The Faraway Paladin: The Lord of Rust Mountain episode 12 provides a satisfying conclusion to the season’s adventure while serving as a good end to William’s tale as well (if that is what it is).

The final battle with Valacirca is actually somewhat short, comparatively speaking. William and the dragon trade a few blows and the ghost army lends supporting fire. But truth be told it felt like there was less action than the prior episode in terms of raw runtime. That doesn’t make it a bad climax—though it does surprise me given the buildup.

I think this is partially due to the fact that there is a lot that needed to be resolved in the denouement. William has a long conversation with Stagnate and then journeys back with his friends to his first home and eventually the town. There are easily a dozen or so great moments here, including a thoughtful parting of ways, new sparks of romance, gifts of genuine gratitude, and the beginning of new cycles. Without getting too much into the weeds on the details of each, I think basically every emotional beat lands in the way it was intended. Was it full of life-changing revelations or dramatic changes? Not really. Did it need to be? Absolutely not.

In many ways, this feels like the perfect bow to put on William’s journey. It reminded me of many tabletop RPG campaigns I have run over the years where you get a chance to actually have a final session and have some closure with side characters. Lots of warm moments shared between the heroes and NPCs, with the promise of new adventure perhaps on the horizon for the next generation.

It’s a very strong end to a solid series that has been carried by its kind-hearted lead. William’s a good kid and he’s done well in helping others. Whether this is the end of his adventures or just the end of this season of his life, he’s earned a rest for a job well done.

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Grant is the cohost on the Blade Licking Thieves podcast and Super Senpai Podcast.

Faraway Paladin: The Lord of Rust Mountain is currently streaming on
Crunchyroll.