Free! Episode 012 Discussion

[Kanashimi]

That was the biggest let down of an ending I can think of. All the work Makoto, Haru, Nagisa, and Rei went through was wasted by Rin's emotional outburst. The entire team made him feel bad and Rei, never having a chance to show off his own skills, tossed himself aside for the good of the team.

Really, having Rin swim with them, despite the disqualification, after everything he did, was bogus. Nitori flinched when he reached, he tried to rough up both Rei and Haru, cheated, was a sore winner (and sore loser), but somehow was able to redeem himself at the end? That's really BS.

I know why they did it the way they did, but it was still super disappointing not seeing anyone from Iwatobi actually race together and win. We never got that at all because Rin ruined it. I have so much hate for this character even if he is nicer now.

The ending card says, "See you next summer time..." which means a second season might be possible. It would be a relief to see the main four actually work as a team together against Rin now that he's over his emo stage. I can't even...

[Elk]

Way to ruin the season with the last episode, to give the biggest piece of ♫♫♫♫ in the history of anime exactly what he wants, leaving like, one of the best characters getting nothing despite having worked hard all season.

This ♫♫♫♫ better not happen next season, though it looks like it doesn't. Rei deserved to swim, he worked hard to not only be a competitive swimmer, but to fit with this team who understandably has history with the douchebag. So not only does he give up his chance to swim for Haru (who was a piece of ♫♫♫♫ in this episode who didn't seem to give a ♫♫♫♫ about what Rei wanted, because like he said, what he wanted was the same as what Rin wanted, to swim together with team, but everyone happily abandons him for Rin, which was his big anxiety during his entire character growth arc.

Congratulations, Free!, you give the reward to the asshole, but punish the guy who worked hard all season for this with what was his biggest fear and anxiety, that he couldn't replace Rin as the 4th member of the team.


SUPER disappoint.