Promotion is the seventeenth episode of the Umineko When They Cry anime adaptation and the sixth episode of Banquet of the Golden Witch.
Synopsis[]
EVA-Beatrice has claimed more victims for her ceremony. Her human and witch sides clash as Beato tries to get back into Battler's good graces. Even so, the witch's murders continue, and a mysterious number is soon discovered.
Plot Summary[]
First Half[]
At 13:30, the survivors are in the mansion, grieving over the deaths of Rudolf, Kyrie, and Hideyoshi. In the metaworld, Battler uses this as an example to educate Beatrice on how human lives are precious, having limited time between life and death. He understands that Beato needs to kill people to bring about her resurrection, but believes her unnecessary cruelty has caused her to forget how to respect life. Virgilia ruminates on how Endless Witches have transcended life and death and thus treat it like a game. Battler asks why Endless Magic even exists in the first place, learning that magic is supposed to bring people happiness. Battler then decides his game with Beatrice is a test to see if she's truly an Endless Witch; she is not a witch, therefore she is not his opponent. Beato stands and asks how to gain his forgiveness and become acknowledged as a witch, but he says to figure it out herself. However, he promises not to abandon the game, waiting for when Beato will learn and become a real witch; Beato becomes determined to find out how and leaves the metaworld, thanking him.
Meanwhile, the survivors have moved back to the guesthouse, with Krauss noting how they couldn't find the guns or keys that Rudolf and the other victims had with them. They go over their defense of the guesthouse, having shut all the windows and blocked all the exits; Eva has a concerned look in her eye as he says this.
Inside a guest room, the cousins are resting as George looks at a picture of him and Shannon at the aquarium, wondering why people die. The other cousins share their thoughts, with Jessica saying that Kinzo turned to occult studies so he could revive his mistress Beatrice; George thinks that Kinzo was happy to be reunited with a person who died. Battler asks where Dr. Nanjo is, who's in the next room over. George then stands and wants to get some coffee; Jessica offers to go with him, but she gets denied as George wants to be alone for a bit.
As George walks down the hallway, Beatrice appears and calls out to him, asking if he really wants to meet Shannon. When George realizes that she's the Golden Witch, he pleads that he'll give her anything in exchange for Shannon coming back to life. Beatrice smiles, saying that she doesn't need payment and will gladly grant his wish. However, Beatrice has given her title of Endless Witch to another and thus her powers are insufficient; George will still do anything to borrow her power, and so Beato pulls out her pipe. She magically unlocks the window and the two of them transform into butterflies, flying through the rain as the window relocks behind them.
EVA-Beatrice and her furniture stand outside watching the mansion, and EVA senses something leaving the guesthouse. She asks if anyone else sensed it, and the Chiesters report negative, as they've been focusing on the interior of the building so their peripheral surveillance was set to "off". Ronove offers his apologies that he didn't sense anything either, glancing towards Lucifer; she catches the hint and also confirms that she never sensed anything, asking forgiveness for her secondhand furniture status. EVA gives a bored look as they say this.
The time is 17:45. Eva is thinking to herself as Natsuhi and Krauss rest next to her. Eva realizes that she was wrong about obtaining the Ushiromiya family headship making her satisfied. EVA then appears and asks her why, and an argument between the two selves ensues. EVA claims that she fulfilled all of Eva's dreams, but her human self retaliates by saying her dreams consisted of more than just collecting the gold and headship. Eva doesn't accept the witch as part of her, seeing her as a reflection of her childhood and dark desires; EVA retorts that Eva is therefore responsible for the murders of her family. After some more bickering, Eva declares that EVA is not her and that she doesn't want to see her ever again, denouncing witches and calling them illusions. As the new Golden Witch leaves in a huff, Eva then wonders if she really did kill her family, breaking down crying.
Back in reality, Eva is coughing from Krauss' cigarette smoke. Krauss apologizes and offers to bring her some water, but Eva says that she's alright and goes to get some air. At the mention of making coffee, Krauss compliments Eva, praising her coffee for its strong aroma and how it's better than Gohda's. As she leaves, Natsuhi comments on how Krauss used to be at odds with Eva all the time but seems to secretly care for her. Krauss cites it as the older brother's responsibility, not just towards Eva but to Rudolf and Rosa as well; his wife agrees.
Krauss then thinks about how much he bullied his siblings and how he's always wanted to be like Kinzo but could never match up to him, regretting it all the while. Suddenly, EVA calls on the Chiesters to begin firing. They launch a golden string into the guesthouse through the keyholes and wrap around Krauss and Natsuhi, choking them to death before dragging them off. The clock strikes 17:50.
Second Half[]
George and Beatrice are gathered around Shannon's corpse in the parlor, with Beato reciting an incantation for Shannon to remember what form she once had. As she makes the spell, George kneels with his hands clasped, using his strong feelings towards Shannon to assist in the resurrection. Beato laments how death means nothing to her, seeing it like the sides of a coin; if the backside is death, then she can just flip it back onto the front. She remembers the time she broke the vase, and realizes how inferior she is to humans, who can never restore things back to their original form and will give it all they can just to bring back a single life.
