"Twilight of the Golden Witch" is the fifth installment in the "Umineko When They Cry" visual novel series written by Ryukishi07. It serves as the conclusion to the intricate and mysterious story that unfolds throughout the series. In this chapter, readers are presented with the final piece of the puzzle, as the truth behind the mysterious deaths on Rokkenjima Island is revealed. The story begins with the Ushiromiya family gathering on the isolated island for their annual conference. However, what initially seems like a simple family reunion quickly turns sinister as the island becomes the stage for a series of gruesome murders. As the family members are killed off one by one, tensions rise and dark secrets are unraveled.
Like pepper, the difficulty comes in tiny yet spicy grains. Why not participate yourself, now at the very end?
When Ange walks through the door, she is returned to the point in time following the Tea Party of Dawn of the Golden Witch wherein she is on Captain Kawabata s boat en route to Rokkenjima. Beatrice performs for Ange something similar to to what she had performed for Maria in previous arcs, wherein she produces a piece of candy after showing her empty hand.
As the family members are killed off one by one, tensions rise and dark secrets are unraveled. The narrative is structured in a way that alternates between a detective perspective and a meta-narrative level. The detective perspective follows Battler Ushiromiya, a young man who challenges the existence of witches and attempts to unravel the truth behind the murders.
Medical Student vs. Anime
This is the two endings for the Episode 8 main story.
It Is A Trick!
– When the Trick choice is taken, Ange prepares the key and opens the door. Battler tells her not to look behind her and keep looking forward. She turns the key and enters.
– Beyond her lies a seemingly vast emptiness. She resolves herself not to look back, and to let them rest where they are. Battler tells her to believe in the future. Ange in tears says she will continue to believe in them.
– Everyone says their goodbyes. Beato says she will await the day they will all meet again. Kinzo says he will have a few good drinks while he waits. A stuffed toy materializes in Ange’s hands.
– Battler says it is a souveneir. Ange thanks them all, and takes one more step forward. She does not say goodbye, believing they will meet again. She slowly walks forward.
– The light envelopes Ange
On the Boat 1998
– Ange finds herself on the bow of the boat with the wind in her hair. Amakusa tells her to relax.
– The captain says they are near the island. Ange says she sees nothing left. She says whatever may happen, she will move forward.
– Ange says this is all useless. Ange throws the stuffed toy she got into the ocean. Amakusa is shocked. Ange says she’s throwing her old self away. She says she is reborn. She asks the captain to give her and Amakusa a moment.
– Ange asks if she has already moved on. Amakusa says yes. Ange says she can finally get rid of the burdens of being Ushiromiya Ange. Ange doesn’t want anything to do with the family anymore. Amakusa says she could always sign off her claim to the company to someone else.
– She wonders about Okonogi and the Sumadera family. Amakusa says she should be fine as a VIP. Ange says it was predictable for everyone that she’d want to go to Rokkenjima, especially now that the island is uninhabited.
– Ange suggests that the Sumadera was told of her trip by Amakusa’s boss, Okonogi. Amakusa says it would be odd for Okonogi to have him as the bodyguard if this were true. Ange says she’s being used as a bargaining tool for Okonogi to take control of the company. Amakusa says she is being paranoid.
– Ange says she knows the Sumaderas are after her, and she will be killed on Rokkenjima as planned. Amakusa is then supposed to kill them in revenge, and Okonogi would use these events to play the company to his favor. Killing two birds with one stone.
– Amakusa finds her imagination fascinating. Ange says she checked his golf bag and found a sizable cache of weapons. She says it is odd to be bringing so much weaponry even for protection. Amakusa says she is thinking too much.
– Ange says when she goes to the island, she would be used as bait to lure out the Sumaderas. She says she found a German machine gun in the golf bag (probably an H&K submachine gun). Amakusa says it’s for gunning down anyone one who comes after them, specifically the Sumaderas.
– She says she found another more peculiar gun in the bag, takes it out and points it at Amakusa. He tells her to put the gun down and be careful. He says it’s for taking out the Sumaderas. She says it is a Tokarev (Soviet era WW2 pistol using 7.62mm rounds IIRC), a handgun which she says hard to get in Japan yet is the same type the Sumadera bodyguards use. She says guns are hard to get, and it is likely they got the gun directly from the Sumaderas.
