The following contains spoilers for Episode 0 of Mushoku Tensei Season 2, "Guardian Fitz," now streaming on Crunchyroll.
After the tremendous first season concluded at the tail end of 2021, Mushoku Tenseihas finally returned with a second season. After being reincarnated in a new world, separated from his family and loved ones, and forced to venture through dangerous lands, Rudeus finally makes it home only to find tragedy and heartbreak. Despite this, he continues to search for his missing mother, the only member of his family left unaccounted for.
Before that, however, the series chooses to reintroduce Sylphiette in a special Episode 0. Sylphie appeared at the end of the last season with a new appearance and new allies, leaving a lot of mysteries behind for fans of the series. This episode takes time to explain what happened to Sylphie during the time Rudeus and Eris were traveling across the Demon Continent.
A Miraculous Meeting
As a result of the teleportation incident that split up Rudeus and his family, Sylphie is teleported high up into the sky and immediately begins falling towards the ground. At the same time, the Asuran princess Ariel is having tea with her retainers Luke and Derek when she is attacked by a monstrous beast. The monster kills Derek, but is itself killed by Sylphie when she lands on it, breaking her own fall in the process. Sylphie survives with few wounds, but the stress and trauma of falling through the sky turns her hair a pale white.
Sylphie awakens in Ariel's bed and is surprised by the change in her hair color. At the same time, she is told by Ariel what has happened in Fittoa, and how nearly everyone from her home has either disappeared or died. Ariel offers to help Sylphie find her family, but demands that she become one of her bodyguards in return, threatening her with arrest due to her technically trespassing in the royal palace. Sylphie accepts, donning the disguise Ariel gives her and assuming the male identity of Fitz.
The Princess's New Guardian
Sylphie quickly becomes accustomed to working as Ariel's bodyguard and attendant, and her refusal to speak even a single word earns her the nickname "Silent Fitz." She accompanies Ariel to a meeting with Luke's father, Lord Pilemon. She is interrupted by Grabel, her older brother, who accuses her of conspiring with Pilemon. While his jab is largely meant to be a playful one, the two siblings are in fact both vying for the throne in the background. After a tense exchange, Grabel takes his leave with his advisor Darius, though he takes notice of Ariel's new bodyguard, Fitz.
Sylphie, meanwhile, is left to stand guard alone while Luke escorts another lady to meet with his father. Her keen hearing picks up the gossip and chatter around her, causing her to feel uncomfortable. During this time, she is approached by two men, one of when tries to help her up. When the man remarks that Fitz's hand feels like a girl's, Sylphie pulls back startled, only to bump into another man, making him spill his drink. Thankfully, before he can kick up a fuss, Ariel steps in with a song and pulls everyone's attention to her. Sylphie later apologizes to Ariel, but Ariel tells her that she has nothing to worry about and that she and Luke will support her no matter what.
A Precious Connection
Ariel learns that Sylphie is still having nightmares about falling through the sky, and invites her to sleep in her bedroom that night. The two have a conversation about the day they met, and Ariel confesses that she still has nightmares about that event. While there is little that either can do about nightmares, Ariel hopes that the two of them can find comfort in each other's presence. The two fall asleep, but their rest is interrupted by an assassin who attempts to attack them in their sleep. She is stopped by Sylphie, who manages to blow her out of the room with a powerful wind magic spell, though she falls unconscious soon after.
The assassination attempt worries Lord Pilemon, who has no doubts that the assassin was sent by Grabel. He recommends that Ariel temporarily escape the palace and study abroad where Grabel can't touch her, and while Ariel is reluctant, she ultimately agrees. Ariel releases Sylphie from her service, as she does not wish to have her in her service due to coercion, and she has so far also failed to find any of Sylphie's family. However, Sylphie wishes to remain at Ariel's side, not because she wants something from her, but because she truly sees her as a friend.
This episode is an incredibly important episode for Sylphie due to her having been absent for the majority of the first season. It covers the gaps during the time she had not been seen during Rudeus's journey through the Demon Continent and shows the growth she went through as a result of being separated from Rudeus's family. As hinted from the last episode of the first season, the series seems to be gearing up for a reunion between the two, an event that fans are likely highly anticipating.