Episode 73 – The Hope in the Flames
Popp.
It seems the god of you humans…
has a sense of poetic irony.
In return for my life…
your god brought back the treasure I once stole…
and returned it to you.
Not only that…
your god let me die…
right here…
in the arms… of this man.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
<— Last save | Adventure’s log (Index) | Journey continues —>
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OP 2 —> Bravest
ED —> None
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Information:
MAL | AniList | ANN | Kitsu | AniDB
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Screenshot of the Dai:
Sorry Flora, Avan found a new ship
Comment of the Dai:
goes to the Dark King /u/sisoko2 for noticing the early signs of the conspiracy:
You even came on time for his funeral. Didn't realize that until now.
Indeed nothing gets me up at 6 like preparing for some good old mischief. Alas, he was too late to stop me from taking over the rewatch.
Questions of the Dai:
- Did you expect Avan to be back?
- Did Hadlar's death influence how you view of him?
- We're done with Hadlar and his guards, where will the series go from here? Will our Croco-boy be relevant again?
- Since I took over the rewatch, would you rather I change its name to "Popp no Daibouken" or "Avan no Daibouken"?
- Bonus Question Courtesy of u/Shocketheth: It may be a surprise to you but Avan did survive somehow and the question is how?
Dear First Timers, can you figure out how Avan survived just on the hints that the show already showed us? Solution is out there and my dying wish is for someone to figure it out before episode 74 reveals the answer.
Spoilers:
Please, respect the fact there are First Timers watching Dai no Daibouken with us, so avoid talking about vague things or events that would slightly spoil things to happen. And if you want mention things like this, please hide it behind SPOILER TAGS like [Dai no Spoilers] I am getting the hammer because you spoiled the fun for others
by KendotsX
14 Comments
~~First Timer~~ **Avan Returning for Hadlar’s Funeral**
Hello~ did anyone miss Avan? Since we’re mourning Hadlar’s passing, and happen to have the hero back, we might as well dig into some of the long history between the two, some of you might be familiar with it, but it’s worth restating for the occasion.
**A Long Time Ago, in a Rewatch Far Away…**
Demon Lord ~~Shock~~ Hadlar ruled the Gintama rewatch with terror, he was well known for his acts of brutality, even earning him the legendary title: “Fucking Liar!”. A hero, Avan, had to rise up against that, and take down Shock, he tried many ways, even attempted [giving Hadlar a funeral while he was alive](https://i.imgur.com/9l1p7vS.jpeg) that [didn’t go too well](https://i.imgur.com/ZQdLkGb.jpeg). Eventually there was only one option left for Avan: [leave to the woods for a month](https://i.imgur.com/bgHDAxc.jpeg) and come back with the best ~~drugs~~ mushrooms he can find to kill Hadlar, it worked like a charm. Heck, Hadlar’s death at the end [made the rewatch legendary!](https://i.imgur.com/YE4WeNP.jpeg)
~~Six months~~ 10 years later, while the world was enjoying peace and harmony, Hadlar made his return from death with the Dai rewatch, this time backed with an even more sinister figure who was hiding in the shadows of the Gintama rewatch: Dark Lord ~~Si~~ Vearn. Upon his return, the rivalry reignited, except well, Avan kinda needed a job for those 10 years, aside from being a fake teacher, he pursued a career as a thief, so now that Hadlar’s back, he made many visits to his palace, stealing his toilet paper and driving him nuts, it was a great time! Until at an unfortunate day, Hadlar showed his brutality again, and set a bidet system instead. Seeing that, the great shock gave the hero Avan a heart attack, and drove him out of the story, with everyone assuming he was dead, the whole Megante stuff is just theatrics. Leona rewriting history and stuff.
Finally this gets us to the start of the adventure:
~~Dai~~ **Popp no Daibouken**
With Avan now “dead” on Hadlar’s toilet floor, and the dark anti-Popp army spreading its propaganda quickly, Avan’s students had to take up the mantle. Shock described this as the “[Sky no Daibouken](/u/Shimmering-Sky)” powered with her [**mod crest**](#banhammer) to defeat evil, but that was another bit of the anti-Popp propaganda. I mean a mod crest? Everyone knows that Sky’s real powers are as a deadly Shinigami, and we’ve seen how effective they are, she killed Avan in episode 5!! Heck, now she’s turning the curse around and unlocking revival skills somehow, so yeah, she’s a Tree Woman in her own league. No, the hero this journey is centred around is none other than Popp, the full name is **[Adentsy no Daibouken](/u/Adensty)**. I won’t recap the journey itself, we’ve seen the many trials and tribulations our heroes have passed through, but it’s worth noting Hadlar’s end of that.
