Madoka Magica Episode 10: I Won't Rely On Anyone Anymore
| I Won't Depend on Anyone Anymore もう誰にも頼らない | |
|---|---|
| First airing | 10 March 2011 |
| Script | Gen Urobuchi |
| Storyboard | Shinsaku Sasaki |
| Episode director | Yuki Yase |
| Animation Director | Yoshiaki Itou Kazuya Shiotsuki |
Summary
This episode centers around Homura. Most of the mystery behind her origin and behavior in previous episodes is explained.
Timeline 1
In the original timeline for Homura, she was a normal human girl suffering from a heart disease. She is shown just released from the hospital and transferring to the Mitakihara Middle School, similar to the first episode. She differs in appearance to the Homura we know, though - she wears glasses and wears her long hair tied in two braids. Her personality also feels different - she is a lot more shy and clumsy.
Madoka, Sayaka and other new classmates try to befriend Homura, which makes her feel uneasy. During a talk with Madoka, she admits finding herself worthless, not unlike Madoka does in the timeline of other episodes. Homura's problems during math and sports classes (probably related to being out of school for a long time) contribute to her depression, which makes her get suicidal thoughts on the way from school.
Presumably because of these thoughts, she wanders into the barrier of witch Isadel. She is quickly saved by Puella Magi Madoka and Mami, with Madoka asking her to keep their jobs a secret from schoolmates. Later, during a visit at Mami's apartment, Madoka reveals that she's been contracted only for a very short time. Homura feels fascinated about her magical friends, similar to how Madoka acts in initial episodes.
Some time later, Madoka and Mami fight Walpurgis Night together, with Homura following them as a human. Mami is defeated quickly, then Madoka apparently manages to defeat the witch, but at the expense of her own life. Homura cries over Madoka's dead body, and accepts Kyuubey's proposal to become a Puella Magi, her wish being "I want to redo my meeting with Kaname-san. Instead of being protected by her, I want to protect her!" The contract is formed, with Kyuubey commenting that the wish has "improved entropy".
Timeline 2
Homura wakes up in a hospital, on the date she was released in the previous iteration, having a Soul Gem in her hand. After transferring to school, she instantly tells Madoka about becoming a Puella Magi, hoping for a good cooperation.
Madoka and Mami train Homura the Puella Magi, who turn out to be extremely clumsy, despite having very powerful ability of stopping time. Meanwhile, Homura reads online guides about making explosives - all this contributing to improving her skills. While still clumsy, she plays the most important role during the trio's - now all being good friends - fight with a witch Patricia.
The next scene shown is after the Walpurgis Night - after defeating the witch, Madoka's Soul Gem turns into a Grief Seed and forms a witch.
Timeline 3
The time goes back again, and Homura wakes up at the exact same place and time as previously. Scared and angried by the discovery of the true nature of the contract with Kyuubey, she decides to tell the other girls immediately. Sayaka, who in this timeline became a Puella Magi, too, doesn't believe her and accuses her of collaborating with Kyouko, whom apparently only Homura has met yet.
Sayaka also tells that she feels afraid of Homura's explosives, which makes Homura go to a meeting of yakuza gang and steal some firearms, all on frozen time. Since Sayaka turns into a witch, presumably for similar reasons as in Episode 8, Homura uses the firearms during the fight with her to protect Madoka, and also defeats her, even though Madoka and Kyouko try to make Sayaka human again in a fashion similar to Episode 9.
Upon seeing the true nature of Puella Magi herself, Mami breaks down and kills Kyouko out of anger. She also tries to kill Homura, but is instead killed by Madoka. The remaining two fight on the Walpurgis Night together, and defeat the witch, having their Soul Gems fatally tainted, though. Madoka heals Homura with a Grief Seed she was hiding, and asks Homura to prevent her from becoming a Puella Magi next time she'll go back in time. Homura agrees, and grants Madoka one more wish of hers - kills her to prevent her from becoming a witch.
