The action really heats up in Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End episode 19, as Frieren’s group attracts the attention of all the mages taking the First-Class Mage Exam. Although Frieren’s plan to catch a Stille worked, the mages are now battling over the magical bird.
Episode 19 begins with Frieren reminiscing about Himmel’s party. Back then, Eisen was scared to fight his first dragon, but the rest of the crew comforted him. In the present, Frieren watches over Lawine and Kanne, waiting for the two of them to wake up in order to formulate a plan.
An Ambitious Plan Unfolds in Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Episode 19
After Lawine and Kanne are awake, the group assesses a plan to capture a Stille. Frieren reveals that her containment magic works on birds and avian monsters. However, this magic spell works in an extremely short range of 50 centimeters, so the group creates a plan to corner a Stille. Since Stilles are attracted to water, Lawine decides to freeze the entire lake at the center of the exam area. The Stilles would need to seek smaller ponds throughout the forest, allowing the group to conceal their mana and sneak up on a Stille. This is bold and dangerous plan works, but every group of mages are now on high alert.
Meanwhile, Fern, Übel, and Land appear to be the first group to actually catch a Stille in the wild. Although Übel is eager to fight mages, Land and Fern would rather stay out of trouble. However, their water shortage means that they must now seek out the lake or a nearby pond. As Frieren’s plan unravels, Fern ponders what she’s thinking, since the whole situation causes the other groups to act rashly and attack each other. Just moments later, Wirbel’s group launches an attack on Fern, Übel, and Land.
Throughout Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End episode 19, Denken’s group takes an analytical approach and observes the other groups. This is a smart play, since Denken is skilled enough to deduce the best course of action. Denken’s teammates, Richter and Laofen, work together with the old mage to find Frieren’s party specifically. Denken believes their Frieren’s plan was well laid out, but he quickly notes that their mana cannot be concealed for long. He already knows that the plan requires the output of mana, so Laofen is quickly able to find the group once Frieren catches the Stille.
Final Thoughts
Episode 19 sets up an incredible series of battles to come, as the First-Class Mage Exam gets physical from here on out. In Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End episode 20, Laofen will put her mage prowess on full display as she takes on Frieren, Lawine, and Kanne. She appears to be highly skilled, but she’s likely only going to bide her time for Denken and Richter to appear. Unfortunately, Fern won’t be able to help Frieren, since her own group is caught up in trouble.
It’s clear that the First-Class Mage Exam will bring out the best (and worst) out of the participating mages, as episode 19 shows that death is inevitable for the weak-willed. However, this opportunity can see Frieren and Fern grow tremendously as mages while making friends worth protecting. Episode 19 is a great watch, and its the start of major build-up to confrontations in the current arc.
New episodes of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End air on Fridays starting at 11:00 p.m. JST. The anime will air on various Japanese TV networks and streaming services, including Crunchyroll.