See, Hadlar may have started as a brutal dictator who hates sharing his toilet paper, but he’s come a long way on his own arc. Admittedly, things had to get a bit worse before they could get better, not only did he sell his soul to Vearn’s anti-Popp army, after being defeated repeatedly by the kids, he even teamed up with [Zaboera](#bruh). But since then he’s risen back up and found his own way forward, he was literally “reborn”, throwing away his immortal life, to be a worthy opponent to Dai, and along that journey, he’s come to appreciate Popp! Remember when he fought Vearn to save the heroes, and Dai ended up dying anyway? What we didn’t know back then is that the real fight was never about Dai, it was about saving Popp all along, and the champ Hadlar goddamn did it!
That brings us to today, and all I can say is watch this:
#[The Popp Proxy-Proxy War](https://streamable.com/wkng3e)
Brought to you by [The Yato Productions](https://i.imgur.com/zntrWyK.jpeg)
Truth be told, the episode is one long intricate build up to an amazing scene, that I felt bad about having to cut it anywhere, and before I knew it, I was making an edit for the episode as a whole (it has so much good material, especially [Hadlar’s speech to god!](https://i.imgur.com/G1M7iij.jpeg)), except that wouldn’t fly for many obvious reasons [](#cantbehelped)
***
To answer my own questions:
>Q1. Did you expect Avan to be back?
Nope. I genuinely thought we were done with him ages ago. But in retrospect, this explains some of the anime’s choices, like including the Avan one shot right before this attack on Vearn started.
>Q2. Did Hadlar’s death influence how you view of him?
Hadlar has grown on me a lot since his early days as a moron, and this episode, despite Avan’s exciting return, is not about him, it’s the perfect Hadlar send off, that required Avan to be there for it.
>Q3. We’re done with Hadlar and his guards, where will the series go from here? Will our Croco-boy be relevant again?
Tbh, I’m not sure. The only villains left are Vearn, Myst, and Kill. So either Vearn summons a bunch of new ones or we’re gonna be spending the next 27 episodes taking our time with those 3, likely one at a time I suppose. If it’s the latter, so many characters will likely become commentators.
>Q5. Bonus Question Courtesy of u/Shocketheth: It may be a surprise to you but Avan did survive somehow and the question is how?
So Shock gave me this question a few days ago, and here’s the answer I gave back then:
No clue, the only way to come back from death in DQ is Zing/Kazing (there’s another way actually, but it hasn’t been mentioned in the show yet, so I’m assuming it’s not relevant). The options would be:
* Avan knows how to use it and somehow did it right before dying – this makes no sense, he died using Megante
* Some passing Sage used it on him… Matoriv?
* He’s got an item with Kazing in it, like his sword or necklace.
The first option made no sense from the start, and the second one seemed fairly random. So the third is the best I’ve got, especially when you consider that during Avan’s death scene he flashed back to Flora giving him the necklace.
The Dark Lord who terrorized r/anime with his Gintama Rewatch, [only to die after getting executed by](https://i.imgur.com/YE4WeNP.jpeg) [Avan](/u/KendotsX) who originally came [to steal my Toilet Paper](https://i.imgur.com/3jk8Npk.jpeg), [got resurrected](https://i.imgur.com/Xuqguya.png) by [Dark King Vearn](/u/sisoko2) and [returned to terrorize](https://i.imgur.com/mDNoC2p.jpeg) r/anime with killing [Avan](/u/KendotsX) [in his petty revenge with failing to get his Toilet Paper back](https://imgur.com/Nt2qSHv) is dying again, this time for real, with [Avan](/u/KendotsX) surprising everyone [with his return to give me a proper funeral!](https://i.imgur.com/GckTOK4.png)
With that being said, it’s time to say:
# [SKY NO DAIBOUKEN – THE FINAL EPISODE – Dark Lord Hadlar (Shocketheth) Welcomes You to His Funeral](https://i.imgur.com/ulVycv0.jpeg) hosted by [Avan](/u/KendotsX):
**Previous episodes —>** [1](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1dc2obm/rewatch_dragon_quest_dai_no_daibouken_episode_1/l7v1fuj/) **|** [2](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1ddnjwj/comment/l8602u7/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) **|** [3](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1defzg3/comment/l8bjngt/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) **|** [4](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1df86gh/comment/l8h5qee/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) **|** [5](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1dkkyxh/comment/l9ihu0m/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) **|** [6](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1drjmz7/comment/lavo907/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) **|** [7](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/s/ZNHEUybSkJ) **|** [8](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1egwsw8/comment/lfv7hpc/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
**List of users playing in Sky no Daibouken:**
* Hero Avan – u/KendotsX
* Hero Sky – u/Shimmering-Sky
* Dark Lord Hadlar – u/Shocketheth
* Dark King Vearn – u/sisoko2
* Killvearn – u/Raiking02
* Popp – u/Adensty
* Hyunckel – u/zadcap
* Baduck – u/BlackHeart595
My ambitions to terrorize r/anime with Gintama Rewatch was foiled by [Avan](/u/KendotsX) who executed me at the end of Gintama Rewatch, but thanks to [Dark King Vearn](/u/sisoko2) I got resurrected and [took revenge upon Avan](https://i.imgur.com/Nt2qSHv.png)
Then the main character of Sky no Daibouken [Sky](/u/Shimmering-Sky) [awakened to her power of Reddit Mod Crest](https://i.imgur.com/uZkzOe0.png) with successfully banishing me from r/anime for some time.
