Introduction of Priestess
In the beginning of the first episode, the audience is introduced to the protagonist, Priestess. She is a young and inexperienced adventurer who has recently completed her training at a temple. Priestess is a gentle and kind-hearted individual with a strong sense of duty and a desire to help others. Her main abilities as an adventurer revolve around her divine magic, which she can use to cast various healing and protective spells.
As she steps into the Adventurer’s Guild for the first time, she is overwhelmed by the bustling atmosphere and the variety of adventurers gathered there. She registers herself with the Guild, receives her porcelain rank (the lowest rank for adventurers), and is given a brief orientation by the Guild Receptionist, who explains how the Guild functions and how adventurers can take on quests from the quest board.
Feeling nervous but excited, Priestess carefully scans the quest board, looking for a suitable quest to begin her adventuring career. This is when she is approached by a group of novice adventurers who invite her to join them on a goblin-slaying mission, setting the stage for the events to come.
Formation of a novice party
After registering at the Adventurer’s Guild, Priestess is approached by a group of three novice adventurers who share a similar level of inexperience. They invite her to join their party for a goblin-slaying quest, seeing that she is also a beginner like themselves. The group consists of:
- Fighter: A young and enthusiastic swordsman who is confident in his combat abilities. He wields a sword and aspires to become a great warrior. He takes on the role of the party’s frontline attacker.
- Wizard: A young female mage with a keen interest in magic and knowledge. She is skilled in casting spells, particularly offensive ones, and serves as the party’s primary source of magical firepower.
- Monk: A martial artist with a strong physique and a preference for hand-to-hand combat. He is the party’s close-range fighter, using his fists and agility to take on enemies.
These adventurers, like Priestess, are all new to the world of adventuring and have only recently joined the Adventurer’s Guild. They are excited to embark on their first quest together, believing that their combined skills will be sufficient to handle a low-level goblin threat. However, their inexperience and lack of preparation ultimately lead to a series of unfortunate events and the tragic outcome of their quest.
The goblin-slaying quest begins
After forming their novice party, the group sets off on their first mission together – a goblin-slaying quest. The mission involves eliminating a group of goblins that have been causing trouble near a village, and rescuing the kidnapped village girls held captive in a nearby cave.
The party is excited about their first mission, but their enthusiasm and overconfidence overshadow the fact that they are inexperienced and ill-prepared. They lack proper equipment and knowledge about their enemies, which becomes a significant issue as the story unfolds.
As they approach the cave, the party members briefly discuss their plan of action. However, they fail to take crucial precautions such as scouting the cave for potential dangers, assessing the number of goblins, or formulating a comprehensive strategy for dealing with the enemies.
The group enters the cave with a sense of optimism, unaware of the harsh reality that awaits them. This marks the beginning of the tragic events that unfold, testing the resolve and strength of the novice adventurers and leading to the eventual intervention of the enigmatic Goblin Slayer.
Ambush by goblins
As the party ventures deeper into the cave, they quickly realize that they have underestimated the cunning and vicious nature of the goblins. Unbeknownst to the adventurers, goblins are not just mindless monsters; they are intelligent and ruthless creatures that employ traps, ambushes, and underhanded tactics to overcome their enemies.
The group is caught off guard when they are suddenly ambushed by a group of goblins hiding in the darkness. In the ensuing chaos, Fighter and Wizard are quickly overpowered and killed by the goblin horde. Priestess, paralyzed by fear and shock, tries her best to use her divine magic to protect her comrades, but her inexperience and the overwhelming odds make it difficult for her to react effectively.
Meanwhile, Monk is also captured after putting up a valiant but futile fight against the goblins. Both Priestess and Monk are taken deeper into the cave as prisoners, where they face a grim and seemingly hopeless situation. The brutal and swift turn of events showcases the unforgiving nature of the world of Goblin Slayer, as well as the importance of proper preparation and knowledge when facing seemingly weak enemies.
Goblin Slayer’s entrance
As Priestess and Monk lie defeated and captured, their situation appears to be hopeless. However, just as the goblins are about to finish them off, a mysterious figure emerges from the shadows, clad in worn and battered armor that conceals his face.
This enigmatic individual is the Goblin Slayer, a seasoned adventurer known for his single-minded focus on exterminating goblins. He has dedicated his life to hunting down and eradicating goblins, which has led to him becoming an expert in their habits, tactics, and weaknesses.
As the Goblin Slayer makes his entrance, he immediately assesses the situation and launches a calculated, ruthless attack against the goblin horde. His combat skills, tactical acumen, and intimate knowledge of goblin behavior allow him to quickly dispatch the goblins that threaten Priestess and Monk.
The arrival of Goblin Slayer is a turning point in the episode, as it not only saves the lives of the surviving adventurers but also introduces the audience to the anime’s titular character, whose motivations and backstory become central to the overall plot of the series.
Goblin Slayer rescues Priestess and Monk
With the goblins defeated, Goblin Slayer rescues Priestess and Monk from their dire situation. Throughout the rescue, his expertise and efficiency in dealing with goblins are evident, as he methodically eliminates them without hesitation or mercy. This brutal approach reveals the harsh reality of the world they live in and the lengths Goblin Slayer goes to in order to protect others from the goblin threat.
While rescuing the two adventurers, Goblin Slayer demonstrates his knowledge of goblin behavior and tactics. He takes precautions to ensure that the goblins do not have any opportunity to regroup or counter-attack, even going as far as to eliminate any potential threats, such as goblin children, to prevent them from growing up and seeking revenge.
Unfortunately, Monk is severely injured and poisoned during the battle, and despite Goblin Slayer’s efforts, he ultimately succumbs to his wounds. Goblin Slayer then offers to escort Priestess out of the cave and back to safety. This marks the beginning of their partnership and the start of their journey together as they continue to combat the goblin menace.
The events of the first episode serve as a powerful introduction to the dark and unforgiving world of Goblin Slayer, highlighting the importance of experience, knowledge, and preparedness when facing even seemingly weak enemies like goblins. The episode also establishes the bond between Priestess and Goblin Slayer, which forms the foundation for their adventures throughout the series.