Greetings. Thank you for visiting Anime Rants. Blue Exorcist has become quite serious this season. The Illuminati opened a Gehenna Gate in the North Pole. This entrance to Hell would allow demons to pass through, invade the human world, and be seen by ordinary humans. For several months, Mephisto Pheles maintained a barrier that kept the Gehenna Gate closed. But what happens if Mephisto can no longer hold up the barrier? Unfortunately, in episode 11, we find out.
Episode 11: Beyond the Snow
Episode Rating: 7/10
Mephisto meets with the prime minister of Japan and tells him that it’s time to publicly announce the existence of demons. The True Cross Order has been working closely alongside the government, apparently. The prime minister reluctantly agrees, knowing that the barrier over the Gehenna Gate won’t last. He arranges a press conference where Mephisto will speak and describe demons under the pseudonym “Johan Faust.” (Nice reference to the Faust legend there.)
While Mephisto is waiting for his turn to speak, Shima calls him and reports that Yukio is acting unhinged. Just as Mephisto hangs up on Shima, Yukio appears. He demands to know the full truth about his birth and the power of Satan. Also, one of his eyes has become fully satanic, glowing with blue fire. Mephisto refuses to comply and goes out on the stage, beginning his speech.
Mephisto wasn’t speaking for more than a minute before he was suddenly shot in the head. It looked like Yukio did it, since he was furiously pointing a gun at Mephisto. But there was no way the angle made sense. Yukio couldn’t have shot Mephisto. But due to the circumstantial evidence, the security guards seized Yukio. Meanwhile, Mephisto isn’t doing so well. A gunshot should be no big deal for a powerful demon, but Mephisto has weakened over centuries and is exhausted from maintaining the barrier.
It was either allow his earthly body to die, or release the barrier. Mephisto chose the latter, and Shura didn’t take issue with it. I expected her to tell Mephisto to die for humanity, but she implied no such idea. I’m still hoping that Mephisto wants to help humans. He probably knows that if he let his body die, he wouldn’t be able to guide the humans through the coming disaster. So, it might have been the right choice for humanity long-term to release the barrier.
With the barrier released, the Gehenna Gate fully opens, and the people at the Vatican’s North Pole base are forced to evacuate. The cursed energy of the demon realm envelopes Japan and the the entire world. Everyone can now see demons, which are flooding into populated areas for the first time. Chaos begins. Rin desperately searches for Yukio, but Shura tells him to go back to the dorms and sit tight. Yukio will be taken in by the Order for questioning and testing regarding his satanic powers.
Rin returns to the dorms and finds Suguro, Shiemi, and Izumo anxiously waiting around in the public area. Rin tells them that he’s going to rescue Yukio, since he might be in danger of human experimentation or even execution. If nothing else, Rin doesn’t want his brother to be alone. The other Exwires agree to help with the unofficial mission. Strangely, Amaimon is also going to help. I’m not sure what’s in it for him, to be honest.
The episode ends around here, but there is another scene after the credits. It shows Rin and company breaking Yukio out of his holding cell. Yukio was waiting for Rin to set him free, but I can’t imagine he’s going to be happy to see his brother. Will they be able to get along and escape? To be continued.
~Thanks for reading~
Written by 7Mononoke
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