Black Clover Episode 39 Review: Three-Leaf Salute

Black Clover continued on with the cliffhanger episode from last week, and it’s just as surprising as you thought, yet also not what you would have expected! I mean that in a good way, of course. Plus, the scenes after the whole traitor fuss made me feel a lot of feels again, and it was so great!

Japanese Title: 三つ葉の敬礼

Plot

I’ll try not to spoil who was revealed to be the traitor this early on in the review, but if you haven’t watched the episode yet, do so now! I won’t hold back later! What I will say, though, is that the traitor immediately made a run for it once he was found out! He isn’t, or wasn’t, a captain for nothing, that’s why the chase still proved difficult even for seven captains. Good thing our boy Asta was there to help stop him! Afterwards, with a betrayed heart, the Wizard King confides in Yami and Asta, giving them a secret mission in the process.

Episode Highlights

The traitor: I totally had William in mind as the traitor, so when they revealed that it’s ‘actually’ the Purple Orcas’ captain, Gueldre Poizot, who sold them out, I was surprised! He even tried to escape, which is something anyone would do whether they’re guilty or not, but normally you’d peg anyone who escapes as having something to hide, right? True enough, with the other captains mentioning they were all hearing shady rumors about him that turned out to be true, he had no choice but to run. Though, even with all the evidence pointing at Gueldre, there was still something that felt off. Was it just me? That’s why when Raia told us that he played one of the actors just to cover up the whole ‘traitor’ thing, I was relieved, somehow. That was such a sly misdirection! Now it really is still possible for any of the other captains or Magic Knights to be the true or bigger traitor! I’m still betting it’s William. I actually have some more theories in mind, but I fear this review will get too long.

Yami and Julius: I was screaming internally and grinning so hard when we finally got to see younger Yami again properly, and with a younger Julius, too! It was totally my favorite part of the episode! Seeing Yami being bullied and discriminated against by the other citizens for being a foreigner wasn’t good at all, though. And when they said they’ll get rid of him after finding out he also got a grimoire, it made me want to get rid of them! That’s why I was so glad when Julius, that ever lovable ball of magic nerdness (bless him), reached out to Yami, and paved the way for him to be a Magic Knight by not treating him differently! No wonder Yami respected the Wizard King a lot, and why Julius seemed to trust Yami above everyone else. Quite ironic when you remember how many negative stars Yami’s squad has, but still, I’m getting a lot of feels!

Asta’s supporters: Another thing I was so happy with was when Rill acknowledged Asta and asked him to be his friend! It wasn’t just because Rill wanted to befriend someone who was his age, but because he was only able to notice Asta because of Asta’s amazing feat! You gotta admit, when a captain who has such an amazing magic as Rill notices you, it’s a big deal! Then again, the Wizard King himself counting on Asta, that’s an even bigger deal! Looks like our non-magical protagonist is getting more and more supporters! However, nothing beats the original, the one who first believed in Asta when no one did: Yami! Realizing how Julius’ belief in Yami paved the way for Yami to do the same for Asta warms my heart so much! Huh, it’s like a grandfather-father-son relationship.

Beach!! Beach!!: While the Black Bulls members were getting incredibly excited about going to the beach, I was on the other side of the screen screaming ‘It’s not a vacation! It’s a deadly job!’ Makes me wonder exactly how Yami or Asta told them about their next mission. Their whole uproar was very refreshing and contagious to watch though! Plus, the thought of all them going on this mission-vacation and becoming closer than ever is lovely! I like how each one of them had their own agendas, like Noelle’s fretting over swimsuits, and Gray already blowing up a floaty! I missed these guys a lot, especially when Yami destroyed another wall!

Themes & Trivia

Captain Julius of the ???: Anyone wondering what squad Julius was captain of before he became the Wizard King? It wasn’t that clear, but you could still somehow see the insignia on his cape, and it resembled the Azure Deer’s! Seems like that squad has had some very excitable captains, looking at how Rill and Julius are both dorks.

Comments

This episode was quite delightful to watch, in multiple ways! I loved certain scenes that were directed well, like when the two prisoners said that Gueldre was the traitor! Even that simple shaking of the screen really gave the feeling of terror and unease! Raia’s reveal was also well staged! You wouldn’t know where exactly he changed back to himself, so you wouldn’t really have a clue on who he was pretending to be! Could he have been one of the prisoners? (Though if that’s the case, I think Asta’s sword should’ve also broken through his copy magic when he broke the seal back then.) Could he have been Gueldre? Or maybe he could have also been one of the captains! I love how this is playing with our minds!

A comrade’s betrayal is a sad event

I didn’t think we’d get one, but we are. A beach episode! It’s bound to be very amusing. I also can’t wait to figure out who that mysterious girl with the black, flowing hair we saw at the end of the episode is.

Let us know your thoughts on this episode, and maybe even share some of your theories! The summer season has officially started as well, so better check out the shows we’ll be reviewing!

NEXT: A Black Beach Story