(very minor arc 10 spoilers near the end, it's basically just short Emilia dialogue very briefly opining about Subaru during the ceremony in arc 3, if it counts as spoiler, you can ignore)
It's a bit weird to me that Tappei is seemingly quite adamant about not letting Emilia ever consider what her status and contract with Puck afforded her back in arc 3 in contrast to Subaru, how whatever her feelings were, she was certainly not an "ordinary girl," especially when she was also exerting a lot of authority over Subaru.
This apathy is so weird given her stated goals, and even Felt doesn't show much sympathy for arc 3 Subaru. Unlike everyone, Subaru had nobody giving him any confidence (like Puck did for Emilia), and yet Tappei tries to paint this image of Subaru as an insecure teenager. Few people wouldn't balk if they're unsure if the very people they want to stand up for lacks faith that they can amount to something...
"He thought even he could achieve something"
And something from arc 10. I don't want to spoil, but I don't think it reveals _too_ much since this is merely a dialogue about an event we already know. Subaru and Emilia have a conversation, Emilia in passing (while another character talks about being in the throne room and Subaru says how it must have been uncomfortable) says something like, "Was it like when Subaru went ahead and declared himself my knight and I denied it because I felt embarassed?" and Subaru thinks about how embarassment was a "cute" reason he didn't realize back then, but how the blow he felt then had been "horrific."
Given the whole "special" thing in arc 3, her being embarassed feels like a retcon, but also this contrast where it's "cute" in retrospect but Subaru himself thinking how it had been "horrific" for him ("words sliced like a razor" was the phrasing in LN 4) can't be unintentional... because Subaru was in a really emotionally vulnerable spot and Emilia's words and expressions were basically like being disowned by a parent (and that too publicly...). There's an unaddressed tension about arc 3 I feel, lack of proper catharsis maybe?
What's also weird is Emilia knowing full well she hurt him in the throne room but also faulting him so much for a duel *Julius* came to offer. If he didn't take the duel, he was gonna get lynched apparently, if he did take the duel, Emilia was gonna get upset, and when everything leads back to "He should have just kept his promise," that is really bordering close to "He should ignore his feelings," and I think that part is still quite unaddressed from Emilia.
I would be quite upset if this wasn't building up to an RbD reveal LOL...
I too would be a bit miffed if this isn’t building up to a RBD reveal lol. There is certainly a lot going on in Arc 3 that gets yeeted under the rug.
Also. Tbh? I sorta think the message of Subaru ignoring his own feelings as an interpretation is supremely supported by how the Arc ends where Subaru is basically taking on Rem’s idea of a hero for him despite the fact Subaru himself never wanted that role.
Also. Hmmm. Bit hard to quantify here but I don’t think Emilia feeling embarrassed is fully a retcon? I do genuinely think she felt a bit embarrassed over Subaru’s actions at the Conference. To be clear the special stuff obviously held a lot of sway, but I do believe embarrassment def had a role to play too and that affected how she treated Subaru in LN 4.
