Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End – Season 1 Episode 25 Recap & Review

A Fatal Vulnerability

Episode 25 of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End begins with Frieren and the others discussing strategies related to Fern conquering Frieren’s replica. During this discussion, we see Dunste stumbling upon our group. He isn’t in good shape. Frieren and the others notice Dunste and check on him. Dunste informs our group that Edel dropped out of the competition.

As for his other comrade Blei, Dunste says he decided to fight off a Sense replica on his own, allowing Dunste to escape. Methode heals Dunste and Dunste shares intel with our group about the replicas. After hearing Dunste out, Denken proposes they should uncover more details about the replica’s creator and the replicas themselves. 

Richter says they should identify the replicas’ unique weaknesses since battling Frieren’s replica could result in multiple casualties. Lawine and Kanne arrive. Lawine states the replicas have no weaknesses. Yet, she informs our group about their creator Spiegel. Lawine informs the group how she knows of Spiegel and Richter feels she should’ve shared this intel with them sooner. 

Lawine says she didn’t want to entrust Richter with that information since he’s known for abandoning allies unless there are rules against it. After she and Richter bicker some more, Lawine tells the group that Spiegel is inside the treasure room. If they can defeat Spiegel, all the replicas will disappear. 

Denken understands but says there’s a strong sealing spell implanted on Spiegel’s door. Frieren argues her replica is responsible for the spell and sheds more light on the spell itself. Denken assumes they must defeat the Frieren replica before they can go after Spiegel. Lawine says they need to act fast because Spiegel’s replicas will inevitably travel to their location. 

She bases this on her brother and his unit’s prior expedition through this dungeon. Fern develops a theory and asks Frieren to stand by the wall to test her hypothesis. Fern blasts Frieren with a spell but Frieren guards herself. Denken realizes what took place and explains that Frieren’s fatal vulnerability is that she stops detecting manga for a brief moment when she casts a spell. 

Although Richter’s unsure they can find a way to exploit that vulnerability, Fern suggests they develop a strategy around it. We witness a montage of our group discussing the matter. After discussing her fondness for strategy development with Fern, Frieren rallies everyone together near the treasure room. She ensures them that she will assist them in conquering this dungeon. 

Additionally, Frieren feels Denken and the others should rely on her and Fern to handle the replica. As for them, she wants them to handle the other replicas that’ll arrive in this location soon. Frieren and Fern enter the room and confront Frieren’s replica. Frieren and her replica fight while Fern watches from afar. 

During this fight, we receive a flashback of Fern and Frieren discussing their strategy. Fern’s unsure she should rely on the Zoltraak spell, but Frieren tells Fern she should. Before we witness more of this fight, we cut to another flashback involving Serie and Frieren. Frieren hands Serie Flamme’s will and Serie reads it. 

Serie learns that Flamme encouraged the emperor to authorize magical studies nationwide. Also, Flamme wants Serie to continue her imperial mage-raising duties. Serie believes Flamme’s magic authorization achievement is commendable because in the future they’ll gain the strength to fight off the Demon King’s forces. 

Serie tosses the document into the air and destroys it. She tells Frieren, that though this is an incredible achievement, it doesn’t align with what she’s after. Additionally, she wants Frieren to leave her quarters because she doesn’t want to comply with Flamme’s final wishes. Moreover, she’s displeased with a world where everyone can learn magic. 

Also, she doesn’t want to train anyone who lacks talent. Frieren knew Serie would tear up Flamme’s will based on intel Flamme shared with her. Before Frieren departs, Serie stops her and suggests they go for a stroll. Serie shares some critical details about Flamme’s dreams, favorite spells, and other things with Frieren. 

Serie and Frieren discuss humanity and their potential to overcome elves like them in about 1,000 years. Serie warns Frieren not to neglect her training. Serie says if someone were to kill Frieren, she believes it’d be the Demon King or a human mage. Frieren tells Serie she’s looking forward to the future. 

We return to the battle between Frieren, Fern, and Frieren’s replica. The episode closes with Fern blasting Frieren’s replica with the Zoltraak spell.

The Episode Review

After Fern’s bold remarks she shared in the previous episode, some may have been skeptical about her having enough power to defeat Frieren. However, based on Serie’s remarks shared toward Frieren in the past and Frieren’s confidence in her apprentice, it made sense for Fern to be the one to defeat Frieren’s replica. 

While the episode’s closing segments don’t show the replica shattering to pieces after the attack, we can guarantee that our heroes will conquer Frieren’s replica and unseal Spiegel’s domain. Having said that, it’ll be interesting to see what the next phase of this exam will entail. If anything, it could go the same route as Mashle: Magic and Muscles Season 2. Essentially, one-on-one battles between the final participants.

With that said it’d be interesting to see Fern and Frieren battle each other in that hypothetical third round of affairs. This way we’ll know for certain if Fern is capable of defeating Frieren. Nevertheless, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End continues to dazzle audiences with its exciting flashbacks, animation, and characters. With only a few chapters to go, this is a journey many people will miss watching every week.