(CR) Banished from the Hero's Party Season 2

[Frontier]

Van calls himself an "evil slayer" but were these Hill Giants doing anything evil? From the sounds of it they were just holing themselves up in a castle and not doing anything...but I guess to Van it's a "crime" not to fulfill your role of being monsters for Almighty Demis. Glad Tisse's realized what we all know...Van is absolutely nuts .

It's nice to see Theodora and Tisse share a moment where they can be themselves and really open up instead of keeping quiet around Van and Ljubo...and Tisse can tease Theodora about her feelings for Albert. Oh, someone is in LOVE...and she turns a blushing mess because of it. It's so cute !

It really is surreal that Godwin is just palling around with the rest of the town as if he didn't almost tear it apart with his drugs back in season 1 .

You really should not have left the mind control shield in the hands of a religious fanatic. Especially when you throw him a party and he uses that as an excuse to brand you heretics because you actually have lives and enjoy yourselves instead of carrying out some messed up crusade...and then he tries to forcibly conscript you into his army .

Okay, something is definitely up with Lavender. She seems way more powerful than she is at first glance, and she knows full well that Van isn't a hero, but she'll do anything he wants. Not that Ljubo is much better, even recognizing how stupid what Van is doing is, he allows it as a "learning moment" while smokes a cigar. What a piece of @#$% !

Lucky Yarandrala shows up to take on Van, and gets some nice assist from Danan. It's probably the first real fight Van's really had to face instead of just steamrolling through his opponents. Though what a cheat skill to be able to transfer damage back to your opponent .

Oh, look, the salt dragons invade Zoltan out of revenge for Van killing their brethren and stealing their shield. And rather than prioritize them, he tries to kill the people holding them off thinking Zoltan DESERVES to burn for being heretics. Jeez .

Luckily Red shows up just in time, and with Mr. Crawly-Wawly's help he nabs the shield and gives it back to the salt dragons! And then he manages to subdue Van with better swordsmanship. Fanatically relying on your Blessing can only get you so far .

But it was all set up for Ruti to straight up slug him! And it was such a satisfying punch that he was straight up going to die if Theodora hadn't healed him! But we would've been better off if she had let him die because now he thinks it's his divine mission to kill Ruti .

[frubam]

This ep was kinda peak. I thought they would have to show Mr. Crawly-Wally going to see Red/Rit/Ruti before they would come back to help, which would have taken at least to the next episode, but them showing up out of the blue made for a surprising and exciting entrance.

Even before Red came, Yaran and Danan team up was pretty nice to allow them to showcase their fighting skills.

I like how Red was able to show up Van with just sword skills and ingenuity, though I would have thought Van's Hero strength would prevent Red from locking him down. Still, it shows one of the major reasons why Ruti is so strong; esp since we know she'd hang on to every little word Red would say .

Really surprised Ruti's punch nearly killed the guy! The way Van hit that rock after the punch was certainly in line with "comedic" anime punches(e.g. your Love Hina's and whatnot; yeah went back that far ), but to show how devastating it was, was something else. Great episode =03.

[Marina2]

Dang, that punch from Ruti is so satisfying.

Lavender (fairy) is pretty interesting character. Out of all new characters S2, I I am interested to learn more about her the most. She has been giving me 'Lying Airy' flashback.

[magnuskn]

Probably the most satisfying punch I've seen since Yor spin-kicked that dude in the face who was about to hurt Anya (okay, I know that doesn't exactly narrow it down... I mean the episode where some assholes were using dogs as living bombs).

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by frubam

This ep was kinda peak. I thought they would have to show Mr. Crawly-Wally going to see Red/Rit/Ruti before they would come back to help, which would have taken at least to the next episode, but them showing up out of the blue made for a surprising and exciting entrance.

Even before Red came, Yaran and Danan team up was pretty nice to allow them to showcase their fighting skills.

I like how Red was able to show up Van with just sword skills and ingenuity, though I would have thought Van's Hero strength would prevent Red from locking him down. Still, it shows one of the major reasons why Ruti is so strong; esp since we know she'd hang on to every little word Red would say .

Really surprised Ruti's punch nearly killed the guy! The way Van hit that rock after the punch was certainly in line with "comedic" anime punches(e.g. your Love Hina's and whatnot; yeah went back that far ), but to show how devastating it was, was something else. Great episode =03.

