Vernal – The Tragic Decoy Who Deserved Better
Honestly, there isn’t a ton to say about Vernal because she exists for exactly one purpose: to die so the real Spring Maiden can be revealed. But what little we do get of her is genuinely interesting.
She’s surprisingly affable and even respectful toward Weiss when she captures her; no gloating, no cruelty, just business. She compliments Myrtenaster and clearly wants to keep it, only handing it back because Raven tells her to. That tiny moment shows she has taste, pride in weaponry, and genuine loyalty to Raven (the same loyalty that gets her killed).
Skill-wise, she completely outclasses Volume 5 Weiss in a straight fight, and she does it with style. Yes, Weiss was having the worst brain day of her life (summoning a tiny sword and then running straight at a gun), but Vernal still wins clean. She’s fast, precise, reads her opponent perfectly, and uses the environment like a pro. If Weiss hadn’t swallowed the idiot pills that afternoon, it still would have been a tough fight.
At the end of the day Vernal is only a “villain” because she rides with Raven’s band of murderers and raiders. She’s spent years helping burn villages and rob caravans, but everything we actually see from her on-screen is… weirdly honorable? She follows orders, protects her tribe, and willingly acts as Raven’s body double knowing full well it paints a massive target on her back.
Vernal didn’t deserve the Maiden powers… but she sure deserved a better boss.