This was a nice contrast:

Idris: “Weeds will grow without bounds if even a little is left”

Grandma: “If you crush the berries too hard, the bitterness seeps out”

Right now I have time for one more game, and I can’t decide between Bioshock or Fallout 3.

@Maipeisu
Right now Fan Hulic is becoming more of a symbol rather than a genius military commander, the longer this drags on the greater his reputation will swell, and with that allies will be expecting a lot more than he can actually deliver.

@skoll
Nay, Fan is the man.

@YpoCaramel
Tytania is no worse than Euria or Emmental it seems, even the other nobles seem little better than Tytania. The Emperor might be a decent bloke but if he lacks the courage to stand up he is merely complying. Fan was probably surprised that they would hire him, rather than shoot him on the spot, he had to run away, but I guess being on the frontier was no protection against the vast might of Tytania.

@ReddyRedWolf
Fan Hulic vs. Jouslain seems to hold promise as a real big showdown, Idris and Sailsch seem to be a bit more conventional than Jouslain.

@IKnight
Jouslain may yet prove he has a better grasp of politics, but Fan Hulic seems to be pretty savvy at this political game as well. Lydia must be of some importance, perhaps she will be this series Helen, whose face will launch a thousand ships… Otherwise she runs the risk of just being a fanservice character, hopefully her prominence in the PR material is a hint at her eventual importance. I wonder if the alliance between Ariabart and Jouslain will hold though, if Jouslain gets humbled along with everyone else that would put them all on an equal footing again.

@ghostlightning
Tytanian power is still going strong, its just that for some time there was no significant threat until Fan Hulic beat Ariabart. Whether or not there is any other power that can supplant Tytania remains to be seen, but Fan Hulic might just be the symbol for all of Tytania’s enemies to rally to even if Fan was lucky the first time it will be the biggest conflict that Tytania will have fought for some time.

@Zentari
Yang rejected Reinhard’s offer of employment if you recall, though he did get his pension back. Fan’s set of principles is certainly less than that of Yang’s since the latter did believe in democracy even if his was marred by corruption. Yang had something to fight for and even if he did not want to fight he was willing to do so for his cause, but Fan has no cause and thus was able to accept employment in Tytania. For Fan Hulic it seems a universe without Tytania is not something he is going to see in his life time so he doesn’t even try to take them down. All Yang wanted to do was create a place for democracy to continue hence why his main goal was merely peaceful co-existence with the Empire which is why his evacuation of Iserlohn was a temporary thing, he anticipated a long fight and did not flinch from it. Fan’s only duty is to himself Yang never had that luxury.

Man they are making a beverage book comparable to Macross’ recipe book.

Fan I think is a guy whose talent is reading people. A sort of intuitive aptitude.

Makes me wonder if he will be able to read Joslain. Supposedly the most unreadable duke of Tytania.

“Fan Hulic spits on your idealism. Pay attention Celestial Being, this is why you lost the first time you dip shits.”

You’re the man.

@Crusader: “Trap”, indeed. I loved the part when Fan started looking around the premises at the creepy and suspiciously homoerotic statues and artwork (as if the outfit wasn’t enough, Fan )

But what really left a deep impression on me were the ironies of the episode. There was sooo much irony. For instance, Fan is what he likes to define as the “third type of person”, one who hates to be ruled by others. Looking beyond the obvious definition I take that to mean that he is a nonconformist who has a problem with authority. Yet despite his ideals he is still hesitant to take up arms against the Empire. Some “hero,” eh? You are right, he is no Yang Wenli, and that is a very interesting and dare I say ‘human’ spin to give the archetypal epic tale we have grown so accustomed to — a hero who is equal parts genius and dipstick human.

Episode #03 could have been your formulaic “genius combatant refuses the Empire’s offer and joins the resistance” episode, but it was anything but. The Casabianca faction think their intentions are just, but what they don’t realize is that they are putting many beyond their own numbers in danger by attempting to overthrow Tytania. Even in the process of trying to get the hero to join their side, they are even resorting to mildly coercive tactics. Supposing they gained enough strength and numbers to stand singularly against Tytania, how long would it be before they developed into a hegemony similar to the one they are trying to demolish? This reminds me strongly of LOGH, in the way that the two warring factions had been fighting so long and hard that it became difficult at times to tell who the good guys were.

I am SO looking forward to the next ep!

Also WTF at the trap, when he first appeared I really thought it was a girl until he freaking spoke.