It also reminded me of how Red was able to disarm Ruti in season 1.

[AC-Phoenix]

Yeah, I stick with my fairy is evil theory. Dark fairy perhaps?

[Alchemist007]

He sure wasn't hard to take down, even before the MCs showed up he was getting pummeled some.

[FlareKnight]

It's another moment where I'm not sure if Red really should be retiring. If he can handle Van that easily then they probably could move on out and finish this conflict without too much trouble . I suppose it doesn't matter since he doesn't want to do that, but it's kind of funny how effective he is and yet somehow he convinced himself that he wasn't capable enough to stay on the front lines with Ruti.

I suppose the key difference is that Danan was trying to win and Red was buying time. That and Red has two arms...

Not that Ruti needed more than one to settle this ! That punch was more glorious than I expected. I suppose it shows how Ruti overrated Van as well that she was talking about him forgetting her when he wasn't going to survive .

Giving the shield back was a good way to resolve things with the dragons. Although I find it hilarious to consider that shield theirs when it was stolen property in the first place. Pretty sure that thing should belong to the Elves .

[Strahan]

Funny how he's all like yea, I'm gonna kill that girl when a single punch from her nearly killed him, lol. Talk about poking a bear

[frubam]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

It's another moment where I'm not sure if Red really should be retiring. If he can handle Van that easily then they probably could move on out and finish this conflict without too much trouble . I suppose it doesn't matter since he doesn't want to do that, but it's kind of funny how effective he is and yet somehow he convinced himself that he wasn't capable enough to stay on the front lines with Ruti.

I suppose the key difference is that Danan was trying to win and Red was buying time. That and Red has two arms...

Giving the shield back was a good way to resolve things with the dragons. Although I find it hilarious to consider that shield theirs when it was stolen property in the first place. Pretty sure that thing should belong to the Elves .

I think it can be rather easy to see what you're lacking compared to others, while at the same time, not understanding what makes you better than others, especially if the qualities that make you better are things you find extremely trivial. But even if he did continue with the party, it doesn't feel like whatever forces he'll have to conquer with the rest of the party are simplistic enough that his current skill would suffice... at least given what we know about the conflict, which is very little. As strong as Ruti is, seemingly invincible with infinite, instant healing and infinite stamina, she still needed to search for a special sword and an airship to complement their strength. I can kinda see Gideon being pushed more and more beyond his depth, considering he still had to have Ruti and Theodora protect him at times.

I don't think Danan having 1 arm made any difference; I'm pretty sure its been said that Danan is even stronger with 1 arm than he was with two. Him being weakened probably sparked him to either train harder, or his dedication strengthed his Blessing, but regardless, he's better for it. But yeah, if Red tried to fight Van and win, he'd probably would eventually lost like Danan did(though to be fair, it was kinda badly animated; I don't know why he would punch him, then leave his fist there for Van to grab ).

Good point about the elf shield though .

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by frubam

I think it can be rather easy to see what you're lacking compared to others, while at the same time, not understanding what makes you better than others, especially if the qualities that make you better are things you find extremely trivial. But even if he did continue with the party, it doesn't feel like whatever forces he'll have to conquer with the rest of the party are simplistic enough that his current skill would suffice... at least given what we know about the conflict, which is very little. As strong as Ruti is, seemingly invincible with infinite, instant healing and infinite stamina, she still needed to search for a special sword and an airship to complement their strength. I can kinda see Gideon being pushed more and more beyond his depth, considering he still had to have Ruti and Theodora protect him at times.

I don't think Danan having 1 arm made any difference; I'm pretty sure its been said that Danan is even stronger with 1 arm than he was with two. Him being weakened probably sparked him to either train harder, or his dedication strengthed his Blessing, but regardless, he's better for it. But yeah, if Red tried to fight Van and win, he'd probably would eventually lost like Danan did(though to be fair, it was kinda badly animated; I don't know why he would punch him, then leave his fist there for Van to grab ).

Good point about the elf shield though .

I always find it kind of funny that supposedly the fight against the Demon Lord and his forces is a big deal in this universe but they do the bare minimum actually addressing or explaining what's going on with it...which I guess makes sense because the cast themselves don't want any part of it even if from the sounds of it it's a world-shaping problem.

[magnuskn]

I wouldn't wonder too much if the demon lord him/herself is sitting tight, not wanting to rock the boat too much, so that Ruti doesn't come to give him a whalloping.

