WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World, Season 2, Episode 13, "Straight Bet," now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Re:Zero returns with Otto delivering a much-needed wake-up call to Subaru. The two devise a mysterious plan to save the Sanctuary -- and stop the attack on the mansion. While much of the episode is spent laying the groundwork for some serious moves, Subaru's actions aren't without a couple of surprises, including the titular "Straight Bet" he makes with Roswaal.
One of the most surprising -- and heartbreaking -- moments comes after Puck's sudden return. While Emilia is expectedly excited to see the cat-like spirit, the reunion is sadly short-lived as Puck reveals he's been working on undoing their previous contract. The two say goodbye before Puck vanishes, leaving Emilia devasted and feeling more alone than ever.
A Bet Between Subaru & Roswaal
The nature of Subaru's Return by Death makes him unsurprisingly uneasy when it comes to relying on and talking to others, especially after spending much of the first half of Season 2 conferring with the ever-scheming Echidna. Still, Otto manages to break past some of Subaru's barriers, causing him to open up. While the exact context of their conversation is left unheard, they concoct a seemingly conspiratorial plan which requires Subaru to make a bet with Roswaal.
Set on finding success, Subaru wages that if he can save the Sanctuary and mansion in this loop, Roswaal will have to join him in helping Emilia with the royal selection. Roswaal intends to force Subaru to choose to save only one option, and his recent admissions of responsibility for hiring the assassins to attack the mansion has put the two in direct opposition. Despite the margrave's unwavering confidence and high regard of Return by Death, Subaru's new understanding of his power following his most recent witch's tea party could finally have him on track if he and Otto are victorious.
Ryuzu Clones & Garfiel's Past
As Subaru continues to set the wheels in motion, he meets with Ryuzu Arma -- one of the first four clones Echidna made of the original -- hoping to recruit them to his side. Their conversation leads to a discussion about Garfiel and another clone, Ryuzu Shima. While the first four clones initially rotated the responsibility of supervising the crystal, which creates more copies of Ryuzu, Shima was stripped of her duty after entering the graveyard to help Garfiel.
During Subaru's many lives spent in the Sanctuary, Garfiel has been relatively consistent in opposing and confronting him. However, learning the root of Garfiel's familial issues and uncovering a way to help him past them could earn Subaru a necessary ally in his fight to liberate the Sanctuary. While most of the first four Ryuzu clones favor Subaru's freeing plan, he'll need to meet with Shima to determine what she saw in the graveyard while helping Garfiel.
Puck Breaks His Contract
Puck hasn't appeared for much of the second season. Finally, the reason for his sudden disappearance is explained. Emilia reveals to Subaru that she was once completely frozen in the forest before being saved by Puck and explains that she has little memory of her life before this. Hoping to find answers from Emilia's forgotten past, Subaru manages to summon Puck back. Unfortunately, the spirit announces that he's breaking his contract with Emilia, which causes him to fade away as they share a tearful goodbye.
Though viewers likely haven't seen the last of Puck, this painful decision is meant to help Emilia remember her forgotten memories -- even if they ultimately cause her more agony at the moment. Slowly she recalls visions of her mother, painting a small picture of Emilia's mysterious past. Still, the sudden loss of Puck -- who acted like a parental figure for her -- and the thought of the family she left behind only add to her grief.
Emilia's feelings of isolation are compounded after Subaru leaves her side in the middle of the night, causing her to run off. The following morning, Ram and the villagers search for her while Garfiel feigns looking for Emilia to meet with Shima. Though Subaru finds Emilia fairly quickly and hopes the two can talk, Garfiel is less successful in finding Ryuzu Shima. Eventually, he finds himself in the crystal chamber, where a confident Otto confronts him for the next stage of Subaru's plan.
