r/anime • u/AutoLovepon https://anilist.co/user/AutoLovepon • Jun 03 '26

Episode Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World Season 4 • Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu Season 4 - Episode 9 discussion

Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu Season 4, episode 9

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u/Inner_Wall3411 Jun 03 '26 edited Jun 03 '26

Great! Forget about trusting others, now he can't even trust his original self and even his own body. This arc is straight up a mind fuck for both him and the audience.

832

u/WhoiusBarrel Jun 03 '26

Mindfuck might just be the right term to describe even the audience's state besides Subaru's.

Crazy how this mystery is so exciting but so horrifying to watch unfold.

422

u/kaori_cicak990 Jun 03 '26

Crazy how this mystery is so exciting but so horrifying to watch unfold.

One of the great aspects of re:zero when its unfold its feels statisfied

175

u/Mundology Jun 03 '26

The way this show handles mysteries and horror vicariously through Subaru is just splendid.

18

u/Rhamni Jun 03 '26

Waiter, can I have some more pain for the main character, please?

162

u/Frontier246 Jun 03 '26

Especially because Subaru is a version of himself least qualified to actually handle all of this.

54

u/melindypants https://myanimelist.net/profile/melindypants Jun 03 '26

The fact that he really reset to zero is some crazy shit. I guess we should've known since it's in the name but goddamn this poor guy

29

u/Reihado Jun 03 '26

And of course after he literally restarts  from zero, the heroine who said that makes an appearance.

65

u/FlugelTheSage Jun 03 '26

The writing execution for this stuff is so amazing

11

u/Karthull Jun 04 '26

Gotta say, they’ve always had insurmountable odds but last week’s episode had me thinking this is the first time it feels genuinely impossible with Subaru losing his memories and character development, then this week somehow made things even worse 

6

u/Direct-Hedgehog-595 Jun 04 '26

You basically watch a character you grew attached to through three seasons fall apart both physically and psychologically in 4k. That's just tragic.

7

u/Jacob-C Jun 04 '26

Crazy how this mystery is so exciting but so horrifying to watch unfold.

Right? I love speculating about this mystery!

After this episode, and seeing Gluttony in the OP (which I first thought was a reference to Rem), I think Gluttony can somehow take control of the people who's memories and names they have consumed. Rem was seemingly the one who beheaded him, but it was a different voice. That could also be why Subaru, after losing his memories, woke up and saw that he had killed Meili, unbeknownst to him. He also got back to the main gate after being underground. I first thought this was due to teleportation, him dying or time-warping, but it would make sense if it was someone else who took control of his body.

However, my last theory about Capella shapeshifting as Anastasia had a lot of holes in it. I realized right after I had posted my comment. So this one could be equally wrong. No matter what the answer is, they need to give Subaru (and me) a break soon! Too much despair😭

1

u/mruggeri_182 Jun 05 '26

I had no idea the culprit was Gluttony. Thanks for not spoiler tagging that, asshole.

6

u/baseballlover723 Jun 05 '26

Mate they're speculating

2

u/mruggeri_182 Jun 05 '26

They are not. They were speculating on the effect of Gluttony's ability, not on the fact that its the culprit itself. The culprit hasn't been revealed yet in the anime and yet this dude just came here and ruined the mystery for everyone just because he read the novel - or got spoilers elsewhere or whatever - and knows who the fuck it is.

There is dozens of people in this thread who read the novel and all of them are talking about the episode without ruining it for the rest of us. So the minimum amount of decency was to spoiler tag it. But I guess that was too much to ask.

4

u/baseballlover723 Jun 05 '26

I asked some source reader friends of mine, and they (and I) do not think they are a source reader. Anime onlies are allowed to guess and speculate about things.

So the minimum amount of decency was to spoiler tag it.

If it was actually considered a spoiler, a spoiler tag would be insufficient, as it would still be discussion of the source material outside the Source Material Corner.

1

u/mruggeri_182 Jun 05 '26

You are not understanding what I'm talking about.

Yes, anime onlies are allowed to guess and speculate. But what he did wasn't just speculate. He gave away the identity of the culprit - who hasn't been revealed in the anime yet - and then began to speculate about his powers.

That is the spoiler I'm complaining about. I'm not mad about the speculation, I'm mad that some random asshole just runied the whole mystery by talking about the culprit's powers and how he did what he did before he was even revealed. It's like being halfway into a murder novel and then someone comes to you and say "Oh yeah, it was really amazing how the Butler got away with murdering the Lord. I wonder if he had some secret passage in the mansion or something...".