But as a proper cockroach I was returning here again, and again to job over and over until [Dark King Vearn](/u/sisoko2) betrayed me with planting a tool of mass degeneracy directly into my brain. A black core capable of projecting episodes of Kiss x Sis inside of everyone brain, thus forcing their brains to witness Kiss x Sis 24/7, eventually leading their body to decay into black ashes after being unable to handle it.
A betrayal that [even Baran started questioning the ways of](https://i.imgur.com/79g342w.png) [Dark King Vearn](/u/sisoko2)
Afterwards I found out that the students of [Avan](/u/KendotsX) discovered a book of Avan where [Avan](/u/KendotsX) confessed to actually being coward not wanting to steal Baran’s Toilet Paper:
>Nope, and I would not recommend anyone to try that, trust me, stay away from his toilet if you don’t want to see his true violent form.
And with that I proclaimed to undergo a final challenge:
# [WITNESS HOW MY EFFORT WILL TURN TO SUCCESS!](https://i.imgur.com/rRY4SGi.png)
# [Stealing Baran’s Toilet Paper should be my final challenge!](https://i.imgur.com/UoUDf5N.png)
…
[Aaaaand I jobbed.](https://i.imgur.com/cMPkCH3.png)
Now I should have stay dead but after episode 67 the [Dark King Vearn](/u/sisoko2) who betrayed me before started a Anti Popp Agenda, so I had to use all of my life force to return for a final duel against [Avan](/u/KendotsX) best student [Sky](/u/Shimmering-Sky)
Unfortunately I jobbed again as [Sky](/u/Shimmering-Sky) used her ultimate technique as she was yelling:
>[YOU WON’T GET THE BEST OF ME AGAIN YOU FUCKIN’ LIAAAAAR!!!](
Then after I accepted my defeat with graciousness, [Dark King Vearn](/u/sisoko2) best assassin [Killvearn](/u/Raiking02) who activated his Killtrap to get rid both of [Dark Lord Hadlar](/u/Shocketheth) and [Sky](/u/Shimmering-Sky) who got exhausted by their argument of [Dark Lord Hadlar](/u/Shocketheth) being a fucking liar.
As the trap was ready to claim their lives, the courageous [Popp](/u/Adensty) jumped in, essentially saving both [mine](/u/Shocketheth) and [Sky](/u/Shimmering-Sky) lives.
What followed was the craziest chain of events that could ever happen:
* I helped the best boi [Popp](/u/Adensty) with holding the flames at bay, while he casted Medoroa giving chance of both of them to escape, but [Popp](/u/Adensty) got moved by my actions and in his desperate attempt to save both [Sky](/u/Shimmering-Sky) and [me](/u/Shocketheth), he managed to create opening only for [Sky](/u/Shimmering-Sky).
* Then moved by [Popp](/u/Adensty) words, me the [Dark Lord Hadlar](/u/Shocketheth) for first time in my life started feeling bad for my constant trolling even if it was late and me and [Popp](/u/Adensty) were almo killed by [Killvearn](/u/Raiking02) trap.
* Suddenly the unthinkable happened, and the OG Hero [Avan](/u/KendotsX) who already executed me once has returned, to give [me the Dark Lord Hadlar](/u/Shocketheth) a proper send-off as [Avan](/u/KendotsX) [hold me in his arms in my final moment](https://i.imgur.com/384oIt4.png) making me a proper user of r/anime.
