I just finished watching episodes 13 to 15 of Last Exile: Ginyoku no Fam, and, as expected, the pace remains fast and the developments brutally heavy. The “invasion” of Glacies was successful for the Ades Federation, although calling it an invasion feels generous since they essentially obliterated the entire nation. With Glacies gone, their next target is the last major country still standing: Anatoray.

This time Liliana crossed a point of no return. She used the Exile in accordance with her own wishes and that completely erased any remaining chance she had for redemption. I cannot justify her surviving the story any more than I can justify Luscinia walking away unharmed. Both crossed too many lines to come back from.

Her death is probably significant for the plot because the ability to summon the Exile would then fall to Millia, which positions her as the likely queen by the end of the series. That is how it seems to be shaping up, though I am curious to see the exact direction the story will take.

As expected one of the Ades generals finally defected and convinced the child Augusta to declare Luscinia a traitor. This effectively splits the Ades Federation and creates a second internal conflict. It will not be easy for them though because Luscinia conveniently obtained another Exile for himself.

Multiple factions are now uniting against Luscinia. Fam is reluctant to join the conflict, but I cannot agree with her stance. There is no universe where people who lost their families and friends in completely one-sided, unprovoked massacres can simply forgive and move forward. Her viewpoint is idealistic to the point of disconnect from the situation.

Even the surviving members of Glacies, now led by Dyan, have joined the resistance. They understandably refuse to speak with or acknowledge Millia because she is Liliana’s sister. I am sure Millia will eventually mend that rift, but for now their coldness toward her is justified and probably necessary.

We also get a small glimpse into Augusta’s character, and I have to admit that I like her quite a lot. She is a child placed in a role she should never have been forced into, and she is doing her best to act correctly while being manipulated from every side by the adults around her.

She wants to become like the mother she never had the chance to meet, a woman everyone seems to idolize. I can only imagine how crushing that burden must feel for a young child who is being used as a symbol to justify pointless violence and mass killing.

Meanwhile, some of the generals moving toward Anatoray have begun doubting Luscinia’s decisions. Unfortunately everything still appears to be unfolding according to his plan. The real question is how long it will take before his strategy begins to collapse.

With only six episodes left, I am more excited than ever to see how the story wraps up and how all of these threads converge. The ending will determine whether this season becomes a truly great continuation of the Last Exile universe or a missed opportunity that falls short of its own setup.