the one who let everyone else know that Bell and Ryuu were most likely in the deep floors. Without that information, the rescue party may not have made it down there until it was too late.

But, Marie isn’t the only Xenos who deserves praise. Lyd, Gros, Wiene, and Let played important roles, as well. Lyd and Gros led the charge into the deep floors to rescue bell. Wiene used her super senses to locate Bell. And Let served as the go-between for the Xenos and Bell’s party during the search.

Unfortunately for the Xenos, they don’t get any of the glory. They don’t get any reward for saving Bell and Ryuu. Though, from their perspective, they were paying Bell back for when he saved them. I hope that someday they get the recognition they deserve.

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Ryuu’s New Life as Best Girl

As I expected, Ryuu Lion survived the arc. At the very start, I wasn’t sure — it could have gone either way. But, once we started getting Ryuu’s backstory and a bunch of death flags for her, I knew she’d survive. It was too obvious for it not to be bait.

Also, while DanMachi can certainly be violent, as we’ve seen, it’s a positive series as a whole. The whole point is that Bell is a hero who always manages to save his friends. And for that to be true, he had to save Ryuu, too.

But, things are looking good for Ryuu beyond the simple fact that she’s alive. Her true identity as the assassin Gale Wind didn’t come to light. And, rumor has it that Gale Wind died as a hero in the deep floors.

Ryuu Lion blushing in a white dress from the anime series Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? IV Part 2 Episode 11
Ryuu Lion blushing in a white dress

So, why does this matter? First, Gale Wind isn’t seen as a terrorist anymore. That’s a good thing because she was the last survivor of the Astraea Familia. If she died a villain and terrorist, that would reflect poorly on the Familia as a whole. She wouldn’t want to harm her friends’ reputations like that.

Second, it means that Ryuu can live a life of peace from now on. I believe the Rudra Familia is completely gone at this point. So, she doesn’t have to track them down anymore. And, since Gale Wind is dead, she doesn’t have to worry about bounty hunters coming for her.

Now, one thing I thought could have happened was Ryuu joining the Hestia Familia. But, after seeing this episode, it makes more sense for her not to. Mama Mia’s is her home. The Hestia Familia isn’t Ryuu’s new family. She already has a family to return to.

Conclusion

What do you think about DanMachi IV Part 2 Episode 11? Did you like the scene of Ryuu seeing her friends in the afterlife? Would you have liked to see the Xenos play more of an active role in this season? And now that the season is over, do you agree with me that Ryuu is the best girl? Let me know in the comments.

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Finally, I’d like to thank Roman and JasonHK for supporting DoubleSama.com at the Heika tier this month. To learn more about how you too can become a supporter of this blog, check out Patreon.com/DoubleSama.

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