Tamal Kundu
Based on the namesake manga series written and illustrated by Kazushi Hagiwara, ‘Bastard!! -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy-’ or ‘Bastard!! Ankoku no Hakaishin’ is a fun and raunchy ONA filled with action, adventure, and heavy metal references. The story follows Dark Schneider, the most powerful wizard in the world. He nearly conquered the entire world 15 years ago, but he was defeated, and his spirit was sealed inside his reincarnation, Lucien Renlen. However, when his former disciples attempt to bring back an ancient evil, the humans have no choice but to bring him back.
Mid and end-credits scenes are traditionally used to offer the audience a glimpse of what’s coming next and keep them engaged. Almost all the episodes of the first season of ‘Bastard’ have an end-credits scene, serving as a link to the following episode. As ‘Bastard’ is a split-cour anime, its 24 episodes have been divided into two cours, with the first one containing 13 episodes and the second 11 episodes. For all intent and purpose, they are two separate seasons. The end credits scene in the season 1 finale effectively links the first season to season 2. Here is everything you need to know about it. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The End Credits of Bastard
The finale predominantly revolves around the continuing battle between Dark Schneider and Thunder Empress Arshes Nei, a half-human, half-dark elf adoptive daughter and former lover of Dark Schneider. Their battle brings out all the anger and frustration Arshes has harbored toward Dark Schneider. They were together for 100 years, and she became one of his four disciples, along with Abigail, Gara, and Kall-Su. However, she also felt alienated and humiliated because Dark Schneider had amassed a harem. In the 15 years Dark Schneider has been gone, Arshes’s resentment toward him has only grown.
After Dark Schneider defeats Arshes’ three Sorcerer Generals — Sean Ari, Kai Harn, and Di-amon — by seducing the first two and placing an Accused spell on the third, an enraged thunder empress decides to face him herself. However, Dark Priest Abigail questions her devotion to their cause now that Dark Schneider has returned. She allows him to place the Accused spell on her to prove that she was still loyal, unlike the Sorcerer Generals and Gara, who has already defected to Dark Schneider. If Arshes loses her fight with Dark Schneider or joins him, the color of the nail where the curse is placed will change from blue to purple to red. When it turns crimson red, Arshes will be transformed into an immortal, hideous toad.
During their fight, both Dark Schneider and Arshes cast Helloween, the ultimate spell of destruction. Just as Dark Schneider’s spell begins to overwhelm Arshes, Lucien appears before him and lets him know about the Accused spell. Arshes doesn’t want to die by the curse, nor does she want to kill Dark Schneider. This prompts the evil wizard to direct his Helloween spell elsewhere.
In the end-credits scene, Dark Schneider approaches Arshes and rips his heart out, killing himself and fulfilling the vision of the prophet of the royal family. As mentioned above, Dark Schneider also used Accused and knew how to negate its effects. He knew that he had to sacrifice his own life to save Arshes. According to the original manga series, Dark Schneider later revives himself, and Arshes becomes the second among his original four disciples to rejoin him after Gara.
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