Episode 08 - A Wish for Them Both
A.k.a. the "White Devil Incident"...
Following the attack at Hotel Augusta, Nanoha has a brief talk with Teana about her narrowly-avoided friendly fire incident. She cautions Tea that she sometimes tries too hard, and reminds her that she has a team of allies to support her. Tea goes and apologizes to Subaru, but it's clear that she hasn't really absorbed Nanoha's message.
Meanwhile, Fate tells Yuuno about her discovery regarding Jewel Seeds being used to make Gadgets. It seems the Jewel Seeds were stolen from a research facility to which the TSAB had lent them some time ago. Yuuno is unsurprisingly disturbed to hear this, but Fate reassures him that they're sure to catch whoever's behind it.
Once Riot Force Six returns to base, Vita asks Nanoha if she knows why Teana is being so reckless. At the same time, Subaru fills in Caro and Erio on some of Tea's background. An orphan, she was raised by her brother Tiida, a TSAB Air Force mage who was aiming to qualify as an Enforcer note . But when Teana was ten, Tiida was killed during a mission while trying to capture a fugitive. To make matters worse, certain senior officers criticized him for failing in his mission, saying he wasn't fit to be a TSAB mage even though he died in the line of duty. Since then, Tea has been determined to fulfill her brother's dream of becoming an Enforcer, at the same time proving the worth of the Shooting Arts that he passed on to her.
In the meantime, Teana is practising by herself, which she continues to do well into the night. Noticing this, the squadron helicopter pilot, Vice, tells her that she's overdoing it, but she brushes him off. The next day she gets up before dawn to train some more; Subaru, wanting to support her friend, joins her. Teana says she has some ideas about improving their effectiveness in combat, but it will involve going against Nanoha's instructions. Subaru replies that Nanoha will surely understand if it makes them better Forwards.
After several days of intensive training in secret, Teana and Subaru decide to try out their new tactics in a scheduled mock battle against Nanoha. Nanoha realizes something is off almost as soon as the battle starts, but when Teana launches a particularly reckless attack, she blocks it and calls a halt to the battle. Teana is in no mood for lectures, however, bursting into angry tears and trying to attack Nanoha for real.
Subaru tries to intervene, but Nanoha magically restrains her. Then, a stern but disappointed expression on her face, Nanoha tells Teana to cool her head, casts Crossfire Shoot, and blasts her into unconsciousness.
Tropes
- Aborted Arc: The whole bit about the Jewel Seeds seems to be set up to become a significant subplot, but they are never mentioned again after this episode.
- Foreshadowing: This episode provides yet more:
- Subaru mentions that she's fine going without sleep for several days.
- Subaru and Teana do most of the Training from Hell together, but Tea's the only one who ends up a physical and emotional wreck as a result.
- Vice seems to know a surprising amount about magical combat and training for a mere helicopter pilot.
- I Just Want to Be Badass: Teana's motivation in a nutshell.
- Kick the Dog: The superiors who called Tiida a failure for not capturing the fugitive he was after. This in spite of the fact that Tiida was killed in the attempt — and the fugitive was captured later anyway, after Tiida had wounded him.
- Military Maverick: Deconstructed; Teana is clearly trying to play the trope straight, but Nanoha emphatically puts a stop to it.
- Ship Tease: Nanoha and Yuuno both blush rather shyly when they greet each other, even though this is a ship that has long since sunk.
- Speak Ill of the Dead: Several unnamed senior officers called Tiida 'useless' and 'a failure' after he was killed in the line of duty. This left an indelible impression on Teana, and not in a good way.
- Tempting Fate: When Teana says that Nanoha won't approve of what they're doing, Subaru responds that Nanoha is kind and will surely be lenient. Her leniency turns out to have limits, especially when her subordinates recklessly endanger themselves and their team-mates...
- Training from Hell: Teana spends the episode putting herself through this. It backfires on her badly.
- Training Montage: Of Subaru and Teana's Training from Hell.
