Miracles only come to people like her!

poor juri just attracts the worst people

“Believe in miracles and they will know your feelings…”

Naturally, this episode begins with the fallout from Ruka ditching Shiori. And it is brutal.

Shiori: Senpai, wait! Please! You’re all I want! You’re all that I have now!

Ruka: Would you please let go of me?

Shiori: I don’t know what I’ll do without you! So…please, believe me!

Ruka: What should I believe?

and she’s making a scene in front of the whole school

Ruka: What do you want me to believe?

Shiori: That you, more than anyone…! More than anyone else…I…Senpai! Senpai!!

and then she just breaks down crying in front of everyone, including utena, anthy, and juri

But before the feels get too overwhelming, I’d like to mention the staff for this episode. It’s a Hosoda episode again (he ended up storyboarding the first and last of Juri’s focus episodes), with a script from Ryoe Tsukimura, who wrote the last episode as well, but this time they’re using a pseudonym (like Hosoda). From what I can see, it’s probably because Tsukimura is mostly known for ecchi comedies (like Tenchi Muyo), and this takes a rather darker turn. I feel like the director for this episode deserves a mention, too, Yoshiaki Iwasaki, partly because this is their only credit for Utena, but also because the of distinct visuals that result from so many wide shots, which I assume was Iwasaki’s idea. (also, he’s one of the people still working in anime, and this season he’s directing Ascendence of a Bookworm).

Anyhow, Shiori’s classmates naturally discuss her actions (especially when she stays home the next day).

Classmate A: [Don’t] you think Ruka-senpai was really mean to her?

Classmate B: Oh? I think Shiori just went way overboard with this.

Classmate A: Oh, you think it was like that?

Classmate B: Oh, yeah, definitely!

So it’s clear that most of the school thinks she brought this on herself.

And this is when Utena shows up to try and get Juri involved.

The abundance of wide shots has the dual effect of highlighting how the characters are being observed, and making them appear isolated.

Juri: Butting in again? That’s a bad habit of yours.

Utena: Aren’t you worried about her?! Shiori-san’s really taking this hard!

Juri: It’s between her and Ruka. It’s not my problem. And since it isn’t, I’m not getting involved. I have no right to.

Utena: You can’t possibly mean that! A friend of yours is being treated like this and you’re doing nothing?! You could at least hear her side of things! Juri!

Juri: I’m not going to repeat myself!

At least Utena’s taken to talking things out with Anthy instead of Akio.

Utena: I get the feeling Arisugawa-senpai’s really forcing herself to do this. Shiori-san’s really hurt, but she says it’s not her problem…I just don’t get it. Is that how she really feels about it?

Anthy: Perhaps it’s one part of her true feelings.

Utena: “Part” of her feelings? That’s a weird way to put it.

Anthy: At times, people will say things they’d normally never say, or do things they’d never normally do.

Utena: Do you do that, too?

Anthy: Utena-sama, the truth is, I…

Utena: What?

Anthy: Never mind…

she keeps getting so close to communicating, but doesn’t

As for Juri, I think it’s safe to say that she wants to act like this doesn’t affect her, because it wouldn’t affect a “normal” friend this much. But they’re not normal friends.

Meanwhile, Shiori’s getting a bit psychotic.

Ruka’s Voicemail: This is Tsuchiya. I’m not in. Please leave a message.

Shiori: You’re there, aren’t you? I know you are. You could at least hear me out!

But it appears as if Ruka really isn’t there at the moment, he’s riding in Akio’s car with Touga.

Touga: So, your deed couldn’t match your words, either.

Ruka: Quite right. But I was expecting it. […] Utena Tenjou is a dangerous opponent. My skills were no match for hers. Still, I have a reason to win this, no matter what.

Touga: Is that another scheme you’re dreaming up?

Ruka: “There are no miracles.” That’s what she always says…

and apparently juri took utena’s advice

Shiori: Juri-san? So, it’s you. What do you want?

Juri: Shiori…

Shiori: Did you come to laugh at me?! You must be really happy now!

Juri: I’d never…

Shiori: More and more you disgust me! Did you expect me to come crying to you for help?! Well, too bad! I’m not going to do what you want!

and this convinces her to take drastic measures

Ruka: Are you serious?

Juri: Of course I am!

Ruka: Surprising, since you told me before to keep my hands off of her. Now you want me to take her back.

Juri: If it’ll make her happy…

Ruka: Sorry, but I can’t do what you ask.

Juri: Ruka!

Ruka: I appreciate your friendship with her. However, she’s spoiled, pushy, and self-centered. Not to mention a liar! Sorry, but who’d want a girl like that?!

Juri: You son of a…who do you think you are?!

because of course, JURI would love to be with her despite all that

Ruka: You don’t control me.

Juri: What gives you the right to hurt her?!

Ruka: You don’t need to know.

Juri: God, what a cruel bastard you’ve become!

Ruka: And what about you?! Presuming to order others around!

Then she just rushes him, but he swiftly gains the upper hand.

Ruka: How about this, instead? I was thinking I’d like to go out with you now.

Juri: Who would want an asshole like you?!

Ruka: Because you love your fencing club’s captain, don’t you?

Juri: Oh, get real! You’ve insulted me enough!

Ruka: Stop resisting…

Juri: Who do you-

and then he forces a kiss on her

and steals her locket while he’s at it, which he promptly goes to crush underfoot,

Juri: When did you…?! N-no…no, don’t! Ruka!

Then she slaps him and takes it back, but they both know he’s won.

Ruka: I’ve changed my mind. I’ll do what you want. I’ll take her back.

Ruka: You hate me more than you can stand, don’t you?

She can’t bear to be thus degraded, even if it means she gets what she asked for.

