Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing - Episode 9

After what can relatively be regarded as a victory last time around (and certainly, there are few victories more precious than "not dying"), you'd think that all would be well in Fam's world, especially given that it's both her birthday and an opportunity to celebrate the fulfilment of her contract with the captain of the Sylvius.

However, things aren't quite that cut and dried for our heroine - yes, she's captured fifteen battleships which leaves her free to do as she please, but while Gise is all set to leave and return to their home Fam is less enamoured of the idea.  This fact inevitably leads to raised voices on both sides and a falling out between these long-standing friends, and what's more Fam can't even find Millia to talk to.

As work gets underway both to make the Sylvius airworthy once again while retrieving the rest of Fam's booty from their last battle, Gise is given the difficult decision of deciding where her true feelings lie - back at home, or with her friend?  As all around her ponder Fam's current depression, eventually only one answer emerges - that both Gise and Millia want to make Fam happy, leading to a decision from the former to stay on-board while they both work hard towards giving Fam a surprise party to remember.  But whose this who has decided to gatecrash the festivities?

After the fantastic action of last week's episode, this latest instalment of Fam, the Silver Wing worked well in a different manner, finally making the most of Gise's unease that has been bubbling beneath the surface for a couple of weeks now and giving us something more tangible to worry about.  As seems to be par for the course for this series the emotional and plot transitions on show here weren't the cleanest or tidiest, but they did the job pretty well and the blend of emotion and more frivolous times made for an instalment that was enjoyable even if it was slightly fluffy at times.