Summary
With plenty of action, emotional moments, and solid animation, Episode 9 is one of the better episodes of the season so far.
Things are looking bad since Gaelin took a turn for the worst in Episode 8 of The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 3. Although more than half of Naofumi’s party has felt the wrath of the Emperor Dragon, it seems the worst is yet to come heading into Episode 9. With the dragon on a rampage aimed at multiple worlds, maybe one of the few remaining party members left standing will be able to stop him before he succeeds.
This is one of the better episodes of the season thus far, with plenty of action, emotion, and solid visual storytelling.
The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 3 Episode 9 Recap
The episode opens with Naofumi just barely blocking the Emporer Dragon’s latest attack. Atla attempts to subdue him next but is blasted in the process. The same blast creates multiple holes in the den, causing water to flood the area and wash the party out.
As they heal and regroup, Atla asks Wyndia if Gaelin was really her father. Although he is not her biological father, Wyndia was raised by Gaelin after her first father passed.
What is the Emporer Dragon’s weakness?
The Emporer Dragon’s weakness is an upside-down scale on his chest. While speaking about her father, Wyndia suddenly remembers a strange scale on his body that had caused him great discomfort and thinks that must be his weakest spot.
Just before the dragon arrives, Naofumi summons the Wrath Shield. Sadeena, Melty, and Wyndia attempt to trap the Emporer Dragon with water magic before rushing him with physical attacks. Despite solid efforts, they still struggle against the dragon.
Atla and Fohl suddenly rush in, breaking the Emporer Dragon’s defensive barrier. She then manages to land a strike that brings the dragon to its knees.
The Emporer Dragon’s body opens, revealing Filo and Gaelin inside. The party retrieves their friends and then launches their last few attacks as the Emporer Dragon’s body seems to deteriorate. Sadeena is then able to grab the dragon’s core just before Raphtalia lands the final blow.
How does The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 3 Episode 9 end?
As things calm down, the Wrath Shield speaks to Naofumi, reminding him of the wrath in his heart.
The villagers thank Naofumi for helping them while blaming Ren for their past misfortunes, but Noafumi scolds them for attempting to take advantage of Ren as well. Ren apologizes to Wyndia for killing her father, and she is able to accept this time, thanking him for saving her life twice.
Suddenly, Gaelin, Wyndia’s father, speaks to Naofumi through young Gaelin. Although using the body as a vessel now, he asks Naofumi to keep it a secret from Wyndia, who is still attempting to mourn his death. The episode ends with Gaelin growing just enough to give Naofumi and Wyndia a ride, much to Filo’s dismay.
While the action in Episode 9 was some of the best we’ve seen this season, one of the most entertaining moments of the episode was the flashback to Wyndia’s upbringing. It was short and sweet but packed with a lot of emotion that helped to sort of humanize the dragon and gave viewers a reason to root for Naofumi’s success.
Atla’s growth was also a nice highlight of the episode. It had been hinted that there might be something special about her, and I’m glad to see that storyline paying off.
The animation also stood out quite a bit during this fight, especially during Raphtalia’s final blow. It was easy to see the amount of attention that went into illustrating this arc, and I think that helped it stand out quite a bit.
What did you think of The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 3 Episode 9? Comment below.
RELATED:
