5 Point Discussions – Black Clover 62: “Those Who Boost Each Other Up”

After years of separation, Mars and Fana get to share a tearful reunion. But one threat still remains of the Diamond Kingdom. Remember, if you like this article and 5 Point Discussions, please share it on Facebook or Twitter! It really helps. And if you’ve got any comments or questions, please hit me up @SageShinigami.

1. Who knew being part of royalty was such a lonely life?* After Fana completely awakens, she and Mars get to have their tearful reunion where we learn what happened to her. She survived Mars’ initial attack, leaving those in the Diamond Kingdom to wonder if she had unknown potential and ability to tap into. With that in mind, they implanted a magic stone within her…but the magic they’d already stolen from her meant she couldn’t use it properly. They got rid of her, but then Licht found her and added her into his group.
After revealing all this, Mars, Fana, and Fanzell get to enjoy being reunited…while Finral and Noelle both realize they don’t have any precious childhood friends where this would even be possible. This tracks with what we know about them both–Noelle grew up in a household of people who hated her. Finral grew up expected to take over for the family name but didn’t have the magic power to do so, and once they realized he couldn’t even his family started ignoring him. In either case, they were raised in rigid family households and never even got to make friends at all.

2. You didn’t even need last week’s preview to know this guy would be back, but at least he knows how to make an entrance. In the middle of everyone’s celebration, a surprise Million Lasers attack lays out the entire team aside from Asta. Even Mars winds up unconscious from taking too many shots in an attempt to defend Fana. Having survived Fana’s earlier attack, Ladros is now stronger than ever, but also smart enough not to draw attention to himself without first knocking out most of his opposition.

3. Asta might be the smartest dumb shonen protagonist we’ve had in quite some time. Ladros recognizes Asta for who he is and starts to attack with his Million Lasers from in the air, but since they’re just glorified ki blasts Asta manages to block them all. But in the chaos and smoke, he chucks his magic-draining sword like a missile and it lands directly into Ladros’ arm. Immediately it starts draining Ladros’ strength, and he’s unable to pull it free, and crash lands on the ground after being unable to use magic to power his broom. He tries pleading with Asta, hoping he’ll be able to appeal to Asta’s better nature…but he proves far too smart to fall for Ladros’ transparent attempt at getting free. Asta’s definitely not the smartest mage, but he’s well aware of his drawbacks and weaknesses thanks to months on the battlefield against the Diamond Kingdom and the Eye of the Midnight Sun.

4. It’s not a proper arc villain without them gaining some manner of power up or super form. Ladros manages to yank the sword free with his reinforcement magic, then uses the very last of his powers to get close to Fana and Mars. Threatening Mars’ life, he reawakens the dormant magic power within Fana and swallows it, gaining a new flame form making him nearly invincible. Asta tries to fight back, but this magic is even more impressive than before–letting him toss out fire bullets faster than Asta can react to.
Things start to seem lost when the Witch Queen, viewing the battle from afar, uses her own magic to awaken something new within Asta…

5. Next Episode: If you’re wondering how Asta’s fight against Ladros goes now that he’s gotten his first power up, the preview starts with the guy who was in control at the start of this episode completely wrecked. Dude’s on the ground looking like the defeat pose after you lose arcade mode in Street Fighter II.
*It’s not until I pause this series for screenshots I realize how much “quality” can be in some of this animation. This is why the series should’ve gone on break instead of asking the studio to put out another 52 episodes in a year.
Black Clover is available on Crunchyroll and Funimation.