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<p>Arguably the best episode of the season thus far. I'm so sad/heart-broken, a bit grossed-out, and disturbed right now. I'm probably going to go into a lot of detail 'cuz this fantastic ep deserves some elaboration. That's why I blew up the wiki with a crapload of screenshots! It's really hard to get high-quality pics since friggin' Funimation took all the rights of Kuroshitsuji so I can't rely on Crunchyroll. Most sites don't even offer HD. The ones that do like KissAnime won't lemme watch without disabling AdBlock and like hell is that going to happen. So I had to resort to sort of substandard ways, but that's not the point - the point is I'm gonna include a ton of pics here (but I find that they make blogs seem less wordy and confuzzling, which is always good).
</p><p>Ok, onto the episode itself. To me, there's two large parts of the ep that makes up its entirety. One focuses on Kelvin, and the other focuses on the troupe members invading the Phantomhive Manor (hold back the tears, Lau, hold 'em in.) So I'm gonna separate this to two parts too. Let's get started!
</p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Part_1:_Kelvin.27s_History_On_How_His_Creepiness_Increased_By_Tenfold">Part 1: Kelvin's History On How His Creepiness Increased By Tenfold</span></h2>
<p>The episode first starts off with.......Grell Sutcliff.
</p><p>Whaaaaaaaaat?
</p><p>That was my reaction at first. He didn't appear in the manga in this arc so it always gives me reason to fear that the anime is just teetering on the edge - as in, it might deviate from the manga after all. (Man was Season 1 and 2 traumatizing.) But after they revealed how Grell is released from confinement and is in charge of collecting the souls at the Phantomhive Manor (foreshadowing, everyone), it came to me that they <i>did</i> mention this in the manga (though briefly):
Chapter 35, page 15, folks!. Only in the anime they elaborated on it so kudos! On another note, I never thought much of Ronald before but now I can see he's pretty cool.
</p><p>But enough 'bout Grim Reapers. Next scene shows Kelvin talking 'bout his history and how he first met Ciel five years ago. Here we go.
</p>
<div class="center"><figure class="article-thumb t " style="width: px">
File:Ep44 Kelvin.png <figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>
<p><i>Five years ago . . .</i>
</p><p>Kelvin seems to be a typical, good-natured nobleman with a decent wife and stable career and all that. He's a philanthropist, and as you can guess, all he really wants to talk 'bout are philanthropic causes.
</p><p>Now in the manga it didn't show <i>this guy</i> but now that it did I found someone to blame for this.
</p>
<div class="center"><figure class="article-thumb t " style="width: px">
File:Ep44 Lord Burton.png <figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>
<p>(Wow, that pic turned out nicely.) Burton's the person that introduces Kelvin directly to Vincent and Ciel. And wow, Vincent sounds like Izaya although he's a different voice actor of course. Kelvin falls in love with both of 'em, especially Ciel at first sight 'cuz of how beautiful and gracious they look. It's the Phantomhive genes, a gift and a curse.
</p>
<div class="center"><figure class="article-thumb t " style="width: px">
File:Ep44 Young Ciel Phantomhive.png <figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>
<figure class="article-thumb t " style="width: px">
File:Ep44 Chlaus.png <figcaption></figcaption></figure><p>But Kelvin's forgotten the second CHLAUS appears. My man, Chlaus! At last, this aweshum guy makes his debut! And he's a blond! Cool! The reunion's pretty sweet though the way Chlaus and Vince hugged amused me - that quick, awkward clap, check out the ep again to see it. That was one of the few, few times this episode was funny, I must say, everything else was daaaark. Chlaus and Vince immediately talk about some shady matter that of course, involves our favorite German man. Kelvin's too overwhelmed by the three of 'em to listen to Burt over there.
</p>
<div class="center"><figure class="article-thumb t " style="width: px">
File:Ep44 Reunion.png <figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>
<p>After that, Kelly is obsessed and he searches anxiously for more 411 on the Phantomhives. Ended up learning 'bout the Aristocrats of Evil...or Villainous Nobles or Evil Nobleman or even, Wicked Rich People (we can all relate to this). They have a thousand group names to choose from, if only they'll stick to one.
