Friday, April 22, 2011

Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica - Finale ~major spoilers~

This is post 1 of 3 today. Hidan no Aria 02 and A-Channel 03 will be posted at a later time.

After weeks of despair (don't worry, no witches here!), finally the last 2 episodes of Madoka Magica have aired, and it did not disappoint! I did feel like I was watching the ending for Angel Beats or Chaos;Head, but that's a good thing. Too bad the ending didn't make me cry or even close to crying, unlike Angel Beats. Shed a man tear for that one ; w ;

In Episode 11, we recap Homura's objective, and Kyubey explaining the harsh reality that the reason Madoka has so much potential to be a witch is due to Homura's multiple attempts at protecting Madoka, and has her bound to so many fate lines. On the other hand, Sayaka and Kyouko's bodies have actually been found, and this puts a blow to many of Madoka's ties, including her mother. Of course, the slightly naivete Madoka refuses to listen to logic, as to why Kyubey does what he does. (N-n-not like I agree with him... for all I care, he could burn in hell!) She is then shown all of the Magical Girls of the past, and how their actions changed the future (I did not expect to see Cleopatra and Joan of Arc in there!).






No, but FFAAAAKAHH YUUUU DORUFIN!!
You have a point...
You're still a douchebag, though.





Madoka then visits Homura's home in order to inquire about Walpurgis Night. Homura, of course, hides behind a cold disposition and confidence that she could defeat the witch by herself. Madoka refuses to believe it is that easy, and Homura is finally forced to reveal her time traveling as well as her longing feelings for Madoka, and her protection.












The weather is then reported to be a supercell, and an evacuation has been forced onto the city. Of course, we know that this is the coming of Walpurgis Night. Walpurgis Night arrives, and Homura fights fiercely. Meanwhile, stubborn little Madoka attempts to help Homura with the battle, but is halted by her mother, discussing why she would risk her life to save someone. Madoka does not divulge any details, but after her discussion, she leaves her mother with her last goodbye, and proceeds to Homura's aid.















We shift back to the battle at hand. Once again, Homura fights only to once again be defeated. As she despairs into realization that she could never save Madoka and attempting to do so again would cause more fate lines being focused on her, her Soul Gem immediately gathers despair. The Soul Gem nearly fills up, but Madoka arrives and holds her hand to prevent it from transforming. The moment we are all hoping would never happen arrives, and Madoka is now fully committed to being a Magical Girl.








Onto Episode 12, Madoka has finally decided her wish. She had ample time to do so, and with all of the images Kyubey has showed her, and with the amount of fate lines that she could affect, she makes one of the most impressive wishes. It is one that could break the rules of the world, distort space-time itself, and is a giant mindfuck.













Much of the episode revolves around revisits to our old friends. Mami and Kyouko talk to Madoka for one last time. She no longer gives hope, but is now hope itself. As the new universe is recreated, Madoka travels to the past, and absorbs all grief from Soul Gems, and finally relinquishing them from their owners, giving them a new life. As the recreation continues, Homura finds herself looking down on Earth, with Kyubey showing her Madoka's Soul Gem: A massive meteor-like formation that has the power to both create a universe and destroy it. As the Soul Gem becomes a Grief Seed, Madoka appears, and eliminates the with in her new world. She would never despair as long as there are no witches, and her wishes are true.



Madoka and Homura have a final encounter, as Madoka is no longer an existence in the physical world. She now holds the universe's grief, fighting witches in a single parallel world for eternity. A cold fact, but she believes it is what she wants. As she dematerializes, she leaves Homura with her ribbons as a reminder that she is always by her side forever. We then go back to Sayaka and Madoka, watching Kyosuke's recital, and see the world change around them. Sayaka disappears in that world with Madoka, and we see Homura wearing Madoka's ribbons. Mami and Kyouko do not know of her, and it feels as though Homura still bears some denial in Madoka's disappearance.



To end it in a good/bad note, Madoka's little brother is seen drawing her in her Magical Girl outfit, much to Homura's appreciation. Homura and Madoka's mother have a brief discussion, and explains her son's "imaginary friend" whom she has seen, and Homura concurs, saying that she has known the name. The other side of this coin is that with the disappearance of witches, it has now been replaced with distortions and demons, much like the witches world, except it is semi-materialized in the real world. This new form of balance is much harder, but allows magical girls to their job without fear of turning against each other as a witch.




This series was a blast to watch. A lot of people think that the cutesy disposition of the first few episodes makes the show less serious than it should be, but of course, it takes some time for the major plotline to actually slap you in the face and yell "THIS SHOW ISH SRSBZNS!!" and it's really a powerful thing. There must always be balance in the world, no matter what aspect of life it is. The economy will always have a poor and a rich. There will always be criminals and cops. In this show, there must be an equal amount of despair for every blessing that is granted.

P.S.
I still think Kyubey is a douchebag.

P.S.S.
I still think Madoka is annoying.

P.S.S.S.
I STILL <3 HOMURA

P.S.S.S.S.
HOLY FUCK That was a long post.

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