Juri: Wait. Ruka…I challenge you to a duel. If I should lose, I’ll do whatever you want. But if I win, you and Shiori-

Ruka: Understood. You don’t have to say it…

This leads into a duel with an orange backdrop, signifying that Juri’s regained control, at least for the moment. Because she’d much rather lay her future on the line than accept Ruka’s condescending gift.

but after the commercial break, we skip over the fight to see a dark blue backdrop

Ruka: From the moment you joined the fencing club, your distinction was clear. Even covered in dirt, your brilliance still shone through. Your potential was far beyond mine.

Juri: You’re exaggerating.

Ruka: Is that so? There’s someone I’d like you to meet. There…can’t you hear it? If your soul has not truly given up, then you can hear the sound that races through the End of the World!

Because he at least recognizes that they would be miserable if he forced her to become his girlfriend. So he just wants her to fight another duel. And they get in the car (but Juri’s sitting as far away from him as possible).

Then he shares one of Shiori’s voicemails, and plays it on loop.

Shiori: “Tsuchiya-senpai, you’re the only one for me.”

Juri: Do you really enjoy hurting her as much as you seem to?

Ruka: If we could perfect your latent abilities, no one could beat you. I bring out those abilities in you. If you and I join forces, we can defeat Utena Tenjou, and then gain the power of miracles!

Juri: Is that why you’ve been after Shiori and me like this?

Ruka: For miracles to occur, you need a sacrifice.

Juri: You coward! You want this miracle power that badly?!

Ruka: You’re the one who yearns for miracles!

Juri: Shiori isn’t a tool for you!

Ruka: “Believe in miracles and they will know your feelings.” Weren’t those your words?

Juri: You seem to be misunderstanding something. I don’t need my feelings to be known. And even if I gained the power to work miracles, all I desire is to release her from you. That’s all. I won’t let you keep doing this. For that, I’ll go along with you.

Ruka: It’s decided, then.

It’s incredibly lonely to love someone and never be able to express it — I genuinely don’t know if it would be better or worse to make those feelings known, only to have them despised and rejected.

Utena: Arisugawa-senpai…you too, now…?

Juri: After school, in the Dueling Arena.

Utena: Senpai!

Ruka: Time for the main event, Utena Tenjou-kun.

And rather than a shadow play, we just glimpse Shiori at the shadow play wall (the shadow players are waiting to deliver some exposition at the end).

And Juri hardly says a word to Utena, because it was never about Utena.

This song is about heraldry, which will help us interpret the episode.

The form I see in the mirror. Both subtle and complex, a well-known design.
White spots on black cloth, courtly etiquette.
Black spots on white cloth, in the form of a shield.
People clad in unintelligible symbols.
The artistic history of the Baroque.
Salamanders. Dragons. Porcupines.
The Eucharist. A sacrament. Faith. Virtue.
The sealed-away miracle of the rose.
The bloom of man and beast.

The Miracle of the Rose was a book presented as autobiography, although there’s no clear evidence of some of the events described. Significantly, it’s about young people in a prison who develop gay feelings for each other.

And although she begins the duel with Utena in earnest, we cut back and forth between this and her duel with Ruka, which is much more interesting.

Ruka: Juri, she’s a fool! She doesn’t realize that you get miracles only by standing on the sacrifices of others! Yet miracles only come to people like her! Don’t you find that unfair, Juri?!

Because Juri’s sacrificed so much for Shiori, and she wouldn’t even know! But at the same time, girls like Shiori have so little power in the first place, and are condemned for taking action themselves, so what else can they do but wait for a miracle?

Then, Utena’s prince attack doesn’t hit the orange rose…but it does catch the chain of her locket, while she’s distracted with thoughts of Shiori.

but that blow was far more devastating

and she tears off the rose herself, forfeiting the duel

She is probably the best Duelist, seeing as she was never properly defeated by Utena. She’s always been defeated by herself and her own heart.

Ruka: Juri…it’ll be all right…It’ll be all right, Juri…

And that’s the last we see of Ruka…

Juri manages to move on…and then the Shadow Girls show up for one last twist.

Girl A: Hey, did you hear?

Girl B: Yeah, that patient died yesterday.

Girl A: Poor guy! And he was really cute, too. And in the hospital, he kept saying how much he wanted to fence again. He apparently knew how sick he was. But he still insisted on leaving the hospital to go back to school.

Girl B: There must have been a girl in the fencing club that he liked.

Girl A: That reminds me. He used to say something a lot. He wanted to give the power of miracles to the one he loved. He wanted to free her from something.

Girl B: Free her? What’s that mean?

Girl A: Who knows?

And seeing as he isn’t forgotten, he does appear to actually be dead (as opposed to “graduated”). I feel very similarly about Ruka as I do about Shigure — that is, I can acknowledge that he wanted to do something good, but am disgusted by his methods. He clearly wanted to free Juri from Shiori, but he was too selfish not to express his own feelings for her, despite obviously knowing that she would never be interested!

But as for the title, it refers to the meaning of blue in heraldry (because it’s called “azure” in that context), both “truth” and “loyalty”, which are apt descriptions for what Ruka was aiming for here. As for the other heraldry symbols the song referenced, “salamander” and “porcupine”, they essentially amount to strength through hardship, which is quite fitting for Juri.

and then it seemingly goes back to normal after all this, anyway

Juri: Are you well? The next time we meet, there’s something I’ll want to ask you. What did you hope to gain by pursuing the power to grant miracles? And who did you hope to help by getting it? I pray those feelings reach her.

Because I guess she just doesn’t believe that all that was because he loved her (and I can’t blame her).

and this is only the beginning of the feels

until next time