Overlord (Episode 1) – End and Beginning
After twelve years as the top full-dive MMORPG, YGGDRASIL was about to be turned off. Momonga sat in the guild hall of the Great Tomb of Nazarick alone but for the NPCs. He was going to stay to the very end… but it didn’t end!
Overlord (Episode 1) – End and Beginning
What did you watch?
It has been five years since I last watched Overlord which means I haven’t seen the fourth season or either of the movies. Well, it seems like it’s time to change that. However, rather than just dive into the latest season, I’m going to go back to the beginning and relive all of the insane wonders that this series has to offer. I think it’s fairly well established that I’m a pretty big fan of Isekai anime. Admittedly, I love fantasy but Isekai seems to deliver more fantasy stories than straightforward fantasy at the moment so I’m on that train at the moment. I can also relate to the disappointment of an online game being shut down, however, I was not Isekaied as my in-game character…
What happened?
Momonga was the guild master of the inhuman guild Ainz Ooal Gown in the DMMO-RPG game YGGDRASIL which was now coming to an end after twelve years as the number one game. He had spent a lot of time and money creating the guild and elevating it to the status that it now held. Momonga was surprised to see only one other guild member show up in the final moments. He was upset but understood that they had other things to do now. There was no point putting any more time into a game that was basically done. He wandered the halls, looking at their achievements and artefacts. After some time, he found himself in the throne room.
The NPCs were there, as usual, standing silently waiting for a command. He looked at Albedo. She was a demon and overseer of the floor guardians. She was also a bitch! Well, that was how she had been programmed. Rather than leave her that way, Momonga updated the code so that she was in love with him instead. That seemed more fitting of the ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. He sat back and watched as the timer counted down to zero. Nothing happened. Momonga scanned the hall and waited. Still, nothing happened. Albedo leaned in and asked him if everything was all right. He stared at her with surprise. She acted like a real person. What was going on?
What did you think?
It’s actually a remarkably slow introduction to a new series. We spend a lot of time in Momonga’s head as he reminisces about the good old days. As such, I think it captures his emotions fantastically. We get a sense of the loss he’s experiencing and the frustration he’s going through when he sees that only one other player showed up, and they left soon after. I think this slow and considered portrayal of the end of YGGDRASIL sets up the switch to the real world wonderfully. I love the way Albedo reveals that things have changed by interacting with him like a real person. And then, he remembers how he changed her code.
What was your favourite moment?
Other than the moment when things switched from a game to a real world, I loved his interaction with Aura Bella Fiora and Mare Bella Fiore. Being a lich wizard and the overlord of the Tomb of Nazarick, they were expecting him to be terrifying. However, he treated them like cherished children, pulling a pitcher of water from a magic portal to offer them a drink after they had shown him how strong they were. Those moments are the ones that really win the guardians to his side. They were programmed to obey him, but now they feel a need to please him as if he were their grandfather. A terrifyingly powerful grandfather.
Who was the most impactful character?
It has to be Momonga. I know there haven’t been that many other characters in the series as of yet, but Momonga’s reactions to the change were amazing. Rather than panicking too much, he sent Sebas to investigate the outside world. He ordered Albedo to have the floor guardians meet him at the arena. It showed just how much he’d been playing and how good he was by how quickly he adapted to the situation. Sure, he will panic and there will be times he gets flustered, but he’s able to hold it in for the most part and make plans to push forward.
What have you learned?
Seeing how a character reacts to the unexpected is a great way to show what they are made of. The best part is there is no correct way to react so it’s entirely up to the author and gives them the chance to push the characters. Noted pulp fiction author, Lester Dent believed that you should always be heaping more troubles on your characters. It’s the best way to show them growing and learning. Sure, you want them to have some agency too, but throwing problems at them speeds that along.
Other posts in the series
- Season One
- Episode 1 – End and Beginning
- Episode 2 – Floor Guardians
- Episode 3 – Battle at Carne Village
- Episode 4 – Ruler of Death
- Episode 5 – Two Venturers
- Episode 6 – Journey
- Episode 7 – Wise King of Forest
- Episode 8 – Twin Swords of Slashing Death
- Episode 9 – The Dark Warrior
- Episode 10 – True Vampire
- Episode 11 – Confusion and Understanding
- Episode 12 – The Bloody Valkyrie
- Episode 13 – Player VS Non Player Character
- Bonus
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