The Promised Neverland (Episode 20) – Daihachiwa
Norman reflects on his time in the Lambda facility while Emma, Ray, Gilda, and Don run about the forest in search of Mujika and Sonju. They only have five days to find them before Norman activates his plan.
The Promised Neverland (Episode 20) – Daihachiwa
What happened?
The Lambda facility was truly something pulled straight out of a nightmare. Norman was subjected to more and more testing, getting harder and harder each time, but he continued to ace it. After discovering that there was someone else being tested, he was able to come up with a plan to escape and promptly did so, capturing some of the demons and destroying the facility.
This set Norman on the path to destroy all of the demons and with his new friends. The main obstacle was the evil-blooded girl, Mujika. Only she could stop the demons from degenerating and turning into nightmarish and uncontrollable forms that would consume one another and kill indiscriminately.
Emma, Ray, Gilda, and Don raced through the forest in search of Mujika and Sonju. If they could find them within five days, Norman would hold off on his plan, or at least, that’s what he told them. After no luck for three days, they stumbled upon an area swarming with giant demons. One attacked them and almost ate Emma, but Sonju appeared to save them. They found them.
However, it was too late. Norman had already attacked the town, releasing his poison, watching as the demons lost control. He entered the town and was about to kill one demon girl when her blind grandfather appeared, calling out for Emma. Norman hesitated when he heard her name, but then attacked the grandfather. The grandfather told Emma to drink his blood and the degeneration stopped. He too had the evil-blood within him.
What did you think?
Where to start with this one? How about the stuff at the Lambda facility, which by all accounts should have been awesome? This is the sort of scenario that fits perfectly with the first season. It was dark and disturbing… and it was over in the blink of an eye. Seriously, this was the stuff they needed to focus on and we basically got a montage with no explanation. We didn’t even have a chance to experience the true horror of it. That could have been a season on its own… What is going on with this season?
Then, we had Emma, Ray, Gilda, and Don running around the forest for four days, leaving all the other kids at the temple. Seemed kind of irresponsible, not to mention that Gilda and Don basically did nothing the whole time they were out there.
And finally, the genius that is Norman released his poison into the village and then went into the village to kill demons… Surely, the last place you want to be when there are demons rampaging is in their way. Sit back and wait for the madness to die down and take care of what’s left over. This felt like such a forced scene, especially with a little demon girl called Emma.
What have you learned?
Compared to most episodes in this season, this was actually one of the better ones, but it’s lost so much goodwill from the past episodes that it gets hard to get excited about any of this, especially the cliffhanger ending (I know, again!) that probably won’t go anywhere.
Also, if this series ends with the demons and humans all living together in perfect harmony, I will be furious. The sad thing is that it appears to be trying to go that way. They were farming humans to eat. To me, this is not something that we can reconcile with. It’s ultimately them or us.
On top of that, they spent the entire first season showing us how clever these kids were to the point that it was a criticism of the series for some, but now they can’t help but continuously make bizarre and irrational decisions. I was so excited for the second season of The Promised Neverland and now, I can’t wait for it to be over.
Other posts in the series
Anime
- Season One
- Season Two
- Bonus Posts
Manga
- Series Review
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It has been quite the let down from season one.
Yeah, other than how the characters look it might as well be a different show.
I wonder if the studio has focused extra time and effort on ‘Wonder Egg…’ to the detriment of this season?
It’s a possibility. I’ve heard good things about Wonder Egg, but am waiting to binge it once the last episode drops.
It’s really hard to reconcile just how different from the first season this one has been. I don’t think there is a single thing that I would say has been as good if not better than season one.
Definitely worth a look, I reckon 🙂
Isn’t it? I’ve been putting off the latest episode as I’m just not drawn to it lately.
Yeah, that’s a sure fire sign as to how much you’re enjoying it. When the first season aired, I would jump on it the second it was available, but with this season there isn’t the same hurry.
So… I finished the second season last night and it was not as I’d hoped.
I haven’t had a chance to watch it yet… or maybe I’m just putting it off…
“but it’s lost so much goodwill from the past episodes that it gets hard to get excited about any of this”
That’s a perfect description of where I’m at.
And yes, I know Strunk and White frowns on ending a sentence with a preposition.
It’s just staggering to see how much it’s fallen since that first season. Maybe it was too hard to follow and should have been left as it was.
It’s almost like a mini cliffhanger for the sentence… Seems appropriate.