Subaru Outsmarts Regulus, Saving Emilia and Defeating the Archbishop of Greed

Summary

Subaru and Emilia outsmart Regulus by saving his wives, weakening his powers, and defeating him with the help of Reinhard.
Emilia uses her ice magic to stop the wives’ hearts, while Subaru utilizes Sloth’s Authority to destroy Regulus’ heart, within Emilia, securing victory.
Subaru discovered Regulus’ power through strategic observation, and his weakness was tied to his nickname.

Title	Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World, Season 3, Episode 12 “Regulus Corneas”
Studio	White Fox
Air Date	February 26, 2025

📺 Heads up! What follows might unveil some surprises from the thrilling 12th episode of Re:Zero’s third season, titled “Regulus Corneas”. You can catch it right now on Crunchyroll! 🍿

In the last installment of Re:Zero, Priscilla and Liliana emerged victorious against the Archbishop of Wrath, Sirius. The narrative then returns to Subaru, who in the post-credits scene was still challenging Regulus, the Archbishop of Greed, about his powers. Emilia’s whereabouts remain unknown, but the closing shot of the church offers a significant clue.

In the thrilling tenth episode of Re:Zero‘s third season, titled “The Crusade Against Greed”, I found myself unraveling the mystery behind Regulus Corneas’ Authority – the mighty “Lion’s Heart”. This incredible ability grants him the power to halt time for his own body, giving an illusion of invincibility. Fascinating as it is to comprehend the nuances of his powers, I can’t help but wonder if Subaru has devised a strategy to bypass them, considering Reinhard is yet to recover from being catapulted into the sky by Regulus.

The preceding episode displayed somewhat unstable animation in certain areas, yet episode 12 returned with the stunning visuals that fans of Re:Zero have grown accustomed to. Despite some missing content from the light novels, such as thrilling action sequences involving Subaru and a more comprehensive history for Regulus, the depicted scenes were handled exceptionally well.

Setting the Little Kingdom Free

Without His Kingdom, the King is Nothing

In a strategic move, Subaru deduced that Regulus, the Small King, might be vulnerable in his “Little Realm,” better known as his group of spouses or harem. While Subaru engaged Regulus in battle and kept him occupied, Emilia made her way back to the church where they were meant to wed. Not much has altered since then, as Regulus’ 53 wives remain stationary, anticipating his return.

In a powerful and emotionally resonant moment, Emilia rallied all the women to assert their independence and seek freedom, a testament to the show’s knack for touching hearts deeply. Watching them finally voice their disdain for Regulus was an immensely fulfilling experience as well. This is one of the many strengths that Re:Zero consistently demonstrates.

I can see that each of you possesses a genuine kindness. I sense your deepest earnestness. It seems as if every part of you is pleading for assistance, from your eyes to your voice. Given this, I am compelled to offer my help.” – Emilia to Sylphy and the other 52 wives.

In short order, Emilia found out that Regulus held his affection for Silphy, and if anything were to befall her, he would transfer his feelings to one of his other wives. The girls were prepared to sacrifice themselves to weaken Regulus, but thankfully, it didn’t reach that point. Instead, Emilia employed her ice magic to freeze them all, thus stopping their hearts from functioning. Now, Emilia was ready to confront Regulus again.

The Sloth Gambit

Checkmate

Upon her return to the battlefield, Emilia assaulted Regulus, but found him unchanged by time, a fact she had already learned through the aid of spirits. She discovered that his heart was bound to hers, explaining why he remained unaffected. Regulus ridiculed both Emilia and Subaru, stating that for them to defeat him, Emilia must first perish. He boasted that Subaru’s accomplishment of defeating Petelgeuse, the Archbishop of Sloth, was inconsequential compared to his own strength. It was this overconfidence that ultimately brought about his demise. However, Subaru recalled he now possessed Sloth’s Authority, the Unseen Hand, and employed it to shatter Regulus’ heart within Emilia, making him vulnerable at last.

The scenes showing Emilia annihilating Regulus were masterfully animated. Later on, Reinhard, who made a return from the moon, delivered an epic beating to Regulus, eventually hurling him into the sky, possibly out of revenge. Regulus’ words as he plummeted down were pitiful, and his death was equally so, being buried in a minuscule hole in the ground and left to drown as water seeped in. No one heard the last cries of this small monarch, and just like when he was alive, no one seemed to care.

How Did Subaru Discover Regulus’ Authority in the First Place?

Viewers might struggle initially to grasp how Subaru determined that Regulus’ power was to halt time for his body. Upon closer inspection, it becomes clearer why this conclusion seemed elusive at first. Initially, Subaru observed that nothing seemed to harm Regulus physically. Despite Reinhard repeatedly attacking him, Regulus would always rise again. Furthermore, Regulus fell into the water, was struck by massive icebergs, and collided with stone structures. Remarkably, he remained unscathed, dry, and his clothes were undamaged as well. This pattern of invulnerability suggested that Regulus’ body might possess the ability to pause time.

At that moment, there were still some options on the table. It was possible that Regulus might create a shield around himself or even reverse time to return to his original state. In order to verify this theory, Subaru had Reinhard examine if Regulus was alive, and upon finding no pulse, concluded that Regulus’ body had stopped functioning, similar to being frozen in time. This effect extended to objects nearby him, such as his clothing.

How did Subaru deduce Regulus’ weakness? Well, since you may have noticed, the Sin Archbishops are named after stars, and Regulus is named after the brightest star in the Leo constellation, whose name is Latin for “Little King”. Subaru reasoned that if he was a “king”, he likely would protect whatever he treasured most within his “kingdom”, which turned out to be his numerous wives.

Exciting news! You can now stream Re:Zero Season 3 on Crunchyroll, Muse Asia, MeWatch, and other streaming platforms. Mark your calendars for March 5, 2025, at 7:30 AM Pacific Time, as that’s when the 13th episode of Re:Zero Season 3 will be released!

2025-03-01 03:34