Summary
- Himmel’s death changes Frieren, leading her on a journey of understanding and remembrance.
- Himmel continues to live through the inanimate objects like the Blue Moon Weed and Hero’s Sword.
- Himmel’s death helps shape the plot through various instances, influencing characters’ decisions and actions.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, as the name suggests, is a journey that starts with the end of another journey. Deaths hold an important place in anime. They lead to character developments, plot changes, and for many protagonists act as a source of inspiration. Himmel’s death does the same, but his impact on Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End feels almost omnipresent.
After defeating the Demon King and bringing peace to the world, Himmel’s party’s journey comes to an end. They had traveled together for ten long years and overcame various hurdles. They finally split and go on their different paths. Fifty years later, the party meets again and goes on a final journey to see the Era Meteor Shower. At the end of this journey, we also say goodbye to Himmel. Himmel’s death suddenly strikes Frieren with great realization and regret, which leads her on a new journey of understanding and remembrance.
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Himmel’s Death Changed Frieren
Himmel’s death undoubtedly had the biggest impact on Frieren. Being an elf, the passage of time was much slower for Frieren. While Himmel spent 10 years cherishing his time with Frieren, it was merely like months to her. When they met again, Frieren was still the same, while Himmel became so old that he was unrecognizable for a moment. But once Himmel died, Frieren realized she lost someone important to her but barely knew anything about him. She regretted not trying to get to know him better. So she decides to go on a journey to understand humans better.
As her journey continues, memories of Himmel allow her to do new things and also see them from a newer perspective. In Episode 4, Frieren decides to attend a village’s New Year’s Festival. This included waking up early to see the sunrise. Fern questions Frieren, “You’ll have to wake up before the sun rises… You’re that desperate to see the sunrise?”. Frieren recalls her past where she had previously missed the sunrise. Frieren believed that she would not enjoy it, but Himmel was sure she would enjoy it. For Himmel’s sake, Frieren is finally able to see the sunrise with Fern. Initially, she thinks it is not worth waking up early and thinks Himmel did not understand her after all. But when she sees Fern smile, she smiles as well and realizes what Himmel truly meant. He meant that instead of enjoying the beauty of the sunrise, she would enjoy the smiles it would put on other’s faces.
Similar moments are inserted throughout the show that influence the characters and the decisions they make. Himmel continues to act as an inspiration to a kinder and loving world.
Himmel Continues to Live Through The Inanimate
Blue Moon Weed
In Episode 2, Frieren and Fern clean a statue of Himmel. As Frieren proceeds to use a spell to create flowers, she recalls Himmel’s promise. During their journey, Himmel told Frieren about a beautiful blue flower from his hometown called Blue Moon Weed. He promised to show it to her one day, but they never got the opportunity. Frieren spends months looking for it and finally finds and decorates the statue with it. Frieren usually thinks practically but to spend months on a flower shows how much this memory meant to her.
The Hero’s Sword
In Episode 12, Stark encounters the Hero’s Sword, which upsets him. According to a legend, Himmel pulled the Hero’s Sword eighty years ago and defeated the Demon King. But Frieren explained that Himmel failed to pull the sword, but false legends spread because people didn’t want to tarnish the hero’s name. Stark starts to doubt Himmel’s legacy for a moment. But Frieren conveys that since he defeated the Demon King without the Hero’s Sword, it made him a greater hero. This incident also reminds Stark about his past and his brother, and later he is finally able to accept himself.
Mirrored Lotus Ring
In Episode 14, Frieren loses a ring gifted to her by Himmel. After being unable to find it for days, she is about to give up, but Fern insists that she finds the ring because it represents eternal love. Frieren didn’t know this and doubted that Himmel knew that either. But when she finds the ring, she recalls that Himmel put the ring on her, similar to a proposal. This helps viewers understand that Himmel romantically loved Frieren.
Himmel’s Death Helps Shape the Plot
Himmel’s death not only started the plot but also continued to shape it through various instances. Frieren starts her journey because of the regret she felt after Himmel’s death. When she meets Heiter and is surprised that he adopted Fern. Later, Heiter confesses he did so because it is something Himmel would’ve done too.
In Episode 4, Frieren meets Eisen, and he helps her find Flamme the Legendary Mage’s notes. He also expresses the concern he and Heiter felt because she couldn’t bid a proper farewell to Himmel. He insists Frieren to go on a journey to Aureole, so she can meet Himmel’s soul. While it is unsure if Aureole exists, Frieren and others continue to travel so they can meet Himmel’s soul eventually.
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Frieren is a beautiful story that continues to merge the past and the present. It shows the true nature of human emotions and how most people fail to understand them. As Frieren’s journey continues, we will continue to see Himmel’s memories influence the life she leads.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is currently available on Crunchyroll.