Anime

Record of Grancrest War Episode 12: An Eye For… a Neck? And Public Displays of Affection

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Quick Summary of Record of Grancrest War Episode 12

In Record of Grancrest War Episode 12, “A Treaty Formed,” Mirza Kooches cannot understand why the subjects of the now deceased Villar Constance won’t just stand down and accept the change of leadership. David Lassic literally puts his neck on the line in an attempt to help the tyrant understand. Marrine Kreische takes an interest in Theo Cornaro and Siluca Meletes and insists on meeting with them before trying to wipe them off the face of the Earth. The meeting gives Theo an idea for an innovative new kind of attack!

Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.

What’s In This Post

Quick Episode Summary
3 Favorite Moments
Thoughts
Related Posts

Interested in the OP?

First Favorite Moment from Record of Grancrest War Episode 12

David tries to turn down the leadership position out of loyalty to Theo. Such integrity is really hard to find! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

You know how sometimes your reaction to world events prepares you to appreciate a moment in anime (or a movie, or book, or other work of fiction)? Maybe it’s because of the low value my culture seems to place on both leadership and loyalty these days, but I find that the more I see it, the more I like David’s honest loyalty to Theo (4:19). Since he capitulated to Theo after the latter had captured the mage Moreno Dortous, David has been unwavering in his dedication to Theo, even to the point of trying to turn down leadership of the Lords under the Altirk Treaty. That kind of thing’s important. It’s the foundation of friendships and it’s the foundation of empires. Heck, it’s the foundation of civilization. And no, I don’t hyperbole much…

Second Favorite Moment from Record of Grancrest War Episode 12

David was almost as excited about facing off against Mirza as the reverse! Loyalty and courage — that’s an admirable combination! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

This might come as a shock, but I’m no fan of Mirza. Okay, not so much a shock as a constant reminder… So it was with great pleasure, and  a little trepidation, when I realized that David was going to face off against the butcher from Dartagnia (8:50). We’ve seen David’s strength and swordsmanship time and time again, but Milza is almost like a demon when he fights. From David’s enthusiastic “Bring it on!” until we see him riding back to Moreno, I was actually holding my breath!

He suffered a serious gash across the back of his neck, but he did even worse to Milza, who retreated with a slash across one eye. I have to admire not only David’s prowess, but his nonchalant response: “Looks like my head’s still intact somehow” (10:00). Even after surviving an encounter with Milza, David wasn’t arrogant. He still recognized that his opponent was capable and terrifying. I like that in a leader!

Third Favorite Moment from Record of Grancrest War Episode 12

Siluca may have felt embarrassed (and I don’t think Theo’s subsequent fist pump helped), but he fired up his troops and damaged Marrine’s composure. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

First he sweet talks her (“Then could you work a miracle for me?” he asks at 16:25), then, in front of their troops and still in Marrine and Siluca’s father’s full view, Theo kisses Siluca (16:45). With one shared moment, he ignited the morale of his troops and dealt a psychological blow to his enemy. I can’t tell is Siluca’s anger was because she didn’t want him to kiss her, or that she thought doing so was in appropriate in front of so many people. I hope it’s the latter. She did say she felt like dying of embarrassment later (17:40), but I didn’t think she was really angry with him. Especially after she understood the impact on their enemy!

Thoughts about Record of Grancrest War Episode 12

“I’d like to strive for the same ideals which you’ve abandoned,” Theo said to Marrine (15:18).

What do you think of the leader that Theo is becoming? What do you look for in a leader? It’s an important question for those of us who live in democracies. The answer reveals a lot about who we are as a people and as individuals. It speaks to how our votes will fashion our future.

Put that way, it almost seems like I’m setting you up, doesn’t it?

I’m not doing so intentionally, but I honestly do think it’s an important question. Theo is shaping up to be exactly the kind of leader I respect, even if he makes missteps. Remember him trying to “save” Siluca back in the first episode? His intentions were good and he realized his error quickly. That’s a quality trait right there: he can be taught! He’s won over opponents without violence, though he’s strong and skilled enough with a blade if he needs to take that path. He reduces excessive taxes and tries to take care of his people even if they don’t like him. He’s not afraid to embrace beautiful ideas and fight to make them a reality. He replays loyalty with loyalty. He treats Siluca with respect (I really don’t think the public display of affection was disrespectful, even if it embarrassed her) and takes her advice seriously.

Marrine hasn’t shown that she can learn the right lessons. And her people will pay the price! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

Sound like the antithesis of anyone you know? And I don’t mean anyone in this show. Certainly, Mirza is Theo’s polar opposite when he comes to most of these things.

No, I was thinking more of real life. I can’t for the life of me think of how any of Theo’s qualities could be be considered “bad” or “weak.” Conversely, I can’t think of how the opposite traits could be considered praiseworthy. Yet, we see every day how a certain percentage of the population enthusiastically supports “leaders” who not only act more like Mirza — but act more like Mirza to the people who support them! It so bizarre that Psychology Today published an article about it.

I know this is a site to celebrate anime. And I know that if you’ve been a reader long enough, you know I sometimes talk about politics. So, I appreciate your patience as you read these Thoughts. It’s just that, as I sat through this episode, even though I know this is a fantasy, I found myself a little dispirited that the people in that world have way better leaders than we do.

Shouldn’t we know how to do better by now?

What do you think? If politics isn’t your cup of tea, what were your favorite moments in this episode? Let me know in the comments!

Other Posts of Interest about Record of Grancrest War Episode 12

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