Ideas for drama!
Summary:
- Frieren and Fern are getting closer with each episode.
- Frieren’s life will continue for hundreds of years, while Fern doesn’t have this much time.
- This means Frieren will have to experience Fern’s death in the future.
When Frieren first meets Fern in Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (Sousou no Frieren), they’re nothing but strangers to each other. At first, Frieren was just a mentor for the girl, showing her how to use her magic and become stronger.
Frieren wasn’t even that hyped about the idea to let Fern join her but it was important for Heiter, so she had to accept the request.
Frieren and Fern are becoming closer
However, after spending a lot of time together and welcoming a third member into their newly formed party, their relationship started gradually changing. They’re not just meaningless companions to each other, they’re becoming true friends.
They care about each other and help each other. In some way, Frieren has become a weird mother figure for Fern. Even though she’s old enough to be her great-great (and a hundred more of “great”) grandmother for the girl.
Fern is mortal
But the thing that we can’t forget is that Frieren’s life is immensely long, and she doesn’t show any signs of getting old. She’s an elven mage, and we don’t truly know how many years they can live in the Frieren universe, but we guess REALLY long, since she’s over 1000 years old already, and it’s been stated many times that 10 years are just a mere moment for her.
This can’t be said about Fern. The girl is human, and that means she will eventually die. If she’s one of the lucky few, it could be a good 60-70 years until that moment comes, but it will come. And what will it mean for Frieren?
We already know how influential the death of Himmel was for Frieren. But back then she didn’t fully understand the meaning of human bonds. She cared about Himmel, that’s for sure, and some fans even suggest that she loved him, but just couldn’t understand it herself.
Frieren spent only 10 years with Himmel, and yet his death was a big deal for her. Now imagine someone like Fern dying, too? How would Frieren feel about that?
Frieren met Fern when the latter was just a little girl, and they’ve been bonding ever since. Besides, Frieren is not so aloof anymore, she’s trying to reevaluate the meaning of human bonds, so she’s more careful and attentive now. Thus there’s a high chance that she’ll get more attached to Fern than she could possibly get to Himmel.
Now imagine Fern on her deathbed dying of old age after many years have passed. Will Frieren be by her side, holding her hand and promising that they will see each other again in another life? We can’t even imagine, this feels too painful.