Goblin Slayer (Episode 11) – A Gathering of Adventurers
Goblin Slayer tells Musume to run, to leave the farm. There’s an army of goblins ready to attack and he can’t stop them alone. However, she won’t leave, even knowing the cost of defeat! She won’t leave him behind!
What happened?
Judging from the tracks, there are at least one hundred goblins ready to invade the farm. An army that size must have a Goblin Lord, the top rank a goblin can achieve. Goblin Slayer doesn’t know when they will attack, maybe tonight or tomorrow night, but he can’t stop that many alone and it’s too late to ask neighbouring countries for help. For that reason alone, he tells Musume to run. Abandon the farm and stay safe.
However, she knows that even if she goes, he will stay and try to fight them. Therefore, she cannot go. She cannot leave him, not after last time. Even knowing what would happen to her if they lose, she will not abandon him. Goblin Slayer heads straight to the guild in hopes of finding help.
Yaritsukai is surprised to see Goblin Slayer approach his table. Even more surprising is when Goblin Slayer asks to make a request of him. He tells him about the goblin army heading to the farm nearby. He tells them that there is a goblin lord and that alone he cannot hope to defeat them. Yaritsukai reminds Goblin Slayer that they are adventurers and that there needs to be a reward.
Goblin Slayer offers him everything he has and everything that he can give. However, Yaritsukai isn’t interested in any of that. He does offer to help Goblin Slayer for the price of a beer. With the tension in the guild broken, High Elf, Dwarf, and Lizardman all offer their aid. Then, the guild receptionist announces that the guild is putting a reward of one gold coin on every goblin’s head.
With that everyone joins the party. It turns out that despite the way they mock him, Goblin Slayer has help everyone of them at some point in their careers. Some don’t want to admit it, but they know that it’s true.
That night, the goblins attack, but it all goes exactly as Goblin Slayer had predicted. He could see through the goblin lord’s battleplan and with an army of adventurers he set the perfect trap for all of them. Now, they just have to go through with it.
What did you think?
I already loved this series before this episode, but this raised it to a totally new level. That scene in the guild where Goblin Slayer is basically begging for help is incredible. It gets me everytime. Seeing them all slowly step up to join his cause is incredible and it just goes to show what an example of an adventurer he is. He helps those that need help without question or need for repayment.
It was amazing the way the guild took note of the situation and issue a quest to help their favourite silver ranked adventurer. He may be awkward and unsociable, but he is honourable. His actions have touched the lives of the adventurers and their families. How could they not help him when he is so clearly desperate.
Then, we had the invasion which was absolutely insane. We knew goblins were disgusting little monsters, but they even outdid themselves. The meat-shields were a truly horrific idea but played perfectly into the dark minds that we have come to expect from the goblins. Then, it all ended with Goblin Slayer about to confront the goblin lord. This is epic fantasy at its finest.
What have you learnt?
At first, I hated the way Musume wouldn’t leave the farm. She made me mad that would willingly put herself in harms way, but on consideration, her decision may have saved Goblin Slayer and the farm. If she had run, he would have probably tried to defeat the goblins alone, and almost certainly died. The extra incentive is what drove him to ask for help. I understand her thought process, but she could never have expected to get help like that, which makes her decision incredibly selfish.
The thing is, as infuriating or illogical as this decision might be, it added yet another element of realism to the series. Every day people make terrible decisions over and over again. It might be easy for us to look at those decisions and shake our heads in frustration, but they happen. Why must the characters in a story be any different? We often talk about characters having flaws, well, decision making can certainly be one of them.
Other reviews in the series
Series Information
| English Title | Goblin Slayer |
| Japanese Title | Goblin Slayer |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, Dark Fantasy |
| Demographic | Seinen |
Anime
Season One
Movie
| English Title | Goblin’s Crown |
| Japanese Title | Goblin’s Crown |
| Released | Winter 2020 |
| Animation Studios | White Fox |
Season Two
Manga
| Series | Side Story II: Dai Katana |
| Author | Kumo Kagyu |
| Artist | Shougo Aoki |
| Volumes | Ongoing |
| 1 | The Fortress City |
| 2 | There’s Always Tomorrow! |
| 3 | Help and Help Alike! |
| 4 | I Can Smell Blood! |
| 5 | If You Let Your Guard Down, You Die! |
| 6 | Be Thankful to Everything! |
“That scene in the guild where Goblin Slayer is basically begging for help is incredible. It gets me everytime.”
That scene is amazing. Just thinking about it gives me chills.
I love how in the end everyone rallies around him. Even the spear guy who was obviously just trying to push Goblin Slayer’s buttons is like sure I’ll help you for a beer.
And then the guild making it an official request to help was the icing on the cake.