#kharlan

[daryun]

Bonus Sketches by Hiromu Arakawa in the manga 'The Heroic Legend of Arslan' volumes 21 and 22

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If Sam dies what do you wanna bet that he gets to have that talk with Kharlan afterwards?

[tired-reader-writer]

ArSen 138 Live-reaction (kinda)

Zandeh being in denial at first (“this isn't my father” + “my father would never do this”)

I think Kharlan said “Zandeh, my son, do you mean to defy me?” but I haven't confirmed the kanji so

Hilmes going “get your shit together, Zandeh! do you want to die here?”

He called Kharlan “a ghost to fool us” I think but I'm not sure

He def said “I'll handle this/put an end to this” tho

OHHHH KHARLAN ABOUT TO SPILL THE TRUTH?!

HE DID, OUCH

Zandeh is so shocked and confused

Hilmes shouting, telling Zandeh not to listen :(

“What runs within you is the cursed blood of the Parsian royal family. What rightful king?”

OUCH

THE LITTLE MOHAWK GUY GOING “ummmm are we sure there wasn't some mistake here? his highness Hilmes? son of Gotarzes?? no wayyyyy” 😭

Is it just me or is Kharlan still speaking in polite/deferential speech towards Hilmes? Am I imagining things?

“Worry not, Your Highness Hilmes, for I will shoulder every tainted work [for the Parsian royal family(?)]”

The crying panel with “I will kill both you and my son, and then die once again”

Man. The anguish. I'm not intelligent enough for a meta rn but somehow it feels fitting that he wants to “do the dirty work” again to set things right, if that makes sense

The page with Kharlan standing where he used to pass by gossipping Lusitanians when he was alive...

OH GOD THE MOVEMENTS ARE SO INHUMAN EW EW EW EW

MY BOY DIDN'T GET STABBED HE JUST GOT HIS JAW JABBED

I have never sighed in so much relief...

“Are you still fighting for this pathetic false king, Zandeh?”

HE'S CRYING

HE'S TALKING ABOUT HOW HILMES FORGAVE HIM AND HOW HE PRAISED HIM AND HOW HE SHOWED HIS FACE AND HOW HE FACED HIS FEARS TO BECOME A STRONGER KING AAAAAAAA

Earlier, Kharlan asked why Zandeh swung his sword, AND THIS IS THE ANSWER ZANDEH GAVE. FOR HILMES. HE SWINGS HIS SWORD FOR HILMES.

He asks for forgiveness from his father. (He will stand for Hilmes still.)

@innerchorus you could (and should) probably write an entire essay on Hilmes' expressions that followed Zandeh's speech 🤭

Hilmes telling Zandeh to leave...

I think he's trying to spare Zandeh from the fate of having to kill his own father...

Yep. He also says Zandeh must not want to see Hilmes cut Kharlan down either.

He's basically saying he'll handle this. (“for Zandeh” is left unsaid but we can infer, right?)

“Yes. My blood is cursed. Finally it's out. Now I can do all the dirty, tainted work myself!”

BASICALLY THROWING KHARLAN'S WORDS BACK AT HIM

“Go, Zandeh. No more following me.”

He's telling Zandeh to go serve Arslan instead, saying that if it's Arslan then he'll surely spare Zandeh's life and forgive him :(

AND TELL IRINA I'M SORRY FOR NOT LETTING HER SEE THE CONTINUATION OF THE PARSIAN ROYAL LINE AUGHHHH

Zandeh protests but Hilmes INSISTS. He's putting his life on the line for his puppy man 😭😭😭😭😭

Zandeh crying harder aaaaa

SAAM IS HERE lemme look at his dialogue

“Go tell that to the princess yourself, Your Highness 😑” KSBRODHDIDDBDIDHDKDJEHS

“hey bitch this ain't what you said. you said you and I were gonna have a good long talk when you got back so why you with his highness instead of ME. ASSHOLE.”

[thelittleukrainianwell-armedgirl]

We are proud (c) @ bright_arts

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Super pleased to have these images in better quality! (Bonus sketches from manga Vol. 23)

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BLESS ARAKAWA FOR THIS

(And bless all those people selling cut up copies of this volume, whose resale pics I scoured to find these bonus sketches. I think this was the best full image, certainly of Isfan and Shapur, but lemme share a few others just in case any are clearer or flatter.)

