Ron Does Stuff

At the end of the last episode, Deryn successfully disables the anti-Kraken defenses the Clankers have installed, clearing the way for the Behemoth to arrive and attack the Clankers’ Tesla coil-equipped warship. BUT, she’s thrown in for a loop when Aleksander confesses that he admires “Dylan”…not Deryn.

We’re back at the Leviathan at the start of this episode, where Nora Barlow is delivering Deryn’s message from Aleksander to Volger. She also tells him that Aleksander’s probably happy to be away from the nagging old man after she tells Volger that Aleksander is joining the revolution against the sultan.

And what about Aleksander? He’s inside a Stormwalker with Lilit and Deryn, and Lilit is rubbing up against Deryn, making Deryn uncomfortable. Deryn doesn’t know that Lilit already knows, so it’s hilarious. Lilit also reveals she’s a shipper, asking Aleksander if he likes likes Deryn. Is she a fujoshi when she knows this is actually a hetero pairing? She still addresses Deryn with male pronouns.

The next day, Aleksander tries to convince Klopp to leave the country before the revolution starts, and also begins to question the use of royalty and nobility. Klopp also shares his dream of one day opening a coffee shop serving coffee from all over the world once the war is over, a dream that hopefully comes true because I can’t remember if Klopp survives the whole three books.

Things don’t get to a good start on the day of the rebellion, as German reinforcements arrive much earlier than expected. The animation is spectacular and once again, I really have to commend them for bringing Keith Thompson’s illustrations to life. Aleksander and Deryn jumping onto the German warship? The Tesla coil firing up into the sky? The Behemoth rising from the sea and sinking the ship? Beautiful.

Beautiful scenes that are then followed by tragedy, as Klopp takes bullets for Aleksander as they storm the Sultan’s castle. I guess I’ve found out now that he didn’t make it all the way to the final book. And it’s a good scene as well, really proving me wrong when I said on the episode seven post that the show is pulling its punches because most of the deaths have been off-screen. And the voice actor for Aleksander? Spectacular job, especially with the pained sobs.

The day after the battle, “Dylan” gets recognized for retrieving the loris and destroying the anti-Kraken net. I can’t remember the particulars of the book anymore, but surely she must feel conflicted about this. She’s being honored, but not as herself.

Meanwhile, Aleksander is slowly but surely coming into his own. Volger tries to convince him to go into hiding, especially now that the emperor of the Austro-Hungarian empire has died, but he’s determined to travel with the Leviathan and do what he can to end the war. He even tells Volger that he doesn’t need to go with him on the Leviathan.

We learn that the loris to be delivered to the researcher in Tunguska back in episode four, and that Aleksander is no longer a prisoner on the Leviathan as the loris only listens to him. Lilit also rushes up and kisses Deryn, because she’s the best “boy” she’s ever met, emphasis on the quotation marks.

Lilit also teases Aleksander about not being able to tell Deryn isn’t who she says she is, but you can’t really blame Aleksander for this. It comes with the territory of him being a man.

BUT! As they fly away on the Leviathan, Deryn promises to always be behind Aleksander and when she moves away from him when he tries to give her a hug, things start to fall into place for Aleksander. Once again, whoever did the (Japanese) voice acting for Aleksander does a great job because that “Oh. Oh.” was great. This show really makes me want to read the books again!