</p>
<figure class="article-thumb t " style="width: px">
File:Ep44 Diedrich.png <figcaption></figcaption></figure><p>And Diedrich makes his debut. Nooow we're talking!! Deedee wolfs down his sandwiches with his buddy Vince beside him. They're talking 'bout some kind of Watchdog Case, I'll bet, but Kelly interrupts 'em by timidly saying hi to Vince. He must have worked up a lot of courage to do that. Vince tries to be kind but Dee doesn't have that much patience and demands that they talk somewhere else. Vince follows him and Kelly is completely ignored. You would kind of feel bad for him if he didn't decide to make himself hate-able later on. When Dee asks if Vince knows Kelly, Vince says since Kelly attempted to make a conversation with him then "probably." Whoa, ouch! But still a badass comment. Vince already forgot all about Kelly back at the party 'cuz he isn't that significant.
</p>
<div class="center"><figure class="article-thumb t " style="width: px">
File:Ep44 Kelvin in the past.png <figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>
<p>Kelly soon goes on a huge frenzy about how ugly he is - and hey, he has a daughter, didn't know that. He's so desperate he hires Doc to make him beautiful like a doll. (Seriously why do you want to turn to a creepy, plastic thing? Season 1 also had to go on and on about the doll species, ugh.) After several plastic surgeries we see the Kelly we see today - mummified and paralyzed waist-down. His wife left him when she could not take any more of his nauseating obsession. No surprise there.
</p><p>Then on Ciel's tenth birthday the manor is burned down and Vince and Rachel get killed. Everyone thinks Ciel is dead too, including Kelly and he becomes depressed for a long time until Wart-Face Creepy Bastard whose name is undisclosed says they have bought Ciel (who had survived the fire) and are ready to "play with him." That's very disgusting. Depraved people really are close friends with other depraved people. Kelly wants to join but he can't 'cuz he no longer has legs.
</p><p>After that he learns that Ciel has killed all of the creeps that tortured him but he's remorseful 'cuz he didn't get to witness any of that. So of course the bastard wants to recreate the entire thing.
</p><p>Here's the epic part. Ciel <i>shoots</i> Kelvin! The bastard deserves it!
</p>
<div class="center"><figure class="article-thumb t " style="width: px">
File:Ep44 Ciel shoots Kelvin.png <figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>
<p>Now here's the...gruesome part. Joker is horrified and rushes to kill Ciel...but then Sebastian <i>slices</i> off his arm. I know this already happened in the manga but believe me, I <i>cringed</i> anyway. It was so bloody that it got censored. Then he falls to the ground and starts screaming and dammit, I felt incredibly bad for him. He begs Ciel to spare Kelly - and dammit, these loyalass circus troupe members are gonna make me cry. He explains how Kelly saved 'em from East End, from poverty and death, and gave 'em limbs and the strength to move on, and goddammit...there's really no completely good/evil black/white characters, which makes it impossible to hate Joker.
</p><p>Joker admits he and the others have done wrong for kidnapping children for their own sake but Ciel gives a powerful speech on how he has not done wrong for he has done his best to protect "his world" and that there are only two kinds of people in this world: those who steal and those who are stolen from. And he finishes it by saying "today, I steal your futures."
</p><p>The feels came quickly.
</p><p>Joker almost loses it and laughs without humor that they are about to steal something precious from Ciel as well (i.e. Lizzie) 'cuz the troupe is storming over to his manor. But then Ciel and Sebastian think nothing of the threat, since no other than the Phantomhive servants are protecting it!
</p><p>Now onto the second half of the episode...which is also the half that broke my heart in half.
</p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Part_2:_The_Part_That_Broke_My_Heart_Into_Parts:_Thanks_For_The_Tears.2C_Troupe">Part 2: The Part That Broke My Heart Into Parts: Thanks For The Tears, Troupe</span></h2>
<p>The second half of the episode shifts its focus to Peter, Wendy, Jumbo, Dagger, and Beast who just freshly arrived at the manor. (I dunno why I thought Peter's voice was weird before, now that I've heard it often he really adjusted to the character and it fits him.)
