Goblin Slayer II (Episode 4) – Onward to Adventure
Goblins have attacked the Adventurers’ training camp and are hunting down the rookies. Can the experienced adventurers get to them in time or will the goblins have the last laugh? It’s goblin-slaying time!
Goblin Slayer II (Episode 4) – Onward to Adventure
What did you watch?
So, I’m only covering four seasons at the moment and all of them are epic fantasy in nature. Two are isekai, but that doesn’t stop it from being epic fantasy, no matter what someone might say. Usually, I like to spread my attention through a variety of genres, but diving into one has really given me lots to think about with my own writing. Not to mention that NaNoWriMo has just begun. I think it’s time for me to get my head back in the game. Anyhow, we’re here to talk about Goblin Slayer, not me…
What happened?
Several of the more senior rookies were staying late to learn about night fights. Most of the younger members had begun the trip home. However, that’s when the goblins attacked, bursting out of the ground and attacking the training camp. The experienced adventurers gathered together and formulated a plan to head into the tunnels and flush them out. Priestess spoke up before anyone started. She believed that they would go after the younger rookies as they were easy targets, which is exactly what a cowardly goblin would do. She took the more experienced rookies with her on the mission to save the youngsters.
Goblin Slayer led the others into the tunnel and did what he does best. They were attacked by goblins from every angle, but they were no match for them. Goblin Slayer came up with a plan to flush them out, literally. He asked Dwarfm to create a hole straight up. Lizardman drove them back with a ferocious growl just as the hole was created. Water from the lake above rushed in and flooded the tunnel. Goblin Slayer wasn’t done there. He asked Majo to freeze the water once it had stopped flowing from above. Priestess and the older rookies arrived just in time to save most of the youngsters. Some goblins got away, but it was a success. Priestess was promoted to Steel Rank. Red-Haired Mage decided to go on an adventure and become a dragon slayer along with Rhea Warrior, which amused Goblin Slayer to no end.
What did you think?
There was some great action in this episode. Goblin Slayer really is ruthless when it comes to killing goblins. At one point, he drank a healing potion and then threw the empty bottle in a goblin’s face before driving him into a wall. I loved how Priestess was the one who realised that the goblins would go after the youngsters. It makes perfect sense when you start to think about how a goblin would view the situation. It was a fast and brutal episode but it ended with a fairly nice scene too, even if Cow Girl wanted to tell Goblin Slayer off for draining the lake…
What was your favourite moment?
In the last episode, we learned about Goblin Slayer’s real goals and how he now believed that they were beyond his reach. So, to see Red-Haired Mage realise that there was more to life than killed goblins was a nice touch. Especially as he revealed this information to Goblin Slayer who was obviously pleased to see that development. I think the fact that Rhea Warrior was going with him whether he liked it or not really spoke to him, especially since it was a Rhea who trained him to be so ruthless when it comes to goblins. I’m also secretly pleased that we won’t see Red-Haired Mage again (hopefully). Now, let’s go on an epic goblin-slaying adventure.
Who was the most impactful character?
It was surprising that Priestess was the one to realise the goblin’s true goal and even more so that she took the job of protecting them upon herself. Even with the older rookies, she is still just a priestess and while Goblin Slayer might come up with ways to use her protection miracles as weapons, I don’t think she’s there yet. It came down to her leading and the rookies following, which is a risky thing given Red-Haired Mage’s inability to listen in the past. I’m glad that it worked out and that the Red-Haired Mage was able to learn from the training camp and his experience. Priestess deserved the promotion for getting the most of out him alone, let alone saving the other adventurers.
What have you learned?
It’s always a good idea to try to put yourself in the mindset of the monsters or villains when crafting a story. Too often, a story will treat its monster like cannon fodder, throwing wave after wave of them at the hero for him to wantonly hack through. However, why would a lesser monster charge at an obviously stronger warrior? They wouldn’t. They would be sneaky and devious. They would go after the easy targets. They would ambush and surprise the heroes. They would use every despicable trick at their disposal. Kumo Kagyu has obviously spent a lot of time working out how these monsters would act. I think that’s also translated into how Goblin Slayer works. He understands them and is prepared to play them at their own game.
Other posts 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! |
I, too, am glad to see the red-haired kid go on his merry way. I also gave a good hearty chuckle when GS threw the empty bottle in the goblin’s face. It is nice to see some depth added to the characters. Priestess, especially. She has progressed from totally newbie to thinking more like a veteran adventurer.
Yeah. So long. Don’t get eaten by a dragon too soon!
I love how ruthless Goblin Slayer is. He could turn anything into a weapon. I mean he’s already weaponised the process of making ice cream…
Priestess has come a long way since that first adventure. You can tell she’s been listening to everything Goblin Slayer has said and assimilated the information so that she’s now able to predict the goblin’s movements.