Escape from Pain is the eleventh episode of the Trigun anime. This episode doesn't cover any chapter of the manga.
Summary[]
A group of caravans is stuck in the middle of the desert due to what's called Demislad sprays. At a bar in the caravan group Wolfwood plays a game of chess with a bar patron and is in a pinch. As Wolfwood notes how terrible the dancer at the bar is, Milly argues with the bartender for not having any pudding for sale. Wolfwood grabs Milly's attention and Milly reveals that she along with Vash and Meryl are there too. The bar patron is surprised that the Vash is there and while he's distracted, Wolfwood tries to tamper with his Knight only for a cat to stop him. So Milly moves a pawn of Wolfwood making him win the chess game.
Afterward, Wolfwood buys Milly two big paper bags full of pudding as thanks for helping him out. After revealing she's the youngest of 10 siblings they are bumped into by the dancing girl from the saloon. The young girl begs them for help as she's being pursued by some thugs and tacitly agree. Approached by the thugs one of them asks if they've seen the dancer girl. Wolfwood, answers truthfully that she's right behind him, but when the thug goes to check, he stops the thug and tries to have him answer his question. The thug refuses to and in the process steps on one of Milly's puddings. Upset, Milly uses her gun to take out the thugs. Thankful for what they've done, the dancer tries to go on her way, but hears more men that are after her head her way. So, Milly comes up with a plan.
Acting as a couple, Milly hides the dancer under her clothing giving her the appearance of a heavily pregnant woman. Elsewhere, Meryl and Vash wait at a restaurant and the insurance agent grows tired of waiting for Milly who went on an errand. At that moment, Vash is approached by a group of men whom ask if he's the legendary outlaw. On the outskirts of the caravan, Milly and Wolfwood drop the dancer off and are then shot at by an unknown man. The man demands that they get away from the dancer whose name is revealed to be Moore who stops the man known as Julius. Moore then rushes over to Julius and they embrace one another. Later, Moore explains a bit of their backstory and how Julius' father is after them. The man in question who is the mayor of Fondrique is in search of his adopted son Julius and hires Vash to find him. It turns out that Julius is the "pass" that allows his father into the city due to the mark on his left arm. Furthermore, the merchandise on their caravan is slaves that earns them a lucrative profit and Moore is a slave as well. Back to Vash and the mayor, Vash agrees to the job for $$20,000,000. Switching back to Wolfwood's group, he reprimands Julius for wanting to run away, since it would mean the end of the town and innocent lives lost. On the other hand, Julius stands his ground acting obstinate towards Wolfwood's chastising comments. So, Wolfwood pulls out a gun from his cross and points it at Julius seemingly intending to kill him. However, he instead points the gun at his own temple and says that if Julius leaves with Moore, he'll fire his gun. Unfazed by Wolfwood's declaration, Julius and Moore walk past Wolfwood and he pulls the trigger to his gun. To everyone's astonishment, the gun was unloaded. Following the words of her big sister to help those in need, Milly follows the two. Wolfwood then notes how Milly does everything he can't and how it sincerely irritates him.
Milly catches up to Julius and Moore in the Demislad sprays, while Wolfwood, enjoys a cigarette as four thugs run by him. Back in the town, Vash and Meryl take a jeep to the outskirts of the caravan. Julius, Moore, and Milly take a break from their journey and Julius laments over his predicament and they're accosted by thugs. Vash finally explains to Meryl about the job he took, while the thugs apprehend Julis and Moore. Soon, Wolfwood arrives and takes out the thugs, but they're then surrounded by more thugs as well as Vash who takes out both Julius and Moore. Not wanting to mess with Vash, the thugs flee in terror and a distraught Milly, approaches Vash and reprimands him for what he did to the two. Meryl then appears and is then embraced by Milly, while Wolfwood reveals that Vash used rubber bullets when he fired at Julius and Moore. The two are also revealed to be alive. Meryl passes on a message to Julius from his father informing him that he's truly sorry for deceiving him and that he and Moore are free. Vash and Wolfwood talk to each other as they see Julius and Moore off they talk about Vash's karma and about Milly.
In one of the caravans, that's en route to their next destination, it's revealed that Wolfwood has parted ways with the group. In his inner monologue, Wolfwood reflects that he thought a sacrifice had to be made in order to solve the problem. He, however, never would have thought that Vash would be the best solution.
Appearances[]
Manga/Anime Differences[]
This section requires expansion.
Trivia[]
- This episode alludes to several ethical dilemmas: the "murderer at the door", when the men chasing Moore ask Wolfwood where she went); and notably "the trolley problem", when Wolfwood has the choice to stop or allow Julius to run away, saving many lives (but allowing for exploitation in trade) or allowing their death (with Julius' freedom). Vash provides a solution to the problem that goes beyond the initially set parameters of the problem.