With the Mushoku Tensei Labyrinth Arc done, it’s a good time to look back at it and consider just how monumental these episodes have been for Rudeus. Here’s Mushoku Tensei‘s Labyrinth Arc explained.
What Is the Mushoku Tensei Labyrinth Arc?
The Labyrinth Arc is the final arc of season 2 of Mushoku Tensei. It’s the story of how Rudeus works up the courage to try and help his father, Paul, save his mother, Zenith. It’s perhaps the most video gamey of the arcs of the anime to date because it effectively represents a dungeon crawl, while the rest of the series has a much more classic fantasy story feel. It’s also perhaps the most emotionally tumultuous arc yet as well.
What Happens in the Mushoku Tensei Labyrinth Arc?
Spoilers below.
The Labyrinth Arc kicks off with Rudeus finding out that his father needs help rescuing his mother. It’s unlike Paul to ask for help, so Rudy realizes that something serious must be going on. The trouble is that Sylphie, his newlywed wife, is pregnant, and the trip would take at least two years. Rudeus doesn’t want to abandon his new life. Despite this, and thanks to some encouragement from his sisters and a teleportation circle that ensures the journey will be done in a few months, he finds the courage to go on the adventure.
Related: All Mushoku Tensei Arcs In Order
Upon arriving, he finds his father lamenting over his weakness and frustration at the Labyrinth they’ve been trying to crack because it’s full of teleporters. Thankfully, Rudeus has a book written about the specific dungeon, and the group heads into the dungeon once more. The first major thing that happens is that Rudy finds an odd wall and breaks it down to find his mentor Roxy within, who doesn’t recognize him at first but does falls in love with him at first sight.
The group continues pressing on until they find the end boss, a magic-negating hydra. After one attempt, they retreat and regroup to come up with a proper plan. They challenge the hydra again, with Paul slashing the heads and Rudeus immolating the stumps, preventing the hydra from regenerating. An easy thing to do for an Emperor-ranked mage.
Things go so well that Rudy becomes complacent, and just as they’re about to win, he loses focus and nearly dies, only to be saved because his father pushes him out of the way.
The good news here is that they do rescue Zenith at this point, but Paul was torn in half as he was saving Rudeus and dies. This is the first emotional hit for Rudeus. The second one, and perhaps the larger of the two, is that his mother appears to have completely lost her memory and her ability to walk, speak, or do anything else.
The arc ends shortly after this, though, but not before Rudeus confesses his love for Roxy and asks if she would marry him. Which now leaves him with the predicament of telling his current wife Sylphie to see if she’ll be happy with the whole setup.
Mushoku Tensei is available to watch now.