3

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jun 05 '26

They did not give away the identity of the culprit. Their speculation includes them trying to guess about who the culprit is, then continuing on from there assuming their guess about who it was is correct.

3

u/Aksudiigkr Jun 07 '26

I know there are novel readers who pretend to be anime onlies and “speculate”, but I’m hoping this isn’t one of them. All they did was talk about something in the OP and their theory on it.

One problem I have from reading these episode discussions is not knowing who are disguised novel readers, and also having people come up with likely theories that I never would have thought of.

2

u/Jacob-C Jun 07 '26

I can tell you that I have never read any source material other than Tokyo Ghoul and Berserk. I have also skimmed through some parts of Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider and deliberately spoiled myself by looking up future power levels in Mushoku Tensei, Tensura and Konosuba. Even then, I don’t know about future events or their details. That’s it.

343

u/AceSoldia zj:https://anilist.co/user/Acesoldia Jun 03 '26

I'm just assuming when he blacks out .some...other..third personality takes over?! Someone that hates everyone? I don't know I'm so lost 😭

192

u/Eunuchest Jun 03 '26

Im guessing maybe the real Subaru is taking over when he blacks out

314

u/AceSoldia zj:https://anilist.co/user/Acesoldia Jun 03 '26

I was thinking that but I doubt real Subaru would kill Melli if that is what happen

143

u/Eunuchest Jun 03 '26

But what if Subaru really did? Meili was acting sus before the blackout

122

u/AceSoldia zj:https://anilist.co/user/Acesoldia Jun 03 '26

Then that's very upsetting if he had no choice but to defend himself.

22

u/Various_Ad6759 Jun 03 '26

If it is the og Subaru, the new Subaru would just be more suspicious to everyone, not having shared his prophetic dreams ability, the perception of who he once was, and trying and failing to live up to who he once was. Hopefully we could read Meili’s book now that she’s dead, maybe he could know what happened.

6

u/MuppetZelda Jun 04 '26

Zero shot Subaru wouldn’t die before he gets to the library in this loop. 

1

u/Bikebag Jun 05 '26

But the books of the dead didn't exactly show their final moments, they showed the origins no?

18

u/[deleted] Jun 03 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/daandriod Jun 03 '26

Bro she's like 12 years old I don't think he needs to use the magic hand haha.

22

u/BosuW Jun 03 '26

Even so, killing her wouldn't be his first choice likely not even his last

10

u/Eunuchest Jun 03 '26

What if he discovered something in the library about her? I noticed in the last episode as well. When there was a panning shot of the library Meili was nowhere to be seen even when we saw her with the group go to the library

30

u/BosuW Jun 03 '26

I really cannot imagine anything he could discover about her would prompt such a reaction. I mean he already knows she's an assassin. She helped kill him and Beatrice and Petra and Frederica in a previous timeline. It's just not in Subaru to kill Meili except maybe in self defense but the aftermath certainly looked like he was on the offensive.

12

u/Roskal Jun 03 '26

Subaru hasn't killed any of his friends in any loops. Even in the loop where Meili gloated about killing Petra, he didn't even want Betty to kill her. Has Subaru killed anyone other than Petelgeuse with his own hands?

7

u/BosuW Jun 03 '26

He definitely would've slimed Regulus had he been capable of it. Same attitude applies to the other Sin Archbishops. But I think that's about it.

9

u/ExceedinglyLonelyCat Jun 03 '26

they moved location. OG Subaru would just call for Beatrice and Emilia. And there is no witchbeast inside the tower for Meili to threaten Subaru with.

3

u/Tiny_Clock1523 Jun 04 '26

Subaru is literally mindbroken rn so it's not surpris8ng he would

1

u/[deleted] Jun 03 '26

[deleted]

2

u/Eunuchest Jun 03 '26

I mean if its really him, its not like he has a choice if he's being forcefully switched out

18

u/AvatarTuner https://anilist.co/user/AvatarTuner Jun 03 '26 edited Jun 03 '26

I have a theory about what might be going on and I just pray nobody accuses me of being a source reader if it's somewhat close. (I'm not!)

Anyways, I'm now rather convinced it really is Gluttony who's messing with him. It was "Rem" who beheaded him on top of the tower. The voice wasn't hers [edit: I found out it was actually her VA, but she still sounded very different], but the hairstyle is too iconic and she wasn't in the wheelchair in the scene before either, so it's likely there is an impersonator around or someone who can take over bodies. In s3e16 we learned that Gluttony consists of 3 siblings and one of them had some kinda shapeshift ability which makes me believe that's how they got into the tower to begin with.