[EroKing]

NSFW

Megami

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[Frontier]

Giant enemy crab alert! Van is hunting down and killing rare monsters to level himself up, all for the purpose of killing Ruti and becoming the sole Hero! Though there has GOT to be way better uses of his time .

I love how Tisse gets to strut her artistic skills by basically making wanted posters for the "Hero's Party" .

Van is a prince who was basically cast off from his family to live in a monastery? Explains why he has no real concept of relationships with family or loved ones, and why he's so obsessed with Demis. He's basically Ruti if she never had any family like Gideon to be there for her .

Although look at Rit flexing that she plans to shower her and Red's future child with as much love as possible! Which means she's also the perfect person to talk to Lavender because even if she really is some kind of shadow monster, they're both girls madly in love so that should be enough. That logic tracks !

Why am I not surprised Ljubo is basically a fully corrupt priest...seems like growing up in poverty made him all the more determined to make it big with his blessing and title as Cardinal .

Welp, Van and co. are back! And Lavender is doubly suspicious of Theodora, especially when Albert shows up .

Rit makes contact with Lavender! And she's able to soothe the savage beast...with Love Talk! That's right, this psycho "fairy" really is easy to please when it comes to talking about love, especially hers for Van, and Rit being completely honest with her lets them actually strike up a genuine conversation and Girl Talk. Also Rit can really hold down her mead .

Rit is a princess that basically eloped, and that's super romantic, but she cherishes how both she and Red grew apart before finding and falling in love together again...but for Lavender, all she cares about are the love she has with Van now, irregardless of her feelings, and carrying through with that love and doing whatever Van wants even if it means their end. Rit isn't able to dissuade her, but the two seem to genuinely bond in-spite of that .

Look at Red buttering Ljubo up! Whether it be helping him win at dragon-racing (with Mr. Crawly-Wawly's help!) or treating him to fine wine and food (thanks to gorgeous bartender Yarandrala!) Red's got him eating out of his hands! Especially when he convinces Ljubo Ruti is an ancient elven superweapon and is necessary for the fight against the Demon Lord! Too bad Van doesn't even listen to Ljubo any more and Lavender's found Red's house !

[Random14]

Now onto the tricky part of trying to convince Van to leave Zoltan. Too bad its not like he ever listened to the rest of his party in the first place.

At least Ljubo is pretty easy to handle, being just corrupt and telling him a somewhat plausible story. So Lavender really is that dangerous but Rit just having a conversation with her is progress.

Even with that extra training I doubt Van's closed the gap with Ruti that much but guess just have to wait for the subtle approach rather than risk an all-out brawl.

[FlareKnight]

Ok so at the start of the episode...I definitely started to doubt that Rit has any intelligence. Thank goodness she's got fighting skills and a gorgeous body. Because...yeah. Negotiate through the power of love or something. I mean there wasn't any guarantee that what Lavender feels for Van is love. And even if it was...what does that matter? She ended up correct, but also yeah, it didn't matter. Lavender's view on love doesn't mean she'll intervene with Van's decisions. Not that it matters since it's not necessarily the case that he has any particular feelings towards her.

That it remotely worked is just...wow. This Van storyline really isn't as interesting as the plot of season 1. So much buildup, but they really can't make it as intriguing since honestly Ruti can smite this guy without trouble and his party isn't a big deal since only Lavender is a combatant that would actually side with Van.

The funny thing is that Red and Tisse breaking down Van's mentality covers why this is entirely pointless. Van only sees himself and the divine. That's it. He already had a party member constantly telling him he was doing things wrong and that never stopped him. Having his whole party trying to steer him away won't change anything.

I get it to some degree. If they can steer Van away that's great. Otherwise they pretty much have to kill him. And right now Van is a great excuse for Ruti to be free to enjoy living the quiet (sorta) life. If they kill a replacement hero that puts more pressure on Ruti to consider the option of returning to the front lines. I just don't think there's much point in trying to get those around Van to ask him to step away from Zoltan. He won't care.

I hope the whole "monsters with elvish writing inscribed on them" thing will be a worthwhile payoff. Because Van himself after being stomped by Ruti really isn't a big deal. Heck, Red was able to hold him off without trouble. The threat level is high, but only to a certain degree.

