March 12th, midnight.
While many viewers were eagerly anticipating a plot where the main character, Madoka, would wish for Mami, Kyoko, and Sayaka to be resurrected, Puella Magi Madoka Magica Episode 10 aired.
To their astonishment, the episode didn't follow the normal timeline at all. Instead, it was a flashback to Homura Akemi's past.
In a classroom at school, the teacher asked the transfer student to introduce herself. This transfer student was none other than Homura Akemi.
"Um... that... my name is... Homura... Akemi. Um... please... take care of me..."
Homura Akemi introduced herself timidly, a stark contrast to the confident and aloof woman she was in the Main Timeline. She lacked her usual aura, her appearance was completely different, and she wore red-rimmed glasses. Her hair, instead of the classic long black tresses, was tied in two large braids, giving her a "country girl" look.
"Homura has been hospitalized due to a heart condition and hasn't been to school in a long time. She'll have some difficulties, so let's all help her out," the teacher said, writing Homura Akemi's name on the blackboard as she addressed the students.
The classmates were all very excited, including the main character, Madoka.
Kyubey had previously mentioned that Homura Akemi "wasn't from this timeline." This segment at the beginning of episode ten undoubtedly depicts the original timeline, as it shows Homura and Madoka completely unfamiliar with each other.
Just like when Homura first transferred in episode one, in this original timeline, a crowd of students swarmed her as soon as class ended, bombarding her with questions.
However, this Homura was still young, shy, and even blushed, unsure of who to answer first.
When she looked overwhelmed, Madoka, the health committee representative, stepped in to help, offering to take her to the nurse's office.
As they left the classroom for the nurse's office, they had this exchange:
"I'm sorry, everyone meant no harm. They just got too excited because a new student is rare."
"N-no, um, thank you very much."
"Don't be so nervous! We're classmates, after all. I'm Madoka Kaname, but you can call me Madoka."
"Huh? Is that okay?"
"Yeah, it is. So, can I call you Homura too?"
"I... um... I'm not really used to being called by my name. It feels strange."
"Not at all! I just get this burning feeling when I say it. I think it's really cool."
"I don't live up to my name."
"What a waste! It's such an amazing name. I hope you become amazing too, Homura."
From the dialogue to the actions, even the storyboards, everything felt familiar. It was very similar to the development at the same point in the first episode, except the personalities and positions of the two characters seemed completely reversed.
In the first episode, Homura Akemi was perfect in every way. But this initial Homura wasn't perfect at all—in fact, she was a bit clumsy. She couldn't solve the homework problems in class, and during gym class, she had to sit in the shade and rest while everyone else ran. The private whispers about her weren't about her brilliance, but about something less flattering.
As evening fell, on her way home, she was alone, silently thinking to herself, "I can't do anything right. I only embarrass others and cause trouble. Why is that? Will I always be like this?"
Because of these pessimistic thoughts, she was targeted by a Witch, who tempted her into nearly committing suicide. By the time she finally came to her senses, she found herself trapped inside the Witch's Barrier.
It was as if she had stepped into a bizarre, surreal painting. Strange, arched stone gates appeared, and monsters emerged one after another, rapidly closing in on her. Terrified, she collapsed to the ground and screamed.
At the crucial moment, two magical girls intervened and saved her life: Senior Mami Tomoe and the Main Character, Madoka.
At this point, Senior Mami was still alive, which wasn't surprising. However, the Main Character had already become a magical girl, which caught many viewers off guard.
Previously, some viewers had been confused by the Main Character's personality, but now everyone understood.
Without Homura Akemi's pursuit of Kyubey, the Main Character had already become a magical girl under his manipulation. This new identity had boosted her confidence, making her less timid than she was in the first episode.
Senior Mami's weapon and magical girl attire were identical to those in the other timeline. The Main Character, Madoka, wore a pink dress and wielded a bow.
Under their combined attack, the Witch was quickly destroyed.
Afterward, the three of them went to Senior Mami's apartment for tea and cake.
"Madoka, have you been fighting these things all along?" Homura Akemi asked.
"Well... not exactly. Senior Mami is a veteran. I only made my contract with Kyubey last week," Madoka replied.
