The Promised Neverland Episode 8 Review
I think it will be more or less impossible to review this episode without spoilers so count that as fair warning. This week we finally see the end of the Krone/Isabella power struggle and while the result of that is inevitable, Krone’s presence hasn’t been wasted. While I never felt she fit with the general tone of the story, her character role has been invaluable in understanding more about the world and Isabella and though we are left with more questions than answers, I really feel her presence has been fairly important to understanding the context for how this story is going to play out.
However, how sad is it that her final thoughts are wishing the children escape as even in death she can only think of bringing Isabella and the world down? Amazingly when Krone believed she might be able to get ahead, while she wasn’t fine with the system she was working with it. But once it was clear that she was simply fodder and not going to achieve her dreams, she immediately just wanted to watch everything burn.
Though I do have a few questions about how that scene was composed as Krone was backed up against the bars one minute and the next was backing up toward the wall and the distance between Krone and the bars was never consistent. It was great to watch mind you, but just kind of made no sense unless Krone was suddenly capable of teleportation.
And you know what, despite Krone finally coming to an end, that wasn’t the real OMG moment of the episode.
Was it Isabella turning on Ray and locking him in a room while she went to confront Emma and Norman? Was it Don coming to the rescue and barrelling through a wooden door to get Ray out? Or even the confrontation with Emma, Norman and Isabella?
Nope. All of these moments were brilliant and building on all that careful groundwork this story has been laying down, but the real moment comes after the confrontation where Emma and Norman make a decision and Isabella just immediately shuts them down (by breaking Emma’s leg). Oh, I hated that sound-effect and yet it was perfect and yeet they still weren’t done as Isabella had one more bombshell for Norman.
I feel that the Promised Neverland is going to join my collection of stories like Another and Shiki that feel like very slow burns and then things start happening. But the thing is, that’s what makes them great. They don’t rush the set up and give you just enough to keep you interested. The pay off may or may not end up reaching great heights but I really do enjoy this style of storytelling and I’m looking forward to the next couple of episodes of Neverland to see what they do next.
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NENDOROID NO. 1092 THE PROMISED NEVERLAND: EMMA
- The Promised Neverland Series Review
- Episode 1: The Promised Neverland’s First Episode Promises Much, Will It Deliver?
- Episode 2: Why Emma’s Lack of Compromise is Both Foolish and Brilliant
- Episode 3: How a Simple game Can Become Ominous
- Episode 4: The Best Way To Catch A Liar…
- Episode 5: The Friend of My Enemy Is… Maybe a Useful Information Source
- Episode 6: The Promise of a Traitor Times 2
- Episode 7: Playing With Fire (Or Trying to Deal With Sister Krone)
- Episode 8: After Making Us Wait, The Promised Neverland Is Going To Deliver
- Episode 9: The Promised Neverland Promises Yet More Pain
- Episode 10: Where to Without The Promise of Tomorrow?
- Episode 11: Someone Tell Ray That Self-Immolation Is Not A Plan
- Episode 12: The Great Escape
- Images from: The Promised Neverland. Dir. M Kanbe. CloverWorks. 2019.
I want to say that maybe the ‘demon’ was throwing Krone around, toying with her. That’s my only explanation for her changing locations in the gatehouse.
It was amazing how quickly Isabella put them in their place. Norman – Maybe, I’ll stop being a good boy!
‘Crack!’
The leg break changes everything. Can’t wait to see how they get over that obstacle.
Poor Emma. I kind of wonder if her positive and optimistic we can save everyone attitude will survive after this encounter.
Yeah, if that was a hard and fast reality check I don’t know what is! Still waiting for Phil to make his move…
I know. What is going on with Phil? Every time I see him now I’m wondering what he’s up to and I really want the reveal but then I think it will take away all the fun of speculating.
That or it’s the biggest red herring ever. His look at the end of the episode couldn’t have been nothing, otherwise there’s loads of other children they could put the camera on.
They’ll just give us something else to speculate on… Neverland has been very good at keeping things hidden and hinted at.
Yes, but it always feels like it has a plan and doesn’t feel like they are just making things up as they go along. I’m really appreciating how well it seems to all fit together which lets me trust that things will be explained eventually.
I felt they should have just left Krone’s last moments with her backing up against the fence and let our imaginations do the rest. Less is more etc…
Elsewhere, Isabella’s increasing cruelty and the twists in who is zooming who mind games is ramping up the intrigue and drama to the point I can only hope they don’t drop the ball with a weak conclusion.
I’m with you on Krone. And given the cut, I thought that is what they were going to do. I’d have actually been happy with her backing up against the fence, cut to happy kids eating and missing Krone, cut back to Krone lying in front of the fence with flower. The rest of that sequence was a little unnecessary and not the best in terms of direction.
Still, it is a petty complaint amongst a fairly good episode and you are right in that now we just need to hope they can carry this to the end and don’t drop the ball.
I am a big Another fan too.
I just really loved how that anime built up atmosphere. It did such a good job at setting its tone.