Edens Zero Chapter 281 SHORT REVIEW

Wow…………….. I think this is the first time that I’ve ever actually had to rewrite a post from the ground up. Quite the new feeling. I mostly decided to rewrite because I didn’t like the way all my thoughts were coming out- all “scatter shot” and “random.” But I just really wanted to do a regular post- even a “Short Review” for the first time in what feels like FOREVER. And I chose “Edens Zero” because 1)It came out Early enough in the week 2)Has material and 3)One Piece Will Be On a 3 Week Break Starting This Week and Four Knights Of The Apocalypse Is On Break. And “Chainsaw Man” is “Chainsaw Man.” Worst comes to worst, I’ll make some big post for a handful of Chainsaw Man chapters. My Hero is back from break this week, so I might do something for that. Especially after seeing those leaks last night. But I also kind of of just wanted to talk about “Edens Zero” again. 

Thinking back, this was one of the series I started blogging with; one of the one’s that made me want to start doing this kind of content online. And now it’s coming to it’s conclusion- much quicker than 2 other series I talk about. Though in all fairness, their health hasn’t been “the best.” This series has had, what– 8 or 9 break weeks its entire run? While the mangaka’s doing storyboards for a continuation of his last work; planned and is drawing a monthly work; is working on the script for an original anime, designs and other writing elements for an original video game, and a whole bunch of other stuff I’m sure you’re tired of hearing about. Mashima is “a breed apart” from Horikoshi and Tabata. But all of that work has taken a toll on the “story quality” of “Edens Zero” in some parts. This chapter is NOT an example of that. The circumstance, yes, but not the content. Which makes it the perfect chapter to review!! So let’s get to it. Edens Zero Chapter 281: “Lady Freyja.” Man I’ve missed doing that. 

Everything About Freyja

This is the MAIN THING I wanted to say to you all: I like Lady Freyja. She’s…………. I won’t say “interesting,” but I WILL say “Fun.“ There’s this idea in writing- especially these days– that Villains need to have some sort of “Point-” an ideology that needs to be disproven, or some choice that they need to see was the wrong one or something like that. Think your Tomura Shigaraki’s who “want to destroy the world that abandoned them” or Lucius Zogratis who “wants to save all Humanity” and is going about it in a really BAD way. On the other end of the spectrum, you have the “Villains-” the “cartoonishly evil” types who are all about “World Domination” for “the sake of it-” Your All For One’s and Code’s; the types you get annoyed with the longer they’re in the story. They’ve got nothing to “prove;” they just need to be beaten. Every few villains, we’ll get a “Understood But Unjustified” bad guy like Thanos or something, who’ve had some tragedy befall them to inform their actions- even if they’re not justified. And then- There’s “The BAD Guy;” villains like Big Jack Horner from Puss In Boots: The Last Wish who- for no rhyme or reason- JUST “The Bad Guy-“ And like it. 

Freyja and Cure- the last 2 of the Galactica we’re up against- are those “Bad Guys.” But where Freyja succeeds where Cure fails like me on a Math test- the same thing that separates Megamind and Titan: “PRESENTATION.” No Archetype is bad on its own- they all have their strengths in any story you put them in. It’s all about how you Portray them and the context of the world they’re put in. Tomura and Lucius function very well as the Final Villains for their Stories- Kaguya and Muzan didn’t(for different reasons). Freyja works. She’s so strong that it’s left her feeling empty- no one to test her in battle and make her feel that “pressure” that comes from the thought that you might lose/fail. She found Void, but she said that there would be little point in fighting “a disembodied consciousness from the future.” Like Ziggy said: “Neither Of Them Should Be In This Time.” And I imagine that “self deletion” would likely be a sign of weakness for her- a fate unbecoming someone made to be “The Strongest.” So– she’ll hold back in battle she knows she’d win, staying on a “sinking ship” and letting whatever happens- happen. Hoping that “whatever” is her death. 