Senior Mami praised her, "But your fighting style today was much better than before, Madoka."
Madoka rubbed her head and chuckled sheepishly.
"Are you really okay? Aren't you... afraid?" Homura Akemi asked again.
"It's not that I'm completely fine. Sometimes I get scared too. But if we defeat the Witch, we can save many people. It's worth the risk," Madoka answered optimistically.
"Madoka, you must train hard enough to stand on your own before the Walpurgisnacht arrives," Senior Mami added.
The scene shifted to the confrontation with the Walpurgisnacht.
"Then, I'm going," the Main Character said to Homura Akemi with resolute determination.
"Why? Even Senior Mami is dead," Homura Akemi said, her voice filled with anxiety.
The camera focused on Senior Mami, lying motionless on the ground. She was dead, but her head remained intact, though blood stained parts of her face.
Knowing the danger of death, the Main Character didn't flinch. Instead, she replied to Homura Akemi, "That's precisely why I must go. Only I can stop the Walpurgisnacht."
"That's impossible! One person can't defeat that thing. You'll die too, Madoka!" Homura Akemi had no faith in the Main Character's chances.
Yet the Main Character's voice remained firm. "Even so, I'm a magical girl. I can't stand by and let everyone else suffer."
"Hey... let's run away. It's hopeless, after all. No one would blame you, Madoka," Homura Akemi pleaded, tears streaming down her face.
The Main Character turned to Homura Akemi and said gently, "Homura, I'm so glad we became friends. I was there when the Witches attacked you, and I'm still proud of that. That's why I think becoming a magical girl was the right choice." She smiled.
"Madoka-chan?" Homura looked up at the Main Character, tears streaming down her face.
"Goodbye, Homura. Take care."
With a final farewell, the Main Character turned and leaped into the air to face Walpurgisnight.
However, in this timeline, the Main Character's power wasn't strong enough, and she was alone. She was no match for Walpurgisnight and ultimately failed, dying.
Afterward, Homura knelt on the ground, staring at the Main Character's corpse and weeping bitterly. "Why? You knew you would die. Compared to saving someone like me... I... I wish you had lived."
As she mourned, Kyubey suddenly appeared and said, "Were those words sincere? Homura Akemi, are you willing to gamble your soul for that wish? If there's a wish you want to fulfill even if it means accepting the fate of a magical girl, I can help you."
Homura Akemi paused, and after confirming that her wish could be granted, she removed her glasses, wiped away her tears, and put them back on. She stood up and made her wish to Kyubey: "I want to meet Madoka again, not as the one she protects, but as the one who protects her."
Her wish transcended entropy, granting her the power of time. She returned to the moment before she met the Main Character, to the time before she was discharged from the hospital.
In the second timeline, she grew confident.
When she transferred to the Main Character's class, she introduced herself and quickly walked over to Madoka, ignoring the classmates' odd stares. Grabbing Madoka's hand, she said excitedly, "Madoka, I've become a magical girl too! Let's work hard together from now on."
Madoka blushed at the sudden attention.
After school, Homura demonstrated her ability to stop time to Madoka and Senior Mami. However, lacking any other offensive means, she had to research in secret, tinkering with bombs to use in battle.
With Homura's help, the battles went more smoothly. Logically, they should have been able to eliminate Walpurgisnight without a scratch, yet in the end, the battle failed once again.
After the battle, the Main Character's Soul Gem, filled with filth, shattered, transforming her into a Witch.
Homura Akemi, weeping, activated her Time Ability and entered the next loop.
In the third loop, Homura immediately warned everyone about Kyubey's lies. But, as she had told the Main Character in episode seven, "No one ever believed me."
Unlike the first and second loops, Kyoko appeared in this timeline, and Sayaka also became a magical girl.
Just like in other timelines, Sayaka remained deeply distrustful of Homura. She even suspected Homura of trying to sow discord and refused to be caught in Homura's bombs, forcing Homura to raid the armory.
In this timeline, Sayaka was the first to become a Witch. In the end, Homura used her time-stopping ability and several bombs to trick the Witch into faking her death.
