Other than that, this episode is mostly a build up towards a possible Sitara and Toregene team up in the future. For now, the transitions are very interesting. Originally, Sorghaghtani wanted Sitara to sneak into Chagatai’s group to be a spy in order to see if the brotherly bond between the brothers will change now that Ogedei is the ruler. However, circumstances make it so that Sitara accidentally gets taken under Toregene’s wing after going through a series of unfortunate events.

By the way, Shira finally reappears in the story! He still looks the same, especially with that black eye still being in that same spot, but older. He works under Tolui and is also aware of Sorghaghtani’s desire to make Sitara a spy which was why he was the one concocting the plans. However, his plans don’t seem to execute well due to the lack of concrete explanation and that the bezoar stone really threw Sitara off course.

Toregene is formally introduced now. She’s Ogedei’s sixth wife and possibly the black sheep of the bunch. She’s the least eager to be married to him and distances herself from the other wives like Moge and Kyrgyztani. There are hints that she’s only married to him due to the Mongols invasion of her people, which makes sense why she’s hostile.

I also like that Sitara is very conflicted with herself. She hates the Mongols, yet the peaceful life she has in Mongolia has her reconsider her revenge, which she hates. I do like that she has these complicated feelings because that’s what a human heart does. Sometimes, pain is unforgettable, yet it can always be healed. While the Mongolians are hateful due to their invasions, they’re also a nation full of people with their own culture and also bring in people from other cultures; for example, the two slave women Sitara talks to are enjoying their lives in Mongolia as one of them got married to another slave and have children. In a way, they’re able to make their bad situation good, but Sitara feels conflicted for feeling that way. I feel like, had she not met Toregene, maybe she would forgive and move on, but since Toregene is like her, someone who hates Mongols, the fire burning in her grows and spreads to another fire.

Toregene’s retainer Qadaq is voiced by Yusuke Numata who voiced Shiitake in Digimon Beatbreak. Moge, one of Ogedei’s wives who is the tall one with the ponytail, is voiced by Ayaka Asai who voiced Yolei/Miyako Inoue in Digimon Adventure Last Kizuna and 02: The Beginning and Hazuki Kato in Sound! Euphonium. Kyrgyztani, the shorter of Ogedei’s wives, is voiced by Mayumi Shintani who voiced Haruko Haruhara in FLCL and Jakuzure in Kill la Kill; hilariously, Toregene’s voice actress Koshimizu voiced Ryuko, so it’s a bit of a reunion.

Anyways, I’m interested to see what Toregene’s story is and how Sitara is going to team up with her to get their mutual revenge on the Mongolian Empire. I also wonder what she’s going to do with that bezoar stone later on… Let me know your thoughts on this episode!