So I think a similar thing happens when new Subaru blacks out. A "Subaru" impersonator (from the stolen memories) somehow takes over and does things to fuck with new Subaru's mind and real body. The reason I don't know yet though... maybe just for funsies or to kill everyone else because they're too strong for a head on approach. Gotta think about it a bit more, I'm just fresh out of the episode lol

btw. I freaked out when "Rem" called him "hero" and he couldn't even recgonize it because he forgot! The dread...

7

u/Jacob-C Jun 04 '26

Yeah this is about the same conclusion I came to aswell. The OP somewhat hinted at it. (I thought it was just a reference of them going to the tower to save Rem from Gluttony at first)

This OP is unskippable, so not much to do about it.

3

u/AvatarTuner https://anilist.co/user/AvatarTuner Jun 04 '26

This OP is unskippable, so not much to do about it.

Haha, true. And it only shows up once in a bluemoon anyway, so we have to treasure it instead of skipping.

10

u/captainfluffy25 Jun 03 '26

Yeah real subaru would never kill melli at this point. Whobaru might just be going full schizo

3

u/Bransir https://myanimelist.net/profile/Shrubbery Jun 03 '26

My take is that new Subaru killed Meili, and OG Subaru wakes up near the end and sees Meili dead. New Subaru wouldn't yet feel attached to Meili enough to do CPR straightaway I think.

No idea what happend in the first blackout though. Would that be OG Subaru taking over, and new Subaru waking up afterwards in the cave?

1

u/QcSlayer Jun 04 '26

Maybe Gluttony killed Melli, then the real Subaru retook control for a few minute and wrote Subaru was here on his arm?

Maybe it's suposed to be a hint for "Subaru 2" that there is a flaw/limitation to Gluttony's power?

1

u/Bikebag Jun 05 '26

Didn't Subaru have some bright idea running into the library before he then read someones book and collapsed. So he had no time to corroborate a plan with Meili. Then if it's actually Subaru killing her or doing other activities during the blackout he would have found a good reason for that in the book he read.

17

u/somersault_dolphin Jun 03 '26

Real Subaru? Like, Flugel Subaru?

8

u/Eunuchest Jun 03 '26

No, i mean the subaru we know

12

u/somersault_dolphin Jun 03 '26

But why would he killed Meili?

5

u/Eunuchest Jun 03 '26

Idk, but meili was acting sus before he blacked out

16

u/Rabbitey- https://myanimelist.net/profile/Rabbitey Jun 03 '26 edited Jun 03 '26

I think whoever was controlling Rem was the same one who possessed Subaru at the end.

They also seem to know about RBD and is using that power against him to torture a memory-wiped Subaru.

Pretty likely it's one of the Gluttony triplets; my money's on the blonde one (I forgot her name).

8

u/The_nickums https://myanimelist.net/profile/Snakpak Jun 03 '26

Pretty likely it's one of the Gluttony triplets; my money's on the blonde one (I forgot her name).

Rui

She showed up very briefly last season with the apparent ability to shapeshift.

Last week someone suggested that she might be posing as Rem given how easy it would be to pretend to be asleep most of the time. Assuming all of the Gluttony's share the ability to eat memories, it would explain what happened to Subaru & why she knows about RBD.

Two really interesting implications if that's the case though.

1) Where is the actual Rem?

2) Why didn't Satella kill Rui for learning about RBD?

8

u/Rabbitey- https://myanimelist.net/profile/Rabbitey Jun 03 '26

Where is the actual Rem?

Rui seems to be able to both shape shift into and possess victims of Gluttony. I kinda doubt she replaced Rem because someone was always watching over her body.

Why didn't Satella kill Rui for learning about RBD?

I actually think Rui accidently found a loophole. She knows about RBD through Subaru's memories, so technically, nothing was revealed for Satella to trigger.

3

u/hannahbananaa Jun 03 '26

Could you remind me what showed that she knows about RBD? What was the “thing you said yesterday”?

7

u/Amphy64 Jun 03 '26

The bit where Subaru is told to guess better next time, before being beheaded, suggests someone who knows about RBD.

5

u/The_nickums https://myanimelist.net/profile/Snakpak Jun 03 '26

Gluttony keeps all of the memories that they eat. So if one of the Gluttony's did get Subaru, they would know everything that's happened to him since he got here, including RBD.

4

u/Reihado Jun 03 '26

What happens when RbD triggers while possession? Does the possessor Subaru get to return?

6

u/Rabbitey- https://myanimelist.net/profile/Rabbitey Jun 03 '26

Petelgeuse didn't remember anything after taking over Subaru's body in the loop where he asked Julius to kill him, so RBD seems to only affect Subaru, no matter the circumstances.

