Building on the hour-long setup from the previous week, Netflix’s Demon Slayer Episode 2 of Season 4 thrusts us into the arc, answering some of our burning questions while introducing new mysteries.
Demon Slayer Episode 2 – Tamayo Decides To Join Forces With The Demon Slayer Corps
The episode starts immediately from the end of episode 1 – with Ubayashiki’s messenger crow asking Tamayo to work with Shinobu in studying Nezuko’s current transformation and, more importantly, defeating the big bad – Muzan Kibutsuji. Yushiro comes in and suggests they move away. Still, Tamayo recalls an encounter with the first Demon Slayer during her time under Muzan’s service, along with those of Tanjiro and Nezuko after, and concluded that things might have fallen into place over the years. It might be the right time (presumably to attempt to kill Muzan). She then decided to head to the Ubayashiki residence – the Demon Slayer Corps’ headquarters.
One of the interesting questions from her memory was how that encounter with the first Demon Slayer played out because everyone seemed to come out alive. Assuming that it was one of their earlier encounters, Tamayo and Muzan seemed to come out unscathed, and the first Demon Slayer established the corps and trained disciples.
Demon Slayer Episode 2 – Giyu’s Tragic Past
Ubayashiki, the Demon Slayer Corps leader, was too weak to move in his current state. He ordered Tanjiro to try to talk the Water Hashira into returning since this was a crucial time for everyone to unite.
Initially, Giyu was disappointed that Tanjiro didn’t master Water Breathing. Tanjiro was supposed to be the next Water Hashira. Tanjiro asks why one needs one when Giyu is already around as the Water Hashira. He doesn’t respond and asks Tanjiro to leave.
A persistent Tanjiro hangs around over the next few days, trying to get Giyu to talk more about his reasons. He finally succumbs and admits that he is not the Water Hashira, for he didn’t consider himself to have passed the selection exam in the first place.
Giyu is suffering from both imposter syndrome and survivor’s guilt. He was good friends with a skilled kid named Sabito (the same Sabito whose ghost helped train Tanjiro back in Season 1), but he died saving Giyu and the other applicants during the selection exam. As a result, they all pass at the cost of Sabito’s life. Giyu changed after that, becoming more reclusive and trained himself hard because of the guilt. Even when he became skilled enough to be recognized as the Water Hashira by Ubuyashiki, he still felt that he wasn’t worthy – Sabito was far more competent and talented than he ever was and would have made a fine Water Hashira, but he died young saving him.
Tanjiro snapped him out of it by asking if he was willing to take on the legacy that Sabito entrusted to him – the same question that Sabito himself asked Giyu in the past when he reprimanded him for feeling the same guilt. When he was younger, Giyu’s sister, who was about to be married, gave her life to hide him from a demon attack, and Giyu wished that he was the one who should have died instead.
Realizing that honoring the legacy of those who gave their lives for him by living on and moving forward is the right thing to do, Giyu agrees to go back with Tanjiro and participate in the Hashira Training.
Demon Slayer Episode 2 – Shinobu’s Distress
The episode’s final minutes center on Shinobu visiting her sister’s altar. For some reason, she appears furious and can barely control herself, which is quite uncharacteristic of the usually calm Insect Hashira. Her apprentice, Kanao, comes in to ask for her training, to which Shinobu replies that she won’t be able to join the Hashira Training. The Insect Hashira thinks it’s time to tell the truth behind the demon that killed her sister and how to kill it.
Because only Muzan and the Upper-Rank demons are left, it’s likely to be one of the latter. As for the killing method, since it came from Shinobu, it might involve either a lot of Wisteria Flower poison or she probably concocted a more potent version. However, whether that would be effective on the likes of the most powerful demons in the series is up for debate.
Check out the biggest questions we have in Demon Slayer Season 4 below.
