Wistoria: Wand and Sword – The union of sword and magic

Key insights

• Will experiences impressive character development in the intense penultimate episode, from laggard to respected leader.
• The epic battle against the evil Grand Duke features a fast-paced, dynamic and synchronized attack that is the best in the series.
• The title “Wistoria: Wand and Sword” symbolizes the union of swordsmanship and magic for ultimate power and hints at Will's mysterious past.

Episode 11 is the penultimate episode for Wistoria: Magic wand and sword. While the final episode is usually an epilogue that adequately concludes the characters and the overarching story, the purpose of the penultimate episode is to provide the climax of the story. For an action-oriented series, this means that the penultimate episode will be the most action-packed episode of the series. So the same rules apply to the eleventh episode of Wistoria: Magic wand and sword? The answer is a resounding yes.

Episode 10 ended with Will and his teammates in the worst shape possible. They must fight against the most powerful enemy they have encountered in their lives, the evil Grand Duke. To make matters worse, they are currently injured and completely exhausted. Luckily for them, the fire of resistance still burns brightly in Will's heart. What happens next is nothing short of legendary.

From laggard to leader

The terms “laggard,” “no talent,” and “book learner” have been used to describe Will since he was little. These are the terms his bullies and even most of his classmates use to taunt him. But Will never felt angry toward these people because he knew his own limits.

He knows that someone like him who doesn't know magic can't keep up with the talented magicians at the academy. What he doesn't know, however, is the fact that one day he will be the leader of these powerful magicians. This day comes in episode 11.

take responsibility

When Will dives into the dungeon with his overqualified teammates at the start of the All-Student Practice arc, he's basically dead weight. The best students destroy all the monsters faster than Will can react. After all, Shion's fire spell and Julius' ice spell can reach the enemy much faster than Will's flimsy sword.

But when the group is separated by the evil Grand Duke's sudden attacks, Will finally gets the chance to prove his worth. He has much more experience in dungeon exploration, which translates into excellent decision-making skills, remarkable adaptability, and an exceptional ability to analyze and develop the best strategy in any situation.

These excellent qualities do not go unnoticed by his teammates. For this reason, they unanimously agreed to let Will take the lead and follow his instructions. The laggard has become a leader.

Character development done right

One of the most important elements of storytelling is character development. In order for an audience to feel connected and identify with a character, they need to see that character grow as a person. By the end of the story, all the trials and tribulations imposed on the characters throughout the story should make them someone different than they are at the beginning of the story.

This may not be the final episode of the season, but we can already see some real character development unfolding before our eyes. Incidentally, this character development does not only take place with Will, but some of the supporting characters also experience some character development, particularly in terms of their views and their relationship with Will. Action/fantasy shounen series often neglect character development, so kudos to the writer and showrunners for giving us viewers proper character development.

Best battle in the series

As an action-oriented series Wistoria: Magic wand and sword has some great battles. From the surprising duel between Will and his teacher Edward Serfence to the breathtaking battle between Will and the Ice Prince Julius Reinberg, this series is chock-full of great action sequences. However, the fight against the fearsome evil Grand Duke may be the best fight in the series.

Elements of a great fight scene

Although creating an exciting fight scene is more of an art than a science, there is still a method to the madness. Finally, there are always some recognizable story elements in a great fight scene, some of which are used to great effect in the fight between the evil Grand Duke and Will and his teammates. Here are some of the most notable:

• Great pace. This fight knows when to turn the tempo up to eleven to keep us on the edge of our seats and when to slow it down to ratchet up the tension.
• Rogue. A good fight needs a good villain. The villain must be strong enough to make life difficult for the hero, but not so strong that he is impossible to defeat. This is the perfect description of the evil Grand Duke.
• Dynamic combat. This battle feels very dynamic, be it in terms of the character's movements, the movements and angles of the cameras, the different tactics the heroes use to attack the enemy, and the enemy's different attack patterns, to name a few. There is not a dull moment in this fight.

A synchronized attack

Speaking of dynamic combat, particularly the use of various tactics to attack the enemy, there is one particular strategy that is very exciting to watch but is actually quite challenging to implement: the synchronized attack. As the name suggests, a synchronized attack is when multiple characters attack the enemy at the same time. This type of attack can easily seem like a group of people throwing everything they have at the enemy without thinking about it, just like a group of children ganging up on their bully.

The key to making a synchronized attack feel exciting is to create some solid plans as a foundation for the attack attack. In this episode, Lihanna and Wignall are responsible for peppering the evil Grand Duke with low- to mid-level spells to keep the monster busy. Amidst this relentless bombardment, Shion will unleash some great spells to keep the enemy at bay. Meanwhile, Julius uses his ice clones to not only distract the enemy, but also help them cast a long spell for their most powerful offensive magic. After Julius launches his massive attack, Will immediately jumps in to take down the evil Grand Duke. What a great sequence!

It takes a wand and a sword

Initially many thought that the title of this series Wistoria: magic wand and sword, reflects the difference between the main character and the rest of the people in this fictional fantasy world. After all, Will Serfort can only fight with a sword, while everyone else in the academy can use magic to cast any spell they want. However, there is actually more to the title than meets the eye.

The true meaning of the title

At the end of episode 11, Will Serfort does something never seen before. He wrapped Shion's fire spell around his blade to create a blazing sword. This fiery weapon has the sharpness and versatility of a sword and the massive firepower of a spell, both amplified to the maximum. This fiery sword can cut the previously unscathed evil Grand Duke cleanly in half with a single slash.

This short sequence of events, lasting only about a few minutes, gets to the heart of the true meaning behind the title of this series. “Wand and Sword” does not represent a separation or distinction between a sword user and a magic user. On the contrary, it represents a connection between the two. Sword and magic should work together in unison to gain unimaginable power necessary to defeat any opponent to kill under heaven. This series undoubtedly did an excellent job of hiding its true message from the public eye.

“The sword is covered in flames? An enchantment? No, it's something else. The sword consumed the spell?”

From the past to the future

Episode 11 also shows a snippet of past events. It is clearly implied that the flashbacks are related to Will's true origins. Maybe it was the picture of his birth mother? Maybe it was a message from an important figure from the past? Or maybe it was a secret that people living in the present have long forgotten?

Whatever the true meaning of this flashback, it will certainly connect the past with the future. Both the future of Will and the magical world he lives in, and the future of this series. Finally, it can be assumed that the second season of Wistoria: Magic wand and sword will delve deeper into the past. All in all, what an excellent penultimate episode!

Wistoria: Magic wand and sword can be streamed on Crunchyroll.