– Amakusa is speechless. Ange is pointing it still at him. She says she is meant to die in the crossfire and the gun would make it look like one of the bodyguards killed her. Amakusa gets a cold sweat. She says such reasoning is possible for her. Ange handles the gun. Amakusa says she has the safety on. Ange says the Tokarev has no safety (the original Tokarev apparently has no safety switch).
– BANG! ANGE SHOOTS AMAKUSA ONCE IN THE ABDOMEN AND ONCE IN THE HEAD. Amakusa falls over dead. Ange says he is definitely dead and no one, even those not doctors, would make a mistake. The captian comes down and sees the event. Ange says he is in cahoots with them. He denies knowing anything.
– BANG! ANGE SHOOTS THE CAPTAIN TWICE. He falls over dead.
– Narrator says Ange managed to survive by preempting her would be killers. She looks forward of the bow. The narrator wonders how far forward a captain-less ship can go in an infinite horizon. Narrator says Ange prays for the truth she wishes would be reached at last.
– There is apparently a sound of applause on the ship. She turns around to see Erika warping in. ERIKA CONGRATULATES ANGE FOR REACHING THE TRUTH. Erika says she is anywhere someone exposes the truth.
– The boat is veering away from Rokkenjima. The boat begins its voyage into the infinite horizon beyond. Ange says she will open the future her own way. She says she was delighted by Amakusa’s face when he died. Erika trollface giggle.
– ENDSCROLL!
(Rather obvious bad end. The tea parties aren’t unlocked and the end scroll goes to fast for me to read.)
It Is Magic!
– When the Mahic choice is chosen, the scene is exactly the same as the Trick choice before Ange actually enters the door.
Rooftop 1998
– Ange finds herself on the rooftop of the building she first jumped from. The biting wind stings her face and blows her hair. The same building where Bern first recruited her.
– Ange looks beyond, turns around and climbs back over the fence. She decides not to jump. Th elevator opens and a guard comes out. He tells her to be careful not to fall.
– She asks him for a cellphone. She calls Okonogi and tells him she is relinquishing control of the company over to him. Looking to the sky, she says she will live from here on in. The old Ange is dead. She is the new Ange, the witch Ange.
MetaLibrary
– When Ange disappears, Feaherine declares the game concluded. All the metacharacters fade away, except Battler. Eva-Beatrice arrives. She and Battler close the door. Battler says their roles are now done.
– The MetaLibrary begins to collapse. Eva and Battler prepare to depart.
– On his way out, he has a chat with Erika. She says they were the same witches of truth, yet in the end she was a much different person than her. She says Ange in the end believed in her truth no matter what others say, and that’s what made her more suitable than Erika.
– Battler says perhaps Erika was not a witch but really the detective. Erika thanks him. She says that maybe one day when another mystery occurs in Rokkenjima, she’ll be there again as the detective.
– They bid farewell to each other as the ceiling finally caves in. Battler takes his leave.
– Featherine asks Erika for her cat. They get Bern and leave as well.
Hotel
– The convention is in an uproar. Hachijou declares she has changed her mind and will take Eva’s diary into her private collection instead.
– People start to rage. Some suggest it is a fake. Others say she should do it for everyone.
– Hachijou says no one here has the right to open the book. She calls on her cat who grabs the diary. In the end the diary is never opened.
– Magazine article detailing the entire debacle. With the diary to remain closed, the mystery of Rokkenjima will remain a mystery for eternity. Only time will tell what the truth reallt is it seems.
– At a later date, Hachijou is seen taking a boat to the island where she throws a golden rose out to the sea around Rokkenjima.
Rokkenjima 1986
– Beato is showing Battler down the tunnel leading to the submarine pen. The place where Kinzo met the first Beatrice. At the dock is a boat, a modern one. They have a gold ingot with them.
– Battler says he can try to drive it as Beato revs the engine. She say Niijima should be close by beyond the beach. He asks her to come with him.