Bonus sketches for manga Vol. 23 making me seriously consider importing a copy just for them.

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Vol. 22 had these before and afters of the undead warriors, perhaps to remind more casual readers exactly who they were? I'm so embedded in ArSen fandom that I couldn't forget most of these if I tried, but I did see someone asking who tf Shapur was when he first showed up so maybe a reminder with visuals is a good idea.

And a couple of pages generating hype for the next volume! It's not out for a while (September) so we'll have to wait a long time to see who gets the next cover spot, but with all of this sorcerous shit going on it feels like it might be the right spot for the Holy Master. I am also still nurturing hopes of an Isfan cover but I don't know whether that'll work out before the series ends now.

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Arslan Senki Chapter 139

Because nothing says last minute like writing this post on the day the new chapter is due to be released. Sorry, it's been such a busy month! Anyway, let's see what I have to say.

The chapter opens with sewer snakes aka Zahhak's on the move and currently below the city, which... feels like a very ominous start to the chapter. Is Zahhak just swimming along in there horizontally beneath the surface until the snake heads pop out?

But first, we're back with Team Hilmes and Sam's wound does not look good. He's bleeding far more profusely than Zandeh.

Sam sees the carnage in the throne room and knows instantly that Kharlan did this, unlike Zandeh and the lil mohawk guy in the previous chapter who clung to denial. Sam sees things clearly. (Which is why I think it's interesting that it's him rather than anyone else from Team Hilmes who gets the first glimpse of Zahhak. He's the first to see the whole truth of what Team Zahhak have been up to, what Hilmes has been used for.)

Emotions are heightened, and it shows in the dialogue.

Chapter 138 on the left, with Hilmes admonishing Zandeh, and Chapter 139 on the right with him challenging Sam. I've said right from the start that Hilmes genuinely cares for those who serve him and I love that and it's definitely on display here, but more than that, he's not willing to let either of them die for his mistakes.

Hilmes is prepared to give his own life if need be to correct his own wrongs (an astounding character development for someone who would have seen the whole country burn if it meant he could have his throne). There's a wry humour in the fact that he admonishes Sam for being willing to die when we saw the exact same behaviour from him in the last chapter when he stepped before Zandeh to face Kharlan.

Hilmes knows Sam's nature, so he's not wrong to suspect that Sam is seeking death (especially following their loss in his bid for the throne). After all, what is left to live for? Had we not seen Sam's resolve show itself previously when he was hastening to Hilmes's side after his fight with Garshasp, I'd have assumed the same thing. But this also feels linked to what I assume might be Hilmes's feeling of no longer being someone worth dying for.

This statement! I cheered when I saw it.

I really like this part so I'm going to dig into it in a bit more detail.

This reads to me like Sam is acknowledging that, in the wake of their failure to have Hilmes claim the throne (for there can be only one sun in the sky, and only one Shah), there is no longer a place for them under that sun, aka, no place for them in Pars itself.

Arslan said that Hilmes would have to be held accountable for his crimes. One way to do that would be to banish him (and those who still choose to serve him) beyond the borders of Pars, thus forcing them to 'live in shadow' (another country) like Sam says. Banishment as punishment fits with both Arslan's personality (we already know he won't have Hilmes executed, and nor is he cruel enough to lock him up in a dungeon for the rest of his life). Hilmes brought about the Lusitanian invasion of Pars. Perhaps the correct punishment would be to strip him of the right to live there.

As I said, Sam sees clearly. He likely knows the depth of Zandeh's loyalty too. Laying it out like this ensures two things: one being that he can confirm that Zandeh accepts the consequences of his loyalty, and the second being that Hilmes hears it and understands that no matter what, they still choose to follow him.

It also reminded me of this scene outside Zabul Fortress with Sam and Zandeh from Chapter 60:

I'm really digging the fact that Sam's resolve to live comes after Hilmes's loss to Arslan. He's not going to 'throw his life away' for the royal line, and his loyalty to Hilmes does not depend on his right to the throne. He's not backed into a corner by Hilmes's bloodline, he's choosing him of his own free will.

