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Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 11 – Quick Summary
In Wistoria: Want and Sword episode 11, “The True Name of Cowards,” Will and Wignall reunited with the rest of their party. But if they thought things were easier, the dungeon disappointed them. Instead of a rapid ascent back to the surface, they found that a Evil Grand Duke – a monster previously seen 14 levels below them – suddenly appeared. It established its realm and came after them. What chance does Lihanna’s party have against such a monster? Can they poll their strengths? Will even that be enough?
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.
Favorite Quote from Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 11
Colette, of all of them, understood Will the best. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
My favorite quote is usually a single line. On a few occasions, an inarticulate sound rose to the level of quotable; in a few others, a brief conversation. This episode did two things that I never expected from this series. Like, at all. The first was that a longer passage rose to the level of my favorite quote. And it all started with Sion saying (14:54), “He’s not frightened at all.”
Colette, of all of them, knows Will the best. As much as I like Elfaria, I don’t even think she knows Will like Colette does.
“Oh, he’s scared,” Colette said as Will charged the Evil Grand Duke (14:55). “He’s scared right now. He always is. He’s always terrified… Have you ever held a sword?”
That got Sion’s attention. He only fights with a wand.
“With a wand, you can cast magic from afar. But a sword is different. You have to battle opponents that are far bigger and stronger. You have to get in there yourself. Have you ever imagined how frightened that might be? Will is a weakling. But no matter how scared he is, no m after how pathetic he seems, he’s most afraid of running away. He’s just a simple coward!”
And then she delivered the capstone: “But that’s what everyone else calls courage.”
I did not expect this show, a shōnen action anime, to deliver such a surprising view of courage, which is at the heart of any good shōnen. Which led to the second thing that surprised me.
Favorite Moment from Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 11
With the help of his friends, Will became more than himself. He even changed his eye color to commemorate the event. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Setup: The Foundation of Bravery
I grew up on The Lord of the Rings. I read Le Morte d’Arthur; I marveled at the nuanced approach to magic in The Once and Future King. Much, much later, I gravitated toward the shōnen genre in anime because I’m nostalgic for simple tales of courageous exploits. I want to root for the underdog who, through the power of friendship, can overcome pretty much everything.
Which is why My Hero Academia episode 137 hit me like a ton of bricks. I think it hit me so hard I haven’t watched the latest season. I still haven’t recovered.
Behind that all, though, there’s another part of my brain that tries like hell to be honest – about myself. It’s the toughest sustained battle of my life. The power of human rationalization is terrifying. It’s subtle, it’s clever, and it’s opportunistic. But I’m fighting that battle, and it’s that part of my mind that didn’t let me feel comfortable with the character motivations of a lot of shōnen or even the fictional genre of high fantasy.
Sion was furious when Will admitted his fear. That says more about Sion than Will. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
The Lord of the Rings is the exception. It’s the exception to everything; it’s its own thing, beyond what I can achieve and beyond what I can even encompass within my imagination. That said, it does provide a lens through which to view the second way this episode surprised me. In a way, so did the novels I’m writing, because when my brain is in writing mode, it only allows subconscious bias to enter into the narrative – and then only because my consciousness can’t do much to stop my subconscious from doing its thing.
We want to feel brave. And maybe you do. Maybe you’re more courageous than I am. But watching this episode made me reflect on something that now finally makes sense.
Delivery: Honesty’s Insight
In the privacy of my own mind, I’ve called myself brave because if anything threatens my family, or anyone under my protection, I’ve always known I’m quite comfortable with dying rather then letting them come to harm. Sounds grandiose, doesn’t it?
It’s not. On one level, sure, it’s simple instinct. I’m a mammal; I protect my mate and my offspring. To whatever extent is needed. It’s more than that, though. It’s not that I’m brave enough to die – it’s that I’m a coward. I would rather die than face myself, or any survivors, if I fail to protect those looking to me for protection.
Honestly, it’s that simple. I’m cool with dying rather than face that kind of failure. And that’s gutless.
Will and Colette teamed up to wound the creature. But that attack wasn’t enough. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Fortunately for those who might have to rely on me, the net effect for them is that I’ll fight like hell to protect them. But I have to wonder: can I be more effective if I’m willing to die, or if I’m willing to live to protect them? It’s a subtle point. But it’s one I’m going to kick around.
My favorite moment? How could it be anything except Will taking the ice crystal – the ice crystal, likely a product of ice magic – and slaying the Evil Grand Duke? He only got there with the help of everyone. He only got there by going beyond his own fear. Even after losing his his talisman, the coping skill made manifest, in the form of the goggles Elphia had made for him?
That’s good shōnen stuff right there.
What did you think of Will begging Sion to strike him so he could center himself? What were your favorite moments? Feel free to let me know in the comments!
Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 11: Other Posts
Other Anime Sites
- Reddit: Tsue to Tsurugi no Wistoria • Wistoria: Wand and Sword – Episode 11 discussion
- Otaku Sinh – How to Anime: EPIC REVELATIONS in Wistoria: Wand Sword! #wistoriawandandsword #episode11 (YouTube)
This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)
- Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 01 – Like a Lone Sword
- Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 02 – As Though Undaunted
- Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 03 – Order & Watcher
- Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 04: The Eve of the Grand Festival
- Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 05: Raise the Starting Pistol
- Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 06: Between Pride and Passion
- Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 07: Twelve Secret Ice Magics, El Glace Frosse
- Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 08: Shall We Date?
- Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 09: Praxis Begins
- Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 10: Our Dream
- Wistoria: Wand and Sword Episode 11: The True Name of Cowards
- Wistoria: Want and Sword Episode 12: Wand and Sword
I have always defined courage as grace under terror. If someone is not afraid, there is nothing to be courageous about.
That works! I’ve never liked the idea of a character denying fear; as you said, it undercut the whole idea of courage.
“A man who fears nothing, loves nothing.”
I don’t think we need to be brave, exactly, to fight. We just need to remember what we love. Soldiers fight for what they love, including those behind them and those beside them.
I know very well that my willingness to die defending my family isn’t because I’m brave. No, I am a coward in many ways. But I love my family, as many others have loved theirs.
If Will is afraid of running away, I’d say it’s because of what he loves.
Good soldiers fight for who they love, anyway! Though maybe I should group “mercenaries” in with soldiers!
That’s a good distinction about love, though. It plays a role. Just how prominent a role probably depends on each of us; which makes sense to me, since I tend to favor individualistic perspectives.