Black Clover Episode 13 Review: The Wizard King Saw, Continued

We’ve been getting a whole lot of Asta since the beginning of this show, haven’t we? So, if you’ve wanted more of Yuno, then this is definitely the episode for you! Black Clover finally remembered that it’s not just about the adventures of one of the childhood rivals, but about both of them!

Japanese Original Episode Title: 続・魔法帝は見た

Plot

Klaus had been noticing something fishy about their mission. It got even more suspicious when Salim, who is allegedly being targeted by bandits, suddenly decided to make a stopover at the orphanage where Yuno grew up in! Sure, it was a good chance to catch up with his family, and it let the party take a rest for a while. But then, Sister Lily suddenly got kidnapped by the bandits they were avoiding! Is it still safe to say that Salim is the one they’re after, even if they might’ve mistaken her for him?

Episode Highlights

At the orphanage: Seeing Yuno reunited with the people from the orphanage made me realize that he and Asta have really come far! Before, they were just no-name orphans, but now they’re Magic Knights who’ve become such a blessing to the ones who took care of them! I laughed when Yuno thought of their remittance as a part of their rivalry, too! He may act cool, but he’s indeed still a kid. So cute!! Meanwhile, it was amusing to see the nobles eat those potato dishes! At least, they got a small taste of what being a commoner is like! However, I was so pissed off that Salim’s suggestion to go there was only a pretense so he can harm Yuno, and his loved ones by extension! It’s too bad. If the guy didn’t seem like such a sore loser during their exam, I would’ve thought he was genuinely concerned about all of them!

Rescue mission: If Asta found out that Sister Lily got kidnapped to be used as blackmail, he’d probably freak out a whole lot! Good thing Yuno was there to save the day, as a one-man team! Well, he’s the one being targeted in the first place, that’s why she got put in harm’s way. At least he took care of it with no problem! I know he single-handedly defeated the ambushing bandits in the previous episode, and there were a lot of them all at once that time. But it still impressed me that his wind magic was capable of countering different kinds of magic and attacks! Yuno’s prowess is really something! That’s a four-leaf clover wielder for you! However, I do wonder what he would’ve done if Klaus and Mimosa didn’t arrive to back him up. Did he have something else up his sleeve after giving his grimoire? If he did get backed into a corner then, it’s definitely great that his allies came to the rescue!

The truth: Tsk! Seeing how Salim acted so petty and pathetic made Sekke look far better! Fortunately, Klaus and Mimosa decided to check on the truth with him! If they’d continued to be caught up in his acting, Yuno would’ve been in a pinch! And even if he and Sister Lily survived, the farce would’ve kept on until they escorted him safely, then his family’s misdeeds wouldn’t have been revealed! It makes Mimosa’s truth-telling ability really handy, huh? And I’m sure she wouldn’t have done it without permission from their senpai! This episode really made me see Klaus in a better light, especially when he asked Yuno about what he wanted to do to his assaulters instead of calling the shots from the get go! He also looked silly trying to get his kouhai to look him in the eyes at the end! It makes me relieved that Yuno seems to be surrounded by wonderful comrades, just like Asta is! And then there’s William, their squad leader, who might’ve taken an interest in him!

Observer King: Okay, I know I was kind of questioning if the Wizard King was 100% a good guy, but now I’m actually starting to like him too! He was just chill as heck, doing whatever he wanted, innocently messing with people for the sake of his nerd hobby! However, as the most powerful Magic Knight, he also felt more like an arbiter, watching over people but never directly interfering, and then rewarding them as he sees fit. Or maybe even a boss, just delegating tasks when he receives a report! He really is a very interesting guy!

Themes & Trivia

Revenge plot: Ahh, vengeance, one of the most common objectives in stories, especially for antagonists. You usually find their reasons very understandable though, like their loved one was killed, or they had an unhappy childhood. But hot dang, Salim’s reason was so silly! Kind of like how Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty cursed the baby just because she wasn’t invited to the birthday party. In this case, Salim wanted Yuno dead because he lost to him, thereby not getting into the Magic Knights. It’s not Yuno’s fault he’s stronger than the guy!

Continuity error: When you’re an artist/animator, sometimes you just can’t help but notice the tiniest mistakes. Like when the potato Klaus is holding suddenly becomes bigger. Oops!

Comments

Yet another enjoyable episode! Even though it was easy to predict, I actually enjoyed the twist and the whole scenario in general. For me, it gave way different sides to our characters, like Yuno’s recklessness when it comes to his family, and that there’s more to Klaus than being a snob (sorry dude!). It also said a bit about just how the Golden Dawn became the most successful squad, as their captain was shrewd enough to accept a suspicious escort mission just so he can discover an even bigger corruption! Yup, this episode did well in establishing a lot of things without making it boring!

Let’s celebrate with potatoes!

The Wizard King seemed so delighted with what he saw that (going by the preview) he’ll let the Black Bulls work on the anomaly report he received! What could be awaiting Asta, Noelle, and Luck in the dungeon?

Let me know in the comments what you thought about the characters, the scenes, or maybe the whole episode! Most of the Fall 2017 shows we’ve been reviewing have already ended too, so check out the final thoughts on them! And so, I greet you an advance happy new year! Till next week, 2018!