Yakusoku no Neverland/The Promised Neverland - Chapter 122 Review by Seraph
Chapter Title: True Feelings
This Week's Chapter starts with an End,it is the end of Emma's slumber. As she awakes she is immediatly in a hurry to run down the hallway seemingly in panic and as she reaches the Dining Hall and is greeted by everybody present we learn that it was the first time she had overslept. She apologizes but is met by laughing and smiling faces as her friends reveal that they too overslept today, Emma expresses surprise but is relieved as she realizes that Oliver appears as if he had woken up on time as he is sitting at the Table reading a Book. As Emma asks him why he didn't wake her up as well he replies that they all appeared to be comfortable and at Peace as they were sleeping. Emma realizes that there was indeed truth in Hayato's and Norman's words,they can sleep and wake up whenever they want without having to worry about being targetted or attacked by the Ratri Clan or hungry Demons.
Emma,close to going through all sorts of expressions today,starts being nervous because she cannot remember that she has went to sleep in a bad. Because she slept off next to Ray and Norman,the former replies that Zack carried her into a Bed and as they were approached by their friends he woke up himself. Emma asks Ray about Norman's whereabouts at the time and is met by the response that their Old Friend had already left the Room by that time,the scene switches to Norman's Office who is greeted by one of his allies. A tall,glasses wearing Man enters the Room and as he greets Norman we learn that his Name is "Vincent",like Zazie he is one of Norman's trusted companions and a fairly skilled man both in Combat and Medicine. He looked after Christy and Dominic and succeeded in treating them both so their conditions would stabilize,Norman thanks him for his service and is told that he is boring again.
Vincent says that it looked like Norman was a completely different Person yesterday,revealing that the Children's shock was not just from their Leader walking amongst them all of a sudden but because he behaved like one of them. Norman,having taken a serious expression, tells his Comrade to stop mocking him and asks him about Hayato's reports. There is a change of plans he says,which are unknown to us at the present point of time,and he made that decision based on the previously mentioned report which stated that the Mass Production Plantations have fortified their Security much more after having been made aware of their raids on the other Plantations. The survival of the Grace Field Children has been made public as they were spotted by some of the Demons in the Plantation. As Vincent asks if that doesn't call for trouble Norman puts him at ease by denying his statement.
He tells Vincent that while the reveal isn't a matter of concern he'd like to come up with a Counter Strategy in case their Enemy makes his move,he wants to proceed with his Plans ahead of the original schedule. He recalls Phil and the other children at the Grace Field House and tells Vincent that he has a good reason for his decision,his Revolution needs to be carried out without any bloodshed or pain. Both for him and his friends sake,he was writing a letter and as he seals it he hands it to Vincent with the orders to get it to "them" asking to arrange a usual meeting as soon as possible. The scene switches back to Emma and Ray who are taking care of laundry at the time,Ray expresses curiousity about Norman's exact plans he asks Emma for her take on them to which he is met a by a seemingly relieved Emma telling him that it is Norman they are talking about and that they have nothing to worry about it. She is glad about it.
Ray,seemingly suspicious of Emma's reply,asks if she really feels glad about it. As Emma asks where his suspicions come from he replies that Norman's talk about destroying the Plantations isn't sitting right with Emma after all,referring to her reaction when the former told them about his plans,Emma reminds Ray that even he approved of the Plans but is brushed off by her Friend who replies that while it's true that he approves of them this is not what Emma would want isn't it? Emma agrees,she understands why everyone else was charmed by Norman's honesty and his plans end goal,she suddenly looks at Ray with a teary expression on her face telling him that she doesn't want to kill the Demons.
While Emma wants to be happy along with her friends she also wants the Demons to be happy as well,she expresses regret over some of her previous decisions as well as disgust at the Demons and their rituals.
Even though the Demons are their enemy,she wonders what the exact differences between them and the Humans are. Demons have families,friends and lives that they pursue just like humans and while they do eat humans they do it for the same reason as to why Humans eat animals. To survive.
Emma asks Ray if just because they are the Enemy they deserve to be eradicated by them,no matter how much she hates them and their rituals there is still their memories with Musica and Song Juu,their friends. Ray asks why she didn't protest against the plan back then and she responds that she can't because the others will be happier like that. She reminds him that the Seven Walls could be a risk as well as the moment they forge a Promise where Humans get to walk off freely without being eaten the Demons will lose their current form and inevitably end up extinct anyway.
She ends her speech wishing for Alternatives but unfortunately there isn't one,she asks Ray what she's supposed to do.
Personal OpinionThe Chapter was really good,but left me with mixed Feelings mostly because of Emma's reaction and speech at the end. While i can sort of understand her point it is sort of weird to hear given what the Demons did to her and her friends in the past,as she said there aren't any alternatives left for them to take. And even if the Promise wouldve worked wether the Demons keep it or not is a different story,they either end up extinct or betray the Promise to keep devouring Humans. Either way is a dead end for them,which is why i'm really curious about Ray's response to her now. Norman seemed a tad shady to me but currently i'd like to believe that he is doing it all for his friends,i'm very interested by who he meant with "them" and if they are a Supporter of the Original Minerva or another of Norman's allies from Lambda. I hope we'll get our answers to both of those situations. I'd rate this Chapter a solid
8.5 out of 10.
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