Wow, absolutely zero mention of Raki and Clare in this episode, let alone screentime. Instead we’re introduced to Teresa and uh…Clare. Hmm, I foresee a problem, so the Clare from this episode shall henceforth be known as loli Clare. So was this just a side track episode, or are Clare and Raki not really main characters, rather the beginning in a long string of Claymore pairs to be covered.

Episode Rating: 9/10

Wasting no time, the episode begins by throwing us into the middle of an unfamiliar Claymore’s battle. She is thorough and ruthless in her methods, leaving no openings for retaliation and wasting no time with idle chit chat.

After leaving the town she is confronted by her handler who describes her as the strongest of Claymores, Teresa of the Faint Smile. She was given that nickname because no matter whom the opponent, she defeats them with a serene gesture on her face, almost as if she were smiling. She is recognized as the strongest Claymore because she has never had to release her yoma powers during a fight, yet wins them all, seemingly effortlessly.

In the next town, Teresa senses seven yoma and begins the extermination as soon as she arrives. Because she doesn’t even wait for most of the yoma to transform, it initially seems as if she’s killing humans, but as the corpses regress to their yoma forms, the truth becomes apparent. The last yoma standing tries to use a little girl as a shield, but is still cleaved in half effortlessly.

The girl the last yoma tried to use as a shield approaches Teresa as she is preparing to leave town. The townspeople explain that the girl had been a captive of the yoma, subject to abuse the whole time. Teresa tells the girl that she killed the yoma out of duty, not as her savior, and physically repels the girl after her advances.

standing tries to use a little girl as a shield, but is still cleaved in half effortlessly.

That night, in the outskirts of the town, Teresa is once again approached by the girl. In addition, she’s also attracted some bandits, one of whom Teresa wounds, mistaking him for a yoma. The bandit leader explains to the group that Claymore are forbidden to kill humans, a crime punished by execution in the Claymore society, by that logic, they should fear her attacks. With this in mind, it seems they plan to rape Teresa. However, this only causes her to laugh, she shows the bandits the true nature of the body of a Claymore and welcome their approaches if they still desire to do so. Repulsed by what they see, the bandits run off.

The next day, Teresa resumes her journey to the next town, with the girl from the town persisting in her stalker ways. When Teresa jumps down a steep cliff only to have the girl do the same, she gives in and lets her tag along for the time being, because if the girl were to die, Teresa would be held responsible. With no way of knowing her name, and feeling inconvenienced without one to use, Teresa randomly chooses the name Clare for her new pet, which coincidentally happens to be her real name.

Thoughts

Well…I suppose this answers my question from last week about why the humans are so scared of Claymore. Teresa was merciless in her yoma hunts, she doesn’t even let them change into yoma if she can help it. Not that they stand a fighting chance either way, but common practice dictates that you wait until your opponent is ready before engaging in battle. Chivalry is indeed dead.

Also, it doesn’t seem like the rule about Claymores not being able to kill humans is a widely known fact. This is somewhat of a lose lose situation, because either way Claymores are still not highly respected. As it stands, the general population is unaware of the rule and thus fears that the Claymore may turn on them one day, especially since they are half yoma. On the other hand, if they did know of the rule, it probably wouldn’t change their fear of them, the only thing that would change is that humans might actually start attacking the Claymore, like the bandits were planning on doing.

And although Claymore seem tough on the outside, it seems like they’re softies at heart. Based on Clare and Teresa’s situations, apparently all it takes is pitiable circumstances and determination to follow them to the ends of the Earth, and eventually they’ll grow to like you XD Not exactly the easiest set of requirements, but it does prove that Claymore still possess human compassion and sympathy. Though some more than others…in Teresa’s case not giving in until loli Clare took the “You jump, I jump” mentality too literally.

So with Clare and Raki not even mentioned in this episode, I’m left wondering if they’re actually main characters. With the guy who’s hand was cut off by Teresa following her and loli Clare, I’d say it’s a safe assumption that next week’s episode will also be centered on these two. Which leaves the question I posed earlier. Is this just a side track arc that will intersect with the main plot involving Clare and Raki, or will this series be a compilation of multiple Claymore who meet their human partners? I hope it’s the former, because as much as I’d love to see multiple characters and their backgrounds, Claymore is the type of series that needs a continuous plot to keep it from getting stale.

THIS. IS. CLAAAYMOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE!

>.> Admit it, you were all thinking it too.

~ Shirukii ~