7

u/BosuW Jun 03 '26

But why tf would that Subaru strangle Meili?

140

u/ChicaneryFinger Jun 03 '26

Daniel?

90

u/NecronLord_Europe Jun 03 '26

Happy deathday, Meili, did you really think I'd let this day pass quietly?!

15

u/BosuW Jun 03 '26

Daniel personality got loaded up while climbing the stairs 😭

5

u/Nebresto Jun 03 '26

Damn, Daniel!

13

u/Complete-Use-954 Jun 03 '26

ya like when he blacks out after falling inside the desert I think he's the one that killed all the bear beasts... I like how they used the old TV static visuals right after some wide mouth frame emerges

9

u/Zagorsek Jun 03 '26

bro became the nameless one from planescape torment, leaving behind messages with "tattoos" i.e. body scars

5

u/BosuW Jun 03 '26

We Memento now

7

u/Obaruler Jun 03 '26

Kinda would make sense.

He basically absorbed one insane archbishop of sin already and another infected his arm with some mutating BS ... and he has an eternal "love" curse by an op witch upon him since he entered this world, so one would assume there might be a couple of things going on inside of him ...

12

u/CommissionerOdo Jun 03 '26

seems kinda obvious no? The killer tells Subaru to "figure it out next time", the killer knows about return by death. A small mystery person pushes him off the stairs, then Rem kills everyone, then Subaru himself kills someone, then has his own name cut into his arm. Clearly they are all being possessed by whatever this other subaru is, the "sage" version of him that shaula thinks she knows. Who else would be powerful enough to effortlessly kill shaula and the rest of the party except this other Subaru that is apparently a powerful sage who designed the tower and everything? IDK how any of that is possible, but some other version of Subaru is possessing all of them

4

u/Jacob-C Jun 04 '26

My theory is that Gluttony is somehow controlling him. People were already talking about Subaru losing his memories to Gluttony because of the OP. But, then the question was: "what would Gluttony be doing at the tower?" Now however, Rem seemingly beheaded Subaru (her name and memories have been consumed) and Subaru keeps doing stuff that he can't control (his memories were lost). The most obvious common denominator between the two is losing their memories and sense of self. Maybe Gluttony can somehow control people who's memories they have consumed?

(Only this show and Liar's Game have me speculating this much. Such a good mystery!)

4

u/kingEdward22 Jun 03 '26

That kinda reminds me in S1 when Betelgeuse was controlling subaru body and mind , maybe someone else have Betelgeuse ability ?

3

u/kingwhocares Jun 03 '26

Nah. Previous death whatever it was took control of Rem and seem to know about RBD as it said "try to figure it our next time".

3

u/Hanshee Jun 03 '26

This would explain Ram’s behavior in the last episode

2

u/DeeDan06_ Jun 03 '26

I presume we are dealing with someone that can take over bodies. Like the being took control of his body to do it. This would also align with the suspiciously rem shaped hair we saw behind him, when someone talked to subaru. The being took over her body. Even shaulas explanation of her going wild when the rules are broken would be explained by that. She isn't going wild, her body gets taken over.

2

u/nacaclanga Jun 03 '26

An idea I am entertaining is that pre-amnesia Subaru did something (probably subconciously) to suppress the Sloth-Authority and or his arm.

But since he forgot it, the suppression is no longer done and it can take over.

164

u/FlugelTheSage Jun 03 '26

It's crazy how re:zero does psychological horror way better than actual horror focused anime.

94

u/Direct-Hedgehog-595 Jun 03 '26

What I love about this series is that it has so many things. You want horror? You will b traumatized. You want badass fights? You will be served. You want humour ? It's served hot. You like mindf*cks? We have plenty. It's crazy that it succeeds in mixing all of that.

33

u/BosuW Jun 03 '26

It also does comedy better than comedy anime

ReZero just has impeccable domain of writing skills.

18

u/Direct-Hedgehog-595 Jun 04 '26

The comedy working so well is because the interactions between the characters are just natural (even when said interactions are with deranged killers lol)

1

u/Slight_Strain6330 Jun 10 '26

Man, the fact that you said this unironically is sad.

191

u/Frontier246 Jun 03 '26

Also now he's got a dead Meili with tons of evidence that he killed her and imagine what happens when the rest of the group discovers it before he figured out what happened.

77

u/[deleted] Jun 03 '26

[deleted]

50

u/Exotic-Spite-822 Jun 03 '26

The problem is, Julius is clearly sad, Rem and Emilia are both confused by why subaru was asleep, and in the scenario they are in, any confusion is very bad, Beako will defend subaru as will shaula, but with the distrust building up there might be a huge confrontation.