Beatrice finally finishes the spell, and swarms of golden butterflies swirl around the room, disappearing as Shannon opens her eyes. George embraces her, tear-ridden; Shannon thinks it's a dream, but George tells her that it's reality. Beato appreciates the miracle that came about because of a human's feelings, and George and Shannon thank her. She meekly rejects their praise, saying that it was all George's magic that revived Shannon.
As Beato begins to rest, suddenly golden strings appear and wrap around Shannon and George before piercing them in the heart. As the lovers die calling out each other's name, Beato gets an angry look on her face and disappears from the parlor. In the garden, Chiester 45 confirms that their targets have been eliminated; EVA had figured out George and Beato left the guesthouse, but only ordered to attack George while hoping to deal with Beato later. She turns to Ronove and confirms that it really was them, thinking that his senses had dulled in the storm.
Meanwhile, Eva realizes that George disappeared from the guesthouse. Battler confirms that he saw him leave the room to get coffee, and Jessica asks where her parents are; Eva says they've also gone missing. At 18:03, the group goes to search in the rose garden, and Jessica finds her parents lying dead in the arbor; their necks have marks on them and they've been impaled with stakes. As Jessica runs to them crying, Eva runs into the mansion searching for George. The group reaches to the parlor, where the numbers "07151129" are found written on the parlor door. Battler recognizes 0715 as being July 15, his birthday, but has no idea what the other number means. Eva writes it down on a piece of paper and opens the door with a key, finding George lying dead next to Shannon. Eva cries over the loss of her son as Battler sits in a chair dejected, noting how the sacrifices up to the eight twilight have been carried out. He thinks about his dead parents, wondering if he'll end up in the same place as them; he then resolves not to die so that someone will be there to look after his little sister Ange.
Jessica suddenly barges in, barely restrained by Nanjo, and accuses Eva of being the culprit. She breaks free from Nanjo's grasp and claims Eva killed her parents since they were the only ones on the first floor of the guesthouse. Eva retorts back, blaming them for killing George. Jessica then charges at her, and Eva's gun fires off; Jessica begins rolling around in pain while covering her eyes. As Nanjo helps her up, Eva looks horrified and keeps saying it's not her fault, that the gun accidentally misfired. She then walks off and Battler follows her.
In the servant room, Nanjo puts bandages around Jessica's head, noting how the fire from the discharge injured her eyes. Jessica's paranoia of Eva grows stronger as she realizes that Battler is alone with her and may be in danger. She asks Nanjo to go get him, and he leaves the servant room.
As soon as he leaves, he finds EVA standing outside and calls out in surprise; Jessica hears this and wonders who's there. EVA backs him down the hallway and Nanjo pleads for his life, saying he has a sick grandchild and doesn't want to die; EVA ignores his pleas and rams her staff into his head, killing him. Jessica calls out into the hallway towards Nanjo, and EVA tells her that a human who's lost their sight has zero anti-magic power and resistance. Jessica tries to look around and EVA compares her to an isolated pawn, helpless and lonely. EVA then announces that she's going to play with Nanjo's corpse and will come for Jessica next as the latter cowers in fear, eventually calling for her family and Kanon to help.
In the metaworld, Beato is seated again facing Battler. She remembers how Jessica loved Kanon, yet Beato toyed with their relationship. As Ronove pours tea, he says that love is the "single element", yet Beato seems to be annoyed by it. Beato remembers her teacher's words that magic is used to make people happy, and Ronove thinks she's going to rescue Jessica; her powers aren't capable enough to do so. Beato says that Jessica called for Kanon, and plans to use that power to great effect; Ronove finds it to be a risky move as everything might end there. Beato accepts the risk anyway, as doing so will mean Battler will finally accept her. She asks Ronove to hide himself, and he disappears, expressing how he'll enjoy watching the Golden Witch's magic. Beatrice says her farewells and leaves the metaworld once more.
[]
Lambdadelta narrates the preview, wondering why she had to wait so long. Bernkastel joins her, telling her this preview wasn't meant for her. Lambda reads the script and gets worried, reading a note saying "Please just be your normal self, with your usual Madame Lambda 9 feeling." She wonders what "9" means, and Bern suggests it means "cute." She then says she can take over for Lambda if she can't handle it. Lambda protests says she can do it, calling herself "Li'l Lambdadelta" and asks the viewers to look forward to the next episode while yelling "rock-paper-scissors." Bern says the next episode title and Lambda complains that her intellectual image is going up in smoke, yelling "Perfect Freeze," and Bern sees that she does get it.
A screen saying "Special Supervision by Ryukishi07" appears at the very end.
