The Plan to Nowhere // Promised Neverland Ep. 2 Review

The Promised Neverland Episode 2 Review: 131045

Otaku Voice Staff

We don’t get very far in episode two of The Promised Neverland. In fact we only get as far as the wall at the other end of the compound. Nonetheless the second episode is quite intense.

Fresh off of their midnight escapades near the gate, Norman and Emma are trying to blend in. Emma is having a hard time keeping a straight face. Her usual cheery self isn’t up for the task of faking it. The horrors of what lie beyond the gate are too terrifying. Norman shows some exceptional maturity here which will be reciprocated later. He knows that Mom knows someone was at the gate. He knows he must act naturally if he and Emma will get a chance to escape.

This whole episode circles around acting naturally in the face of danger. It is a battle now between the children and Mom the enemy. The high awareness of Norman is shown in this early scene when he warns Emma about her acting. Its standing out to Mom that one of the children isn’t their usual self. Luckily Emma is also extremely intelligent.

The Bigger the Mind the More Delicious They Are

Our protagonists come to a rather saddening realization in this episode. The surmise that the brain is the most delicious part of the body. The older the children are the bigger the brain. The smarter the children are the more delicious the brain is. Norman and Emma are both two of the oldest and smartest around. That means they are prime for the picking.

That also leaves Ray, another one of the oldest and smartest children in the farm. He can tell that something is wrong and confronts Emma and Norman about the situation. Upon discovery of his reality, he has a rather pragmatic solution. They are going to have to leave behind most of the children. This is a pretty interesting moral conundrum the show has presented us with. None of them know what dangers lie outside of the walls, so there is no telling what they can do out there. Many of the children are younger than six and basically incapable of caring for themselves. They are a burden on those escaping. Ray’s solution is to leave them behind. Emma won’t stand for this.

These are children that are not even 12 yet. Arguably Ray makes the most logical point. They are likely to fail if they try to free everyone. Emma makes the most moral point. Everyone needs to leave. They cannot let another child suffer the same fate as Conny. I think there are some things being left out of their discussion I hope are in the next episode. Their escape does not necessarily end the orphanage and its farm duties. More children will arrive to be raised, fattened, and slaughtered. What are they to do about that?

What Next Horror Awaits the Children?

At the end of the episode we are introduced to Sister Krone. She is clearly here to help Mom sniff out the children who discovered the secrets of their situation. Who knows how sinister this new addition to the family is going to be. All she does is pose a greater threat to the escape and safety of the children.

I am excited to see the grand plan formed and set in motion. The potential for disaster is high for the children of the farm.

[Further Reading & Sources]
[Episode 1 Review]
[Images via Crunchyroll]