Umineko no Naku Koro ni episode 8 review; Beatrice’s and Battler’s test of wills.

 

        This episode begins with Kinzo waking up in the morning to find out that he’s still alive and wondering who Beatrice chose as her first six sacrifices. Meanwhile, we see some of the others gathered in front of the blood sealed chapel, and we find out that Krauss, Eva, Rudolf, and their spouses are missing. Later, we see Rosa inside the guest house going through Marie’s handbag, and inside the envelope that Beatrice gave her Eva finds the key to the chapel. Battler awakens to see Rosa with the key, and Rosa tells him and the kids to stay in the guest house.

 

        Once Rosa returns with the key they enter the chapel to find the missing people seated at a dining room table, murdered. But this time, instead of their faces being mutilated they have massive damage to their chest areas, and soon George, Battler, Jessica, and Maria wander into the slaughterhouse. As the kids are screaming in horror, the scene freezes and Battler and Beatrice (the ghost/real ones) appear, Battler calls Beatrice tasteless but Beatrice says that this time she left their faces alone reducing the number of possible suspects for Battler to consider. Beatrice dares Battler to explain these killings logically, they both disappear, and time moves again.

 

        Jessica yells that this is all Beatrice’s fault and runs out of the chapel to confront Beatrice, and Rosa sends Kanon and Gouda to follow her. Then George notices that there are some bars of gold inside the pumpkin located on the dining table, and Maria goes into her crazy girl mode saying that she wants Beatrice to take her to the golden land.

 

        Jessica makes it to Beatrice’s room to find it locked, and she uses Kanon’s pass key to open the door. Once inside, Jessica finds Beatrice missing but she left a note taunting Jessica and mocking her parents. Jessica experiences an asthma attack and Kanon has to help her to her room where her inhalator is located. After Jessica starts to feel better, Kanon gets ready to leave but it seems like Jessica wants him to stay with her, and at that very moment Beatrice appears and starts mocking Kanon about not understanding women because he’s furniture.

        Beatrice tells Kanon to show his power to her, and she materializes several monsters. Kanon then summons an energy blade that covers his right arm, and he tells Jessica that he’ll protect her. Kanon easily defeats Beatrice’s minions, and Kanon goes after her but she easily dodges him. Beatrice tells him that furniture should know its place, Jessica sticks up for Kanon and tells Beatrice that he’s not furniture, he’s human. Beatrice laughs at her and summons One of the Seven Stakes of Purgatory, a female creature called Lust. Beatrice tells Lust to carry out the second twilight and Lust goes to fight Kanon. It quickly become apparent that Lust is much too fast for Kanon and soon Lust transform into a dagger/stake saying she’ll pierce him. As the dagger flies all around Kanon, and is about to stab him, Jessica blocks the dagger with her back. As Jessica is dying in Kanon’s arms Beatrice mocks Kanon about not being able to protect his lady.

 

        Then Beatrice summons another Stake of Purgatory called Wrath. When Wrath appears, Beatrice tells her to kill Kanon, and Wrath turns into a dagger and flies towards Kanon striking him the chest. As both Jessica and Kanon lay dying, Jessica reaches out to Kanon, and Kanon reaches out to her. Jessica tells Kanon he’s not furniture and she asks him is real name, and Kanon tells Jessica, thanks to her he’s not furniture, but he dies before he can tell Jessica his real name. Beatrice mocks Kanon telling him that she can still humiliate him even in death, and she uses smoke from her cigarette holder/pipe to make his body disappear.

 

       Kinzo having been informed by Shannon and Genji about the six deaths tells Shannon to get the stuff ready for him to prepare his will. Back with Battler and the others they find out that they are unable to reach the police or authorities. As Battler and the others are trying to figure out how the murderer got into and out of the locked chapel while the key was in Marie’s purse, the scene freezes and Battler and Beatrice appear on the scene again. Battler says not another locked murder scene again, and Beatrice tells Battler to explain how the locked door was opened and closed with out the key. Battler tells her that’s there’s not enough information, there could be a extra key or a hidden door, and Beatrice makes a rule saying that every time she speaks the truth her words will appear in red letters. After Battler tries to make some additional arguments Beatrice amends the rule by saying if her words speak the truth Battler has to take them at face value and not ask for proof, he reluctantly agrees to this.

 

       After a little question and answer between Beatrice and Battler, he comes to the conclusion that during the night the murderer took the key from Marie’s purse and put the bodies inside the chapel and then returned the key to Maria’s purse, so he refuses to affirm that magic exists. Beatrice laughs at him saying if it wasn’t magic then he’s fingering one of the remaining living people, prove it. Time flows again, and we see the group continuing to discuss Beatrice’s letter, and George wonders if she wants them to find the gold. Maria goes creepy again saying Beatrice wants them to solve the riddle, Battler asks her if she can solve it, and Maria says who cares, she just wants to go to the golden land. Soon, Rosa, Genji, and Shannon enter the room with Rosa carrying the gun saying she’ll protect everyone. Well, that’s all for this episode.

      Well, I found the format where Battler and Beatrice watch events unfold as invisible observers and then argue back and forth about whether or not these crimes could have occurred with or without the use of magic very interesting. But, I wonder if anything will ever be settled since Beatrice has the ability to rewind events and replay them in a different order so I wonder if it would be possible of Battler to catch her in a mistake? I also found the fight between Kanon and Beatrice’s minions pretty strange, I never would have thought that Kanon would have been able to materialise a energy blade, so what the hell was Kanon supposed to be, a magical butler? I found Beatrice’s stealing of Kanon’s body to be a great move, now the suspicion will probably fall of Kanon since he’s missing. Oh-well, all I know is that I’m really engrossed with this tale and can’t wait for the next episode.