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Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 2 – Quick Summary
In Jobless Reincarnation II episode 2, “The Forest in the Dead of Night,” Rudeus continued building a name for himself. He hoped that with enough fame, Zenith might hear of him and come to inquire. But his approach alienated him from himself. Worse, it rubbed some others the wrong way. Can Rudeus keep this up long enough to find his mother? Or will circumstance force him to make a terrible choice – a choice that could cost lives?
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.
Favorite Quote from Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 2
I think Rudy is a fan of truth in advertising. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Rudy learned to be polite in this episode. At first, it was forced. Later… well, please read about my favorite moment below to see what I think about “later!” For now, let’s focus on forced politeness.
Rudy teamed up with Counter Arrow to investigate the Galgau Ruins, which (05:00) “were built as a fortress during the First Human-Demon War.” Very cool stuff. Even Rudy thought so. It had been built underground, and Rudy saw a huge statue carved in the wall. He needed a second to recognize it, because it didn’t have a head.
It suddenly came to him. The stance, and what he could see of the outfit, reminded him of Kishirika Kishirisu, who we met back in episode 12 (I think). Except this statue had two major differences. First, as already mentioned, it had no head. Second, let’s just say that its bosom overflowed. With bosom. If you recall, Kishirika lacked such features.
Rudy said (06:35), “Talk about stretching the truth.”
Yeah, he was trying to be polite. But underneath it all, he was still Rudy. That was almost reassuring! Almost.
Favorite Moment from Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 2
Rudy is in a much better mental place at the end of this episode. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Setup: World Building Includes Characters
The authenticity with which this show present Rudy’s journey continues to impress me. Last week, unable to place Eris leaving into a meaningful emotional context, Rudy despaired. He was ready to let a monster kill him. It took the bravery and camaraderie of Counter Arrow, especially Suzanne, to help Rudy understand that he did not want to die.
In a lot of the fiction I consume, that would be the end of an arc. The story would assert that Rudy was all healed, and the story would move on. Yeah, it’s a straw man, but if you look beyond the flying dried blades of grass, I hope you’ll see the point I’m trying to make.
Deciding not to die is very different from deciding you want to live.
If you’ve been through that experience, you know what I mean. And if you haven’t, I hope you never have to experience it. Rudy’s journey has been painfully authentic in this regard. So much so that in this episode, his heart was still in an emotional gray area.
Sure, he wanted to rescue Zenith. He had come up with a strategy that involved building a reputation as someone who helped others. Careful to not let anyone know how powerful he was (possibly to keep from evoking jealousy or from scaring them off), he treated everyone with unfailing politeness. Rudy even healed the sick and injured!
He was an all-around nice guy at the beginning of this episode. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
But there were those, like Soldat Heckler, who not only saw not only that his politeness didn’t represent who Rudy really was. They sensed Rudy held back his power. In a world where your ability to protect your friends is literally life and death, that’s dangerous. As much as I didn’t like Soldat’s attitude, I could not dispute his conclusions. Rudy’s decisions put his party in danger.
It seemed to me that Rudy simply could not connect with anyone. In trying to be polite to all, he could become close to none. That was partly because he intentionally kept people at arm’s length out of fear of being hurt again. This is yet another example of how the show gives Rudy’s emotions space to grow.
Delivery: This World Has Remade Rudy
When he hears that Sara is missing and might still be alive, something clicked. He didn’t even know what it was himself. Counter Arrow couldn’t go back out because of the blizzard; they planned to go after her tomorrow. But Rudy knew something they didn’t. He left on his own despite the blizzard.
Can we just take a moment to marvel at how he blew a freaking blizzard out of the sky? Or how he carried on an internal debate about his own emotions as he casually slew every monster that came close? Or, most astonishing of all, how after he rescued Sara, he had her practically naked so he could heal her and dry her clothes – and he didn’t try to molest or stare lustfully at her?
My favorite moment is when everything he had seen and done, along with all his experiences with Counter Arrow, came together. He brought Sara back to town, safe and sound, as Counter Arrow was leaving to look for her body.
At first, Suzanne reacted with anger that Rudy had put himself in danger without taking them along. Which is how you react when someone you care about puts themselves in what seems like unnecessary risk. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Tears streaming down his face, Timothy (and there’s an interesting character!) profusely thanked Rudy. Rudy’s response is what got me. He said (22:20), “When all’s said and done, I feel like Counter Arrow has done so much for me.”
And he meant it!
Before, Rudy had decided not to die. Through Counter Arrow’s example, he re-learned how to interact with people as people. He doesn’t try to peep at Sara. He doesn’t see people as archetypes. He’s learned to connect with individual human beings. I think, though I can’t point to a definitive moment, that he now has decided he wants to live. This is a new Rudy – as powerful as ever, maybe even more powerful. And he’s become a decent human being.
Adoration of the holy relic notwithstanding.
What did you think of Suzanne’s announcement that Sara and Mimir were dead? What were your favorite moments? I’d love to know what you think! Feel free to share in the comments!
Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 2: Other Posts
Other Anime Sites
- Reddit: Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu Season 2 • Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 – Episode 2 discussion
- DOUBLESAMA: MUSHOKU TENSEI: JOBLESS REINCARNATION SEASON 2 EPISODE 2
- The Otaku Author: Mushoku Tensei II: Jobless Reincarnation (Episode 2) – The Forest in the Dead of Night
This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)
- Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 0: Guardian Fitz
- Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 1: Brokenhearted Mage
- Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 2: The Forest in the Dead of Night
- Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 3: Abrupt Approach
- Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 4: Letter of Invitation
- Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 5: Ranoa University of Magic
- Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 6: I Don’t Want to Die
- Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 7: The Kidnapping and Confinement of Beast Girls
- Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 8: The Fiancé of Despair
- Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 9: The White Mask
- Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 10: These Feelings
- Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 11: To You
- Jobless Reincarnation II Episode 12: I Want to Tell You
Nature: (is being unforgiving)
Rudy: (is having none of that TODAY!)
Monsters: (are wanting to kill and eat tiny human)
Rudy: (barely notices)
I did take note that Rudy wasn’t being his usual pervy self. Perhaps some good came out of Eris ditching him after all? Once burned and twice shy, after all. Even if he completely misunderstood her because she completely failed to make herself understood.
The situation with Eris is so exactly what both of those character would do that it’s amazing. He can’t process what she did or why; it never occurred to her to explain herself, or if it did, she probably felt too inferior to Rudy to even try.
It had to be tough on her. In any other party, she would have been top dog. She even managed to land a hit on Ruijerd. But against Rudy? They fight on different planes. He doesn’t see that consciously. She can’t think through the implications.
It’s the making of a real tragedy.
It’s almost like we watched the exact same show! I’m glad Rudeus looks like he might finally be back, and I’m also glad they didn’t just sweep it under the rug too. He needed time and a reason to heal.
One of these days Rudy will really show his power. I would think that showing Rudeus Greyrat’s true power would cause his fame to explode. Much more likely Zenith would hear about him than playing the part of a minor but successful adventurer.
Absolutely!
I take notes while I watch, and when I saw him just blow away a blizzard, I wrote something like, “And Rudy said, eff-you, blizzard!”
I mean, jeesh! That kind of power is ridiculous! And it’s so entertaining to watch!
I think it speaks to his where he was mentally that he elected to go low-key.