* And my whole legacy of Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibouken Rewatch was passed to the real main character of **Dragon Quest: Dai Madoushi no Dai Rewatch**, who is no one else than [Popp](/u/Adensty). So please [Popp](/u/Adensty) be wary of that the [Dark King Vearn](/u/sisoko2) is an opponent you shouldn’t take lighty. You got it from here!
But before I died, a question aimed at [Avan](/u/KendotsX) left my lips:
# Will you, u/KendotsX, finally return my toiler paper???
**QotD:**
>Did you expect Avan to be back?
As First Timer no, and my reaction was being speechless unable to process what the hell just happened until the episode ended. The way how this episode was directed, animated and written makes it a masterpiece.
>Did Hadlar’s death influence how you view him?
Definitely. I mentioned it yesterday, but his character makes sense only in retrospect. Avan was supposed the one who trains his students, but he was killed by Megante, so Hadlar unknowingly took it from him and started fighting the students of Avan over and over not realizing he was actually making them stronger and stronger. And when Dai finally defeated him, Avan has returned and took it from there. Really great stuff.
>We’re done with Hadlar and his guards, Where will the series go from here? Will our Croco-boy be relevant again?
I hope he will join them in the battle anytime soon, because his commentary is needed.
>Now that I took over the rewatch, would you rather I change its name to “Popp no Daibouken” or “Avan no Daibouken”?
I would rather change its name to Dai Madoushi no Daibouken which actually means The Adventure of Grand Sorceror [](#hikariactually)
>Bonus Question Courtesy of u/Shocketheth : It may be a surprise to you but Avan did survive somehow and the question is how?
If you wonder, the hints were already given through the show, so it’s up to you to figure it out.
# Crocodine Shonen Commentator Corner:
today Crocodine is going to answer not one question, but TWO questions and the questions he is going to answer are going to be question #2 and question #3:
>Did Hadlar’s death influence how you view him?
I never mentioned it to you, but when I was serving in Dark Army under the Dark Commander Hadlar, during our Friday Nights we were secretly making fun of Hadlar, with me doing the best adlib expressions of Hadlar, and everyone loved me making jokes about Hadlar.
Then upon I switched teams, I naturally started missing the Dark Army Friday Nights, so thus I used my silver tongue to fulfill my dream of Shonen Commentator.
But now with Hadlar’s being dead, I must announce that my duty of Shonen Commentaror is going to be over.
I will explain why with answering next question:
>We’re done with Hadlar and his guards, Where will the series go from here? Will our Croco-boy be relevant again?
[Unfortunately to honor Hadlar’s death who ascended to Valhalla, I decided to be buried together with Hadlar.](https://i.imgur.com/JV3xKw6.png)
**Now this is the part where I should say my iconic phrase “See you tomorrow because the Adventure continues!” but as I finally died, I must give you my goodbye.**
**But don’t worry, my spirit is still on it’s way to the afterlife, so today** [**Nabara**](https://i.imgur.com/iH2nrEK.png) **will be going around using her power of communicating with dead souls to reply to your comments before my soul will manage to reach afterlife.**
**First-Timer Quest: Sky no Daibouken, subbed**
– [Don’t give up, Popp!](https://i.imgur.com/xKjwOfc.png) [](#faito)
– [Hadlar “sore demo”!](https://files.catbox.moe/07wuyc.mp4)
– [Ooh, so Popp’s gonna open a hole for them to get out through.](https://i.imgur.com/94WygRL.png) That should work, I hope?
– [~~Something something Polymerization.~~](https://i.imgur.com/Sk6sdkC.png)
– [Yikes…](https://i.imgur.com/JDGdcIa.png)
– [Oh shit, Hadlar’s opening up a chance for them?](https://i.imgur.com/ak5d7W8.png) [](#saberawe)
– [RIP Hadlar.](https://i.imgur.com/ngKZovp.png) [](#toradorasalute)
– […d-did Popp not grab on?](https://i.imgur.com/DI8oBg0.png) [](#ohfuck)
– [God*damn*, Hadlar’s still kicking actually.](https://i.imgur.com/uBIxh26.png)
– [Oh my god Hadlar’s actually *crying*.](https://i.imgur.com/xQdEOb6.png) [](#shock)
– [Golden quills…?](https://i.imgur.com/RxILZvP.png) There’s five of them, is that Minakatoru/Kaglimmer?
