Yakusoku no Neverland/The Promised Neverland - Chapter 128 Review by Seraph
Chapter Title: I've made up my MindThis Week's Chapter of Neverland picks up where we left off last time,Emma and Ray tried to change Norman's mind about his Plan regarding the extermination of the Demons or at the very least overthink it because the existence of Demons like Musica can shatter the Pillars his Plan is build on,both sides remained on their views and ideals not budging an inch on their resolve. Can Emma and Ray get through to their Old Friend? Is the extermination really what Norman wants? Well,join me as i break down this Chapter to find the answers to these questions and more!
After Norman told Emma that the world isn't one big desire concert she starts thinking,she knows that there are benefits to Norman's Plan that much is clear even to her but she also knows that there are flaws in said Plan...she stops her thought and tells Norman that while his goals are all good and well the entire plan is based on a lot of probabilities. From a Mathematical Point of View the Plan is indeed the "correct" choice for the Humans,but does being "correct" mean that you'll reach your goals? Does it mean that you'll achieve the most benefit for yourself? Emma asks him. Before he has time to answer she cuts in saying it has to be more than that,she refuses to take a "correct" option that forces them to kill Innocent Children and furthermore the Genocide of the Demon Race. Killing is a heavy thing,and extermination all the more.
Emma recalls
Musica and
Song Ju,and as she does she tells Norman that there is a Path to avoid all of that so why not take it? The Human World may not accept them but maybe they will,he cannot know that for certain. Emma continues by telling Norman that if there is even the faintest chance to survive for both sides then they should take it. If they had always listened to the most logical choice then they would have never left Grace Field,they would have never taken the Children along. It's sheer optimism that has driven them this far,she repeats herself once more,she does not want to kill the Demons or at the very least she does not want to live in a Peaceful Future that she's only allowed to live in because they killed one of her friends so she would never be able to smile again.
Norman finally responds and asks Emma if she really insists on avoiding the Extermination at all costs,which she affirms,he continues asking her how he is supposed to stop a Plan that is already on the move. He can't go back on his Promise to
Gilan and their Alliance,Emma replies that she is aware of that and tells Norman that they can attack and apprehend the Nobles and Regent Families but should avoid killing them. Liberating the Farms isn't a bad thing either but the Nobles have to remain alive so they use their Blood to "cure" the other Demons of their cravings for Human Meat like Musica did in the past. At the same time they will make for the
Seven Walls and forge a new Promise with and then they'll create a pathway to the Human World. The Demons achieve stable Bodies,the Humans Freedom and a right to live in their own World.
The Human World.
Norman remains iron on his Plan and tells Emma that her Plan is nothing but a Pipe Dream. He continues saying that there lies little to no hope in her plan but for the sake of argument he'll indulge in her ideas. They make for the Human World,manage to share the Blood with the commoner Demons and so on but how does Emma plan to reach the Seven Walls? He tells her that even the Ratri Clan doesn't know where to find the Seven Walls,it's a big unknown to even them and they were the ones to forge the Original Promise. Not even James Ratri found the Seven Walls so what makes Emma think she can find them? Emma cuts in and reveals to Norman that they have already found the Seven Walls,and that was a year and a half ago,they have everything necessary to enter them and meet the Supreme Existence among the Demons. Norman is in visible shock and surprise.
Emma admits that while they have the means to get there they are still not 100% certain wether it'll all work out or not,so regardless,it remains an unknown for the most part. But if Norman wants to know more about the Seven Walls and the way to forge a new Promise then he should let her go and find out more,if she can manage to find out a way to peace he'll have to rethink his Plans. Norman wonders where all this enthusiasm and resolve is coming from and asks Emma if there are risks connected to this Plan of hers as well,Ray latches in telling Norman that they have found out
2 Important things regarding the Seven Walls:
1. They know how to get in but not how to get out,
2. It appears that most of the People that tried forging a new Promise have not managed to return. Norman,scared by these reveals cannot help but ask if Emma knows what she is proposing to him,it's too dangerous.
They have a brief comedic exchange,afterwards Emma tells Norman that there has to be a way otherwise the Ratri that managed to forge the Original Promise would not have been able to return. Emma asks Norman to let her handle it,she wants to stop the Extermination so it's only natural that she'd like to find out herself. Emma says it's nothing compared to the burden Norman himself has been carrying all this time on his own,
like a God, she walks over to him and gives him a hug while telling him that everything will be okay. He does not have to become a God for everybody's sake,she asks him if he is really feeling okay with his Plans of Genocide and if he believes to experience relief through these acts. He can talk about his worries with his friends since she does not want him to end up leaving them again. While Remembering his exit back at
Grace Field House.
Norman,visibly moved by her words,looks at her and over to Ray realizing they have always been like that. Reliable and good Friends to him. He seems to struggle hugging Emma back however,most likely due to the doubts he has about their plans,he gently steps back to take her hands instead reassuring her that he will not go anywhere. He understands how Emma feels and her intentions as well but he will not think his plan over nor will he delay it to wait for her. If she really wants to stop the Extermination of the Demons then she has to find out what she can and find a solution
before he puts the Nobles and Regent Families to death. He can't promise to stop his plans then either but he'll be willing to reconsider if she has something valuable to work with. Emma accepts his offer and Norman asks Ray to accompany her,which goes without saying usually,Ray accepts as well and after bidding their farewells they leave his office.
As Emma and Ray walk down the hallway,she tells him that she isn't lost anymore. She will not accept the Genocide of the Demon Race and she'll find a way no matter what it'll take. The Chapter ends with the 2 Friends making their resolve,that they will not let Norman shoulder all the responsebility on his own ever again.
This Chapter had Emma at her best,a true head vs heart and Soul exchange with Norman. I'd like to see her more in this light,she is still very optimistic but not in an unreasonable way if that makes sense,you can at least tell where she's coming from and what her intentions are very clearly. Raising the Grace Field facts did work in her favor as well in my opinion,had they always done things in the most "logical" way there is then they had suffered far more casualties and pain very early on in the story. Not even Norman could disagree with that,speaking of Norman,i felt like he was very relateable for me in this Chapter. He has seen and suffered a lot himself,but unlike Emma and Ray that made similar experiences and worse he had nobody to exchange himself with while they had each other. This became evident when he appeared like a completely different person to Vincent,Hayato and Co. when Emma and the others arrived,i'd say that was because he could be himself and not the savior for the Humans for once. Another arrow pointing at that was the moment when Emma hugged him this Chapter,he had gotten so used to his Savior-Persona that sharing his worries with her did not come into consideration which resulted in him being unable to hug her back and instead hid behind his smile again. His final expression this Chapter seemed to imply that as well. I'm not sure what to predict but i think we'll see Emma and Ray depart to find their solution while Norman starts his preparations. I'd rate this Chapter
a 9 out of 10.To discuss and share your thoughts on the manga, you can visit our Yakusoku no Neverland section.