When everyone realized Homura had been telling the truth, they were devastated.
Senior Mami went mad, shattering Kyoko's Soul Gem with a single blow, causing Kyoko's innocent death. She then bound Homura with her ribbons and moved to kill her, screaming, "If Soul Gems birth Witches, then we're all doomed! You too, me too!"
In their critical moment, the Main Character struck, shattering the Soul Gem on the Senior's head with an arrow.
The Senior died, leaving only the Main Character and Homura Akemi.
Together, they confronted the Walpurgisnight, but as expected, they failed. Both collapsed to the ground.
They gazed at each other, their hands overlapping, their Soul Gems brimming with corruption.
"We... we're finished too," the Main Character said.
Homura Akemi nodded gently. "The Grief Seed will..."
"Is that so?"
"Hey~ what if we both become monsters like this? Let's mess up this whole world, until all the hateful things and sad things are like they never happened. Let's destroy it, destroy it, keep destroying it. Don't you think that would be... good?"
By this point, Homura Akemi clearly no longer cared about the world's fate, only about the Main Character, wanting to be with her.
But before she could finish, the Main Character pulled out a Grief Seed, absorbing the corruption from Homura's Soul Gem. Then, tears streaming down her face, she pleaded, "Homura, you can go back in time, right? You said you could change history to prevent this outcome, didn't you? Can you go back and save that foolish me who hasn't been tricked by Kyubey yet?"
"I promise you, I'll save you, no matter how many times it takes. I'll protect you!" Homura Akemi vowed, tears streaming down her face, her voice firm and resolute.
"Thank you," the Main Character said, a flicker of relief crossing her face.
The corruption within her Soul Gem surged, and she cried out in agony.
Seeing that she was about to collapse, she pleaded, "One more thing... please. I don't want to become a Witch. Even with all the pain and sorrow, there are still so many things in this world I want to protect."
"Madoka," Homura whispered, her voice choked with tears.
"Homura... you're finally calling me by my name. I'm so happy," the Main Character said, forcing herself to lift her hand and reveal her Soul Gem to Homura.
Homura sobbed, transforming into a magical girl. She drew her gun, steeling herself with immense resolve, and with a heart torn asunder, she fired a shot that shattered the Main Character's Soul Gem. Then, she entered the next cycle.
In the new cycle, Homura kept the truth about magical girls hidden. Instead, she immediately shot Kyubey, who was trying to tempt the Main Character into a contract, warning her not to trust the creature who peddles miracles. Alone, she resolved to bear the burden of protecting everyone by herself.
Yet, at the critical moment of her battle against the Walpurgisnight, the Main Character, still watching from the sidelines, was still seduced by Kyubey into becoming a magical girl.
By the riverbank.
Kyubey spoke with profound admiration, "She's truly remarkable. Even though I predicted Madoka would become the strongest magical girl after transforming, I never expected her to defeat the Walpurgisnight in a single strike."
Homura Akemi knelt on the ground, her head bowed, letting the wind tousle her hair into a disheveled mess.
Her heart sank. "You saw this outcome from the very beginning, didn't you?"
"Whether sooner or later, the result remains the same. After defeating the greatest enemy as the strongest magical girl, she'll inevitably become the most evil Witch."
Kyubey wagged his tail. "The current Madoka could probably destroy this planet in about ten days. But from now on, this is humanity's problem to solve. Our energy recovery targets have been largely met."
Homura Akemi silently rose to her feet and turned to gaze into the distance, her solitary figure silhouetted against the horizon.
"Aren't you going to fight?" Kyubey asked, tilting his head in confusion.
"No, my battlefield isn't here," Homura Akemi replied softly.
"Homura Akemi, just what are you...?" Kyubey sounded surprised.
Homura didn't answer, simply turning away.
Activating her Time Ability, she walked forward, her thoughts unwavering: "Repeat. I will repeat it countless times."
Again and again, she would cycle through time, until she reached the Main Timeline.
"Countless loops within the same time period, searching for the one escape, the path to save you from your desperate fate."
"Madoka, my only friend."
"For you, as long as it's for you, even if I'm trapped in an eternal maze, it's alright!"
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