Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Episode 3 Review

There’s No Replacement for Eris

In Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Episode 3, Rudy learned that Sara is no Eris. They may be similar in a lot of ways. But, there’s just no replacement for Eris. Too bad Rudy didn’t realize that before embarrassing himself.

Obviously, Sara is cute. I don’t blame Rudy for falling prey to her flirting with him. But, there’s one major mistake he made in Episode 3. He thought sex was going to fix him. He thought sleeping with Sara would help him move on from Eris. That was never going to happen.

Rudy isn’t depressed because Eris left after they slept together. He’s depressed because Eris — someone he had a close bond with — abandoned him. It was never about sex. But, somewhere along the way, this got mixed up in his head.

When he’s preparing to do the deed with Sara, he even thinks about how he doesn’t love her. She’s attractive and seems to be a willing participant. But, he doesn’t feel the same way about her as he does about Eris. So, even if he was able to get it up, he wouldn’t feel any better.

And, this is actually something Sol tries to explain to him in a roundabout way. As they’re leaving the red light district later in the episode, Sol gives Rudy some advice. He mentions that sometimes it’s better to take things slow. Just because Sara was ready and willing doesn’t mean Rudy was.

And, as Sol says, there’s nothing wrong with that. If you rush into something you’re not ready for, things are more likely to turn out poorly. That’s true in both romance and adventuring. You wouldn’t rush into a dangerous situation in a dungeon. So, why do that with a relationship?

Rudy Can’t Get It Up

Here’s the part of the review where I become a Rudy apologist. I don’t think Rudy was in the wrong at any point in this episode. Yes, he made the mistake of thinking sex with Sara would fix his broken heart. But, that’s not entirely his fault.

I’m going to say that Sara is the one in the wrong. She’s more at fault for everything that happened. And she’s the one who made the situation worse than it needed to be. Even considering what Rudy said at the end of the episode, he’s not to blame.

So, why am I defending Rudy so much here? Well, for starters, it was Sara who initiated the situation. She was the one who was being flirty and invited herself to Rudy’s room. And it was obvious what she was expecting.

Now, yes, Rudy wanted the same thing Sara did. But, it’s clear that at this point, Sara’s in control. She’s the one who was pushing things in that direction even as Rudy made some attempts to slow down. But, I’m not going to say Sara’s to blame for that. She doesn’t know what Rudy’s thinking.

Where I will blame Sara is how she reacted to Rudy not being able to get it up. Not only does she leave. But, she also comments on how she doesn’t actually like him and was only going to sleep with him out of obligation. That statement clearly puts her in the wrong.

Rudy can’t help that he couldn’t get it up. It wasn’t a personal attack against Sara. But, Sara made a deliberate attempt to hurt him as she left. So, it’s no wonder Rudy lashed out the way he did later in the episode. And, he has every right to be upset.

See You Later, Sara

I’m sure there are going to be some people who think Rudy crossed the line with what he said. But, let me point out that Rudy didn’t intend for Sara to hear that. He was very drunk and venting his frustration to Sol.

Also, we know Rudy wouldn’t have said anything like that to Sara’s face for two reasons. First, he told Sol he’d try to make up with Sara either later that evening or the next day. Why? Because he’s obviously way too drunk to do it right now. That wouldn’t make for a good apology.

The second reason is how he responded once he realized Sara overheard him. He immediately tried to apologize and explain that he didn’t mean what he said. And, I believe that’s true. Again, he was venting his frustration to another guy. He was trying to show that he’s a “man” with “adult tastes.”

In any event, Rudy and Sara’s relationship is now over. And that’s a shame because I actually liked Sara’s character. I like her for the same reason Rudy did — she reminds me of Eris. But, I also like her in her own right, as well.

So, it’s too bad that we probably won’t get to see Sara again for a while. I assume she’s going to show up again later on in the series. And by then, she’ll likely have forgiven Rudy for the things he said and realized she was in the wrong.

But, why am I expecting to see her again? Well, Rudy’s kind of putting together an adventurer party harem. Eris is a frontline swordswoman. Sylphiette uses wind magic. Roxy uses water magic. And Sara is an archer. They all fill different roles. So, will they all form a party in the end?

Conclusion

What do you think of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Episode 3? Has your opinion of Sol changed after seeing him “mentor” Rudy? Do you think Rudy or Sara is to blame for their situation? And, are you expecting Sara to reappear later in the series? Let me know in the comments.

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My review of Episode 4 is available now.