English Dub Review: The Ancient Magus’ Bride “Necessity has no law”

Desperation can corrupt.

Overview:

Chise and Elias visit a witches’ coven to get some answers. Afterward, Elias takes some desperate measures.

Our Take:

Chise and Elias attempt to solicit help from the witches, but it turns out that not even the witches can help. The leader of the coven is also saddled with a curse, and if she can’t reverse her own curse then there’s nothing they can do. Marielle wanted to use Chise’s curse to perhaps lift her leaders’ curse, but even that is out of the realm of possibility. Some things are set in stone, but it doesn’t mean that there isn’t any hope. Still, this seems to cement the fact that Chise seems to be incurable- minus the one thing Marielle whispered to Elias.

In the end, Elias succumbs to his fear and jealousy. He’s always been jealous of Stella, and how Chise is fond of her, but he’s yet to process what exactly that is. This time it overflows into something purely malicious, as he chooses to sacrifice Stella to save Chise. As he admits, no matter what, he would have chosen Stella because he wants her out of the way. He wants a monopoly on Chise’s affection, and if it’s not coming from him or those he trusts, it’s a threat. A very human emotion that he fails to comprehend.

While Chise objects to what Elias wants to do, she’s more hurt by Elias’ secrecy. Even though they promised that they’d get through this problem together, Elias’ refusal to tell Chise- to trust her- wounds her deeply. She storms out of the house, rejecting Elias outright, and chases after Stella. Stella is, of course, possessed by Joseph, and Joseph makes a deal with Chise. Normally, Chise would refuse, but her trust is shaken. She can no longer rely on Elias or Ruth, and so she’s lost her home. There’s no place she can go, so she becomes desperate. She agrees to follow Joseph, and leaves her loved ones behind. What a cliffhanger!