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Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 aired earlier this morning for both Japanese and international viewers. Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 thankfully does a fantastic job of picking up where the prior installment left off, providing a great episode that is worth all the praise.
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 primarily focuses on Raphtalia, and showcases some major milestones for her. Raphtalia shows considerable improvement as both a character and fighter in Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10.
Follow along as this article fully breaks down the latest episode.
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 focuses primarily on Raphtalia, showing a new side of hers that we have not seen before
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10: A brief stay
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 opens with Raphtalia being walked to her prison cell before she stops and looks at the cuffs on her hands. They remind her of her early life before being found by Naofumi, which seems to simultaneously trouble and inspire her.
The guard escorting her says that she’ll be kept there until Kyo is ready to take her, but she’s instead thinking of Naofumi. She says that she won’t die before she sees him again. Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 then shows her being locked inside her cell, inside which she finds Glass, L’Arc, and Therese, all bound and tied much more securely than she is.
The group explains that the purple aura surrounding the cell sucks away their powers the more they use them, also adding that her tiny body can’t force the door open. They begin discussing their need to get out of there, emphasizing that their truce is still active until Ost is avenged and Kyo is defeated.
Raphtalia reveals that their group was also imprisoned, being sent to the Infinite Labyrinth and having found Kizuna there. Glass begins getting angry at herself for not looking there, prompting L’Arc to calm her down.
Therese comments that it must’ve been hard for Naofumi to be separated from Raphtalia, prompting the latter to say that she hopes he isn’t mad at him. It seems that she feels she is to blame for being separated from the group when, in reality, the fault lies with Kyo.
Therese seemingly tries to explain this, but is interrupted by Glass, who thanks her for rescuing Kizuna. She suddenly seems incredibly tired as she says this, prompting L’Arc to explain the Prison of Exhaustion they find themselves in.
As explained before, the purple aura drains their energy and powers as they use them, with Glass being especially affected as a Spirit. The guards of the prison also wear talismans which work in conjunction with the aura, boosting their power while that of prisoners is drained.
Raphtalia surmises that this is why they still have their weapons, but L’Arc emphasizes that it's mainly because a Vassal Weapon and Vassal Hero can’t be separated. Raphtalia likens it to a similar phenomenon with Naofumi and his shield.
Suddenly, Raphtalia seems to have hatched a plan, looking to confirm that abilities can still be used, just to a weaker degree. Therese emphasizes that this is the case, before Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 cuts to the group having successfully escaped the prison.
A flashback shows that Raphtalia used illusion magic to make it appear as if the group had escaped their cell, prompting a guard to open the door and inspect. While he questions the other three as to where they were hiding, Raphtalia grabs his talisman and gives it to Glass, who then has the power to bust down a wall and let them escape.
The group then identifies meeting up with Kizuna and the others as their primary objective, deciding to head to Sikul to do so. Raphtalia looks up at the moon, telling Naofumi that she’s coming back to be with him, as Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 fades to black.
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10: The Katana Hero is chosen
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 then shows the group walking through a nearby town, discussing how Return Dragon Vein is their best bet for transportation. Glass emphasizes that they actually need to get to Raybul’s Dragon Hourglass first, with Raphtalia adding that they don’t know what trap Kyo Ethnina has set.
Therese and the group comfort her, saying that they’re with her this time and that they’ll ensure she levels up along the way. This is punctuated by Raphtalia’s stomach growling, prompting the group to lament their hunger, lack of money, and suspicious appearance in the cloaks they’re wearing.
Therese then reluctantly reaches into her shirt, pulling out some red gems seemingly from nowhere. She sells them so the group can get new clothes and Raphtalia cam get a new weapon, as seen in Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10’s next scene.
The group then gets something to eat, where the others are amazed at Raphtalia’s hunger while Therese hilariously laments that she’ll “have to sell these, too.” The next scene shows them training on their journey, with Raphtalia killing wild animals, clearly having grown since the prior scene.
Glass says that if she is indeed growing, she can tailor the kimono but would need a new weapon, while looking at Therese. The latter, initially dejected, happily says that she’ll sell more of her gems and jewels if it's for Raphtalia, who apologizes for the expenses.
The group is then seen in an inn of sorts, where they begin discussing how they were once enemies and are now traveling and living together. Raphtalia and Glass begin talking about Kizuna, which clearly pleases them while they each exchange wishes to see each other’s companions again.
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 then cuts to the next day, and the group is once again walking through the local town. They arrive at the Dragon Hourglass, but there seems to be an unknown commotion in front of its entrance, which is explained as the selection process for the new Katana Hero.
The political and military implications of possessing a Vassal Weapon and Vassal Hero are briefly discussed before the group goes to watch the ceremony. Upon arrival, the group shockingly and unfortunately sees that Kazuki the mage is set to be the next candidate for the weapon.
As he confidently approaches and reaches out for the sword, it disappears in a flash of green light, suddenly reappearing in Raphtalia’s hands. Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 then shows Raphtalia somewhere in the town by herself, running away from unknown pursuers before stopping to rest in an alleyway.
