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I'm rewatching S1 right now in preparation for watching S2; the last episode and this episode still holds up to be the best. However it still bothers me how Paul gets setup for so much undeserved hate, and I'm kind of convinced the anime did it on purpose to build up to this episode's resolution. I think the worse thing Paul has been shown doing is getting Lilia pregnant, but the anime ends up making Paul responsible for 100% of the blame despite the blame mostly lying with Lilia. Think about it, Lilia is bare minimum 50% at fault, but because she admits to seducing Paul into it, she's greater than 50% responsible, making Paul less than 50% responsible. It doesn't matter if Paul's horny all the time, he wasn't shown to be actively chasing Lilia, blaming Paul for being easily seduced is like blaming the person scammed more than the scammer. Anyways, I think the infidelity incident was brilliantly setup to make the audience not want to side with Paul for last episode's reunion because another thing about the infidelity incident is it showed Rudy's lowkey contempt or lack of respect for Paul since the beginning. Something I noticed with earlier episodes is Rudy's inner monologue (his true character) always seemed to have some disdain for Paul. The tone and way Rudy's inner voice refers to Paul seems like he's looking down on Paul, or has some unconscious jealousy towards him. I don't think Rudy's inner voice has ever referred to Paul as "father" until this episode when he makes up with him. I think Rudy finally accepted Paul as his father, and I think Rudy's estranged relationship with his past life family in Japan hindered his ability to bond properly with Paul.
I also want to point out some things with last episode's disastrously reunion, and this episode reconciliation: Rudy's mostly at fault. The whole reason why Rudy's in a depressed state after the reunion is because Rudy realized he was wrong, not because the argument was traumatic for him. The self-admitted problem with Rudy is he can argue his way out of anything, this is why Paul knocks him out to send him to Eris' place to work...Paul didn't want Rudy to argue his way out of it. The reason why Paul was getting more and more pissed during the reunion was not only because Rudy screw up by telling his story so positively, but Paul really did think Rudy got his messages of how messed up tragic the mana calamity was, and was trying to argue his way out of it by lying he didn't know. Paul really did think Rudy was infuriatingly playing around while everybody else was suffering, and Paul was only convinced that Rudy didn't know after Norm came in and pushed Rudy down. The breaking point for Paul was when Rudy, in his "weaseling out of arguments" mode, mocked him of cheating with that bikini woman on Zenith and Lilia, whom Rudy was too ignorant to know was still in danger. Of course Rudy didn't know, but that doesn't make it any less massively inappropriate. But here's the thing about Rudy, when he was walking away and found out everything and everybody in his home area was gone, especially his missing family and Sylphie, that's when Rudy dropped his "weaseling out of arguments" mode and knew he goofed bad. That's why he so messed up depressed, and especially why this episode he questions Paul "what do you have to apologize for?" when Paul says that's what he's come for, Rudy knows he's in the wrong he just wouldn't admit it last episode because he was trying to win the argument. Even more, Rudy admitted he had it easy when Paul acknowledge that Rudy must have had it hard coming back, why would Rudy admit that to Paul if it wasn't true? Even Paul didn't know how to respond to that admission, Rudy was finally being truthful.
I feel I got to point this out because people still seem to believe Paul was wrong, and are still hating on him. It only seems like Paul's wrong because Rudy makes small mistakes which he admits to in his inner voice, but doesn't admit by saying it and instead tries to weasel in arguments to win which makes things more messy, and confusing. I think there's also some misunderstanding with Rudy's flashback of Rudy overacting with his friend, his friend trying to cheer up Rudy and Rudy being in the wrong is analogous to Paul being the friend, but in Paul's case he actually came back whereas Rudy's friend did not. Rudy regretted over-reacting to his friend, but didn't have the humility to contact his friend to apologize. Here, Rudy still didn't have the humility to contact Paul (remember, he thought about doing so, but threw up out the window, and didn't), but Paul came back because he did have the humility to do so. The reason why Paul had to be convinced into it by Geese is because Paul's priorities were all screwed up by that messy argument he had with Rudy, there was unfortunate misunderstandings galore in that argument. Paul got so worked up by Rudy making him think Rudy could have done better, that Paul couldn't rationalize he should just be happy Rudy's back safe. Also I should point out when Paul said to Rudy he "could have done better", notice Rudy was trying to say "that's not true" but couldn't quite say it like he knew he was caught lying, and notice Paul's eyes squints in suspicion when that happened.
Anyways regardless, that was some real top notch writing and execution by the anime. Massively good character deepening for Paul, and character growth for Rudy. Good on the bartender for keep the conversation going, and good on Rudy for fixing his mistakes. Rudy realized he never gave Paul enough credit, finally admits Paul is way ahead of him despite being younger than him, and finally calls him father in his inner voice. Rudy also gives Paul the correct reunion with his long lost son that Paul actually desperately needed but was robbed out of last episode. I think it could be misunderstood as Paul's fault for that, but really it was Rudy making the mistake of try to impress Paul with an embellished tale rather than this heartfelt second go at it, and the unfortunate way they found each other.
