Summary
Episode 20 focused on one of the most anticipated backstories of the series, delivering a brutal but simultaneously beautiful installment that perfectly illustrated just how vital Ryuu’s story has been in shaping Bell as both a person and an adventurer.
We recap the HiDive anime series Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Season 4 Episode 20, “Astrea Family: Heroic Death,” which contains spoilers.
In a season that has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs for Bell (Yoshitsugu Matsuoka) and his friends, Episode 19 took a turn for the worst. Bell and Ryuu (Saori Hayami) couldn’t have found themselves in a more dire situation, trapped amongst hoards of monsters in the dungeon’s Colosseum. While Ryuu seems intent on sacrificing herself to save Bell, he’s equally determined to see them both make it out alive. This week we’ll see whether or not the last blazerock he threw to save them worked out as well as hoped.
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Season 4 Episode 20 Recap
The episode opens with a flashback of the Astrea family as they escape a series of explosions set by Jura, the Rudra Familia, and the radical organization, Evilus. As the Astrea Family vows to take out the group, Jura steps back, and the Juggernaut descends from an upper floor and immediately begins killing members with ease. Despite Ryuu’s best attempts to attack the monster, she is knocked aside and forced to watch as the other members of her party are killed one by one in brutal ways.
After their first run-in with the Juggernaut, only a handful of Astrea party members are left, including Ryuu, Alise, Kaguya, and Lyra. They are all seriously injured, with Alisa missing an arm and Lyra left utterly blind.
Begrudgingly, Alise asks Kaguya and Lyra to lay down their lives to save Ryuu. Although both women immediately agree, they wonder why Alise would not be the one to survive as the captain. Alise chooses Ryuu, however, because “she always does the right thing.”
The Astrea family vs. the Juggernaut
After saying their goodbyes to Ryuu, the remaining familia members begin an assault on the Juggernaut with the help of her magic. Lyra sacrifices herself first, running straight ahead with a series of explosives on her person. Kaguya runs directly for the monster with her sword while Alise charges at it in a blaze of magical fire. Ultimately, all three women lose their lives just before Ryuu uses her Luminous Wind.
Despite their best efforts, the Juggernaut escapes up a tree and disappears just after Ryuu launches her attack.
What happened to Ryuu and the Astrea family after the Juggernaut battle?
After the battle, Ryuu left in fear of attracting more monsters to the area. She was too ashamed to return to her familia home and face Lady Astrea but returned to the 30th floor later to give her friends a proper burial. However, upon her return, she discovered that the bodies of her friends had been devoured by monsters, bones, and all.
As she created a memorial to her fallen comrades with the weapons, Ryuu vowed to get justice against Jura, the Rudra familia, and everyone else involved.
Why did Ryuu beg Lady Astrea to leave Orario?
Not wanting Lady Astrea to see her be driven by her hateful emotions or stop her from exacting her plan, Ryuu begged her to leave Orario. Although she agreed, she told Ryuu to consider giving up on justice, which was especially devastating as Astrea is the Goddess of Justice.
Soon after Lady Astrea left, Ryuu began getting revenge on anyone she felt was involved in the death of her familia in hopes she would also die in the process. Over time, she unleashed brutal attacks that involved traps, ambushes, and more to kill them without considering the consequences. She even managed to find and assault Jura, stabbing him repeatedly, although she would learn later that he somehow managed to survive.
With no purpose lest after exacting her revenge, Ryuu lies in the streets, lost and contemplating death for her actions. It was around then, she says, that Syr came to rescue her “just like Alise had.”
After the explosion in the Colosseum, Ryuu awakens to Bell, pulling her arm out of a pile of rubble.
What do Bell and Ryuu find beneath the Colosseum?
Ryuu is initially confused, wondering where they are as it does not look like the Colosseum. She then realizes the explosion destroyed the floor, causing them to fall through and find a passageway underneath them the entire time.
Why did Bell save Ryuu?
As Bell carries Ryuu through the passageway, she demands to know why he did not leave her behind. Bell responds that he saved Ryuu because she would have done the same for him. She tries to claim that she would have left him, but he does not believe her, and when she asks to walk on her own, he refuses to put her down. No matter how much she begs to be left to die in the dungeon, he continues walking forward.
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Season 4 Episode 20 Ending Explained
Although Ryuu feels like she abandoned her quest for justice, Bell assures her that all the good deeds she did for him over the years must surely count. He reminds her of all the times she saved his life, calling her a hero and refusing to let her change his mind.
Suddenly, a Barbarian emerges from the rubble, attacking Bell, throwing him into a wall, and knocking him out. Ryuu begs for him to wake as the monster lifts him by his head, ready to devour him, before vanishing into a puff of defeated smoke. Bell then looks to Ryuu, apologizing, as he was playing dead to lure the monster in closer to stab it. He promises never to scare her like that again before continuing their journey.
At the end of the passageway, Ryuu and Bell discover an unmentioned water source on the 37th floor and choose to take a break, with Ryuu healing Bell after he passes out.
For an anime like Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, this was easily one of the most graphic episodes ever. While the fighting has always been intense, it’s only recently that it’s felt like the series has begun to illustrate just how serious and dangerous some of these battles can be. It was an exciting choice, slowly but surely preparing the viewers for the shift in tone, like how video games get more challenging as you level up. However, I think it was smart, allowing us to grow with Bell as the stakes get even higher. Had they told Ryuu’s story too early, it may not have hit as hard emotionally as it did today, and honestly, I was hardly prepared today.
The relationship between Bell and Ryuu has always been exceptional, with her being both a mentor and friend to him throughout his journey. It has always been enjoyable, but I never realized how pivotal it would be to his character development until now. If there’s one thing this series has been good at, it’s playing the long narrative game to ensure that every moment matters in the present and past. We’ve waited years for Ryuu’s entire backstory, and it couldn’t have come at a more critical time, giving us more insight into her and showing us how much she has helped Bell grow.
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