Rudolf’s role in season 2 is so emphasized it’s funny she does kind of literally nothing. Which kind of says things for itself and is such a funny thing to analyze. Season 2 spoilers for the anime by the way!
The first thing we’re introduced in the season is how Teio, an elementary schooler, first met Rudolf in the midst of her blitzing career, as she grabbed her second crown. Rudolf is powerful, all encompassing, and all that Teio admires. She becomes the goalpost, just as Rudolf has intentionally put herself as years later.
Now, we start off the season with the first of three leg fractures/injuries Teio endured throughout the entire 2-3 years (yes, that’s how long this season takes) of this arc. Rudolf and Spica’s trainer are the only ones to notice the injury as Teio performs her concert, both being experienced in their field. However, as Teio goes through rehabilitation, we actually hear a bit of commentary from Grass Wonder.
In the first of many, many scenarios where Rudolf watches over Teio from a far distance, Grass asks Rudolf why she isn’t talking to her, especially after such a sharp and critical injury as a racer. Rudolf’s simply replies that Teio isn’t the type of person to give up, so talking to her simply isn’t necessary.
And Grass retorts: “Are you sure it isn’t because you can’t find the right words?”
Now, 1. Ouch. And 2. Grass hit the nail on its head, because we see this lack of words, of any guidance or wisdom so evident in any Rudolf appearance involving Teio. She’s simply there as fuel Teio rockets off her own optimism and her beliefs to affirm. The most evident being before Teio’s Tenno Sho Spring match against McQueen. Teio shows off her confidence, displaying her train of thought into entering her very first Long distance race, to Rudolf merely smiles and nods at. Yet she’s almost never there when Teio is struggling, usually only present when Teio is picking herself back up.
This is not to say Rudolf doesn’t care about Teio when she’s hitting her low points. She has specific scenes depicting her misery, panic, fear, and more when Teio crashes again, and again, and again. The first injury, her holding herself tight as she watched the Kikuka Sho start without Teio, is one of the sharpest ones to me. Specifically because in the exact same frame of the moment, Teio herself was bawling at the loss of her Triple Crown dream, crying Rudolf’s name. (Or well, Prez. You get the point.) It’s very evident that she’s fond of, even favors Teio and her journey. That kid she met that grew into this amazingly strong racer along the way. Only to simply watch her plummet, again, and again, and again.
Simply put, it’s as Grass wonder states. She does not know what to offer, or say. She always watches Teio from a visible, but far distance. Unreachable still, in many ways, but always watching. But words are vitally important, as we begin to see throughout this season. Encouragement is important, Sharing perspective, rivalry even, is key to mutual growth.
We see this through Bourbon and Rice’s arc. We see this in the Fan festival, where the people, including a significantly younger Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond cry for Teio’s return. And Rudolf, while she is clearly warm and brimming with emotion, does not do that. When Teio conveys her intention to retire to Rudolf, she does not fight back. Yet, in a conversation with McQueen (who similarly acted the same way), they both reveal their denial of the situation. They both simply can’t accept it until it actually happens.
There is one moment where Teio asks for Rudolf’s perspective. Just before the Arima Kinen, where she asks if there’s anything Rudolf did before a race she really wanted to win, no matter what. And Rudolf, being Rudolf, never narrowed that answer down to herself, rather every uma musume’s desire to win. It turned into a form of encouragement, but she never quite answers her personal view.
There is however, the one, final moment that Rudolf finds the words. In the final, last scenes of Teio’s Arima Kinen race. She finds the words. Her voice actor does a wonderful, excellent job of depicting Rudolf bite out these words of obvious favoritism. Despite her position as the Emperor, the one who equally must guide uma musume to the light, the student council president, she cannot help but shout:
She then later joins the crowd’s chant, a soft one, crying at Tokai Teio’s victory.
As little as Rudolf is fleshed out in this season, I cried hearing her shout, seeing her cry. I cried because Teio is dearly loved by everyone, her mentor figure, her friends, her rival, her community. Rudolf is one of those people, even if she’s bad at playing her role. Three cheers for emotionally constipated women!
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