Lord of Mysteries episode 4 review: The best installment so far, with a balance of slice-of-life and action elements

Under the production of B.CMAY PICTURES, Lord of Mysteries episode 4, titled Magic Mirror, was a comparative light-hearted exposition embedded with patches of suspenseful moments. The episode allowed viewers to get more attuned with the series' complex world and its systems, seen through the lens of Klein Moretti.

Unlike the previous episodes, Lord of Mysteries episode 4 exhibited better pacing. The episode aimed at exploring the ritualistic magic and Divinations - the key elements of the series. The directors and the staff involved in the episode have done a decent job of capturing the exciting moments from Cuttlefish That Loves Diving's original web novel series in the animated format.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the Lord of Mysteries episode 4.

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Lord of Mysteries episode 4 review: Delving into the ritualistic magic - A narrative criticism

Klein Moretti, as seen in the episode (Image via B.CMAY PICTURES)

From the onset, the Lord of Mysteries episode 4 was focused on delivering an exposition, without moving through the events rapidly. The episode chiefly showcased the complexities of ritualistic magic, which enhanced a Beyonder's magical capabilities. As we already know, the series is replete with references to Divinations, Mysticism, Gods, and Demigods.

Unlike the web novel, the donghua doesn't have the liberty to explore these concepts elaborately. That said, these concepts are key to understanding the world of Lord of Mysteries. Therefore, the episode briefly paused the main narrative and focused on these elements, which somehow added depth to the grand story.

Under the production of B.CMAY PICTURES, the directors and the official staff weaved the narrative, slightly in a different order from Cuttlefish That Loves Diving's web novel. It was necessary to ensure the story would move seamlessly and coherently.

Old Neil, as seen in the episode (Image via B.CMAY PICTURES)

From the beginning, the episode set the tone, with a mysterious Aurora order member vowing to discover what Klein Moretti had learned from the Antigonus family's notebook. The foreboding atmosphere was set with the gruesome opening scene, where the mysterious man chopped his finger as a penance for losing the book to the Nighthawks.

As such, Lord of Mysteries episode 4 revealed that the Secret Order wasn't the only sect searching for the notebook. The opening scene added a further layer of intrigue and mystery to the contents of the Antigonus family's notebook, which is, evidently, the core theme of the current cour. Nevertheless, the episode moved the narrative to the next stage, where Old Neil taught Klein the art of ritualistic magic.

Hanass Vincent conducts a Divination class (Image via B.CMAY PICTURES)

As a Seer, Klein Moretti didn't have the proper offensive techniques, except for the Demon Bullets. Therefore, ritualistic magic and Divinations were essential for him to learn. Interestingly, Old Neil showed a different aspect of the ritualistic magic, using which he secured 30 pounds he took as a loan.

Old Neil's ritualistic magic in the Lord of Mysteries episode 4 was an invocation to the Evernight Goddess, who was benevolent enough to grant him his wishes. The scene was interesting for two reasons: firstly, it showed an interesting aspect of the ritualistic magic, and secondly, the scene featured a light-hearted moment with Klein.

Slowly but surely, the narrative is adding layers of complexity to Klein's character, showcasing his subtle individualistic aspects. Moving on, Lord of Mysteries episode 4 saw Klein Moretti join the Divination Club and meet Angelica, Glacis, and Harnass Vincent. Unfortunately, the donghua had to cut many moments from the web novel regarding the Divination club.

Hanass Vincent, as seen in the episode (Image via B.CMAY PICTURES)

However, these omissions are justified, as they allowed the episode to achieve coherence. Furthermore, Klein joining the Divination club was a major moment than fans think. As fans already know, Klein Moretti has discovered the art of the Acting Method. It's a technique where a Beyonder acts according to the Sequence level to digest the potion.

Klein was able to experience it after the battle against the Clown from the Secret Order. Having joined the Divination Club, Klein Moretti could perform the role of a Seer perfectly. Therefore, the episode subtly added these elements to enrich the narrative.

Furthermore, the narrative for the Lord of Mysteries episode 4 saw an interesting twist, with Harnass Vincent from the Divination club, turning out to be the Aurora Order member from the opening scene. Harnass meticulously crafted his plan to get closer to Klein Moretti and find out about the notebook's contents.

Selena's demonic form, as seen in the episode (Image via B.CMAY PICTURES)

He used Melissa's friend, Selena, as a pawn for his plan, and turned her into a grotesque creature to restrict Klein. However, Klein Moretti was able to save himself from the adverse situation, thanks to Audrey Hall and Alger Wilson, who recited a specific Incantation, related to Klein's image as the Fool of the Grey Fog.

With that, Klein could save Selena and destroy Hanass Vincent's plans. Additionally, Lord of Mysteries episode 4 teased the appearance of the True Creator, whom Dunn Smith saw in a dreamscape. Overall, from the narrative perspective, the episode had multiple moments that enriched Klein's story.

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Lord of Mysteries episode 4 review - An overall criticism of production

Klein Moretti in the Grey Fog (Image via B.CMAY PICTURES)

From a production perspective, Lord of Mysteries episode 4 was comparatively better than the first three episodes. The animation and art quality were crisp and looked vivid. Especially, B.CMAY PICTURES has done a great job of portraying Old Neil's demonstration of ritualistic magic, and Klein's battle against the demonified Selena.

The OSTs used in the episode complemented the narrative. Although some character movements still felt slightly jarring, there was considerable improvement from the previous episodes. The slight peak in the animation quality bodes well for the series in general. However, the main charm of the Lord of Mysteries episode 4 was the backgrounds.

Melissa, as seen in Lord of Mysteries episode 4 (Image via B.CMAY PICTURES)

The production studio has done an amazing job of bringing to life the Victorian-style architecture in animated format. Moreover, the still backgrounds appeared vivid and sharp. The frames also moved nicely. For instance, the True Creator scene was majestic, as far as the episode's production value is concerned.

Additionally, the Klein vs. Selena battle was another highlight. Although the action sequences were less than the first three episodes, the latest installment still had enough to keep fans interested. Overall, the production studio has breathed life into the iconic moments from the original web novel.

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Conclusion

Lord of Mysteries episode 4 considerably slowed down the adaptation to explore the subtleties of ritualistic magic and divination. The episode also featured many light-hearted moments, with a dash of action at the end.

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Also read:

• Lord of Mysteries episode 3 review
• Lord of Mysteries episodes 1 & 2 review
• Lord of Mysteries complete release schedule

Edited by Apratim Chakraborty