How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom Part 2

Episode 4

How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom finally comes out swinging with a really gripping scene for once! The discussion between Souma and Georg Carmine in the dungeon is basically what I have been waiting for. After countless weeks of near-prescient decision-making at every level—macro, micro, and personal—Souma finally faces a meaningful setback. Georg's actions were completely outside of Souma's control, and while he mitigated some of the damage he could not contain the fallout completely. This idea that actions have consequences, often unintended or unforeseen ones, is important in all fiction, but particularly in one where the management of a nation is the primary focus.

Simply put, there are a lot of moving parts to running a country. No one person can control every single step in a strategy or a policy, and even the “correct” course of action is often subject to dozens, if not hundreds, of mediating factors. Georg's actions are self-sacrificial and do blunt some of the impact of a mistake on that level, but nevertheless, Souma could not simply Machiavelli his way out of this one. What's done is done, and Georg paid the price—costing Souma dearly.

I think the scene sells the emotion of the moment well. The gradual buildup in tension, the terrific performances from the VAs, the intensity of the music, the final shot of the bottle rolling away from Georg—it all comes together perfectly. The one downside is that we don't really know all that much about Carmine before this scene, and haven't spent that much time with him either, so his death does not have the same impact that it could in that regard. Still, I have to give credit where it's due.

The remainder of the episode is… more of the standard fare. Pretty typical “humina humina I have so many wives whoaaaa” stuff, played out in the most predictable fashion. If you like it when hordes of women want to marry the protagonist while also being cool with polygamy yet at the same time a little bit jealous of all the other wives they are totally cool with, then this episode got that in spades. For me, it was a weak and unremarkable end to what started as a very strong episode.

Rating:

Grant is the cohost on the Blade Licking Thieves podcast and Super Senpai Podcast.

How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom is currently streaming on Funimation.