Madoka Magica Episode 8: I Was Stupid… So Stupid

I Really Am an Idiot あたしって、ほんとバカ
First airing	24 February 2011
Script	Gen Urobuchi
Storyboard	Shin'ichi Omata
Episode director	Takashi Kawabata
Animation Director	Tomoyuki Matsumoto Yuuji Kondou

Summary

Sayaka finishes off Elsa Maria, but refuses to use the Grief Seed, giving it to Kyouko, and doesn't feel well afterwards. Madoka helps her go back home. They are sitting on a bench with Madoka crying over Sayaka's actions. Sayaka tells that all that is left for her in life is fighting witches. Madoka tells that she wants to make Sayaka happy, but Sayaka runs away, telling Madoka not to follow her, while her Soul Gem is dimming.

Kyouko and Homura are talking about Walpurgisnacht in Homura's apartment, Kyuubey appears uninvited and tells them about Sayaka's current condition. Madoka goes to Sayaka's apartment to find out that she's been absent since the day before. As Hitomi and Kyousuke are walking home, the two of them stop in a park and have a lively conversation. Sayaka watches from afar.

Homura speaks with Sayaka, trying to get her to use a Grief Seed, but Sayaka refuses. Sayaka accuses Homura of putting up false pretenses and always lying to them. Homura admits she is just doing things for Madoka's sake and prepares to kill Sayaka, but Kyouko interferes. Homura uses a flashbang grenade and escapes.　

Sayaka is riding in a train where two men are discussing and badmouthing their girlfriends and generally acting misogynistic. She interferes, asking them how they can speak this way about women who love them. Her train of thought grows progressively more nihilistic as she wonders why she bothered trying to save such a worthless world, and she begins to transform into darkness.

Madoka talks with Kyuubey and he tells her about her apparent power. She seems to almost agree to become a Puella Magi, but Homura shoots Kyuubey and starts crying afterwards. Suddenly, Madoka's mind goes blank and she asks if she has met Homura before. Before Homura can answer Madoka excuses herself and goes searching for Sayaka, ignoring Homura calling out to her. Another body of Kyuubey appears and eats his previous dead body. Kyuubey realizes that Homura is a person from another time, and Homura says Kyuubey's real identity "Incubator".

Kyouko finds Sayaka and sees that her Soul Gem is almost completely dark. Sayaka says that the hope and despair must always be in balance, starts crying, and her Soul Gem explodes, creating a maze with Sayaka apparently becoming a witch.

The episode ends with Kyubey noting "since this country calls women who are still growing up shoujo (少女, girls), for girls who on the way of becoming majo (魔女, witches), it's logical to call them mahou shoujo (魔法少女, magical girls)."

Runes

This episode made a more intensive use of the musical font. See Runes of episode 8

Observations

• In Homura's apartment, there are a number of documents pertaining to Walpurgisnacht on display. Images of these documents have been archived at the article: Homura Residence.
• Homura's room is laid out like the surface of a clock. There are gears on the ceiling.

Images

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  Parallel between the witch from episode 1 and the sketches in Homura's house.

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  Analysis chart for episode 8.

• Incubator.jpg

  Incubator is not feeling too well...

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  Homura's appartment is laid out as a clock. Note the gears coming from the ceiling.

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  Musical runes appearing during Sayaka becoming a witch. See Runes:Episode 8. The duplicate figures of the man in the background appears to be an orchestral conductor.

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  Chart that appears to be typical explanation of timeline split.

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  An older scan from a feature in Newtype relying on the same wordplay as Kyuubey's line in this episode.

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  The grief seed Homura gives to Sayaka.

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  Sayaka's healing music circle.

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  Sayaka transforming during the train scene.

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  A billboard featuring an upside-down girl with umbrellas.

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  The painting "Walpurgis Night" by Paul Klee. It resembles Sayaka's transformation animation on the train, and is similar to Gertrud's silhouette.