1x22 Dreams and Reality

A powerful episode of Mushoku Tensei, with Dead End finally reaching Fittoa.

I really liked the closure this episode gave Ruijerd's character, with him finally knowing for sure that his and Rudeus' efforts weren't in vain, the curse from Laplace was lifting and people were starting to view the Sperds in a positive light. For Ruijerd, whose spent centuries hopelessly trying to purify the Sperd name after it was unfairly tainted, knowing that Rudeus helped him take the first step towards change for the Sperd's reputation must've felt amazing. Him crying as he learned about the effects of their efforts, and his gratitude towards Rudeus helping him was beautifully done.

Regarding Rudeus, it's clear the traumatic effects of all the deaths he's seen and experienced during his adventure has taken a toll on him mentally, with his dreams of life before the cataclysm being painted with blood. And him feeling like everyone he loved was leaving him behind, leaving Rudeus all alone. Especially when he returned back to his homeland, it looked barren and deserted, as if nothing from his previous life there ever existed, with many of his loved ones no where to be seen.

Regarding Eris, this was definitely a tough episode for her. With Eris being forced to take on the burden that her parents are dead, and her grandfather was executed for the cataclysm, she no longer has her family. Hearing her weep alone, taking in all these emotions at once was painful, with her now being forced to accept that her life can never go back to a sense of normalcy. Everything is so sudden for her, and now she feels like she has to grow up and become stronger on her own so she doesn't just rely on the new family she's formed with Rudeus. That's why she decided to leave him behind and go on her own personal journey with Ghislaine, so she can mature and become stronger by herself and not just be a crutch for Rudeus.

Regarding Rudeus relationship with Eris. It's clear what he wanted all along from her was a human connection, not just his desire to sleep with her. After everything they've been through together during this adventure, all he truly cared about was the bond they built with each-other. And both the sex scene and Eris leaving embodies this feeling, with the sex scene being very intimate, awkward, but feeling heart-felt, like they sincerely cared for and loved each-other, rather than being this hyper-sexualized moment. And Eris leaving him the next day, saying she has to leave because their relationship was unbalanced, was heart-breaking for them. After that intimate moment which represented how close they've become with each-other, Rudeus now has it all stripped away from him. The last semblence of a human connection and the person he cared deeply about has abandoned him, and now he's all alone. Him crying, wandering down Fittoa as all of these emotions hit him was a powerful scene, perfectly capturing this feeling of abandonment and pain from losing a loved one.