</p><p>First things first, they <i>split up</i>. You should never do that ever in anything - nor should you underestimate anybody.
</p><p>Jumbo goes alone (whyyyy?). He stumbles upon Finny (I'm surprised his voice actor is the same as Eren Jaeger and Alibaba Saluja? What the?) Jumbo tries to kill him quickly but Finny is near-invincible since he's equipped with a sturdy body and superhuman strength. He slams Jumbo into the wall - and god, the fountain of blood was a horrendous sight. Joker's last breath is spent on warning his dear siblings to run, which only makes me sadder.
</p>
<div class="center"><figure class="article-thumb t " style="width: px">
File:Ep44 Jumbo.png <figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>
<p>Peter and Wendy see this and they are outraged that Finny killed Jumbo (I would have been too). Their trapeze abilities and enviable flexibility are <i>no joke</i>, it was amazing. Although Finny is stronger their advantage is their unbeatable agility. While they are running away though, Finny goes on about how he's very grateful to Ciel for rescuing him - the momentum of the speech was minimized, so to speak, 'cuz Peter and Wendy were too preoccupied with running to listen - not to mention the fact that they frankly <i>don't care</i> - and I was too busy watching 'em to pay much attention myself. At least it demonstrates Finny's determination and his reason for defending the manor so earnestly.
</p><p>Finny climbs up a wall to get to them and they jump down, prepared to decapitate - I believe - Finny with their string...
</p><p><i>
But then.</i>
</p><p>The.
</p><p>Horror.
</p><p>Happened.
</p>
<div class="center"><figure class="article-thumb t " style="width: px">
File:Ep44 Wendy is shot.png <figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>
<p>Wendy gets shot right through the temple and the bullet goes out the other side.
</p><p>She falls to the ground with a sickening <i>thump!</i>
</p><p>Peter's shocked face when he realizes his partner is gone forever - great, more tears. He rushes to her but goddamn Mey-Rin is <i>merciless</i> with her bullets and she forces him to abandon his best friend's body to run for cover.
</p><p>I really appreciate the focus on Peter for the remainder of the episode 'cuz he's just not some troupe member. He's smart and intelligent and astute, and he's quick mentally and physically. He discovers a ton of rifles and thinks Ciel keeps an army. But after Mey-Rin continues to assault him relentlessly he finds out that there's only <i>one</i> sniper and the rifles are there to cut down the loading time.
</p><p>Peter somewhat panicked at this point as his strategy was not thought through enough, and he impulsively set his string to the other side of the manor to swing over and run for safety. Only while he swings across did it come to him that hey, even though Mey-Rin is letting loose a lot of bullets...Wendy's death could <i>not</i> have been a lucky shot 'cuz it was scarily accurate...which means, Mey-Rin can shoot him down from basically any given distance or angle.
</p><p>Once he realizes that it's too late and Mey-Rin shoots him.
</p><p>The sound of a window breaking wakes Lizzie up. She's worried but Tanaka says she just dreamed of it and tells her to go back to sleep.
</p><p>Damn ending song came in just at the right moment to make you suffocate with <i>agonizing</i> feels. Right behind Tanaka is something that crashed through the window.......
</p>
<div class="center"><figure class="article-thumb t " style="width: px">
File:Ep44 Peter's corpse.png <figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>
<p>Animating the darkest and most tragic arc in the manga has been a brilliant idea. It gets increasingly breathtaking in every episode as the show inches closer to its peak. This has wholly revived the deep emotional attachment I feel with each troupe member. They were selfish, yes, for being willing to risk other people's lives to protect their own...but really, if you think about it, they grew up depending only on each other. That was, in essence, their "world." No one helped them except Kelvin, who became their sole source of refuge so it's no surprise seeing how devoted they are to him. Carrying out his orders has led to their survival and that's why they keep on doing it - it's the only way they know how to survive all this time. Even abandoning him will make them unbearably guilty and even lost 'cuz he bestowed them with the opportunity to pick themselves again. That changed drastically later on, of course, as even Joker said they had to lived in a different kind of hell but the loyalty is still intact.