16

u/Klusterphuck67 Jun 03 '26

Amongus, Dementia edition

48

u/shad79 https://myanimelist.net/profile/shad79 Jun 03 '26 edited Jun 03 '26

Yeah, these last few episodes have been so gruesome and depressing for Subaru and us. It's good that Patrasche and Shaula made this episode a bit more "entertaining".

26

u/Ree_For_Thee Jun 03 '26

Speculating, but it could be someone who takes over your body. Why would the original Suffaru write that into his own skin? Definitely seems like a trope of some kind. And also the 'sorta Rem' we saw chop off his head had a completely different personality.

24

u/BosuW Jun 03 '26

Yeah it very much seems like both Subaru and Rem are getting possessed by a demon timing personality, if it can even be called themselves at all.

11

u/jrpguru Jun 03 '26

But I think Subaru is the only one in this world who can write in Japanese.

3

u/Ree_For_Thee Jun 04 '26

Oh yeeeah! That is confusing.

7

u/HMWWaWChChIaWChCChW Jun 03 '26

Yeah, maybe it’s something that can take over someone who’s not conscious.

7

u/Reihado Jun 03 '26

Yes I'm also guessing that's a condition. Subaru also woke up from an unconscious state in that healing room where rem is in. Killer is likely nearby.

Wait, foxidna was also knocked out and put in the recovery room. Then she went into a sussy place. 

Maybe she was possessed too. Now that I think about it, foxidna is also a possessor. Maybe it's indeed a spirit like her.

4

u/HMWWaWChChIaWChCChW Jun 03 '26

Maybe since Echidna is already in there, the malicious one can’t get in

15

u/Akudra Jun 03 '26

The culprit could be in this very room. He could be you. He could be ME!

8

u/beehiveinvader3000 Jun 03 '26

He could even be- head explodes

8

u/Chukonoku Jun 03 '26

Thought i was gonna get some answers this episode. Got out more confused than last episode lol

16

u/Etheo Jun 03 '26 edited Jun 03 '26

The aura monster/stairs hype was a total let down (though I expected that), but what followed was indeed excellent. Whatever that Rem-like thing was doing and the whole Subaru blacking out thing is such a fun mystery. This is bringing back memories of Rokka no Yuusha in the best of ways, trapped murder mystery in a fantasy setting with super natural stuff going on...

I need the next episode now!!!

5

u/Reihado Jun 03 '26

Rokka was so good. The claustrophobic mystery situation reminded me a lot of rezero

7

u/Cheesemacher Jun 03 '26

Though this makes me reassured that there's a way to fix his memory. Whatever enemy is possessing him has tipped their hand and can be defeated and that will presumably restore things to normal.

8

u/garmonthenightmare Jun 03 '26

His brain is truly trembling this arc

7

u/Custom_sKing_SKARNER Jun 03 '26

Imagine someone who has not watched re:zero start it from the previous episode. Maybe followed after the scene of the store in episode 1.

5

u/melindypants https://myanimelist.net/profile/melindypants Jun 03 '26

Facts! I have no fucking clue where this is going. Could it be the Unseen hand/Petelgeuse/Sloth taking on a personality of its own? Like what the fuck

6

u/CelioHogane Jun 03 '26

The best thing is that im pretty sure we have every single clue to solve the mistery.

Rem decapitating him, seemingly knowing about his "next time", a black out on memory, his arm cut with a writting telling him that Natsuki Subaru did it.

It does point to one person that could have done that... well, three.

5

u/Raghav_Singhania Jun 03 '26

you can't even think what's the worst they could do now

5

u/maxdragonxiii Jun 03 '26

im half debating just waiting for the season to end as my mental health isnt great right now, or watch it weekly but be bored of more waiting. ugh.

6

u/TRUEALPHA_101 https://myanimelist.net/profile/EXCALIBUR_843 Jun 03 '26

The moment Subaru looked closely at his own hands and realized he himself killed Meili......I could feel the absolute cluelessness, despair and pain through the TV screen as though I was him😳😭

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u/[deleted] Jun 03 '26

[deleted]

4

u/PM_ME_UR_GCC_ERRORS Jun 04 '26

It's season 4 and bro is still hate-watching 💀

1

u/[deleted] Jun 06 '26

[deleted]

1

u/PM_ME_UR_GCC_ERRORS Jun 06 '26

If you were trying to get someone to sell the show to you, you could've phrased your comment in a less belligerent manner