English Dub Review: Requiem of the Rose King “Mother… Goodbye.”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Richmond’s army marches on England, but Richard is occupied with troubles nearer home. Anne, gravely ill and growing desperate, approaches the king with a startling request.

Our Take:
The hits just keep on coming for the complex king of England. With only two more episodes left in this Shakespearean series, who knows what other unfortunate events await Richard during his rule? More importantly, what could be worse than executing two lovers by his own hand?
For starters, his kingdom is about to be invaded by another army, led by Richmond, who seeks to overthrow the “demon king”. However, that’s not the only problem that Richard faces. As his wife Anne grows increasingly ill by the minute, Richard is instructed by her to disinherit Edward to protect his future. Now on the verge of losing everything, Richard commits one act of goodness to save his family.
This episode is one heck of an emotional turning point as we’re one step closer to the finale. The main reason is that Richard finally gives his love to Anne as her health worsens. He probably should’ve done it before she got sick, but that’s just me. Additionally, Richard accepts Anne’s request as the king fakes Edward’s death so his son can live a new life with Jane. It reflects Richard’s vulnerability as he struggles to cope with losing the people he loved, including his father and Buckingham. As a result, Richard strives not to let the pain continue to haunt him by supporting Anne before her demise.
However, the real tearjerker happens at the end of the episode, where Cecily confronts Richard for the final time before he goes to war. Cecily is revealed to be the voice that’s been tormenting Richard since he was young. Even worse, she admits that Richard Plantagenet is not his birth father. Of course, Richard faces this fear by telling her that he resembles Cecily as they both hide from their suffering before telling her to pray for his death.
That sequence represents a love deep within the suffering and hate, which isn’t found until it’s too late. As a result, “Mother… Goodbye” becomes the most poignant chapter the show had to offer before its thrilling conclusion. The emotion and animation that drive these sequences are enough to make me almost shed a tear, which could mean that the final episode might finish the job.