Highlights
- "I'm in Love With the Villainess" takes a dramatic turn as a civil movement escalates into a full-blown revolution, with the nobles as the primary target.
- The latest episode reveals the instigators behind the uprising, including Lambert of the Knights, who was blackmailed into participating due to his secret incestuous relationship.
- The series had foreshadowed these events from the beginning, with the otome game's name, "Revolution," hinting at the commoners overthrowing the nobles and establishing a meritocracy. Claire's downfall was also foreshadowed, but Rae's intervention may change the outcome for the villainess.
Warning: The following contains spoilers for I’m in Love With the Villainess, Episode 8, "The Swirling Currents Are All Machinations," now streaming on Crunchyroll.
I’m in Love With the Villainess has reached its turning point as the series has suddenly upped the ante, turning a mere civil movement into a full-blown revolution. Cracks had already begun to appear between the Bauer Kingdom’s two classes, yet none expected the divide to shatter almost immediately. With a revolution underway, the nobles are the primary target of the commoner’s aggravation, meaning Claire Francois is likely to be the first victim of their assault.
The latest episode delves into the beginning of the revolution, and several elements of foreshadowing have already become apparent. From Claire’s role as the villainess to the name of the otome game, everything seems to be falling into place. It is now up to Rae Taylor to divert the game’s intended route to save the villainess and possibly quell the revolution.
The Flames of Rebellion
Fans might have been taken aback by a sudden full-scale uprising, one that was nowhere to be found in the previous episode. While it may all seem out of the blue, there were several hints subtly laid out that indicated an oncoming revolution. The Commoner Movement was the first sign of this conflict, as their demands for wanting equality with the nobles were bound to ignite disputes.
However, the actual tipping point for the movement was Prince Yu’s servant’s assault on a commoner who was advocating equality. The incident provoked the masses, both inside the academy and outside, leading to turmoil and uncertainty. With the academy on lockdown, it was up to the Knights to maintain peace within the academy, though little did they know that the actual enemy lay within their borders.
Sentiments of initiating a revolt were already present among the commoners, and this incident further fanned the flames. However, a few external parties are also involved, potentially exacerbating these thoughts among the public. The Church is one institution that could possibly fund the uprising, as it stands to benefit from a meritocracy being established within the Bauer Kingdom.
The Perpetrators Behind the Incident
The revolution initially seemed to have been conceived out of the Kingdom’s poor policies. However, it is eventually revealed that the uprising has a few perpetrators behind it, forcefully aggravating the commoners to revolt. One of these instigators is Lambert of the Knights, who tinkered with Prince Yu’s servant’s wand so that it would go out of control and target the commoner.
However, Lambert is merely a pawn in this scheme as he was being blackmailed to take part in the uprising. The real perpetrator threatened to kill Lene and reveal the secret incestuous relationship Lambert has with his sister. This revelation has further shaken the series’ narrative as incest is a highly controversial topic, and incorporating it into the premise has added another layer of nuance to the show.
The actual perpetrator has his identity hidden, though it's only a matter of time before the truth of the matter is revealed. The daunting aspect of th revolution is that the masked man is not part of the otome game’s original storyline, meaning Rae has been entirely blindsided by his appearance. It seems that the game has derailed from its intended path, and Rae and Claire’s future together could now be in jeopardy.
The Series’ Foreshadowing
The current events may come as a surprise for many viewers, though I’m in Love With the Villainess had foreshadowed these events right from the beginning. The name of the otome game, Revolution, was the biggest indicator of the events to come, clearly giving a hint that the game’s storyline would eventually involve a revolution. In this case, it revolves around the commoners overthrowing the nobles in power and establishing a meritocracy in the kingdom.
Lene and Lambert’s incestuous relationship was also hinted at previously, yet the subtle nature of that interaction was rather difficult to discern. Rae was also aware of their relationship already, though that could possibly be a result of their relationship being a part of the game. Incorporating such an element into the series is quite risky, though it’s still accurate considering the show is set in medieval Europe. However, it all comes down to the kind of attitude the other characters bear towards this rather odd situation.
Claire’s eventual downfall has also been foreshadowed multiple times through Rae’s preparations. However, this aspect was evident from the name of the series already, with Claire taking on the role of the game’s villainess. Claire is a staunch supporter of the nobles, meaning she would be the first one to fall if the commoners succeed. With Rae’s intervention, however, Claire’s viewpoints seem to be changing, which could potentially lead to a better outcome for the game’s villainess.