English Dub Review: The Eminence in Shadow: “Fencer Ordinaire”

Overview: Expecting to get shot down, Cid (Adam Gibbs) loses a bet and must ask out Alexia Midgar (Olivia Swasey), the Kingdom of Midgar’s second princess and a notable student of Midgar Royal Spellsword Academy, who shockingly takes him up on his offer. 

Our Take: As predicted, Cid’s misunderstanding of the Shadow Garden’s purpose in separating is ridiculous in how dimwitted he is of the cult’s existence and how seriously they are taking the worldwide threat. 

How Cid strives to play the role of background character and how the story unfolds in a direction opposite of that is what makes this episode so much fun. From his forgettable friends to even his low class position within a prestigious school, his plan to blend in is fun in the tropes it tackles. How his anonymity is circumvented is where things take a funny turn when the popular royal second princess of the academy, Alexia Midgar, accepts his offer to be his girlfriend, after he loses a bet and must confess to someone. 

Alexia is the cruel vixen, harsh in her uppity criticisms of him, using him merely to get away from her arranged marriage to the school’s fencing instructor, Zenon, paying him off to keep up the ruse of their relationship. Cid’s obedience is downright embarrassing if not amusing. How she copes with her insecurities regarding that of her more impressive sister and her unique sword style is saddening in her anger towards her own skills. Cid makes for an interesting role in how his fake sword fighting reminds her of her own inadequacies. Beyond that, her choosing her own fiancé, not being wooed by someone she deems dishonest is commendable in her independence. 

Through it all, it gives a look into Cid’s mentality in how personal issues are more important than the problems of the masses. This makes for a sentimental moment in which he connects with Alexia through her refined albeit basic blade techniques, despite how much she may detest it. That anger is the cause of their breakup. To make things more interesting this comes just before she is abducted with Cid being a prime suspect as the last person who saw her and detained by Zenon. Alexia’s disappearance coupled with how Cid will traverse the allegations against him to preserve his secrecy makes the next episode all the more exciting.