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Impressions:

Best episode so far! Finally some action: Saito owning in the fight. There was also some serious emotional development between Saito and Louise. I think she’s finally fallen for him! Aside from that, I was shocked at my slowness for not realising Ms Longueville was Fouquet earlier! I mean, who else has green hair?! I’m also quite surprised that Osman took the news so calmly. I had the idea he was pretty attached to her (or maybe just the colour of her panties). The Staff of Destruction being a rocket launcher was pretty funny, and Louise trying to swing it while displaying the all too well-known XD was hilarious! Saito was very impressive this episode, operating the weapon so expertly. The scenes of him destroying the golem were great, and he didn’t faint for several days after either. I guess this is probably because he wasn’t injured severely, and he’s getting used to the power. The end was nice. I just wish she had kissed Saito to go with her attitude change and sudden shyness (yes, I do realise she kissed him in the first episode, but that’s different). With only 7 episodes to go, I hope the series retains this level of entertainment. (Heh, I just realised my review of the first episode of Zero no Tsukaima hasn’t been transferred from my old blog…doing it now.)

Summary:

In the classroom, Kirche is feeding Saito, much top Louise’s displeasure. One of the teachers walks in, calling for Tabitha and Louise to the headmaster’s office. In the end, Kirche goes along as well, as she is interested as to what is going on. Saito goes too of course. In the office, Osman, Ms Longueville and other mages have gathered to discuss the theft of the Staff of Destruction. Ms Longueville explains that a suspicious person has been sighted going to and from an abandoned hut in the forests. She was also able to draw a sketch of what she thought Fouquet looked liked (with the hood over her face). The students take a look at it and confirm that it definitely is the thief. One of the teachers suggests they take the information to the Royal Court and request soldiers from the Royal Task Force. Osman says that if they do that, Fouquet will surely discover their plans. He says that the school will retrieve the staff themselves. He asks for volunteers to resecure the staff, but none of the mages are willing to. However, Louise raises her wand, indicating that she would like to go. Not prepared to lose to her, Kirche does as well. Tabitha too raises her staff, saying that she’s worried about the two. Osman is happy to let them go, as for one, Tabitha has the title of a Chevalier Knight, which is very impressive at her age, and two, Kirche is the descendant of an extensive Germanian military ancestry. He can’t think of anything to say to praise Louise, so he moves on to Saito, saying what an exceptional swordsman he is. The teacher agrees with the headmaster, but almost lets slip that Saito is the legendary Gun-. Ms Longueville seems to catch on quickly though. She volunteers to go as well, as she is ‘interested’.

The group set out in a horse-drawn cart. Saito asks why Fouquet is a thief if she’s a Noble. Ms Longueville says that not all mages are Nobles. Some lose their nobility, and a fraction of those become outlaws. She reveals that even she has lost her nobility. Kirche asks why, but she does not answer. Kirche persists, but stops when Louise indicates that it is discourteous. Kirche says that it’s boring, so Louise asks her why she came in the first place. Hearing this, she moves over to sit next to Saito and says it’s because she’s worried about her ‘darling’ (Saito). She asks Louise what she’ll do when the golem comes out. Louise is about to say that she’ll use her magic, but Kirche interjects and mocks her about the absence of her powers. The two then progress into a glaring competition before Saito separates the two (as he is being squished in between the two). Kirche suddenly remembers about something she brought and presents Saito with the gold sword, saying he forgot to bring it. Saito tells her that he’s already got a sword, and he also doesn’t want to take it because of a certain someone sitting beside him. However, Louise gives him the ok (even though she is discretely fuming).

When they arrive at the little house, the girls hide behind some bushes while Saito peers through the windows to see if anyone’s inside. No one is so he gives the all clear. Tabitha, Kirche and Saito enter the hut to look around, as Louise stands guard outside and Ms Longueville scouts the surrounding area. Both Kirche and Saito look around carelessly and state that nothing’s inside, however, Tabitha is more thorough and manages to find the Staff of Destruction. It is still in the case so we don’t know what it looks like yet. Just as she locates it, Louise is jumped on by the golem and her scream brings everyone’s attention to her. The roof is torn off and the golem appears above them. Both Tabitha and Kirche attempt to bring it down with their elemental magic, but it all fails. (Note that Fouquet is no where to be seen the entire battle). Seeing the hopelessness of the situation, Tabitha calls for her familiar to help them escape. Saito realises that he hasn’t confirmed Louise’s safety, but he sees her outside, ready to take on the golem. She tries to fight it, but as strong as her unintentional explosions may have seemed before, they only succeed in denting the giant that is looming over her. Saito yells for her to run away but she refuses. She says that Nobles aren’t people who can use magic, but those who don’t turn their backs from their enemies. With this, she tries her attack again, but it fails and the golem brings its fist down. As it seems like Louise has just been crushed, she appears in Saito’s arms as the two stumble out of the dust. Louise is angry at Saito for getting in her way, but he responds, surprisingly, by slapping her. He gives her a quick lecture about the importance of her life, before she breaks down and starts crying. She tells Saito she doesn’t want to be teased anymore, and if she doesn’t defeat the golem, she wouldn’t be able to keep her promise of protecting Henrietta. The golem tries to crush them again, but Saito grabs Louise and makes a run for it. Tabitha flies down with Kirche on her familiar, landing in front of Saito. He sets Louise on to Silph and tells them to escape.

