Episode 1

The Journey's End (冒険の終わり) is the first episode of the Frieren: Beyond Journey's End anime series. It is the first part of the initial two-hour premier episode, released on September 29, 2023.

Synopsis
The world celebrates the Demon King's defeat at the hands of the Hero and his companions. Now that their great adventure is over, what will Frieren the mage do next?

Plot
Frieren and her companions set out for a city after defeating the Demon King. One of Frieren's comrades suggests that they should seek employment upon arrival, given their success in defeating the demon king. Then the heroes reach the city and receive recognition from the king. Frieren's allies are named Himmel, Eisen, and Heiter. Later, they attend a celebration, during which Himmel informs the others that the king intends to erect statues of them in the plaza.

Himmel, Frieren, Eisen, and Heiter gaze into the distance, finding it hard to believe their journey has come to an end so quickly, even though it took them a decade to complete. They reminisce about the humorous moments that occurred during their adventures, from Frieren being devoured by a mimic to Heiter's moments of delusion. Despite the challenging memories, Himmel expresses his gratitude for the time spent in the journey with them.

As they look up at the sky, they notice the Era Meteor Shower. Frieren explains to her companions why it doesn't hold great significance for her, prompting Himmel to ask her not to dampen the mood. She promises to take him to a better spot to observe the shower in 50 years.

The next day, Himmel and the others accompany Frieren to a bridge to bid her farewell. She informs them that she will be collecting spells and traveling through the central lands for the next century. As she departs, Himmel wonders about the life Frieren will lead.

Flashbacks of Frieren engaging in various activities during her solo journey is shown. She visits a shop in an attempt to obtain a shadow dragon horn, but the shopkeeper informs her that they don't sell such items. Frieren reminisces about Himmel finding a horn during their exploration of the Demon King's castle. With the next Era Meteor Shower approaching, Frieren plans to retrieve it from him upon their reunion.

Upon returning to the city, Frieren is shocked by how much it has changed. When Himmel reunites with her, she is equally surprised by how much he has aged. Himmel reminds Frieren that 50 years have passed, though he remarks that she still looks the same. He presents the shadow dragon horn to Frieren, stating that he had always intended to return it to her someday. Frieren sends the horn somewhere safe and then revisits Himmel at his home, preparing for the upcoming Era Meteor Shower.

Frieren and Himmel reunite with Heiter and Eisen. Frieren notices that Heiter has aged, while Eisen remains unchanged due to his dwarf nature. Frieren informs them that it will take a week to reach a location with a better view of the Era Meteor Shower, which disappoints Himmel. As they continue their journey, Himmel reflects on how much he has missed traveling with his comrades. He expresses gratitude to Frieren for providing him with the adventure of a lifetime as they gaze at the Era Meteor Shower before them.

They attend Himmel's funeral, during which Heiter mentions that Himmel was content. Frieren overhears people gossiping about her apparent lack of emotion at Himmel's passing. Heiter defends Frieren, reminding the townspeople that they were also Himmel's allies and are not mourning his death. As Himmel is buried, Frieren reminisces about the time she spent with him. Despite only traveling with him for ten years, Frieren begins to cry, regretting not getting to know Himmel better. Heiter and Eisen offer her comfort.

After the funeral, Frieren and Eisen bid farewell to Heiter, who is heading to the Holy City. Before leaving, Heiter jokes about the possibility of his death, prompting Frieren to question if he is unafraid of passing away. Heiter reminds Frieren that they are legendary heroes and believes they will lead a good life in Heaven after death. He departs, encouraging Frieren to do the same. She confides in Eisen that she plans to learn more about humans.

Frieren attempts to persuade Eisen to accompany her, but he declines, citing his age as a hindrance to combat. The two part ways. After a brief title card, Frieren becomes lost in the woods. We learn that it has been twenty years since Himmel's death, and Frieren is now on the outskirts of the holy city of Strahl in the central lands. A purple-haired girl named Fern notices Frieren and guides her to Heiter's residence. Frieren is astonished to discover that Heiter is still alive.

The purple-haired girl introduces herself as Fern and reveals that she is a war orphan from the southern lands. Frieren explains that she traveled the world to learn about people but stopped by to repay her debt to Heiter before his death. Heiter asks Frieren if she can mentor Fern, but Frieren hesitates, fearing that Fern's potential as a mage may hinder her and fearing for the child's safety.

Heiter shows Frieren a book unearthed from a sage's tomb, containing lost spells of resurrection and immortality. He requests that Frieren decipher the text, and she believes she can do so in five to six years. Despite having been unafraid of death twenty years ago, Heiter admits that he now fears it more as he approaches it. He asks Frieren to teach Fern magic during her spare time, and she agrees after Heiter acknowledges that he lacks the same knowledge.

Frieren meets with Fern at a certain location and senses the girl's latent potential as a mage. Fern informs Frieren that Heiter mentioned she would be close to becoming a mage when she could blast a nearby rock. Fern impressively shoots a beam of magic that nearly hits the rock. Frieren asks Fern if she enjoys magic, and Fern admits that she loves it.

The episode concludes with Frieren acknowledging that she and Fern are more alike than she initially thought.