Overlord IV Episode 8

Overlord IV Episode 8

Like Stealing Food from a Ruthless Kingdom

Overlord IV Episode 8 starts off with nobles of the Re-Estize Kingdom talking in a bar. Their discussion is on how the Sorcerer Kingdom’s imports are going to cut down on their own profits. That alone is fine, and they have some good points.

But, the issue is that one of these nobles is the one Albedo is using as her pawn within the Kingdom. And rather than remaining loyal to Albedo and the Sorcerer Kingdom, he hatches a plan to betray them. Obviously, this is a terrible idea.

His plan is to attack and steal a shipment of food while it passes through the Re-Estize Kingdom. And, somehow, he thinks the Sorcerer Kingdom won’t link this act back to him. But, in his defense, his plan is so bad that he almost gets away with it.

Ainz forcing his captive to tell the truth with a spell from the anime series Overlord IV Episode 8
Ainz forcing his captive to tell the truth with a spell

After learning of the noble’s involvement, Albedo believes a third party used him. She can’t believe that someone would be stupid enough to go through with this plan otherwise. But, Ainz, in his infinite wisdom, can understand the perspective of the stupid. He realizes that, yes, there are people that dumb.

To me, the best part of this whole situation is how smart the noble thinks he is. He talks to the other nobles about how infuriating it is to be surrounded by those not as smart as himself. If only all the peasants could see and understand his genius.

That’s actually something I like a lot about Overlord in general. It’s pretty satisfying when Ainz or his followers flex on everyone else around them. It doesn’t matter if it’s someone who thinks they’re a genius or that they can defeat a member of Nazarick. It’s always satisfying.

The Carrot and the Stick

After determining who’s at fault for the attack on the food convoy, it’s time to decide the punishment. Ainz wants the punishment to be light. Despite what we’ve seen him do in the past, he doesn’t want to kill people anymore, it seems.

Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be very fitting for a ruler in his position. His followers have expectations about what kind of ruler he is — or should be. And in their eyes, he shouldn’t be showing mercy to life forms so far beneath himself. Because of this, Ainz doesn’t have much of a choice.

He can attempt to lead his followers toward agreeing with his position. But, he can’t outright state his position in most cases out of fear of losing their respect. And this is where many of the misunderstandings his followers have stem from.

Albedo and Ainz Ooal Gown from the anime series Overlord IV Episode 8
Albedo and Ainz Ooal Gown

Ainz’s new foreign policy is that of the carrot and the stick. When possible, he wants to forge peaceful alliances with other nations and individuals. He’d rather enter into a trade agreement with another country than go to war against them. And we should keep in mind that this is partly to preserve his nation’s image.

But, if someone doesn’t go along with the “carrot,” then they’ll get the “stick.” Considering the world and position in which Ainz finds himself, this makes sense. He doesn’t want to seem too ruthless. And he doesn’t want to seem too soft. His followers don’t quite get that, though.

With Ainz unable to speak up against them, they determine that the Re-Estize Kingdom’s time is up. By attacking the food convoy, the Kingdom chose to forsake the carrot. So now, they have to feel the full might of the stick. I’m not really sure what Ainz expected to happen, though.

Long Live the King

In response to the stolen food, the Sorcerer Kingdom declares that war isn’t out of the question. Ainz sends a formal letter to the King of the Re-Estize Kingdom, outlining his dismay. And this letter is co-signed by many of the surrounding nations.

Obviously, if he wanted to, Ainz could wipe the Re-Estize Kingdom off the map on his own. But, that wouldn’t look very good to the other nations. So, rather than acting on his own, Ainz has his allies back him up. This is primarily done to show that his Kingdom isn’t a lone aggressor.

If Ainz attacks on his own, other nations — even some of his allies — will view him as a threat. And, they may feel that if they all band together, they stand a chance of defeating him. By including his allied nations, Ainz avoids this.

The King of the Re-Estize Kingdom from the anime series Overlord IV Episode 8
The King of the Re-Estize Kingdom

After sending the letter, Albedo heads to the Re-Estize Kingdom to meet with the King in person. And, much to everyone’s surprise, the King offers up his own life to make up for the stolen food. He doesn’t want the Sorcerer Kingdom to kill any of his citizens.

Now, I’m guessing the Sorcerer Kingdom accepts this deal. The King gets to save his people, Ainz’s followers get their revenge, and Ainz gets to save face. Also, this is perfect for bringing the crown prince forward into a bigger role. With his father dead, he’ll be the King of the Re-Estize Kingdom.

And, despite how he’s sometimes portrayed, I think the prince is a pretty good ruler. He’s not as self-sacrificing as his father. But, he does tend to base his decisions on what’s best for the Kingdom at large. I’d say that he’s one of the more interesting characters currently.

Conclusion

What do you think of Overlord IV Episode 8? Do you think Ainz was too lenient in his individual punishments? Should he destroy the Re-Estize Kingdom? And do you think Ainz will accept the King’s proposition? Let me know in the comments.

If you enjoyed this review, remember to click the like button down below. Also, follow me on Twitter @DoubleSama so you don’t miss out on any future content. And come join our Discord server to discuss anime with other members of the community.

Finally, I’d like to thank Roman 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.

My review of Episode 9 is available now.

Leave a Comment