[AndrewR5D4]

Demis strikes me as a confusing deity. He created the Hero's Blessing to force the recipient to follow the path of the first hero, which is in itself a contradiction. The original was an Asura Demon (a species who has no blessing), meaning they willingly chose to be a protector.

Humans and Demons both worship Demis as their creator, and the Demon Lord is the keeper of a blessing equal and opposite of Ruti or Van. Why create two races and give them blessings with the intention of both marshaling their respective groups to fight each other in a war. What does Demis gain from this.

What is clear, is that Demis has no care for the lives people live, and this his ultimate plan or purpose for his creations is both cruel and unfair...

[Frontier]

Well, Lavender followed Theodora and knows where they're holed up! Though they don't know they're hiding Ruti, so good for small favors .

And thankfully Red being the Hero's Guide actually has an impact on Van because his Blessing by all rights mean he HAS to be listened to by the Hero, and it makes it even more shocking that Red has been able to live without fulfilling his Blessing any more. And Rit manages to shut Lavender up with her overt love for Red, because Lavender can't talk back to another girl in love !

Ruti has to hole up in her mansion, but at least she's safe, even if she wishes she could do more for her brother. But at least she's got more to pass the time than fight nut Danan .

Okay, yeah, these Sea Bogies DEFINITELY need to die. Not only are they creepy little monsters, but they're a pain to deal with...and they kidnap and eat children. These don't deserve to exist !

Lavender has wind powers? Seems like she's trying to hide that though .

Van is all offense and attacks, and doesn't care a lick for defending himself or actual strategy, but that makes him more inefficient, even compared to Red and his weaker gear. He also isn't near as skilled as Red or Rit, and not as versatile either. Though at least he knows to prioritize saving a child .

I guess even trying to track down monsters to save a child doesn't mean Rit can't still get a face-full of her mans' crotch in the process .

Poor Theodora. An entire season of trying to get through to Lavender and Van and Red and Rit accomplish more in two episodes than she has. But at least she's got Albert! Even if everyone is teasing her about their relationship, though it's not like Red and Rit are much better with all the blatant flirting. Yarandrala is just enjoying the show .

Van saved that child and earned her and her families' gratefulness, but is his belief finally wavering or will he double down on them? Lavender constantly trying to push him to stay the same probably won't help .

[FlareKnight]

This is more of what they needed to do. Talking to the Priest is just utterly pointless since he's just not that engaged with all this and certainly not a major pull on Van's actions.

Going after Van himself was the only possible solution here. And finally they are taking advantage of that. Red's Guide blessing was an easy in and now they're using it.

Theodora has my condolences. Sadly she doesn't have a "listen to me" blessing so her words generally went in one ear and out the next. I don't think Van would listen to Red either if he didn't have that blessing. But he does so...he's got the best chance here.

Originally Posted by AndrewR5D4

Demis strikes me as a confusing deity. He created the Hero's Blessing to force the recipient to follow the path of the first hero, which is in itself a contradiction. The original was an Asura Demon (a species who has no blessing), meaning they willingly chose to be a protector.

Humans and Demons both worship Demis as their creator, and the Demon Lord is the keeper of a blessing equal and opposite of Ruti or Van. Why create two races and give them blessings with the intention of both marshaling their respective groups to fight each other in a war. What does Demis gain from this.

What is clear, is that Demis has no care for the lives people live, and this his ultimate plan or purpose for his creations is both cruel and unfair...

I suppose there's always the angle that constant conflict is good for faith. And maybe Zoltan is a prime example. Pretty removed from most conflicts, fairly peaceful, and not overly religious. If humans and demons are constantly in conflict they are especially dependent on their blessings to get by.

But yeah, I suppose the question is if there's a tangible gain. Does Demis just really like the idea of being worshipped and thus manipulated factors to get as much as possible?

[Random14]

Good thing they came up with a cover story for why Esta was visiting them. Finally the Guide blessing comes in handy again, although Van doesn't even listen to the church much anymore so not sure much Van will listen for long Guide either. At least Red's lessons do seem to be sinking in a bit after they went on that job (with the added bonus of learning a bit more about Lavender's powers), especially with him tailoring them to be simple and logical so not even Van can find much fault with them.

It'd be nice if everything could be resolved peacefully but its probably still a good thing that they're keeping heavy hitters like Ruti and Danan in reserve just in case.