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 then jumps backward in time to the moment immediately after the Katana Weapon appears in Raphtalia’s hands. Suddenly, a purple glow emanates from her chest, indicating that the slave crest placed on her by Naofumi has been broken, linking this moment in this episode to the final moment of the prior installment in terms of timing.
Kazuki commands nearby guards to get back what she stole from him, but L’Arc rightfully emphasizes that it isn’t actually his. Raphtalia says that she can’t get rid of it as the guards surround her, prompting L’Arc to hilariously and casually remind her of what he said earlier.
After scolding L’Arc, Therese holds her hand out to Raphtalia while Glass says that they should withdraw. However, the newly crowned Katana Hero refuses, and instead retreats on her own, likely to not endanger her frenemies.
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10: Katana Hero on the run
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 then returns to the present, where Raphtalia is still resting in an alleyway. She wonders why her slave crest disappeared, as the Katana Vassal Weapon glows green and seemingly causes her body to grow to adult size.
She quickly continues running after hearing nearby guards, before falling to the ground from a misstep. As Raphtalia gets back up, an eerily familiar cry is heard as a non-descript bird is seen flying in the skies behind her. She begins thinking of Naofumi and Filo, wishing to see them, especially Naofumi, once more.
Raphtalia seems to be worried that not having her slave crest anymore means that Naofumi will be mad, and not want to care for her anymore. She ponders this as she climbs the stairs towards a shrine-like area, hearing nearby guards continuing the search upon reaching the top. Walking towards the shrine, she once again falls down, apparently lacking the strength to get up.
She continues thinking about Naofumi, and expresses a desire to apologize. She would like to be his sword again, if he allowed it. Unexpectedly, she refutes that line of thought, instead expressing a desire to be next to him, not as his sword, irrespective of whether he is angry or not.
Suddenly, a shrine maiden appears, recognizing Raphtalia as the Katana Hero. Hearing the nearby search parties, the maiden takes her inside, and changes her clothes into something more befitting a Katana Hero. The outfit is reminiscent of traditional female Japanese garb.
Kazuki then appears outside the shrine prompting Raphtalia to thank the maiden before departing. As the two meet face to face, the former teases the latter for thinking herself a hero, while the latter attempts to end this conflict without bloodshed. Kazuki instead chooses to fight for what he believes was stolen from him, drawing his sword.
Some typical pre-fight dialogue follows as Kazuki rushes Raphtalia, who seemingly stands still, but does in fact slice him a move called Powder Snow. A white burst of something unknown is seen emanating from Kazuki, but he falls to the ground uninjured, instead saying something about his magic.
As he comments on how she didn’t even hurt him, she sees two white tigers approaching, which Kazuki calls Byakkos, clones of one of the four Holy Beasts. Raphtalia likens them to the Spirit Tortoise, before quickly fighting and defeating them with no other choice.
She continues asking him to reconsider, before finally attacking him with a move called Instant Blade: Mist. The same white slash from earlier appears on his chest, prompting Raphtalia to ask him not to move or he’ll end up like the Byakkos. It seems that these moves give an opponent the sensation of pain and injury, without them actually sustaining the injury.
Kazuki’s aids rush to his side, refuting his commands to get the Katana Vassal Weapon back, instead emphasizing that he mustn’t move. It’s then revealed that Kazuki is trying to “put one over” on Kyo, and he needs the Katana to do it. She tells him to tell Kyo that the Shield Hero is coming to get revenge for Ost, before walking away as he continues demanding his weapon.
Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Raphtalia is completely out of energy and stamina from the day’s adventures. Unfortunately, she’s confronted by the real Byakko. She accepts this to be her end as an eerily familiar cry is heard yet once more. Just as she’s about to be killed by the beast, Naofumi leaps down from the sky, protecting her with an Airstrike Shield.
Filo then makes her appearance, hitting the beast with a Spiral Strike, but complaining that it doesn’t feel as powerful as it should. Kizuna then appears, defeating the beast with a Blood Flower Strike. Rishia also joins the group to welcome Raphtalia back.
Naofumi approaches her, clearly happy to have found her again, but there is a lingering sadness about him. She thanks them for saving her, as Rishia asks about her slave crest, which she confirms is gone.
Naofumi then begins telling her that she’s free, presumably trying to say she can do what she wants before she touchingly embraces him. As Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 comes to an end, she tells him that she has come back, likely meant as a refrain of the infamous phrase, “if you love something, set it free, and if it comes back, it was meant to be.”
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10: In summation
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 is easily one of the best written and most engaging episodes of the season thus far. Raphtalia’s journey with L’Arc’s group adds further depth to the two parties’ complex relationship, and fills Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 with meaningful interactions.
Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 also excelled at quickly moving on from Raphtalia’s imprisonment in a believable and practical way. Her introduction as the Katana Hero is also significant, especially in light of her attitude change regarding being Naofumi’s sword.
Overall, Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2 Episode 10 does so many things right. While it may not be everyone’s favorite episode of the season, it definitely showcases excellent storytelling and high production quality.
Be sure to keep up with all Rising of the Shield Hero news, as well as general anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2022 progresses.