– [That’s *definitely* Minakatoru/Kaglimmer.](https://i.imgur.com/TmhCkOi.png)
– *immediately pauses episode, jumps out of chair, and bounces around kitchen* [***I WAS FUCKING RIGHT!!!!!!!!!! I WAS FUCKING RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AVAN WASN’T DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!***](https://i.imgur.com/C3334gC.png) [](#slightoverreaction)[](#grandhype)[](#slightoverreaction)[](#grandhype)[](#slightoverreaction)[](#grandhype)[](#slightoverreaction)[](#grandhype)[](#slightoverreaction)[](#grandhype)[](#slightoverreaction)[](#grandhype)[](#slightoverreaction)[](#grandhype)[](#slightoverreaction)[](#grandhype)[](#slightoverreaction)[](#grandhype)
– *ahem*
– Anyways I’m glad my parents weren’t home from work yet when I watched this episode yesterday evening, because I was full-on screaming the above line. [](#selfcontrol)
– [Yooooooooooo](https://i.imgur.com/IstmO81.png) [](#sports)
– Okay, for real this time, [RIP Hadlar.](#takaradasalute)
**1st** **~~Dai~~** **Popp no Daibouken Rewatch, Sub**
I talked about it yesterday as well but as someone who was watching this as it was airing, this episode was delayed due to the Toei Hack that happened in March 2022. So, it was really brutal waiting for this episode but oh boy this episode was worth the wait even though I got spoiled about Avan’s Return.
I was playing the gacha game called ***Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai – A Hero’s Bonds*** that was based on the anime and they decided to have an event that celebrated Avan’s return. The mission was to go live the next day after the episode had aired. The episode obviously didn’t air because of the Toei hack but they still went along with the update. I was quite surprised at first. I was like why is Avan back with a new outfit and also some feathers and then I got to know that it was supposed to celebrate his return. Luckily, the rewatchers neither had to wait for weeks nor they did get spoiled about it because this episode was one of my favourites.
>”The Disciples of Avan that I gave my life to trying to defeat had the most dauntless of souls! A will of iron that never gives up until the very end! Isn’t that supposed to be the greatest weapon of a Disciple of Avan?!”
Hadlar has dedicated his life to fight the Disciples of Avan sacrificing his immortal body, his position as the Dark Commander and even now his life. He knows more than anyone else [the greatness of the Disciples of Avan.](https://i.imgur.com/A6ttLS4.png) and what it means to be [Disciples of Avan](https://i.imgur.com/LsNP3uj.png) more than [Dai and Popp themselves do](https://i.imgur.com/6i3vfiH.png). Like Popp also notes, [he said something Avan would say](https://i.imgur.com/DqmHFNr.png).
* [Popp’s Reignited Spirit](https://i.imgur.com/ln8jfOm.png)
* [Hadlar’s Smile](https://i.imgur.com/aLjVIyQ.png)
* Whenever [Close Battle](https://youtu.be/oZ4eCAxIdMU) starts playing, you know we’re going to witness another [Medoroa.](https://i.imgur.com/WrXMu0j.png)
* [Hadlar holds off the flames](https://i.imgur.com/YRYQ4Nw.png) Very sick shot!
Really loved how they animated [Medoroa](https://i.imgur.com/z8lByIR.png) here. The whole Medoroa sequence was just Chef’s kiss. [Another great shot!](https://i.imgur.com/ZMaroHD.png)
* [Medoroa 1](https://i.imgur.com/Y3jVcFX.png)
* [Medoroa 2](https://i.imgur.com/TC55qWB.png)
* [Medoroa 3](https://i.imgur.com/C8fEmWO.png)
* [Hadlar’s ](https://i.imgur.com/nRaraEb.png)body [crumbling](https://i.imgur.com/C4Osn2I.png) was a great moment. [You could really feel it](https://i.imgur.com/KQ4Z4tZ.png). No wonder [Popp hesitated](https://i.imgur.com/6FP9FJk.png) while [Dai cast Zoom](https://i.imgur.com/0YeJfKk.png).
>[“I can’t… see the future… with you.”](https://i.imgur.com/5fIIFUl.png)
I felt that.