Timeline 4
Upon waking up in the familiar hospital, Homura changes her presence by magically healing her eyes, wearing the hair down and taming her emotions - just how she looked in all the previous episodes. She warns Madoka at night (with Madoka recognizing her to some extent as she says "Homu...") and goes hunting all the witches.
On Walpurgis Night, the Episode 1 dream sequence is shown again. Homura watches Kyuubey persuading Madoka and screams to prevent her from forming the contract, but Madoka doesn't seem to hear it.
Off-camera, Madoka forms the contract and defeats the witch with just one shot, but becomes a witch herself shortly after. Kyuubey comments that she may destroy the whole Earth in near future. He has collected an enormous amount of energy from her already, though, so he doesn't care about it anymore.
Homura refuses to fight Madoka the witch, which make Kyuubey realize that she's from a different timeline.
Timeline 5
This is presumably the timeline of all the previous episodes. Homura insists of repeating that particular period of time (between her transferring and the Walpurgis Night), no matter how many times, until she saves Madoka. She kills Kyuubey, but he respawns in a new body, which she chases, but he is saved by Madoka, similar to Episode 1.
Runes
Speculations and Observations
- This time, the only change spotted in the opening animation was the addition of Homura and Kyouko to the group shot. The opening animation has been used as the ending sequence. (this episode has no proper opening)
- The calendar in Homura's room shows that she's getting discharged from the hospital on the 16th and returns to school on the 25th. From the format of the calendar, the 25th is apparently a Friday. The only month in 2011 that has 31 days and the 25th falling on a Friday is March. This means that the anime is set during the same time the final episode will be airing.
- It seems like in every timeline the last ones left to fight Walpurgis Night are Homura and Madoka.
- It is assumed that Mami, Kyouko, and Sayaka always die in every timeline.
- However, some evidence suggests that Kyouko's and Sayaka's absence on Walpurgis Night in the other timelines could be explained as Kyouko never arriving to town (or joining forces) or Sayaka never making her wish.
- Under this assumption we are lead to believe that Mami dies in every timeline.
- However, some evidence suggests that Kyouko's and Sayaka's absence on Walpurgis Night in the other timelines could be explained as Kyouko never arriving to town (or joining forces) or Sayaka never making her wish.
- It is assumed that Mami, Kyouko, and Sayaka always die in every timeline.
- It is possible that an imprint or a residue of past timelines are still within Madoka's memory. One example is the dream that Madoka had in Episode 1 and that strange image static in Episode 8.
- According to Kyuubey, Madoka as a Witch has the power to destroy the world but it is of no concern to him as long as they meet their quota.
- It is speculated that because of the nature of Madoka's wish in Timeline 4, that wish gave her the power of not only destroying the Witch with one shot but that same power could destroy the world once she becomes a Witch herself. For that to happen Madoka will have to make the same wish on Walpurgis Night in Timeline 5.
- To stop Mami from killing Homura, Madoka shoots Mami's soul gem which is located on her head, so technically Madoka killed Mami by shooting her head.
- Homura's only way to get guns and weapons is by stealing them, it is assumed that she must have stolen them from a group of criminals.
- Given the nature of Walpurgis Night and the presence of gears and the "falling" figure of the witch, Walpurgis Night could be the witch form of Homura. Although, Homura's magic is very limited, her experience in multiple time-lines makes the witch a formidable foe.
Images
Madoka's grief seed, the cutest grief seed yet.
Oktavia as seen in Episode 10.
Oktavia's minions look like Hitomi
Madoka's first witch transformation.
Homura's calendar and Madoka revealing the timeframe in which she contracted.
This is a happier and innocent Homura from Timeline 1. By Timeline 5 her demeanor will change.
How to make bombs.
Mami suffers from a mental breakdown once she learns the truth. She decides suicide is the only option.
Group shot with Kyouko and Homura.
Comparison between Bakemonogatari and Madoka
This Witch is PATRICIA
The world after Walpurgis Night in Timeline 4
Paintings referenced in this episode.
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| Episode 9 I'll Never Allow That | Madoka Magica Episode 10: I Won't Rely On Anyone Anymore I Won't Depend on Anyone Anymore | Episode 11 The Last Guidepost Left |