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Overlord IV Episode 5 Review – Quick Summary
In Overlord IV episode 5, “In Pursuit of the Land of Dwarves,” the Lord Ains had an idea that was shocking in two respects. First, he came up with it on his own. Second, it was a great idea. That’s being a little unfair, but the Lord Ains did act with speed and purpose. His goal was to establish diplomatic relations with the dwarf kingdom, and he took Shalltear and Aura Bella Fiora with him. What they found was quite unexpected. And what they subsequently learned was flat out alarming. Can Lord Ains adjust his plan to account for the new information he received? Will Albedo and Demiurge hold things together while he’s gone? And can Shalltear tone it down enough not to destroy everything in her path?
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.
Favorite Quote from Overlord IV Episode 5
Well, he wasn’t planning on annihilating them. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Aura Bella Fiora had been meeting with the Lord Ains when he mentioned his plan to visit the dwarven kingdom. Aura Bella Fiora, of course, felt ecstatic he asked her to go as his body guard. Like all of his floor supervisors, she’d do anything to please him, and longed for every opportunity to be with him.
Then he mentioned that he wanted to take Shalltear as well.
One thing I like about Aura Bella Fiora is that she’s matter-of-fact. Also, she doesn’t seem to be much into back-stabbing. So when she asked her next question, I think genuine curiosity had been her motive.
“Shalltear? Are you planning on annihilating the Dwarven Kingdom?” she said (07:55).
Thinking back on Shalltear’s past, reflecting on her role as most powerful of the floor supervisors, I have to say that’s a reasonable question.
Best in Show Moment for Overlord IV Episode 5
Seeing the combination of Shalltear’s trust and Aura’s support made this a great moment. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Setup: Likable Villains?
Yes, most of these characters would brutally murder any random human they encounter. Yes, they all hate lesser beings and look down on them. And yes, they all practically worship an undead being who used the souls of more than a hundred and fifty thousand people in a spell in season 3. Which is to say, he killed them dead.
But damn it, I like these people!
This episode gave us a little high-level intrigue among the upper echelon of the floor guardians. Albedo and Demiurge performed some verbal fencing that was a lot of fun to see. Albedo’s smug smile is a treasure, and it was a LOL moment when Demiurge realized that Ains only needed a few days to maneuver the empire into petitioning to become a vassal state.
Demiurge found Albedo’s interpretation of Ains’ actions shocking. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
That kind of thing is a lot of fun. But where this series seems to shine, at least from the perspective of character, is in the little character moments. Do you remember what Ains said after my favorite quote? He said that Shalltear carried an unusual burden, being created as she had as the strongest. He said he wanted to expose her to new things so she could grow.
You could tell by Aura’s expression that Ains’ concern delighted her. How cool is that? But the coolness didn’t stop there. It extended into my favorite moment.
Delivery: Warmth is Warmth
Do you remember when Shalltear screwed up (I think in the first season)? She never forgot that. Apparently, it ate at her confidence. So much so that when Aura asked her why she was so cheerful, she confided that she couldn’t let her guard down. She really wanted to prove she could be trusted.
She went so far as to say she wanted to prove she was useful! It felt weird that I sat there, looking at a lamprey vampire, and felt sorry for her.
It got to the point where she was almost in tears when she thought of how little Albedo, Demiurge, and especially Ains, thought of her. Her opening up to Aura was enough to inch this closer to becoming my favorite moment. What really pushed it over the edge was Aura thinking back and remembering why Ains had wanted to include Shalltear. That prompted her to speak.
Shalltear feared she had lost the respect of her peers – and of the Lord Ains. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
“Lord Ains would never think that way,” Aura said (08:25). “He told me he wanted you to come so you could gain more experience and broaden your horizons.”
Hearing the relief in Shalltear’s voice was just so endearing! And all the while, I kept remembering how she looks when she transforms into her lamprey form, and the fact that she was strong enough to nearly overcome Ains himself. Those data points are so far apart, yet they’re both perfect examples of her personality. It’s just so much fun for me to watch characters like this – you don’t get a moment like this one in other series!
What did you think of Ains’s “Create Fortress?” What were your favorite moments in this episode? Feel free to let me know in the comments!
Overlord IV Episode 5: Other Posts
Other Anime Sites
- Reddit: Overlord Season 4 – Episode 5 discussion
- RABUJOI: Overlord IV – 05 – Field Trip
- Random Curiosity: Overlord IV – 05
This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)
- Overlord IV Episode 1: Ains Ooal Gown Nation of Leading Darkness
- Overlord IV Episode 2: Re-Estize Kingdom
- Overlord IV Episode 3: Baharuth Empire
- Overlord IV Episode 4: The Ruler of Conspiracy
- Overlord IV Episode 5: In Pursuit of the Land of Dwarves
- Overlord IV Episode 6: The Impending Crisis
- Overlord IV Episode 7: In Pursuit of the Land of Dwarves
- Overlord IV Episode 8: An Unexpected Move
- Overlord IV Episode 9: Countdown to Extinction
- Overlord IV Episode 10: The Last King
- Overlord IV Episode 11: Well-Prepared Traps
- Overlord IV Episode 12: Invasion of the Royal Capital
- Overlord IV Episode 13: The Witch of the Falling Kingdom
They’re pretty likeable here , I love the book version as they play the expedition part as a straight adventure novel
I still have to make time to read the books! Like you said, the straight adventure portions are a lot of fun.
They really are plus I’m curious as the other lands he may visit in future books too the new world is quite large and I think we have only seen a fraction of what there is
They certainly are intriguing, interesting, enjoyable characters. And this makes for the first in a very long time where Ains and company can be the heroic figures of the story, coming to save the beleaguered dwarves and cut down their monstrous enemies. I’ve no particular feeling about Ains slaughtering enemies on the battlefield, but what he and his people did to the Workers, luring them in with lies and delivering fates worse than simple death to many of them, just so they can pretend to be affronted in their first interaction with the Empire… now, *that,* I take issue with!
Maybe seeing them cast in a heroic light is why I’m more comfortable this season than last! There were a couple of times, and you mentioned one of them, where I just wan’t comfortable with rooting for them!
Exactly. That’s the trick of writing a story that follows characters who would usually be regarded as villains: you can only push so far in how villainous you make them before you begin to lose the audience’s ability to favor them.