The following contains spoilers for Episode 8 of DanMachi IV, "Mirabilis (Chaos)" now streaming on HIDIVE.
The newest episode of DanMachi IV opened with another harrowing vision of the future, but one with far more detail about the fates of each member. While the meaning of that premonition isn't fully clear yet, this episode finally begins to confront Ryu's motives head-on and beg questions about the depth of her rage, and her crimes.
Last week, amidst Cassandra's stress and worry over her dreams, Bell seemed to tell that something was wrong. He imparted a message to his party to stay on the 25th floor while he ventured deeper, but the exact message wasn't clear until now, and it's safe to say that Bell is planning ahead.
Bell's Solo Mission
Bell is once again separated from the party, but this time it is intentional, dividing and conquering to solve the mystery of Ryu and these strange murders. To make up for Bell arguably taking a back seat the first half of the season, this episode is dedicated to his own search and as usual, he's got some neat tricks to show off.
His usual dagger-focused fighting style and fire magic are always fun, but the introduction of his new scarf has opened up the possibilities for even cooler action in the future. Not only is the scarf useful for protection, made from the Undine Cloak, but he also swings it like a whip. It is very reminiscent of Hiroomi from Beyond the Boundary and how they fight with a scarf.
Bell has found himself journeying with other adventurers but has to find an opportunity to split off to conduct his own search and find Ryu himself. This is where Marie makes her reappearance, and while she is a fun character, one continues to wonder if there is a larger purpose to her character. Then again, perhaps that's too nitpicky.
Ryu's Bizarre Adventure
Ryu is so much angrier than ever seen before, and while her rage has been hinted at in the past, this is most viewers have ever seen her on a quest for vengeance. It's so intense that it almost runs the risk of sullying her character as she's become known up to that point because she's so ferocious. She still has some boundaries, only appearing to kill those on her list of targets, but the way she talks even to Bell isn't even dispassionate, it's rageful and dismissive. She isn't expressing anything like who she typically is, but then again, who she was deep down was always guarded. It's a flaw with her character, but clearly, an intentional one that very well could pay off down the line.
There is still much to discover about her past and what led her to this point that could make the audience feel some of that rage. And according to Cassandra, she may very well be the catalyst for some terrible tragedy, making her either in the wrong place at the wrong time or the victim of some manipulation.
Whatever happens, her path is clearly going to intersect with Bell, whose concern for her seems to have fallen on deaf ears. He has had to come to terms with Ryu's undeniable involvement in these crimes and even if there is justification, he can't bear to see her fall down such a dark path. Considering the power levels of these two characters, these next few episodes have the potential to be some of the most intense yet. Ryu having lurked in the background as the mysterious loner has built her up considerably, making her quite an exciting opponent for a fight, no matter how much it hurts seeing her fight Bell.