* [Crying Maam](https://i.imgur.com/YUcakhe.png)
* [Killvearn knows Popp’s potential.](https://i.imgur.com/TOzYXVI.png)
* [Hadlar also enjoys futile resistance](https://i.imgur.com/7hobcIf.png)
* [Popp and Hadlar](https://i.imgur.com/eiSLBQF.png)
>[“I believe the power we gain through training should be used to help others.”](https://i.imgur.com/UpwHtzE.png)
This is what Avan said to Popp just before he was going to sacrifice himself in front of Hadlar. And Hadlar did just by [desperately trying to hold off the flames with his dying body to give Popp and Dai a chance to escape and survive](https://i.imgur.com/x3YVLtm.png). As Popp notes, It was at this moment that [Hadlar](https://i.imgur.com/dmlbDoh.png) became [one of them](https://i.imgur.com/IgOoAxw.png). Which is why [Popp couldn’t bring himself to look away](https://i.imgur.com/Pcdu9SD.png) when [Hadlar’s body started to crumble](https://i.imgur.com/YmPTlVU.png) and hesitated at the last moment.
* [Crying Gomechan](https://i.imgur.com/zqTjgCd.png)
* [Maam’s Tears](https://i.imgur.com/qGI4eDF.png)
* [Hadlar’s Tears](https://i.imgur.com/5VPN8xo.png)
>”God! God of Humans! As a Darkling, this is my first prayer! If indeed you truly have the power to preside over the live of humans… save him! Save this [magnificent man](https://i.imgur.com/PfORbdz.png)! Please don’t let him die for a monster like me! [God!](https://i.imgur.com/Hp9bZO7.png)”
Hadlar’s praying to the God of Humans because it’s always the humans that come up with miracles.
* [Maam’s tears](https://i.imgur.com/C2N0sry.png)
* [We all know that shape!](https://i.imgur.com/XZ3R3Qk.png)
>”Now, now, Popp. We can’t have you going to the afterlife. [Even if you had, I wouldn’t have been waiting there.](https://i.imgur.com/sbcDvNa.png)”
That’s definitely something Avan would say. 😭😭😭
* [Return of the Great Hero](https://i.imgur.com/tJdN14m.png)
Just a small observation. So, we have seen Killvearn in all kind of situations even he was up against Baran who he couldn’t defeat, [but this is the first time](https://i.imgur.com/b28iEUI.png) we’ve seen him [genuinely panic](https://i.imgur.com/TYmO0cY.png). That’s how much sure he was of winning.
* Really loved how they directed the scene where Avan walks up towards them and we see everyone’s reactions ending with [Dai.](https://i.imgur.com/eCuV4sX.png)
* [Popp can’t believe it.](https://i.imgur.com/W6WRHC2.png)
* Turns out [Hadlar](https://i.imgur.com/ex4lNdc.png) is a [Tsundere](https://i.imgur.com/kG4Pt6x.png). Well, he ended up saving Avan from [Killvearn](https://i.imgur.com/dt6v78d.png).
* [Avan and Hadlar](https://i.imgur.com/syxQ9V5.png)
Like Popp said, in his last moments, [Hadlar become one of them](https://i.imgur.com/E6wwoMt.png) and someone they could call [a friend](https://i.imgur.com/MriX2vY.png). [Like Hadlar also said](https://i.imgur.com/pmjwsmk.png) and [Avan also noted](https://i.imgur.com/l9loDzh.png), Hadlar is no longer the man he was when we saw him the first time.
[OST Documentation – Episode 73](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OD0tVXR50ixuRVijA_54YtHUuerpXbLYzIjQYXnIqmU/edit#heading=h.qvoaco76rcal)
**1.** As a first-timer, honestly no. [Dai no Spoilers] >!Also, there is a really funny explanation for that but I feel the time isn’t right to share it now.!<
**2.** Yes. Hadlar has had one of the greatest character growths throughout the show. Infact, everything leading up to his rather slow death had an influence.
**3.** We still have to fight Vearn and the other Vearns. Big Croc will get his time to shine as a Shonen Commentator.
**4.** I feel it could be anything as long as it suits the episode. But, if it has to be fixed, then Popp no Daibouken ftw. Even Dai Madoushi no Daibouken is fine. Only those that watched the anime will get it.
**5.** As a first-timer, I was able to guess why but I’m not answering it to let the first-timers take a guess.
**Rewatcher**
1. NOT THE FIRST TIME
2. It wasn’t Hadlar’s Death, but Avan’s still being alived that changed my view of Hadlar.
3. It’s Vearn and Mystvearn time [](#oilup)
4. Avan No Daibouken, let’s go with that. A suitable title for best boy that drove the events of the entire show behind the scenes.