I just want to add that two episodes later, the anime lowkey confirms some of the things I've mentioned above. Like how Rudy's inner-self never truly saw that Paul and family as Rudy's actual family until the reconciliation of this episode. That Rudy was trying to "weasel argue" his way out of things because of ego, and has changed due to this reconciliation. Rudy even has his priorities straight now, something that Paul criticized him on, and shows Rudy was wrong during the reunion argument with Paul.
In-depth explanation, minor spoilers for opening scene of two episodes ahead:
Rudy has another meeting with the man-god. Rudy starts by doing his "weaseling out of things" arguing style to try to get out of being responsible for missing Paul's message, and having "that stupid fight with him". Rudy tries to blame the man-god for it without realizing it, but then when the man-god questions him on this, Rudy quickly realizes he's falling back to old habits of not accepting responsibility and blaming others for it. Rudy actually points out how he hates his old self, and that now after the reconciliation he's "turned over a new leaf" and takes responsibility now. Rudy concedes and actually humbles himself by saying he's grateful for the man-god's advice, but Rudy says it in a jerky reluctant way. This shows Rudy has learned he was wrong in his fight with Paul, and now has grown to be able to own his mistakes, set aside his ego, and admit it.
Rudy then makes a request of the man-god to help him find "his family", and the man-god feigns confusion of Rudy's family being back in Japan. Rudy calls out the feign by saying the man-god knows he's talking about "Zenith, Lilia, and Aisha". This is pretty much the man-god throwing in Rudy's face how his inner-self used to not truly think of Paul, Zenith, Norm, Lilia, and Aisha as "his family". This confirms what I was saying above about how Rudy's inner-voice never really accepted Paul as his father before now, that Rudy has been self-centeredly selfish by only thinking in terms of himself (as an isekai MC, and others as NPCs).
Rudy also got his priorities straight by asking about the whereabouts of "Zenith, Lilia, and Aisha" specifically first, then "if possible, Sylphie, Ghislaine, Philip, and Sorros as well". During the reunion argument Rudy screwed up bad by asking about Sylphie over his own mother Zenith, which Paul pointed out. Now he's got family members before friends and associates. This really highlights how wrong Rudy was during the argument with Paul, and reveals the stark contrast of how he now values his isekai family vs before how had a estranged relationship with his past-life family in Japan. Meaning again, before the reunion argument and reconciliation, Rudy's inner-self wasn't treating Paul and isekai family as real family, and Rudy's inner-self was more selfishly concerned about himself. Also this is probably the first time since the teleport Rudy has even shown any concern for Ghislaine, Philip, and Sorros. It could be argued that Rudy didn't think Philip and Sorros was teleported, but Ghislaine was right there with him at the time, and Rudy hadn't mentioned her at all until now.
As much as some people seem to think the reunion argument and reconciliation was about Paul being wrong, then being corrected by Geese, it wasn't so much that but rather Rudy being wrong, "turning over a new leaf", taking responsibility now, seeing his isekai family as his family, and getting his priorities straight finally. All this is brilliantly setup by the anime. The feeling of "Rudy being on his grand adventure" seems to be done now, because that was his then self-absorbed selfish naive perspective on it at the time. It's now transitioned to feel more focused on finding family, friends, associates, and dealing with the aftermath of the mana calamity, which coincides with Rudy's inner-self's new-found "turning over a new leaf" and "taking responsibility" now, his character growth from this episode's reconciliation.
I lost my father when I was eleven, which is around Rudy's age at this point in the story so that scene where they reconnect and embrace each other near the end of the episode honestly really got to me.
The pedophile isekai nearly moving me to tears was not on my 2024 Bingo card.
I finished Season II Part I—I've watched as far as I can go with this anime as of February 2024.
Just had to come back to this episode's forum to archive a thought. The reconciling of Paul and Rudy was heart wrenching as it is heart warming. Seeing Paul go from comedic relief, to becoming scummier, to growing bitter toward Rudy, to completely breaking down in Rudy's arms. Quite a trip. The two of them crying together in the pub—even after finishing all the episodes that have been released—remains my favorite scene from the show, and I've revisited it quite a few times. Great voice acting, great dialogue, great execution. All around very powerful.
I never really interpreted Paul as antagonistic, rather flawed; and it's important to have nuanced characters with redeeming qualities. I like Paul and Rudy's dynamic, whether friendly or of strife. I know Rudy never really thought of Paul as a father, but it's endearing that Rudy cares for Paul nonetheless and initiated that hug. And despite Rudy being a man from another world, Paul has only ever known Rudy to be his young son. So there's a sort of innocence to Paul's character: he's ignorant of his son's true nature or intellect, but still loves him deeply as his own son. It's a unique dynamic for sure.
I know this show is controversial for its lewd undertones, but the strengths of scenes like Paul and Rudy's reconciliation have to be acknowledged.
Very good episode, as I mentioned before, you have to be careful with placing too high expectations on someone, no matter how surprising they are, they are still a simple human who makes mistakes and problems are solved by talking and listening to each other without having to hit each other.
As I said, Geese seems strange to me... I feel like he's hiding something and now a new task is added: finding the rest of the family
Finally they reunite as a family. Just a drama and Rudeus party stick to the plan and they back to the journey. Also seeing another fact of Rudeus that he get bullied when in Japan so he change to Hikikomori, kinda sad. Hope something awesome happen next.