Meanwhile, Zandeh in Chapter 60 doesn't really seem to get what Sam's saying. Sam asks "It is the same for you, is it not, Zandeh?' and he's all ???. Compare that to the early dialogue between Sam and Zandeh in Chapter 139 and I think it's clear that Zandeh now has much more of an understanding of his own loyalty and what it means.

The fight against Kharlan feels like the first time we've truly seen the three core members of Team Hilmes operating as a true team. That is displayed in the way they work together (Zandeh and Sam's swords both cutting Kharlan's spear at the same time! Hilmes assisting by lopping off Kharlan's foot; he's not going to just stand by and let his subordinates do the work! Zandeh temporarily duel wielding with Sam's sword! And of course Hilmes shouldering the responsibility of ending Kharlan's pain) and later reinforced by the dialogue between them after the fight. I really like this new dynamic!

This feels like an important acknowledgement from Hilmes. A recognition of his own failures, where he went wrong, the harm he's done. If, as I suspect, he may eventually be banished from Pars, I don't think he's likely to protest. Team Hilmes permanent group roadtrip to Maryam, anyone?

Kharlan's last words really got me. After the fighting, it felt like a quiet end, somehow it had a feeling of dignity to it that fits Kharlan's personality. But he did also basically say to Hilmes 'a puppy is for life, not just for Christmas the Shah of Pars'.

They've never been able to banter like this before. Hilmes's hand on Sam's back here warms my heart. Even Hilmes trying to shake Zandeh off and saying that he tries his patience feels like it has an undertone of affection. I also enjoyed Zandeh respectfully asking Sam to take care of his father's head!

The face of a Zandeh who thinks he is about to be left behind by Hilmes lmao.

Arakawa is so good at double meanings. Hilmes calls Kharlan's last words 'one final curse' and we think we understand what the chapter title is referring to, but the Zahhak appears and the light-heartedness turns to dread as we realise that maybe this is the final curse. The final curse of a cursed bloodline.

For a second I really thought Sam was going to be eaten and Hilmes and Zandeh would come back to find his headless body but thankfully Arakawa must have decided that would just be too cruel after what they've all been through and our boy survives yet again!

Zahhak appears to have entered the throne room the same way that Andragoras did, through the underground waterways. Could be that the snake king wants to sit on that throne, but I actually got the sense that Zahhak was looking for something... someone? Looking for Hilmes? One of the snake heads looks down the corridor in the direction Hilmes and Zandeh went.

The snakes withdraw back into the throne room and the last panel looking through the door seems to imply they left, with the room an empty white space rather that the ominous black that denoted Zahhak's presence as the snake heads emerged. Sam, who can't exactly move due to his injuries, is left alone with the awful knowledge of what he's just seen. If Zahhak is after Hilmes, how can Sam warn him?

And then as if this chapter wasn't stressful enough, Arakawa wounded me with the last few panels of Isfan and Shapur. In just a few hours we'll find out what happens there, and if I tell you I feel sick every time I think of it...

@colleyuriko said this expression on Isfan's face feels like we're seeing something we're not supposed to, and I thought that was a good observation, because while Isfan's face can't hide his emotions, this particular expression could only be brought about by something that should not naturally exist. His brother shouldn't be here. But he is.

The dialogue here feels to me like a warped echo of Shapur training Isfan. We know that Shapur taught him everything we know, we also know that he was strict; perhaps that strictness led to him being tough on Isfan in training sometimes, knowing that he needed to prepare him for battle as best he could.

(I could be off base with that, but so far the undead warriors have behaved like twisted versions of their living selves, and this is what my mind went to. It would be really nice to get a flashback of Shapur training a younger Isfan, but in any case, I do think that whatever we're about to see next will illuminate more of Shapur's character in restrospect, and I am excited about that.)

One other thing I'm wondering... are there any mages around? One popped up after Sam's fight with Garshasp so it's not inconceivable that one is watching this go down too. You know I want it to be Gurgin because I still haven't given up hope but more realistically it might be Ghundi, who watched Isfan take down Gurgin before.

Out of Isfan and Kubard, if one of them has to take down undead Shapur it has to be Kubard. Just as Zandeh shouldn't have to be the one to kill his father, nor can Isfan kill his brother, the one who saved him (even if his brother is now trying to kill him!). As I've said before, I hope and trust that Kubard will continue to look out for Isfan. Let's hope they both survive this together!