Yuri's character arc? Nah dude-
Yuri's character arc is one of the greatest story arcs ever, but you know what other character has a great arc? Judith? Estelle? Maybe Rita? Nah
Maybe it's just me, but I've seen people bash on Karol being a whiny and unlikable character cause he's annoying. First off, yeah Karol can get annoying. Why? He's a 12 year old kid. You ever seen a 12 year old kid? They're annoying. Kids are annoying, even Rita is annoying! But that doesn't stop you from liking Rita.
Secondly, Karol is introduced as a cowardly character. A fact that Yuri hilariously takes advantage of in the first scenes that we see him in. But we can see that he's very determined in what he wants, but cowardice in people is very similar to a virus that takes hold over someone's mind and soul and warps it into fear over everything. Caer Bocram shows it well, how Karol turn tails in fear from the trapped Entelexeia leaving Yuri and the others to fight against it. When Yuri and co. make it out, it's clear of what Karol did but even when the Hunting Blades kick him out, Yuri didn't. In fact he never addressed it then, why? Because Yuri understood that Karol.was.just.a.kid. Karol was 12 years old and in a monster hunting guild, a guild where anyone could die from a large scale monster attack, especially 12 year olds. It didn't matter if Nan was the same age, even she was at the same risk as Karol had been. Yuri probably saw this as Yuri came from a low class community of people with lots of kids like Karol.
Through the story, Karol and Yuri start a guild together with Karol being the "leader". And although at one point Karol asks Yuri to carry on until he gains the confidence he needs,its not until later at the Blade Drifts that every scene and moment of Karol's cowardice comes to play. Knowing full well that everyone would be killed and him having the chance to run away like usual, Karol stands up against the monster by himself in the freezing cold while everyone else is helpless to watch. Karol, seen as weak little Karol who managed to get himself kicked out of every guild from Dahngrest, who's terrified of bugs and unable to handle intense pressure, is the one person who stands up to save his newfound family even if he would die. And he succeeds. Not only in defeating the monster, but gaining the respect of his family, and proving to himself that he is more than what Dahngrest labels him as.
I know there's so much more to touch on, but I really just love my soft boy so much