</p><p>That's why they are ultimately the victims. Growing up invisible, ignored, and stepped upon and then given life only to use it to take away others'...man, their existence was cruel. In the end only they can fully understand each other - they are each other's family and seeing them utterly in despair when their family members slowly die one by one kills me.
</p><p>The star of this episode is hands-down Peter. I love this little guy. First he hears Jumbo's final cry - and even in Jumbo's last breath all he ever thinks about is if the rest of his family will make it out alive. Next he sees Jumbo's corpse and out of anger, sadness, and hatred he seeks revenge against Finny. But Wendy...oh god, Wendy, who has lived her whole life with him and suffers the same condition as he and thus is the one Peter feels most strongly for...she dies <i>instantly</i> and right next to him and he can't even run to her. Then Peter's basically all alone. But he wasn't even given time to mourn, he has to move fast or he will die. He has to push away all those thoughts and be courageous enough to think, to act. If it were me I would have broken down and never get up again.
</p><p>That's why, this episode goes out to Peter. Wendy and Jumbo as well.
</p><p>Saw the preview. I guess I'll cry even more next episode. At this point it's already sad enough. I had to show this episode to others and believe me, it shocked and horrified everybody. I'll try to be brave for the last two episodes but after that, I'll just drown in feels somewhere in Tartarus.
</p><p>Comments for this soul-sucking, funereal, and ruthlessly cruel episode are appreciated...just keep 'em clean.
</p><p>Brb, crying till next week. See you then.
</p><p><small><span style="background-color:#000; background-image:-moz-linear-gradient(top, #444 35%, #000 65%); background-image:-webkit-gradient(linear, 0% 0%, 0% 100%, color-stop(35%, #444), color-stop(65%, #000)); border:1px solid #eb0; -moz-border-radius-topleft:1ex; border-top-left-radius:1ex; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft:1ex; border-bottom-left-radius:1ex; border-right:0;"><span style="border-top-left-radius:1ex; border-bottom-left-radius:1ex; -moz-border-radius-topleft:1ex; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft:1ex;">
<span style="color:#eb0">Lau</span> </span><span style="background-color:#000; background-image:-moz-linear-gradient(top, #444 35%, #000 65%); background-image:-webkit-gradient(linear, 0% 0%, 0% 100%, color-stop(35%, #444), color-stop(65%, #000)); color:#fff; border:1px solid #eb0; border-top-left-radius:1ex; border-bottom-left-radius:1ex; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft:1ex; -moz-border-radius-topleft:1ex;">
<span style="color:#ccc">Talk to me!!</span> </span><span style="background-color:#000; background-image:-moz-linear-gradient(top, #444 35%, #000 65%); background-image:-webkit-gradient(linear, 0% 0%, 0% 100%, color-stop(35%, #444), color-stop(65%, #000)); color:#fff">
<span style="color:#ccc">What I do</span> </span><span style="background-color:#000; background-image:-moz-linear-gradient(top, #444 35%, #000 65%); background-image:-webkit-gradient(linear, 0% 0%, 0% 100%, color-stop(35%, #444), color-stop(65%, #000)); color:#fff; border:1px solid #eb0;">

</span></span><span style="border:1px solid #eb0; border-left:0; border-top-right-radius:1ex; border-bottom-right-radius:1ex; -moz-border-radius-bottomright:1ex; -moz-border-radius-topright:1ex; background-color:#000; background-image:-moz-linear-gradient(top, #444 35%, #000 65%); background-image:-webkit-gradient(linear, 0% 0%, 0% 100%, color-stop(35%, #444), color-stop(65%, #000)); color:#eb0"> 06:22,8/30/2014 </span></small>
</p>
<div class="ajax-poll" id="ajax-poll-E634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98"><div class="header">How many stars would you give Episode 8 of BOC? </div><div id="wpPollStatusE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98" class="center"> </div><form action="#" method="post" id="axPollE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98"><input type="hidden" name="wpPollId" value="E634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98"><div id="ajax-poll-area"><div class="pollAnswer" id="pollAnswer2"><div class="pollAnswerName">☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ </div><div class="pollAnswerVotes" onmouseover='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];tmpPollVar=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=span.title;span.title="";' onmouseout='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];span.title=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=tmpPollVar;'><span id="wpPollVoteE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-2" title="96.43% of all votes">27</span><div class="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98" id="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-2" style="width: 96.43%; border:0;"> </div></div></div><div class="pollAnswer" id="pollAnswer3"><div class="pollAnswerName">☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ </div><div class="pollAnswerVotes" onmouseover='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];tmpPollVar=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=span.title;span.title="";' onmouseout='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];span.title=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=tmpPollVar;'><span id="wpPollVoteE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-3" title="3.57% of all votes">1</span><div class="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98" id="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-3" style="width: 3.57%; border:0;"> </div></div></div><div