Umineko Episode 8 General Discussion

[Aspirety]

General discussion topic for Episode 8: Twilight of the Golden Witch of Umineko When They Cry. Episode 8 refers to volumes 19-21 of the manga, and was not adapted by the anime series.

Since this Episode marks the finale of the Umineko series, members are free to discuss the entirety of the series without use of spoiler tags. But please tag references to outside works with the [spoiler] tag, with adequate context provided in parenthesis.
We take spoilers very seriously, and ignoring this rule could potentially result in a ban.

While this topic will serve as a general hub for discussion of the Episode, if a conversation ends up flowing in a certain direction (eg. You start talking about the series as a whole rather than this particular Episode), don’t be afraid to continue it in your own topic! Keep the “reply as linked topic” button beside each post in mind.

What would you rate this Episode?

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[HeliosAlpha]

Around the climax of this episode, the song Ricordando il Passato by Shikata Akiko plays. This song, I believe, is the only Umineko song entirely written in a language that’s not Japanese nor English; it’s in Italian. Most people speak English, and it’s likely that you have at least a grasp of Japanese if you like visual novels, but I doubt that many people know Italian in comparison. Therefore, I wondered for myself if it’s better for people to look up the song before it appears in the story, so they will know the meaning of the lyrics. Since I’m a language nut who focuses more on lyrics than music, I’m definitely in favor of doing this. Simply knowing that riposa in pace means rest in peace adds so much to the moment, I think. However, it is still a bit of a spoiler, so what do people think?

[Aspirety]

Look it up after you hear it. Though Ryukishi should’ve included subtitles or something in game.

[epika]

Yeah I think it’s better to read the lyrics after as well, it really made me appreciate the song even more.

[amenenee]

Does anyone know the answer to Nanjo’s puzzle? I’m so terrible at math. I’ve been sitting here for 30 minutes and can’t even figure out how to set up a math problem for this. I’m so frustrated over this I could cry. Eva’s hint doesn’t help at all.

I failed Kumasawa’s puzzle, too, so if anyone knows the answer…please tell me.

[Isae]

Does anyone remember whether Logic Errors were ever mentioned before or after EP6?

[Pandora]

Episode 8 in a nutshell:

[U4ea]

Am I the only one who thought it was a bit odd that Ange sort of talked just like Erika in the trick ending of EP8?

I always wondered after that happened that perhaps Erika exists as some sort of anti-fantasy persona of Ange. That would certainly make her place in Rokkenjima more interesting, don’t you think? So maybe Erika isn’t a piece at all, rather instead a personality like Shannon is for Yasu. Perhaps “Erika Furudo” is the result of the 1998 Ange that has been corrupted by Bern.

Also to answer your question, @samus! The answer to Nanjo’s question is “20” and the answer to Kumasawa’s is “Ka”. I had to ask my friend who lives in Japan about both of these (because I had no idea), since both of these questions involved a lot of weird linguistic things going on that non-Japanese speakers don’t understand. That said, I also should mention that the prize gotten from getting all of the answers right is the same as getting some of them wrong. Regardless of how many you get wrong/right, the prize is always the golden butterfly on Ange’s shoulder once she goes through the door at the end.

Also, @Pandora, there’s an Umineko version of the same video. It’s perfecto~

[Antra]

That Congratulations video made me smile like a dope.

[sayocherit]

I just finished the 8th episode today with both endings. And I’ll have you know, I sobbed ugly tears that could fill a whole pool Mainly in Battler and Sayo’s scene. Even now I am still deluding myself hoping she somehow survived and that they could meet again. If you believe in miracles they"ll happen, right? Bern and Lamdbeldelta line really hit me too “We will meet again. When something else cries” that really hit hard. The final scene where they all welcomed battler back also made me want to bawl my eyes out. Overall episode 8 magic ending was very touching. Although I was quite confused about why everyone hated trick ending. It wasnt all that bad for me at least.

Overall this has been a great game, definitely my most favorite. Hoping after many years of its release that we’ll get an anime adaptation by ufotable or likewise, not something that leaves out many important details cough studio deen cough.

My favourite characters overall have been Willard and Dlanor, their badass scene when fighting those goats definitely got to me.

I have a hope that maybe, in another fragment Battler and Sayo got to live together. I think rather the reason why we didnt get a not so happy ending was revealed by ikkuko and probably that was what R7 was thinking. That “Readers would find a happy ending boring”. Maybe this was the best ending fitting, and probably was a happy ending for both Sayo and Battler.

Excuse me for ranting off my thoughts I just felt like getting those out after being an emotional mess.

[pictoshark]

Just believe in the Sayo=Ikuko theory.

In fact…

paging @BunnyAdvocate to try to explain that.

[sayocherit]

Hm? That seems a bit unthinkable but definitely an interesting theory. I would love to see it

[Vayalite]

I believe someone also concocted a Tohya is Bernkastel theory. I personally also developed a Sayo is Erika theory, and Ikuko is Bernkastel theory, but I haven’t posted it yet due to lack of supporting evidence.

[epika]

Read the manga for more heart wrenching scenes and new additions to the story~

[Vayalite]

Especially the battle of the Golden Land, which is different from the VN, as well as the lixaxil duel between Battler and Erika

[sayocherit]

I shall soon, I would love to see more scenes in detail like the end of ep 6 or the battle of the golden land. It would honestly feel weird tho without all the background music and voices. Gonna miss M.Zakky and Beatrice’s laugh.

[Sapphire]

Really, did you? I’m interested to hear these theories, as I’ve never heard of ones that link Ikuko to the meta characters. Or do you mean she’s Bernkastel metaphorically? As in, since Bernkastel said since Episode 1 that she will help Battler discover the truth and Ikuko has helped Tohya with that somehow, she’s the Bernkastel of the meta world?

[amenenee]

I just read from Sayo’s confession scenes to the end of the EP8 manga, and all the emotions may have hit even harder this second time around. (Currently in EP6 in my second read of the visual novel, but.) I do think reading Sayo’s confessions was a huge eye opener about everything, including when Beatrice jumped into the ocean, which was something I couldn’t understand while reading the visual novel. Reading these few chapters in manga format really cemented this tale as my favorite of all time, and definitely makes me want to continue collecting the manga. So beautiful, seriously. I cried way more than I should’ve, probably. Hah.

[AMF]

God I love EP 8. Some people seem to dislike how fantastic and confusing it got, but I enjoyed that. It’s really great to see an all-out battle, and to be able to watch everyone shine just once more before the story’s end.

Beato and Battler were really adorable, which made my heart sing. I really like the scene in which Beato is a bit distraught about the game ending, and Battler says some… actually really solid words of comfort. I guess it brings to light a side of him we didn’t get a chance to see much of.
In general, Battler is a character who’s constantly developing right up until the end of the story, so that’s entertaining.

Everyone was generally portrayed nicely in this chapter. Even the “villains” weren’t treated like inhumane monsters. It felt like a real resolution to both the series and all of the characters involved. I was able to be happy for them all in the very end, but also sad because reading to the end really solidifies the fact that nobody survives and there is no 100% happy ending.