5. Rewatchers can’t be giving spoilers, man, nor am I giving you guys any hints.
I loved the twist so much guys. I had so many questions, of course, answers in due time, but this episode specifically? Pretty special.
For a little bit after this episode the first time, I contemplated something Sky brought up yesterday in the daily thread, that feeling that, was the past of this show for nothing?
Well, my own twisted answer is that this happens so often in real life I can’t help but laugh. We do things, sometimes for years, for a reason that seems one way with almost certainty, but then hindsight has the last laugh. Was that time for naught? Was I actually robbed?
No, that time was still incredible. It’s in no way worse just because this man didn’t *actually* die. The reason for taking the journey and the motivation for improvement may not have been the truth, but building it off a lie doesn’t make the initial sentiment, whether it be his death scene or his presence thereafter in others memories, any less genuine. I might have a reason to complain if this wasn’t best Boy Avan, but it’s best boy Avan. He deserves this.
This episode really brings the feels with Hadlar’s final moments. Avan’s return would be great
**First Timer, Sub**
Ok so 3 things.
One, Popp’s talk with Hadlar was great as both are basically about to die though Dai had been saved. It was a nice moment of empathy from Popp and I particularly liked it. We also see Maam (and everyone really) looking genuinely devasted by thinking he was going to die. Killvearn also offers a meager amount of respect for him as well showing that he does actually take them seriously.
Second Hadlar because man what a way to go, from being touched by Popp (and also Dai)’s gestures he actually helps, cries, and prays so that Popp be spared, and of course his wish is granted though he ultimately dies, but he at least dies fulfilled and in the arms of his previous rival.
Third, Avan shows up having been alive this whole time so there’s a whole load of questions already, however Killvearn’s reaction was hilarious and the scene with him and Hadlar was great.
1. Yes and No, I thought he would be back in some form.
2. It definitely made me view him as a different character than the beginning.
3. We still have Vearn so I’m guessing that’s gonna take a bit.
Adventurer Doing high level quests and dungeons for the first time here! LV 73/100
Lol Hadler snaped at Popp and Dai, basically a *YOU* were the ones to defeat *ME*!? BLEH
[](#moeshitarcher)
Hadler!
[](#doggo)
Popp’s Talk No Jutsu was very, *very* effective, Me? I was chopping onions
[](#trynottocry)
AVAN?!
[](#manly-tears)
[](#womanlytears)
[](#gintamathispleasesme)
Watching this weekly must’ve been a bit tough eh?
—————-
GREAT Title btw [](#urarahype)
1 Nope!, I thought he was dead, glad he got better!
2 A bit, he grew a lot as a character!
3 I think that Killvearn wasn’t killed and Mystvearn is still there to be defeated
> Will our Croco-boy be relevant again?
he never stopped being relevant, in our hearts!
4 [](#tomboyshades)
Popp no Daibouken
5 It did surprise me, my guess is that he got teleported, somehow, by that spell
**First Timer, Sub**
**YO!! WTF was this episode!!**….When Hadlar cried, I cried lol.
Nah this episode was too much man, there was so much drama and feels here lol. Hadlar’s arc was insane, he really went from being the epitome of evil, a prideful villain who thirsted for power, to giving what little life he had left to try and save Popp and Dai. His character arc was so good that Popp at the end considered him a friend..
WTF though. Avan is alive and well……but why did it take 70 episodes for him to make his return though? Buddy was nowhere to be found when Baran was trying to kill Dai and friends, nor for the battles vs Hadlar and Royal Guard or when Vearn was about to kill off his disciples….so many questions.
**Questions:**
1. Absolutely not. I thought he was dead, he’s been missing for like 98% of the show. I’m actually kinda annoyed he is alive, I hate the fake out death troupe that is just so rampant in anime and manga.
2. His character arc was soo good. I think it’s one of the few times that a sympathetic antagonist really works because it isn’t done quick and last minute. Hadlar has more or less evolved little by little with each passing arc.
3. Now all that is left is Vearn I think. unless Killvearn comes back to life again. Big Croc has to come up to Vearn palace so we get some of his commentary.
4. IDK lol. We have too many main character worthy characters in this show.
5. That’s what I want to know. He had to somehow be resistant to fire and explosions like Hadlar was….but the How is the question I want answered.
So yeah. This was the episode weekly watchers waited a month for. Now for Emerald’s little fun fact corner: So did manga readers (in a way)!
