For all I rage about The Great Wave, I have got to admit I enjoyed the last few chapters precisely because they gave Astra a ruhtless yet completely deserved reality check.
In season 4 and especially during volume 3 (let's see how she's portrayed in season 5, though I'm keeping my expectations low), Queen Astra has shown herself to be an entitled, arrogant, and self-absorbed ruler. Someone capable of committing tyrannical deeds that range from ignoring constant riots, assaults, and general destruction after Gobbowl matches just to keep her subjects from complaining about real issues, to casually admitting to overruling a vassal nation's sovereignty out of greed.
And all throughout, she acts like she is completely justified in her selfishness and like everyone who dares contradict her is an ungrateful, unruly subject that must be subjugated at all costs.
Astra truly seems to believe she is untouchable just because she is queen of Bonta, constantly ignoring the inherent danger in provoking far more powerful people than her.
Case in point, she and the King of Brakmar were the only ones who openly opposed Eliatrope—A.K.A. the very goddess who created the Krosmoz—during the assembly. Had Eliatrope had an actual spine, she would have smitten them right there and then.
Also, notice how the only nations bold enough to face off against a literal deity are the ones with supremacist tinges. It's a fun detail.
Not only that, but she completely fails to fully appreciate the fact that Yugo and Amalia choose to defer to her out of good will and genuine respect for their original laws and alliance because they're technically her vassals. She constantly lords her position as their "boss" over them while completely ignoring the fact that they are far more powerful than her.
Let's not forget how her "vassals" are an alien demigod wielding otherwordly artefacts and his battle-hardened wife with demigoddess-like Sadida powers.
Anybody half as short-sighted as she is would see the sheer danger behind provoking someone that so vastly surpasses her in terms of raw power, and would try to stay on their good side by playing nice. Meanwhile, Yugo and Amalia suffer slight after slight by Astra's hands, and she still has the nerve to call them ungrateful and to try to impose her will on them and their kingdom after she disrespects them to their face one too many times.
Including but not limited to admitting to their face she plans to replace them with Aurora, an objectively unfit choice, simply because she bribed her with a treasure of dubious existence.
So seeing Yugo and Amalia put their feet down, declare themselves independent and outside of her influence; Yugo reminding her she and her armies don't stand a chance against him; and having Julith effortlessly incapacitate her and slaughter her guards while all she can do is watch in abject horror becomes immensely satisfying.
Because it forces Astra to realise just how utterly powerless she truly is.















