Quick Summary • Best Moment • Setup • Delivery • Other Posts
Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 17 – Quick Summary
In Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 17, “My Older Brother’s Feelings,” Rudy was furious, much to Pursena and Rinia’s dismay — they were afraid they’d done something wrong! Norn had confined herself to her dorm room. Rudy’s past life gave him a pretty good explanation as to why, which was why he stormed into the middle of the class Norn should have been attending. He demanded to know what was going on. The answer he got was not what he expected!
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.
Favorite Quote from Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 17
It took Linia a second – bolstering Pursena’s case! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Wasn’t it great seeing Pursena and Rinia trying to be supportive? Sure, they’re treating Rudy well because of their social structure – what with Rudy being their pack leader and all – but still, I like seeing characters working together.
After the Norn’s fellow students and teacher explained the situation to Rudy, and after he realized (or thought he realized) his role in her depression, he was himself depressed. Pursena, Rinia, and Sylphie tried to cheer him up and figure out their next moves. Pursena and Rinia were all for just dragging Norn out, which of course was out of the question. But still, Rinia agreed.
Pursena went on to say that if Norn didn’t get out, her brain would deteriorate. Rinia agreed whole-hearted.
Just in case she hadn’t made her point, Pursena added (06:24), “She’ll end up as stupid as Linia.”
It didn’t help Linia’s cause that she took a few seconds to realize she’d been insulted.
Favorite Moment from Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 17
Norn had not expected Rudy to speak that way. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Setup: Rudy Remembered What Didn’t Work
Did you see the title of the next episode? It’s called “Turning Point 3.” “Turning Point 1” was where we met Orsted for the first time. In “Turning Point 2,” Orsted punched a hole through Rudy’s heart.
I’m an anime-only viewer. But I have a feeling stuff’s about to go down. Given that Norn’s arc was the last remaining open loop, I think the timing is perfect – and my favorite moment is just the launch pad the next arc needed.
It’s been awhile since an anime struck me this hard, but this episode hit really, really close to home. It’s to the point where I kinda feel like it was aimed right at one of my (many) failings. I gotta say – Rudy handled it well. Better than I do in most cases, and that’s my fault – because I generally try to be more like Rudy’s brother.
I’m wired weird. Ninety percent of the time, I feel like I’m emulating human emotions so folks around me don’t suspect what I really am. Which is an overly dramatic way of putting it, of course, but we all have facades we maintain, and that’s one of mine.
I can’t count how many times I’ve sat where Rudy’s brother was sitting. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
When we saw Rudy’s brother, in flashback, trying to argue Rudy into coming out of his room (10:44), I recognized instantly what he was trying to do. That’s because it’s my default position. I try to “help” those around me get through tough situations by using reason. There are times it works, of course. But more often than not, it’s more than useless – it’s harmful. I’ve been told I give the impression I’m being callus, or I’m not listening.
I have just enough reason to realize what they mean is that I am not acknowledging the legitimacy of their emotional state. I was trying to; I’m still working on how to best accomplish that. But I’m already emulating my own emotions. It’s tough to ask the emulator to take on another human’s state!
Delivery: Rudy Stumbled into Helping Norn
My favorite moment is when Rudy worked it out. He tried and tried to think of how to approach Norn. He knew argument wouldn’t, because he remembered it not working for his brother. For a long time, he sat quietly in Norn’s room, trying to figure it out. Nothing came to mind. From his perspective, he gave up and decided to just lay out his emotions.
Which, ironically, was exactly the best thing he could have done.
He finally stood up and said (18:22), “Norn, I”m sorry. I guess you’ve had it rough since you got here. You got a fresh start, and it turned out like this because of me. I don’t know what to say. I mean, I don’t really know you. Even after all this, I don’t know what I should do for you.”
His emotion reached her, and she drew the bed curtains aside. For just an instant, she saw him as Paul, their father. They regarded each other for a moment, Rudy still not knowing what to do, Norn in a state of wonder.
There was so much nascent hope in this shot. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
“I’m here for you,” he finally said (19:20). “I won’t go away. I’ll see you for who you are. So… do you mind if I stay?”
Everything in Rudy’s past, both on Earth and in this world, prepared him for this moment. Afterward, he thought he had failed; he thought he hadn’t helped her (20:42). But he said just what she needed to hear, in just the way she needed to hear it, just when she needed to hear it. That’s something I’m still working on, and I fear I’ll be working on it on my deathbed. It might sound weird to say, but I’m going to remember this moment, because if Rudy can figure this out (even unknowingly!), then maybe I can, too.
Are you excited for “Turning Point 3?” What were your favorite moments in this episode? Feel free to share in the comments!
Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 17: Other Posts
Other Anime Sites
- Reddit: Mushoku Tensei Season 2 – Episode 17 Discussion
- The Otaku Author: Mushoku Tensei II: Jobless Reincarnation (Episode 17) – My Older Brother’s Feelings
This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)
- Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 13: My Dream Home
- Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 14: Wedding Reception
- Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 15: Afar
- Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 16: Norn and Aisha
- Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 17: My Older Brother’s Feelings
- Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 18: Turning Point 3
- Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 19: Desert Journey
- Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 20: Into the Labyrinth
- Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 21: Magic Circle to the Sixth Stratum
- Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 22: Parents
- Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 23: Let’s Go Home
- Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 24: Succession
Oh man, I wasn’t ready for this episode. This season so far has been… so so. Not bad, but nothing special. Some highpoints. But mostly build-up for the fall. This episode…?
When the show gets things right about anxiety it’s up there with shows like Welcome to the NHK or Watamote. There’s obvious experience in there. And I’m not only talking about the writing; the animation and compositioning, too. The body language in this episode was so, so spot on, from the way Norn was cruching in a corner to the way Rudeus just sagged as much as possible without dropping to the floor.
When things matter, the show just pulls through.
Watamote — now, there’s a show I can’t bring myself to watch. Because it was _too_ good in the way you described. It was like pressing my head into a a high fidelity PTSD experience. The clinical kind, not the colloquial kind.
That last scene… just good stuff. By the time Norn pulled the curtain aside, I realized I’d held my breath in anticipation of how she’d react.