In the tenth episode of the first season of Princess Tutu, Ahiru becomes stuck in her duck form and must help Mytho in this state. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Princess Tutu.
Once upon a time, there was a maiden. The maiden wore tattered clothes and was called Cinderella. But with the help of some magic she became a beautiful princess and got to dance with the prince. Then, at the stroke of midnight the maiden ran away, leaving a glass slipper, and she returned to being Cinderella once again. The prince went to great lengths to find this maiden, which he did, and took her as his wife. Yet, a thorny question rises. Did the prince really fall in love with the maiden?
- Oh god, I know there was a list yesterday, but there are so many things that are in this episode that might not be deserving of a ~proper paragraph~ but I still need to talk about them. AND LISTS ARE THE BEST BECAUSE OF REASONS.
- Oh my god, “Cinderella” is like a weird, reverse retelling of that fairy tale, and it’s so perfect. I am so in love with the many literature/fairy tale references in this show and how the writers twist them around to fit the narrative.
- This episode also featured (what I think was) the most varied set of classical/ballet pieces yet. I caught some Chopin, some Wagner, some Tchaikovsky, and then a bunch of stuff that was totally beyond me.
- This is the first episode (I think???) that opens immediately after what happened in the previous one. Shit was already real oh my god. And that opening scene is so fascinating! Fakir seems willing to give up his opposition to what Princess Tutu is doing, but that doesn’t mean he accepts her. Instead, he’s furious that Tutu showed sympathy for Princess Kraehe. Oh god, this is going to become a point of contention between them, isn’t it? Ahiru is a naturally empathetic person, and she has no desire to truly fight anyone. But Fakir is much more protective and defensive about Mytho than she is, so he views her reaction to Kraehe as a weakness.
- When Fakir lunged at Tutu with the glass shard, I didn’t think he’d done anything, but then, like the Cinderella story, he discovers that the mysterious princess has left something behind. IT’S SERIOUSLY JUST LIKE CINDERELLA BUT SO MUCH MORE MESSED UP.
- So now Ahiru is left with a predicament: She has to get her pendant back as a duck. How the hell is she going to do this? I could tell this was going to be difficult from the first time she attempted to retrieve her pendant. Fakir was, once again, being distractingly nice to Ahiru as a duck, and it was bewildering! How can someone who is so angry, snide, and rude be so nice at the same time?
- HAHAHA. HA. HAHAHA.A AHA ha aha ha ahhhhhh help me oh my god
- WHY IS THERE AN ALLIGATOR DANCER AND WHAT IS WITH THIS TOWN AND ANIMALS?
- The entire “wedding” plot is… strange. Like, it’s mentioned early in “Cinderella,” then not brought up again until the end. I think I understood the metaphorical significance of it, but then… yeah. What? What was Kraehe going to do with Mytho? Dance with him like Tutu dances and steal him away? This was never made all that clear.
- AND THEN WE MEET KARON AND FAKIR’S PARENTS ARE DEAD AND THIS IS HIS ADOPTIVE FATHER AND THEN THIS EPISODE JUST DROPS ONE PLOT TWIST AFTER ANOTHER AND THEN THE FLASHBACKS, Y’ALL. THE FLASHBACKS.
- Oh my god, Fakir. I WAS SO WRONG ABOUT YOU.
- FAKIR HAS A SCAR IN THE EXACT POSITION WHERE THE KNIGHT IN THE PRINCE’S STORY IS SLASHED IN HALF. HE IS LITERALLY A REINCARNATION OF THE KNIGHT.
- I CAN’T.
- That means Fakir had no choice in becoming the knight. Well, okay, maybe he did, but he was “destined” for it because of his scar, because he found Mytho, and because Karon has been telling him he is the knight his whole life. What else was the kid going to do? Disobey what the entire world has been telling him?
- My heart, I can’t. It’s going to burst from sadness.
- Could you imagine growing up with a friend like Mytho, who never aged or changed while you do? Could you imagine being told that it was your purpose in life to protect this “prince? It explains Fakir’s devotion, why he’s been so upset about what Ahiru is doing, and why he’s violently protective of Mytho. I can’t.
- MYTHO IS REALLY CALLED MYTHOS and I just refuse to cope with any of this because I’m just so done with this show. Done.
- I’m also very pleased that time was spent on Karon and how he feels about all of this. He’s clearly terrified that his son is going to fulfill what he was destined to do, and that means he’ll have to die. On top of that, though, we discover that he’s been in possession of a heart shard that represents regret. So not only is he afraid of losing his son, but he regrets everything he’s done in his life to direct Fakir to this very moment.
- AND PRINCESS TUTU SAVES THE DAY BECAUSE SHE IS AMAZING AND SHE COMFORTS KARON and I just love her so much, y’all.
- I really don’t see a way for Fakir to get out of his destiny, but I’m thrilled by the fact that he seems rather determined to fight it. That’s the spirit. Plus, it shows that he still has agency. He’s going to do what he can to protect Mytho and survive.
- Which is why his confrontation of Princess Kraehe is so exciting! He has this renewed focus since Karon gave him his blessing, and he uses that to drive Kraehe away.
- And for the record, I am still sad about Rue. Oh god, I hope she ends up all right, y’all. 🙁
- I honestly felt that this episode was pretty much over and that the moment at the end where Ahiru badly hid behind that bush was just meant as a humorous sequence so “Cinderella” would finish on a positive note.
- Nope. FAKIR KNOWS AHIRU IS PRINCESS TUTU.
- WHAT THE FUCK.
I am done. I am so done, and I’m not even halfway finished with this goddamn show.
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