This episode, we get a proper introduction of Ophelia, the rumoured heartless number four, with an unhealthy obsession on everything awakened. Claire gets sent on another Awakened Being-hunt, though this time, the only other one recruited was Ophelia. This obviously screams that the organizations is trying to get rid of her, because something tells me they know fully well that Ophelia tends to break rules once in a while.
Basically, through the course of the episode, she tries to kill both Claire, Raki and the Awakened Being. The last one dies, while Claire and Raki escape. Raki, meanwhile, seems to have gotten more and more attached to Claire, and in this episode, we see him claiming that he’d die for her. In the end, though, they part wais after Claire scolds him.
The thing is, though, that Ophelia is in dire need of some development. Her introduction was nice and all, but I don’t really like her character yet. She’s just a fighting-machine, no more, though I do admit that some of her antics were rather disturbing. The next episode had better show something about her background. I also dislike the way Awakened Beings were portrayed. If a number 4 can take care of one so easily, why would the organization waste time sending groups of four weaker Claymores when Number One can probably take care of them with her eyes closed? It’s also interesting how that Awakened Being just stood still for minutes, allowing Ophelia to continue with her endless monologues.]]>
Claymore – 12
Er… what makes you think that she is more than that? A sadistic psycho killer ^_^;
I have strong doubts that you’re going to learn to “like” her…
True, there’s nothing wrong with a sadistic psycho killer, but I want background. I want to know why she turned out the way she did. After all, she couldn’t have said one day: “well, I’m bored. Why don’t I go and kill random people and see what happens”. ^^;
Don’t worry – her background will be revealed after the next episode, if the anime still follows the manga closely. It’s quite sad… that’s all I’m going to say.
Aren’t most of these background stories for these girls sad to begin with? Every single one of them is a Claymore because their families were annhialated by Youma/Awakened Being, thus making them orphans. So whoever runs the Org has got to be the biggest prick out of them all, using a young girl’s desire for revenge in this manner.
Well, the organization does need to have some source of Claymores. Who else could they possibly use? Still, I’m glad to see that we get to see her background. Even though we know it’s going to be sad, there are different kinds of sad backgrounds. 😉
Why doesn’t the organization want to get rid of Ophelia? Just cause she’s useful because she’s so strong? Maybe they expect an Awakened one to kill her one of these days. She actually could have been killed easily in that fight, she was lucky. I thought it was funny that Raki was actually able to cut her. I guess he has no Yoki so she didn’t sense him coming.
wait psgels? scold?
I dont think thats the right word.
She puckered up and kissed him. A claymore and a 12 old year old boy. Was that romance or what?
dontaskshadow: interesting, I just saw that as an attempt to make sure Raki’s safe. We’ve seen Claire’s acting skills, so she probably thought that that was the surest way to get him to safety, in my opinion. How much of the acting was genuine, though, remains a mystery. 😛
Snakedog: that’s an interesting observation. It’s indeed true that Ophelia is a great fighter, but during the episode she tended to have moments when she just didn’t pay attention. I wonder if this’ll be used in the future episodes.
Well, she did get her neck snapped, in all fairness. It wasn’t what you would call a total slaughter. Still, if Ophelia is that strong, it seems like 1 through 5 would probably be enough to take on Priscilla…
“Still, if Ophelia is that strong, it seems like 1 through 5 would probably be enough to take on Priscilla… ”
To put this in perspective, there’s a huge difference in power between an awakened #1 and the ones they’re currently fighting. Teresa basically wiped the floor with Claymore’s #2,3,4 and 5 without issue. Now think of that without a limiter built on.
She would’ve wiped them out in a couple of minutes, maybe quicker.
Right now in the anime, they simply haven’t shown enough fights to truly gauge where everyone ranks in the grand scheme of things.
Haha. The kiss was hilarious….Raki is 12?
O.o
But anyhow, Ophelia is a mad woman, just like Shakespeare’s…
Well the more the story developes the more we understand about the organisation. In fact based on the previous awakened being i get the impression that not all awakened beings are hunted the organisation has them dispatched according to their own intentions as well as those of the villages. I cant get over the feeling that their not exterminating yoma and awkaened but maintaining a balance.
Remember that the Awakened Ones have different power levels based on how they were ranked before…so they are not all the same.
The Org would find it necessary to send a group of Claymores after an Awakened One for many reason…one of them being its the best way to know your limit and increase your skills…
The kiss was surprising yes…but it i think it was more to get Raki off guard and convince him to leave on his own…and it worked…Clare can act…and she shines here….
Loved the episode….only beef was as another poster said….the Awaken One was just sitting there while they were talking…that made no sense….but alas….
