Wasn’t it better to go and attack the Demon King right away?
Summary:
- Some fans feel it was irresponsible of Himmel and others to get sidetracked during their quest to defeat the Demon King.
- There are various reasons why that happened.
- The Hero Party helping people established their reputation as saviors of humanity.
If you watched Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, you would have probably noticed how weird Frieren’s route to the Northern Lands is. It’s not her own fault, though: she’s essentially retracing the path the Hero Party took before defeating the Demon King.
The Hero Party seemingly took a lot of side quests, with Himmel, presumably, deciding to help as many people as possible. Some fans are confused, though: wasn’t it better to go and defeat the Demon King as soon as possible?
It Seems That the Party Spent Too Much Time Just Traveling
The war against demons was practically over after the Demon King was defeated. As such, you would think that defeating him should have been the first priority, and Himmel should have taken his party straight to Ende.
The Hero Party not going straight to Ende might have resulted in more casualties among humans — at least, according to some fans. Was this just a lack of responsibility coming from Himmel, or was there something else in play?
Why Didn’t They Go Straight for Demon King?
First of all, it’s not like the Hero Party was ordered to defeat the Demon King. It was simply a promise made by its members, and they arguably weren’t strong enough for a direct confrontation at first. It’s largely possible (and even implied) that they honed their skills during their 10-year quest.
It also wasn’t guaranteed that defeating the Demon King would have ended the war. After all, demons would have remained, and the fact that Demon King’s death coincided with the end of the war was arguably a very lucky outcome for the human race.
The Demon King also wasn’t the only threat: many demons around the world were threatening humanity, and it’s said that the Hero Party defeated many of them.
You also have to remember Himmel’s characterization. He’s a Hero, and that’s not just a class designation, but, in his case, it’s a title that shows him being a champion of humanity. Going out of his way to help random people is entirely in his character.
It Affected People Positively
While it can be argued that the Hero Party should have headed straight for Demon King, there was no guarantee that defeating him would have ended the war immediately (or that the party was even powerful enough at first).
By going on side quests along the way, Himmel and others helped countless people, further cementing their reputation as saviors of humanity.