Ranking of Kings: The Treasure Chest of Courage Episode 2

Beasts of the Wilderness

Ranking of Kings: The Treasure Chest of Courage Episode 2 was better than Episode 1. As will likely be the case with every episode in this spin-off series, Episode 2 was still filler content. But, it was more interesting filler content.

Both stories in this episode take place during Bojji and Kage’s trip back to the Bosse Kingdom. At this point, the Order of the Underworld is accompanying the pair on their trip. And this episode covers their trek through a desert.

According to the captain of the Order, dangerous beasts come out at night in the desert. It’s said that these beasts eat unsuspecting travelers. So, to protect against the beasts, the Order has guards stationed around their camp all night. But, it’s not the guards who stumble upon a beast — it’s Kage.

In the middle of the night, Kage hears a strange growling sound and sees a large shadow. Obviously, he assumes this is a wild beast and wakes Bojji up to help him investigate. But, right from the start, it was obvious that Kage didn’t actually see a beast. And in the end, it turned out to be a sleepwalking knight.

However, before that reveal, Bojji and Kage were convinced there was a beast somewhere. And during their search, they came across a cottage that had clear signs of a struggle. Luckily, the inhabitants of the cottage weren’t harmed. But, the “beast(s)” that attacked them returned.

Apparently, there’s a trio of robbers who roam these parts of the desert. It’s unclear if the rumors of beasts in the desert originated from these robbers. We never get a definitive answer. So, it’s possible. But, it’s also possible the beasts are what we see in story #2.

A Mysterious Desert

The second story of the episode begins with a sandstorm in the desert. After the sandstorm subsides, Bojji and Kage notice an oasis nearby. As their party makes its way into the forest around the lake, they’re greeted by strange creatures.

Although the creatures resemble animals we’re familiar with (cats, rabbits, etc.), they’re different. Nobody would mistake these creatures for those animals, despite the similarities. And since these creatures are so mysterious, the captain of the Order is suspicious of them. He doesn’t want Bojji approaching them because he might get hurt.

The fact that the captain looks out for Bojji so much is kind of interesting. From what I remember of the main series, he wasn’t tasked with protecting Bojji. He and his men just happen to be heading in the same direction and so party up with Bojji.

Remember, at this point, Bojji is heading back to the Kingdom of Bosse to reclaim the throne. And the Order of the Underworld is going there to capture Ouken (and Miranjo, if possible). So, it’s not like the captain’s job is to protect Bojji.

Also, the captain knows Bojji isn’t actually as weak as he seems. He knows that Bojji trained with the legendary Desha. So, he should understand that Bojji isn’t weak. But, I guess this has always been how everyone treats Bojji. Because of his appearance and disabilities, they underestimate him. This even happens when they know what he’s capable of.

Anyway, back to the creatures of the oasis. Bojji and the rest of the group quickly learn that they’re friendly. That is until a giant one appears and begins chasing them. Though, it’s important to note that it never once actually attacked them. It was all a misunderstanding.

Creatures of the Oasis

So, what exactly are the creatures of the oasis? We don’t know for certain. But, we can make some assumptions based on context and something Kage pointed out. Kage said that they look like the creatures from “that one time.”

Thanks, Kage. That really narrows it down. But, he’s referring to the creatures from Episode 4 of the original series. This was the episode in which Bojji spent some time with the hunter in the woods. And toward the end of his time with the hunter, they saw a mysterious creature.

The creature Bojji saw back then looks very similar to the large creature we see in this episode. What was that creature, though? In a sense, it was a god. We saw that it sucked up the souls of dead animals and gave them new life.

So, with that in mind, what are the creatures of the oasis? Are they gods, as well? Not quite. At the end of the episode, we see these creatures themselves get sucked up by a larger creature. The implication here is that the larger creature is what Bojji saw in the past.

And if that’s the case, it would mean these smaller creatures are the spirits of animals. That actually makes a lot of sense if you consider that they look like animals we’re familiar with. So, my best guess is that the creatures of the oasis are spirits waiting to be reborn.

The fact that the world of Ranking of Kings has these mysterious beings is something I love. Stuff like this is what makes a fantasy world interesting. We’ll never get a definitive answer regarding what the “god” creature is. But, that’s okay. The mystery adds to the world.

Conclusion

What do you think of Ranking of Kings: The Treasure Chest of Courage Episode 2? Do you think there were actually dangerous beasts in the desert? Do you agree with my theory about the creatures being animal spirits? And, what do you think the giant creature that sucked them up is? Let me know in the comments.

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My review of Episode 3 is available now.