As they fly away, Saito turns around to face the golem, now with a strong resolution. He takes the golden sword in hand and charges at the golem. However, when he brings it down onto the beast’s rock-hard body, the blade snaps in half. Derflinger, who had been silent until now, tells Saito to use him instead. As he draws it, his insignia on the back of his palm starts glowing again. Saito begins to feel like he did when he fought Guiche. With surprising speed and power, Saito dances in and around the golem’s legs, swinging his sword with confidence. The golem’s legs crumble, but quickly reform. Saito discerns that he will not be able to win if this keeps up. Up in the sky, Louise takes the Staff of Destruction and jumps down. Somehow, she doesn’t fall to her doom. Instead, she makes a slow descent, surrounded by a glowing aura. Upon seeing the Staff of Destruction, Saito is astounded. The staff was no staff at all, but a ROCKET LAUNCHER! Louise tries to use it by swinging it around, but of course, being a conventional weapon that won’t work. Saito runs up to her and takes it from her. He arms it like a pro and fires the single shot at the golem before it can crush them. Louise is amazed at the weapon and Saito’s ability to use it. The entire golem crumbles. As Louise is admiring her familiar, Kirche comes and ruins the moment by embracing Saito. It seems that no one has given a thought to Fouquet’s absence until Tabitha points it out. As they are trying to see if they can see Fouquet anywhere, Ms Longueville comes and picks up the rocket launcher. She unties her hair and takes off her hair … revealing Fouquet’s true identity: Ms Longueville! Saito makes for the sword, but Ms Longueville threatens them with the rocket launcher. She explains that she didn’t know how to use the weapon, so she was counting on someone to show her how, and Saito has done exactly that. She says she had been disappointed that only students were going to retrieve the weapon, but she was confident that Saito – a ‘Gundolf’ – would be able to use it. Happy with her success, she presses the trigger to launch the rocket, but nothing happens. Saito, who knows that he had already used its single rocket, grabs his sword and lunges at Ms Longueville. He jabs her in the stomach with the back of his sword, bringing her down in an instant. Standing a few metres back, silently admiring him are Louise and Kirche.

Back at the academy, the headmaster congratulates the three mages for the capture of Fouquet and the return of the ‘Staff of Destruction’. He tells them that they will be receiving rewards from the Royal Court, but Saito won’t be getting anything as he is not a Noble. He doesn’t mind this, but has one question. When the girls leave, Saito asks the headmaster about the rocket launcher. First, he explains that he is from another world, and that the rocket launcher is a weapon from his world. He wants to know about where the weapon came from. Osman tells him that about thirty years ago when he had been cornered by a black dragon, he was saved by a soldier (from Earth) wielding a rocket launcher. He had tried to save this strange man, but his death was inevitable. One of the two rocket launchers he had was buried with him, and the other kept as a ‘memento’. Saito is angry that hearing this didn’t bring any answers of help for him to return home.

At the party that night, Saito is standing on the balcony with a gloomy face. Louise, as a special guest, is addressed in a special manner as she arrives at the party. She is dressed in a long dance dress and has her hair tied up. A few guys asks her to dance with them, but she ignores them all and heads straight for Saito. When the music starts, she asks him to dance with him (though in an arrogant manner). Saito says that if she’s asking him to dance with her, she should say it better. Surprisingly, Louise changes her attitude and asks Saito as if he was another Noble like herself. The two dance intimately and Louise says that she believes that Saito is from another world now. Saito is surprised that she didn’t believe him before. She says that the Staff of Destruction is proof. With sad eyes, she asks Saito whether he really wants to go back to his world. Saito says yes, which only succeeds in depressing Louise. After a few moments to sort her thoughts, she smiles again and shyly says thankyou to Saito for saving her life. Saito says that it’s obvious he would save her as he is her familiar (this is a reverse of several previous occasions when Louise saves Saito and says it’s only because it’s her duty to save her familiar). Louise doesn’t seem fazed by the comment though and continues to dance happily.

Preview:

Looks like next episode Louise will work for the first time in her life, to secretly survey the city, by orders of Princess Henrietta. (Whoa, what’s that she’s wearing?!)

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