– Beato… declines. She says she is the master of the Golden Land and must stay. She says she is already part of the crime here. She tells him to go.
– After a moment, Battler grabs Beato and refuses to let go. He says if she is guilty as part of the crime then he is guilty as well. They will carry the cross together. He will go to the Golden Land with her.
– He takes Beato to the boat and starts to prepare to leave.
– Outside the cave lies the ocean and the clear sky. The typhoon is gone. A seagull feather falls onto the boat. They look back at the island behind them.
– She asks if she can survive out here. He says he’ll show her the world.
– (Draw a parallelism between Kinzo/Beatrice Castiglioni and Battler/Beato when they were also on said boat)
– As they move away, Battler knows of the need to cut the cursed ties she has with the island. He will liberate her from the curse. She feels guilt for what she has made them do on that island. Battler says she should live her life as she sees fit as penance for her actions. Beato cries a bit.
– She asks Battler close his eyes and she seems to draw her face draw closer to his (I think? Either way you know what that means!). Battler’s eyes seem to open as she approaches upon which she gets mad at him for not having delicacy. She kisses him on the earlobe instead (dawwwww).
– She goes all trollface and makes fun of him. He says she’s not anymore the worst kind of witch. He says someday she will be forgiven.
– ALL OF A SUDDEN A FLASH OF WHITE AND BEATO DISAPPEARS. SCENE SCROLL!
– (It’s not an endscroll only text scroll of what happened at that point. The story continues after the scene scroll.)
Scene/End Scroll (Translation credit for the scroll to whoever it is due and to the animesuki guys and girls)
Battler leaps towards the sea without hesitation. In such a way, he rushed up to her. While he is still able to see the silhouette of the witch, he rushed up to her.
The witch quietly looks at Battler, and smiles. He is already unable to hear her words. Yet, Battler is still sure of the words that she is saying.
Battler tries his best to reply to her words. Yet, all the words spoken in the water transformed into bubbles.
I had already said this before, Battler.
I was born an evil witch, so the repayment for my sins is endless. Living is not enough to repay it.
Looking over to her who was getting deeper into the darkness, Battler tried with all his might to reach her.
And then, ……that hand…….finally caught her.
Foolish Battler…..
You were finally able to survive and escape from the island but yet…. you still want to abandon your life….?
…………I will definitely not leave you.
I’m happy that you feel that way. However…… My existence is an illusion, and you are human. In the end, our forms of existence are different.
I will return to the illusions. So you should also return back to your own world.
Gradually,the surroundings begin to darken. Battler’s breathing begins to become painful, and both his head and ears begin to hurt. Battler’s fingers, ……..slowly left Beato’s.
And then, finally, their fingers, ….seperated.
Above Battler, was the world of light. Yet, under the witch, was the world of darkness…… The light was pulling Battler away from amongst the darkness.
The witch, having seen Battler’s body float up to the surface of the sea, calmed her heart.
Farewell, Battler. ……..And, thank you.
Watching Battler’s body disappering into the light…….. the witch slowly closed her eyes. Then, she slowly fell into the world of hell, an eternally isolated world.
At that time……. she felt it.
This is impossible.
Since, Battler had already left for a faraway place.
However, that was definitely Battler.
It was the Battler that had been chasing the witch……..
How could I have allowed you to escape? You are the golden witch, only for me.
………..Stupid Battler………. ………..stupid Battler……….
If what you wish is hell, then I shall go down with you.
If that place is an isolated world, then let me disappear with you.
So, until the very last moment,
……..You are mine…….
The two embraced each other tightly.
…….Now, even fate is unable to separate the two of them.
The two became one…….and sank down to the bottom of hell……
And then, in the world of total darkness…… there was a fleeting light. That warmth… was a golden light.
It was…. the petal of a golden rose.
That is the place where the two had reached….. a clean world without any filth. At that place was something covered in fine white sand…… It was a small box.
Alsmost like it was sleeping in serenity at the bottom of the sea, was Beatrice’s cat box. On the box danced a petal of a golden rose………..