When the chapter of Avan’s return originally came out, it was the New Year’s issue of Shonen Jump. So weekly readers saw Avan show up with no explanation and had to wait until the magazine continued multiple weeks later to know if it was actually him or not.
As a side note, the track playing over Hadlar’s death is one of my favorites in the entire series. It always gets me.
**First Timer Subbed**
So because I have other things going on I can’t justify writing while watching every episode unfortunately (and I’m admittedly not always the best at consistently writing my thoughts either way), so I watched this episode last night and regretted not doing just that. This is like the craziest twist in the series, wtf? If you were to ask me a thing that would happen in this series, I don’t think I’d have guessed this, ever.
If you want to know my honest opinion of this series, its never been a series with surprising plot twists. Even when I am surprised, its either a more minor surprise or something that would obviously happen in a series like this. It is like shonen comfort food. That’s not a negative, that’s just what it is. But this one completely took me by surprise, like…what? How?! And it makes for a really cool moment, especially being there for Hadlar’s actual death. It’s…ironically fitting, I guess I’d say.
Though it is so out of nowhere I’m really curious what the explanation is.
Rest of the episode was cool before that too, nice one last strategy and near failure of Popp nearly dying out of…having sympathy. It was just really well put together as a story.
I admit I didn’t like it when they decided to bring back Avan. Something inside of me snapped. I swallowed a lot of this show’s fake cop outs but this was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me. I think I was also salty about the fact a character I really like is dead and a character I wanted to stay dead is alive again.
[Future stuff] >!They’re also bringing back that dragon dude just so that he can get jobbed all the time. Nor sure what they were thinking with this one!<
The frustrating part is that the episode is still fantastic, Hadlar’s dead is just well done and his interaction Pop is a highlight of the series. (unsurprisingly, as Popp and Hadlar are the two best characters of this series. Third is Crocodine of course)
**Fist Time Adventurer/Subbed**
> Indeed nothing gets me up at 6 like preparing for some good old mischief. Alas, he was too late to stop me from taking over the rewatch.
[](#Shitposting)
As /u/Shocketheth said, this episode made me speechless
Okay with that out of the way
HOW THE FUCK WAS HE NOT DEAD???????? IS BARAN EVEN DEAD AT THIS POINT??????
Yea idk how he’s still alive, will be interesting to see how they explain it
Great episode overall, I didn’t comment much yesterday since I watched the last one and this one back to back, and some of it kinda blurred together (the overflowing eye juice didn’t help)
Popp is so real for staying behind. We all knew that Hadlar had changed but to see the characters react to that was pretty cool. Especially ones like Dai and Popp who watched their Master “sacrifice” himself to fight the same person.
Vearn looked pissed the entire episode lmao
**QotD**
1) No
2) I think I had already changed my view on him but damn… I didn’t expect to tear up a little bit when he died frfrfrfrfr this time
3) Time to kill Kill, Myst, and Vearn. As much as I want Croc to have more screen time, I think it’s over for his relevancy
4) Change it to Fox no Daibouken
5) I DON’T KNOW BUT WOULD SURE LIKE TO KNOW. I GUESS MEGANTE DOESN’T KILL KIDS THESE DAYS
You say the solution is there but I’m not sure what it could be (it probably doesn’t help that it feels like so long ago and I was so sure he died that I didn’t even bother thinking of signs while catching up). When Popp used Megante and came back it was due to Leona casting the spell and some weird luck with Gomechan’s powers or whatever. Avan didn’t have either unless maybe Grandpa did it somehow. Maybe Avan had a body double
###First Timer
BEST FUCKING EPISODE
[](#grandhype)
Everything was such a total nonsense but it had so much **heart**. And there is nothing more important for a battle shonen than heart!
[](#elderlylove)
At first it was just Hadlar’s inspiring speech and while I was hoping for more I thought “It’s fine”.
[](#nichijouthumbs)
Then Hadlar stood up to hold the fire (Popp casting that Medroa is absolutely my favorite part of the series visually) and I was “Now that’s my boy! You did good enough Hadlar.”
[](#dekuhype)
**But it wasn’t good enough for Hadlar!** Nothing short of perfection and going all the way could’ve satisfy him. His tears and prayers didn’t only bring back Avan from the dead. They brought back something I lost long time ago, my hope for this anime.
[](#utahapraises)
What a beautiful return it was. The music reaching its highest point just as Kill dropped his glass.
[](#feelsgoodman)
Good night sweet prince. You died in the hands of the person you loved the most.
[](#yuitears)
[](#takaradasalute)