This episode treats us with some worldbuilding. Following the fight from the last episode, Mami and Kyubey explain to Madoka and Sayaka that the monster they encountered is called a Witch. Kyubey has the ability to grant wishes and those who make one become magical girls and hunt Witches in return. The source of a magical girl’s power is a little item called a Soul Gem. Later in the episode, we learn that Witches usually drop an item upon their defeat called a Grief Seed and magical girls can use this to replenish the energy in their Soul Gem.
While Kyubey asks Madoka and Sayaka to become magical girls, neither girl signs the contract in this episode. They’re not against the deal per se. In Madoka’s case, she shows a budding interest as evidenced by her sketching possible outfits she might wear as a magical girl (how cute). But understandably, both girls are overwhelmed by this new information and the fact that they only get one wish granted by Kyubey entices them to think carefully over what they want. Madoka currently has no idea on what to wish for. Sayaka appears to have something in mind; take note of some of her lines around the midpoint of the episode, where she ponders why she of all people is being offered such an amazing opportunity and not someone else.
Regardless, the two girls are now part of this new world. Kyubey, who apparently cannot be seen by most people, allows Madoka and Sayaka to see them and they telepathically links with the two and Mami so that they can all communicate with each other more easily. In the hopes of recruiting them to their cause, Mami invites her potential underclassmen to accompany her on her missions and observe the work of a longtime magical girl. This doesn’t sound dangerous at all!
I forgot how badass Mami is in this series. You absolutely buy into the fact that she’s been doing this magical girl business for quite some time. When she sees someone controlled by the Witch of the week, she quickly transforms and comes to the rescue. She lends some of her magic to augment a baseball bat Sayaka brings to protect herself and Madoka and is completely confident in her abilities that those two will be safe. She can conjure up a myriad of guns, including a giant cannon as a finisher. This girl very much walks the walk here. Her fighting style is also downright dazzling. I love how casually yet gracefully she conjures up her rifles and that moment where she feigns defeat to the Witch, just so that she can be playful. Almost every time Mami fights in this series, it’s a delight to watch.
While we’re learning more about magical girls, witches, and Kyubey, Homura still remains one big question mark in the story. Homura explains that she was trying to kill Kyubey before they could meet Madoka and Madoka becomes a magical girl. Now that the two of them have met and with Mami now around to keep an eye on her and Madoka, all Homura can do now is tail the group and advise Madoka not to form a contract with Kyubey. Be that as it may, we still don’t know why Homura doesn’t want Madoka to be a magical girl. Mami and Kyubey explain that magical girls often fight over Grief Seeds so they speculate that Homura doesn’t want the competition to get stiffer. Homura certainly comes across that way when Mami offers her Grief Seed as a friendly gesture and Homura refuses to use it since she didn’t kill the Witch of the week. It’s entirely possible but given Madoka’s dream in the first episode, you have to wonder if there is some sort of connection between her and Homura and that there’s more to Homura than a competitive streak.
This post was originally published on January 15, 2021
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