This is a tale of this deep, deep sea. It continues to sleep in this pitch-black world…
……The small tale of the golden flower which gives out a weak, golden light……
~Twilight of the golden Witch.
1998
– A bunch of men pile suitcases into a car. Okonogi and Ange are saying goodbye to each other. She says she leaves everything to his hands. He says she has changed a lot.
– She says she needed love to see the truth, so now he journey is at an end. Her heart can move on now. Okonogi says to contact him when she gets to her new home. He says to leave the issue of the Sumadera family to him, the lawyers are on it as they speak. She says she wants the entire issue settled.
– With Ange taking charge and deciding how the company will go and who will head it, the company is able to keep itself together. They avoid a takeover by the Sumaderas. The family company is able to continue operations.
– Okonogi is named Ange’s guardian and affairs handler. Okonogi says she should come and visit sometimes since this is still her company. She says she might.
– She says she wants to be a novelist. He says she should give it her all so she can succeed. She will send him a copy of her first book. Okonogi is about to introduce her personal driver when she says she knows about him already (?).
– Amakusa sneezes while on the driver’s seat. Okonogi says he is to server has her assistant and to report to him if she ever needs anything. As Ange gets in the car, he tells her to get a good name as a new identity and tell him.
– They drive off. Amakusa suggests Minami or Hokkaido. She agrees on Minami. She wants a place with warm sun by the seaside. Ange closes her eyes to get some sleep. He says when she opens them they’ll get there. She tells him to drive on and falls asleep.
– The car joins the mass of cars on the freeways. She says she will now throw away her old name and live her new life away from the Ushiromiya. She is Ange-Beatrice, the witch of gold, the last member of the Mariage Sociere, and the last witch who will live on.
And so, the story of Rokkenjima and the Ushiromiya Family comes to an end.
On the other hand, the meta-narrative level showcases the battle between the witches, Beatrice and Bernkastel, as they manipulate events and challenge the mysteries presented in the story. Throughout "Twilight of the Golden Witch," readers are confronted with complex and elaborate riddles, forcing them to think critically and piece together the truth. The novel explores themes of truth, belief, and the power of stories, blurring the line between fantasy and reality. It delves deep into the psychology of its characters, examining their motivations and desires, ultimately painting a poignant portrait of the human condition. Ryukishi07's writing style is known for its intricate and layered storytelling. The rich descriptions, compelling character dynamics, and thought-provoking dialogue create a captivating atmosphere that keeps readers enthralled from start to finish. The shocking twists and turns that occur in "Twilight of the Golden Witch" leave readers on the edge of their seats, eagerly anticipating the conclusion of the series. In conclusion, "Twilight of the Golden Witch" is a gripping and thought-provoking visual novel that serves as the culmination of the "Umineko When They Cry" series. With its complex narrative, intricate puzzles, and exploration of profound themes, it offers readers a truly immersive and unforgettable experience..
Reviews for "From detective to culprit: Examining the moral ambiguity in Twilight of the Golden Witch"
1. John - 2/5 stars: I was really excited to start reading "Twilight of the Golden Witch" because I had enjoyed the previous books in the series. However, I was disappointed with this one. The plot felt disjointed and confusing, and the characters were not as well-developed as in the previous books. The pacing was also off, with slow sections dragging on and important moments feeling rushed. Overall, I found this book to be a letdown compared to the rest of the series.
2. Emily - 1/5 stars: I cannot express how much I disliked "Twilight of the Golden Witch." The story was convoluted and filled with unnecessary twists and turns that only served to confuse and frustrate me. The characters were unlikeable and lacked depth, making it difficult for me to connect with any of them. Additionally, the writing style was overly verbose and slow-paced, making it a struggle to get through the book. This was a huge disappointment for me, and I would not recommend it to anyone.
3. Laura - 2/5 stars: I was really excited for the conclusion to the series with "Twilight of the Golden Witch," but it fell short of my expectations. The plot felt repetitive and predictable, with no real surprises or twists. The romance between the main characters also felt forced and lacked chemistry, which was disappointing considering it had been a central focus of the previous books. Overall, I found this book to be underwhelming and not worth the hype.