class="pollAnswer" id="pollAnswer4"><div class="pollAnswerName">☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ </div><div class="pollAnswerVotes" onmouseover='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];tmpPollVar=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=span.title;span.title="";' onmouseout='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];span.title=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=tmpPollVar;'><span id="wpPollVoteE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-4" title="0">0</span><div class="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98" id="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-4" style="width: 0%;"> </div></div></div><div class="pollAnswer" id="pollAnswer5"><div class="pollAnswerName">☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ </div><div class="pollAnswerVotes" onmouseover='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];tmpPollVar=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=span.title;span.title="";' onmouseout='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];span.title=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=tmpPollVar;'><span id="wpPollVoteE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-5" title="0">0</span><div class="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98" id="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-5" style="width: 0%;"> </div></div></div><div class="pollAnswer" id="pollAnswer6"><div class="pollAnswerName">☆☆☆☆☆☆ </div><div class="pollAnswerVotes" onmouseover='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];tmpPollVar=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=span.title;span.title="";' onmouseout='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];span.title=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=tmpPollVar;'><span id="wpPollVoteE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-6" title="0">0</span><div class="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98" id="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-6" style="width: 0%;"> </div></div></div><div class="pollAnswer" id="pollAnswer7"><div class="pollAnswerName">☆☆☆☆☆ </div><div class="pollAnswerVotes" onmouseover='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];tmpPollVar=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=span.title;span.title="";' onmouseout='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];span.title=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=tmpPollVar;'><span id="wpPollVoteE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-7" title="0">0</span><div class="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98" id="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-7" style="width: 0%;"> </div></div></div><div class="pollAnswer" id="pollAnswer8"><div class="pollAnswerName">☆☆☆☆ </div><div class="pollAnswerVotes" onmouseover='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];tmpPollVar=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=span.title;span.title="";' onmouseout='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];span.title=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=tmpPollVar;'><span id="wpPollVoteE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-8" title="0">0</span><div class="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98" id="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-8" style="width: 0%;"> </div></div></div><div class="pollAnswer" id="pollAnswer9"><div class="pollAnswerName">☆☆☆ </div><div class="pollAnswerVotes" onmouseover='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];tmpPollVar=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=span.title;span.title="";' onmouseout='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];span.title=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=tmpPollVar;'><span id="wpPollVoteE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-9" title="0">0</span><div class="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98" id="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-9" style="width: 0%;"> </div></div></div><div class="pollAnswer" id="pollAnswer10"><div class="pollAnswerName">☆☆ </div><div class="pollAnswerVotes" onmouseover='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];tmpPollVar=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=span.title;span.title="";' onmouseout='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];span.title=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=tmpPollVar;'><span id="wpPollVoteE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-10" title="0">0</span><div class="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98" id="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-10" style="width: 0%;"> </div></div></div><div class="pollAnswer" id="pollAnswer11"><div class="pollAnswerName">☆ </div><div class="pollAnswerVotes" onmouseover='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];tmpPollVar=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=span.title;span.title="";' onmouseout='span=this.getElementsByTagName("span")[0];span.title=span.innerHTML;span.innerHTML=tmpPollVar;'><span id="wpPollVoteE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-11" title="0">0</span><div class="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98" id="wpPollBarE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98-11" style="width: 0%;"> </div></div></div>
<div>The poll was created at 04:30 on August 30, 2014, and so far <span class="total" id="wpPollTotalE634675FC9415FA311AF30C5E1F2FF98">28</span> people voted. </div></div>Poll is closed now. Enjoy the results. </form></div>