Sora no Woto – Episode 11
Last week on Sora no Woto, we had time to reflect on Rio’s past by looking at it through the lens of an old woman’s story. As a result, Rio left our merry band of girls to go fulfill her duty for her country. This week, the rest of the story comes to a head with the discovery of a young Roman scout. The drums of war continue to march.
No, I don't think a raspberry is going to save you this time.
The episode starts with Kanata and Kureha on a patrol assignment, where they come across an injured soldier. There’s just one catch: she’s Roman. They bring her back to base, and Noël insists on taking care of the girl. Filicia decides to put off turning her over until they can try to interrogate her. Both Kanata and Noël try to befriend the soldier, named Aisha, despite the culture and language barriers. When Kanata gives her Rio’s trumpet, she plays Amazing Grace. Kanata’s joy abounds because this means they have a cultural connection. Naomi and Yumina come to the fortress, the latter acting as a translator. Aisha has come here to see the fallen angel, which contrasts sharply with the belief that the first episode’s corpse is a demon. Unfortunately, Colonel Hopkins and his troops are approaching the base. Filicia vows to protect Aisha, sending her to the school with Noël. Noël’s fears get the best of her, and she flees with Aisha closely following. Kanata receive a phone call stating that Roman forces are closing in on the garrison, and a shot rings out as Aisha finds herself trapped by two sets of guards.
It takes great insight to recognize repentance.
In this episode, we can clearly see the characters’ differences in personality by the way they react to this new addition. Kanata’s optimism allows her to see Aisha as just another human being and she reaches out to her in friendship. Kureha’s past and military training cause her to insist they turn over the soldier. Noël knows the result of her handiwork and seeks atonement and forgiveness for her crimes. Yumina’s natural curiosity makes her embrace Aisha’s Roman heritage as an opportunity to learn more about the world and its beliefs. Filicia wants to see peace between the two forces after seeing war firsthand, and offers the soldier sanctuary. Finally, Colonel Hopkins sees her as nothing more than a disposable tool for intelligence in his battle against the Roman army. With these clashing and complementary personalities, I wonder what kind of resolution each character will get. Personally, I want to see Hopkins get a nice punch in the face for the trouble he has caused.
Is it just me, or does it feel smug in here?
On that note, we finally get a look into Noël’s past and why she acts as she does today. The military discovered her through her aptitude for lost technology. Her efforts engineered the Silent Death bioweapon, which the military then used as a countermeasure to the Roman invasion. After the massacre, she ventured into the battlefield and saw the mass of dead and dying people. It’s easy to see why she can’t trust people. Her research and development lead to the deaths of thousands, but it doesn’t stop there. You might remember that Yumina said the Silent Death killed Mishio’s mother. A bioweapon cannot readily discriminate between friend and foe. Anyone caught in the blast zone or standing in the path of the fallout will suffer. Noël has to live with the knowledge that she killed her own people. Perhaps here lies another reason for her obsession with the tank. While a tank is also a weapon of warfare, a person has to control it and that person can discriminate. A human has to deal with their conscience and have conviction to pull the trigger. The tank looks complete. Whoever takes the helm might decide the difference between salvation and damnation.
Nice tank. Good tank. You get a treat!
Helvetian and Roman forces are set to collide and our heroes can do little at to stop it. I feel confident saying the tank will play the deciding role. Really, the question now is how the writers will see fit to end the series. A happy ending where the girls somehow hold off the fighting until Rio saves the day sounds obvious. On the other hand, the tragic undertones of this series might point to sacrificing one or all of them to forge a new peace. Either one I would find satisfying, and I look forward to the fast approaching conclusion.
Am I the only one that immediately thought Star Wars here?