Ophelia is strong but she is careless and she could have been killed…she got lucky….
Looking forward to next week…YEAH!!! 🙂
A lot of you brought up interesting points. I haven’t read ahead in the manga, but I forsee the organization being as insidious or even more so than Miria had implied.
I mean, has anyone thought of where all these monsters are coming from in the first place if you have a small army of these female Amazon-like warriors out there exterminating them (Nihilistik brought up a good point). It’s also been insinuated that the organization may send yoma on certain villages (Teresa hinted this when a town’s mayor tried to back out of paying the org’s fee by making a lame excuse, though whether she was serious or making an idle threat is highly debatable). There’s also the fact that they allow some Claymores to break their rules, as long as they cover their tracks (e.g. Ophelia, who is obviously the org’s answer to any dirty work that needs taking care of) and will hunt others relentlessly. I guess only time will tell whether all of these occurrences are related.
As far as each character’s background, I think that has been something that has been largely unexplored in the anime. The only two people with whom we have any clue as to why they became claymores are Clare and Priscilla, both of whom did so to avenge someone for they loved/greatly admired. There are a number of Claymore’s who were probably cast out of their villages/towns when their families were killed by yoma and they decided to become Claymores because they had nothing left or nowhere else to go.
I liked Ophelia’s character. It’s obvious she’s a good fighter, and if not for her inattentive/careless moments in the midst of battle and childish behavior, she would probably be ranked higher. I mean, she complained that Clare was cheating by temporarily surpassing her limits and seemingly left herself completely open for attack, and later let herself get in a position where she could have been killed (I have no doubt she intentionally let the yoma twist her neck, because she thought it would be more fun to see its reaction when she killed it). I think that with focus and a little maturity she would make be an even more formidable Claymore and an even deadlier Awakened. In fact, in many ways her behavior mirrors Priscilla who while she was quite powerful, was also very childish (and inexperienced), as seen when Teresa defeated her, and she was also inattentive, when she ignored everyone’s warnings about going over her limits. I see Ophelia becoming an awakened in the future, provided she lives long enough because of these observations.
Hey there. Sporadic reader, first time commenter.
I don’t think they go into Ophelia’s (or anyone else’s, at this point) personal backgrounds other than a word or two sputtered at crucial moments, but they do say something. In my opinion Ophelia’s background isn’t so much a cause as an excuse. It’s just as likely for Claymores to be sociopaths as any other person.
And none of the other Awakened Beings really seem to be like the one killed by Ophelia. They all put up a pretty good fight. I think it says more about the Awakened Being herself than the organisation.
about the Awakened Being just standing there while Ophelia rambles on… I’ve seen sooooooo many animes that fall for similar things.
actually, the same thing happens in just about every anime with swordplay – just think of it as time slowing down every time someone opens his/her mouth. someone is off guard and his/her opponent makes a lunge with a sword, all the while magically having time to yell “Don’t you think you have other things to do except doodle around, in 1 second my sword will be through your guts and wow that 1 second just passed and I’m still yelling wooooooo!”
the Awakened Being just standing around was the same thing, only stretched even more. ^____^
Quote from Sarabos
“Hey there. Sporadic reader, first time commenter.
I don’t think they go into Ophelia’s (or anyone else’s, at this point) personal backgrounds other than a word or two sputtered at crucial moments, but they do say something. In my opinion Ophelia’s background isn’t so much a cause as an excuse. It’s just as likely for Claymores to be sociopaths as any other person.
And none of the other Awakened Beings really seem to be like the one killed by Ophelia. They all put up a pretty good fight. I think it says more about the Awakened Being herself than the organisation.”
Ummm… If you’re referring to my earlier post, I think you need to read it in its entirety, taking everything in context. The opinions I have developed after observing everything thus far from eps 1-12, are just that, opinions, and are just as valid as yours until the writers of the series prove one or both of us wrong. As far as me being a first time commenter, well, we all were first time commenters some times, so let’s cut each other a little slack? We’re obviously all fans of the show and want it to do well, so let’s play nice, ‘kay?
Oh, and if your comment wasn’t directed referring to mine, my apologies, and allow me to chug a tall, refreshing glass of “SHUT THE HECK UP!”、E>
It wasn’t directed at you really, sorry though. o; I meant I was a first time commenter. I kind of make a point of saying that because sometimes I make a fairly long and in-depth comment only to be responded to with, “And who are you again?”
I was just stating my opinion myself, haha.
was a good episode but whats up with that scary face that clare makes when she kiss raki xD the animation was really strange ^^ i thought it was be a great scene because the manga was really good