Score: A

Second chances are invaluable. And there’s no question that the main character of Tearmoon Empire is getting the chance to appreciate that. This show starts off strong with diving right into the pretty terrible fate that Mia originally experienced. And since this isn’t some “isekai’d into a game” situation she really gets to take in the weight of what she’s experienced. It’s all her and there’s no simple way to avoid what she fears experiencing again. If they can manage the comedy of the show while maintaining that sense of trauma and terror Mia experienced, then we could be in for a good show here.

Caught up in a terrible situation

One thing I like about all this is that Mia’s fate wasn’t all her fault. I probably shouldn’t compare it to the “isekai into a villainess” genre, but it makes me think of that to some degree. Those characters had an easy time since they just could choose not to be evil. Piece of cake. They are basically different people put into the body of someone that could turn to evil. But with Mia it’s not that simple. We probably don’t have the full picture yet. But honestly, she just seemed to be a rather spoiled Princess.

The show was right to draw the connection to Marie Antoinette and draw comparisons to the French Revolution. The point wasn’t some fitting execution of an evil monster. Rather Mia’s execution was likely just finishing off the remainders of the royal family and to snuff out any chance that Royalist sympathizers might rally around her to overthrow the Revolutionaries. Mia was killed for what she was and what she represented rather than for who she was.

Needs to avoid that guillotine

So, if Mia just becomes a slightly better person…that won’t change anything. Maybe she could find more allies willing to help her escape capture by the Revolutionaries. But that’s about it. Mia as far as I can tell didn’t ruin this country. She didn’t collapse the economy, cause a famine, or encourage their enemies in other countries to support an uprising. She was just a pampered Princess without much interest for the outside world. It didn’t really matter until people started hauling her through a dungeon and throwing her into a cell!

That makes the bar she needs to clear a good deal more substantial. Mia must help her country avoid collapse. The situation must be changed to a degree that no one would think of overthrowing the Royal family. And she must start right now while she’s still a kid. That’s a solid challenge. And she must get it right because she can’t count on magic sending her consciousness back in time repeatedly. At least I wouldn’t bank on it and gladly meet the guillotine once more!

Yeah, I can’t imagine helping these people would be her main goal!

The show hasn’t touched on it quite yet, but I’d be surprised if Mia has any interest in saving the country for its own sake. This is the country where the citizens rose up and murdered her. It’s not unusual or surprising for people overthrowing the ruling class to go on a killing spree. It has obviously happened across history. But that shouldn’t invoke any sense of sympathy from Mia to the people. It’ll be fine if her primary focus is to save her own life. That’s perfectly fine. In the end the country will benefit as will Mia. The story doesn’t need her to be a saint. It just needs her motivated and she very much is.

This flashback was good!

One moment I really liked was the flashbacks with Anne. Here’s someone that for 3 years kept on showing up. She knew that Mia was doomed. There was little chance she’d be allowed to live and no gain that Anne could get from it. In fact she probably was treated worse by people because she kept showing up to take care of a member of the royal family. If she wasn’t showing up to look after Mia there’s a good chance she would have killed herself before she could be executed. And I like how that really meant something to Mia. In her darkest moments there was one slight glimpse of light. Someone that made her living hell just a little bit better. Even if almost, everyone was cheering for her execution it had to help that someone was praying for her salvation.

And now she gets to pay her back for that. Anne probably will never find out that Mia has basically time traveled. It will probably be eternally a mystery why this girl made Anne her personal maid. But that’s ok. Anne might truly be the one case of Mia looking to do something to make things right. Anne did such a good thing in a timeline that she’ll never be aware of. And for that good deed she’ll be given as good a treatment as Mia can manage. It’s a win for Mia anyways of course. She knows that Anne’s character is good. She can trust it ahead of anyone else because she’s seen what Anne is willing to do even in the worst of situations. Anne can count this as a lucky turn of events and Mia can smile knowing she’s done something to pay back Anne’s kindness.

Hopefully her future has more smiles in it

This was a pretty solid start. Took their time with it, but we’re set up to get moving now that the bases are covered. There’s a tough road ahead for Mia. She’s got to turn things around while there is still time. But at least she has some ideas on where to start and the sorts people she needs to ally herself with. And thankfully she has a decent amount of authority. This is still a good few years before the Royal family will really be in trouble. So, she can leverage everything she can while it still can have some effect. And I wish her the best of luck. Completely fair to want to save her life and avoid experiencing that horrible fate for a second time.