I think that might be the other thing I like about her: She’s a “Might Makes Right” type like Sukuna in Jujutsu Kaisen– “The Strongest.” No one can defeat her, so everything she does is “the right thing.” “If you have a problem with how I am- Stop me.” Killing those 1.6 billion organics was little more than “testing her mettle-” and she probably wasn’t even going “all out” to do THAT. Even what she did in evaporating the Spa Of Edens, or ripping up Homura’s clothes- she was just being a d!ck. That’s the long-and-short of it; she was just being mean. And getting away with it because she’s stronger. I’m honestly surprised how effectively her character is being portrayed for being such a……………. Last Minute Reveal. 

That’s probably one of the things I would change if I could: she was so “Late Game” and she’s already this charming a character that it sucks she probably isn’t going to last much longer. I don’t know exactly how long we’re going to have her around, but she probably won’t be around longer than 5 chapters(if THAT). Though, considering what All For One turned into- maybe it’s for the best that her presence in the story is limited. I also thought about changing her origin story and connect her to Void and Pino, but I don’t think we’d end up with the character we have now- at least; we’d miss out on the context of why she’s like this. As such, I’m willing to accept her origin for what it is. Especially since I think it’ll make her a better final opponent for Homura. The context of when she said she was made by a “Certain Planet” as a Weapon of War- with who she said that to, the Universe 0 events in her flashback, and that planet’s history– I think I get what Mashima is going for. 

After taking and reverse engineering Valkyrie’s decapitated body, the Shogunate or whatever governing body created Freyja. Then her backstory happened while Homura was off-world. It would explain why U0 Creed was able to get her body and repair her; they probably threw it out once they had gotten what they needed. Also after some jokes about her being hot or whatever. My original idea for her: Much like Pino, she’d be “The Next Generation of The Shining/Dark Stars” created by One using the Mobius, much like Void. But again, we probably wouldn’t have gotten her kill count or this type of personality. So- I’ll take it. Though I don’t know how true that Oedo Theory is going to prove to be. 

The Edens One And Void

This one is more of a complaint with the One as a “concept.” It’s not that he’s been a bad villain so far(though he hasn’t particularly “stood out” amongst the top 3 in the series), and I like both the designs of the Edens One and Void himself. And I even like the Big Reveal of who he is. But……………. his presence in Universe 0, as well as what his general “plan” and “reasoning” is- LACKING. Chapter 266 tells us what he believes, but we don’t really know why he thinks like this. If I were to guess, I’d say that the lack of “love” he’s experienced from his parents, or from anyone who knew that Rebecca was pregnant(’cause those scientist on the Planet Edens definitely had to have known that there was a 2nd life reading in her body)- I think that really messed with him, resulting in him resenting everyone who could and has experienced “love,” and he’s trying to get rid of it. Something like that, I’d venture to guess. Mostly I’m thinking he’s a similar tragedy to Lucia from Rave Master- someone born into a life of tragedy beyond his control. And is taking it out on the world he finds himself in. 

I even had this idea early on that One would create a Mechanical Main body that physically looked like Shiki. Which- beneath that armor– I guess is true. And that- during the Aoi 0 Saga- we’d see him making a move for the All Link system(which we know still exists) in conjunction with the Mobius to make an Army of Hive Mind Based Droids under his control, spreading his consciousness through the entire Universe through them. Thus: “The Will Of The Universe.” But…………… that didn’t happen. At least- not on screen. It’s always possible that Muller gave him a copy of the blueprints to the All Link, and he’s using it to pilot both Void’s body and the Edens One. That would explain how he can both be chasing the Zero and have an intense bout with Ziggy. Which was the original problem I had with this chapter in the first place. I guess this theory would explain away that problem, but it’s only that- a “theory;” I won’t be right until they actually say it in the story. And at this point, there’s no point in confirming it than just to explain how One’s attention can be in 2 places at once. Just because he’s “consciousness” doesn’t mean he play a first person shooter and fight a Bodybuilder!! 

Conclusion

That was a lot longer than i had intended it to be. But I don’t mind it. And it only took me 2 tries! Man I miss doing this. Ah, but my outro’s are becoming a little long-winded. I could go on and on about how much I’ve enjoyed making this post(especially on the second try), but in all honesty: I think you can tell by reading the post. And since I don’t have much else to say- We’ll wrap this up here. Let me know what you guys think in the comments, and Until Next Time, All- Take Care Of Yourselves- And Each Other.