We’re all still reeling from the beautiful tragedy that is Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. We especially can’t stop thinking about one heartbreaking relationship in particular.
To put things into context, Frieren is an elf. She’s an elven mage who has powers beyond human comprehension. 500 years could pass her in the blink of an eye, and she would barely notice a thing. The rate at which she processes emotions wouldn’t be the same as what a human does. She has had the luxury of thinking about her feelings for years, but humans aren’t the same.
Meanwhile, Himmel is just a human. He’s remembered to be a great hero, but Himmel is doomed to a much shorter lifespan. Himmel was lucky enough to reach his senior years, and he most likely did not even reach 100 years old.
I did all the watching and reading, and I took in all the emotional damage so I could answer your question. The simple answer is, yes, Frieren does love Himmel. But there’s a more accurate and dramatic answer to all this.
Himmel fell in love first, but Frieren fell harder for him. It was implied that Himmel’s feelings remained the same until his death. While he loved her in silence, Frieren only realized decades too late that she felt the same way.
If she had noticed all the signs earlier, then she wouldn’t be loving the ghost of a hero who once fought by her side.
Loving a memory
The story of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is largely about Frieren and her current party. But the show is littered with flashbacks Frieren would have with her former party, consisting of Himmel, Heiter, and Eisen. In most cases, Frieren would fondly reminisce about Himmel.
Frieren cried and regretted not knowing about Himmel while she still could. This realization changed Frieren’s approach to humans. She got to know them better and made an effort to understand their emotions.
Many humans that Frieren once knew have passed during her lifetime. But her feelings for Himmel and her regrets about him had triggered a change in her approach to relationships. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.