Soundtrack[]
Start | End | Title | OST | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
0:00 | 1:29 | Katayoku no Tori | Katayoku no Tori | Opening |
2:09 | 5:11 | N/A | N/A | Battler admonishes Beatrice for taking human lives so lightly |
6:30 | 7:48 | Silent Discord | Umineko no Naku Koro ni ~Rose Crimson~ | Beato offers George her help |
8:38 | 10:46 | N/A | N/A | Eva and EVA have another discussion |
11:54 | 12:38 | Dance of the Moon Rabbits | N/A | EVA kills Krauss and Natsuhi |
12:44 | 14:25 | Witch in Gold | VN OST | Beato and George revive Shannon |
14:39 | 15:35 | Requiem | Umineko no Naku Koro ni ~Rose Crimson~ | George and Shannon embrace |
15:49 | 16:21 | The Candles Dance | N/A | EVA kills George and Shannon |
16:42 | 18:03 | N/A | N/A | Krauss and Natsuhi's corpses are discovered |
19:22 | 20:31 | A Long-Desired Mystery | Umineko no Naku Koro ni ~Rose Crimson~ | Nanjo runs into EVA |
21:02 | 21:44 | Heart's Flame | Umineko no Naku Koro ni ~Rose Crimson~ | Beatrice plans to save Jessica |
21:45 | 23:14 | la divina tragedia | la divina tragedia~Makyoku~ | Ending |
23:15 | 23:34 | Fishy Aroma | N/A | Teaser |
23:39 | 23:48 | Golden Sneer | N/A | Teaser |
23:50 | 24:09 | Dread of the Grave | N/A | Teaser |
Comparisons to Source Material[]
This episode adapts the chapters "The Definition of a Witch", "Real Magic", and "The Witch's Courtroom".
- The anime omits Eva lamenting that Hideyoshi may have been saved if her group arrived earier, along with George mourning the lost future with the one he lost.
- The anime omits Natsuhi checking on Eva from her fever after barricading the guesthouse.
- In the VN, George reminisces about his happy memories with Shannon and how his love for her played a huge part in helping him become a better person and her death left him purposeless. In the anime, it was omitted, and instead, George looks at the picture of himself and Shannon.
- The anime omits George understanding Kinzo's feelings and wanting to believe he can revive Shannon before telling himself that it's impossible.
- The anime omits George asking Nanjo if he wanted any coffee before he declined, along with George struggling with his grief over losing Shannon in the hallway and wondering if Beatrice can revive Shannon for him.
- In the VN, George had his eyes closed while talking to Beatrice before opening his eyes and seeing her in front of him. In the anime, George had his eyes open while talking to Beatrice.
- This change also happened in the manga.
- The anime also omits Beatrice telling George to be quiet as she cannot preserve her form in front of anyone else.
- In the VN, George flies through the sky with Beatrice. In the anime, the two transform into golden butterflies as they fly through the sky.
- Just like in the manga, the anime omits EVA selecting Krauss and Natsuhi as her next targets and praising the Chiesters for having abilities superior to the Stakes.
- In the VN, Krauss, Natsuhi, and Eva struggle to fight off their drowsiness. In the anime, they were already asleep.
- The anime omits Eva returning from the bathroom to find the parlor empty.
- The anime omits mention of the revival spell placing a huge strain on Beatrice, along with how George's sadness caused him to lose his magical resistance and gave birth to an immense magical power.
- The anime omits Virgilia observing Beatrice remembering on how to use magic, along with her protecting Beatrice from the golden snake and telling Beatrice to run before getting pierced by the snake.
- The anime omits George thanking Beatrice for granting him the short reunion with Shannon.
- In the VN, Beatrice escapes from the Chiesters by turning into golden butterflies and EVA expresses pity of not having a corpse of Virgilia to torture endlessly. In the anime, Beatrice vanishes from the parlor after George & Shannon's deaths and EVA hopes to deal with her later.
- The anime omits EVA complaining that Beatrice revived a sacrifice from the first twilight.
- The anime omits Nanjo's possibility of a hidden door.
- The anime omits Nanjo diagnosing Krauss and Natsuhi's cause of deaths, along with Jessica pulling the stakes out of their bodies.
- The anime omits Eva unlocking the mansion's front door with the key.
- The anime omits Nanjo wondering if the magic circle with the numbers "07151129" is a magic square or some sort of number play, along with mention of November 29 not matching with the birthdays of any of the 17.
- The anime omits Nanjo confirming George's death.
- Just like in the manga, the anime omits Battler wondering if the culprit is trying to make anyone suspect someone on the inside before not explaining on how they will lock the guesthouse from the outside.
- The anime Nanjo telling Jessica that the police will resolve everything.
- In the VN, EVA recites the night twilight after Nanjo pleads for his life, as well saying that Nanjo's isolated and those who lost their sight lose their anti-magic resistance before killing Nanjo. In the anime, she does that before Nanjo pleads, along with her saying that Nanjo's isolated and those who lost their sight lose their anti-magic resistance after killing Nanjo.
- In the VN, Jessica attempts to crawl around to escape, only to run into furniture and objects. In the anime, Jessica looks around to escape, but doesn't move from the chair.
- In the VN, Beatrice arrives to the hallway when she regrets the way she toyed with Jessica's love, along with Ronove warning her that there's no way to escape EVA if she uses up the last of her magic to save Jessica. In the anime, this discussion happens in the metaworld.
Trivia[]
- In chess, promotion is the act of moving a pawn to the other side of the board and turning it into another piece.
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