Goblin Slayer

Episode 8

I was right to not take the Goblin Slayer's apparent death last episode too seriously, as it's resolved in the first minutes of this week. One bed-sharing-based healing ritual with the Priestess and the Sword Maiden later (what a conveniently sexy solution), and our hero is up, no worse for wear, and ready to get back on the goblin-slaying horse. The show does attempt to parlay this into more information and backstory on the Sword Maiden, specifically that she's a survivor of goblin captivity, which would cement why she knew to take the goblin threat seriously and turn to the Slayer right away. But it runs into the same issue where every new piece of information just reinforces the same simplistic 'this world is cruel and violent' message, with a side order of remarking on how inherently weak women are while the Slayer doesn't seem to care about any of it. It was an opportunity to get deeper with its themes that turns into a misfire.

The good news is that after that sequence, this episode actually recovers as much as the titular Slayer. There are a lot of points where it seems we're heading down too well-worn roads, like it's just going to be another workmanlike daily-life travelogue, but there's actually a better balance this week. I like the way the show subverts the previous episode's “if we get through this alive” cliche by having everyone survive anyway and actually get to go enjoy the meal they were promising each other. This series has gotten much better at subtly demonstrating the character development of the Slayer through his slow-burn warming up to the other party members.

This is even more concentrated as we get to see just a few maintenance interactions with the Slayer and the Priestess between adventures. She actually discusses wanting him to open up in conversations and he demonstrates a willingness to do that. As much as we're aware of the character's trademark curt responses, it's impressive to see him consciously take steps to be more personable. It ties in well to other parts of this episode, giving us even more information on the Slayer and how his background feeds into his actual character. This episode opened with a flashback to his childhood training montage and how he got started on his hardcore goblin-slaying path, with a mysterious mentor playing Riddles in the Dark with him (complete with “What have I got in my pocket?”). It demonstrates how fearful he was as a child, learning to take steps forward despite that fear. He brings this back during his interactions with Priestess, admitting that he still feels the same fear that many characters in this world must feel, but choosing to do what he does anyway.

It all feels like characterization we could have used beforehand, if his faux-death scene last episode was supposed to land, but due to the sequence of events, it still works fine this week. The parts of Slayer's personality that he's letting show feel realistic. It's something the series has come to excel at, illustrating these personalities without shoving them in your face. Yes, the personalities of the Elf and the Dwarf still come off as rote as possible, but it's still an easy rapport where we can watch them grow together and learn to work as a team, so it's just enough to keep the story engaging.

This all pays off in the last part of the episode, where we still find time for some dungeoneering. Interestingly, it's another goblin-free outing this week, as we see the team fight a Beholder instead. They play up its elements of otherworldly horror by not referring to the big eyeball by name, but any seasoned D&D player knows this monster. This is actually a solid example of that tabletop RPG element being exercised by the show well. If you're still coming out for Goblin Slayer, then the on-brand dice-rolling and play-making is probably a key part of the appeal. What's cool about this part is how it strikes a balance between the meticulous planning and procedures that form the most efficient path to winning while still providing action-packed excitement. The plan the party pulls off portrays them as a well-oiled machine, going along with the Slayer's schemes and knowledge while still getting to show off the ‘cool’ parts of their skills. It's all structured around some decent suspense too, keeping the audience interested in the plan's mechanics. I've criticized Goblin Slayer for a seeming lack of confidence in its storytelling, but by this episode it feels more like it's come into its own in that regard.

While this episode's beginning still lingered on some points that it's struggling to execute, at least front-loading that stuff (as well as getting over the weak finish of the previous episode) made it easier to appreciate the things this episode did better. Much like the complex plans that lead the team to victory, Goblin Slayer is a show of many moving parts. Some of these parts are weaker than others, but this time around, the good compensated for the bad and resulted in an ultimately enjoyable outing.

Rating: B+

Goblin Slayer is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.