Sousou no Frieren Episode 14 Discussion

I love the Stark x Fern moments, Stark is pretty oblivious, while Fern is a tsundere light. I'm also waiting for more Frieren x Himmel moments from the past, the romance in this show is really nice as well.

After last episode feeling very off to me, it seems like we're back to normal with this episode. Even Sein's character feels good and fitting with the show now instead of a side character like that merchant. I still think Sein's introduction episode (last episode) was very weak for a new party member compared to Stark and Fern's introduction episodes.

So it looks like they are indeed going forward with the expected ship of Fern x Stark. I'm pretty disappointed because it doesn't make that much sense, and I was hoping for a subversion. Much of the interactions between Stark and Fern is conflict, and it's one-way from Fern to Stark. The root cause of Fern's problems which causes the conflict is in her own mind, and is imaginary almost every time. She gets mad at Stark for things imagined that he's not actually at fault for, she thinks of him as a pervert when he's not actually being perverted. What's worse is Stark is victimized so much by Fern being mad at him for imagined things, he often tries to placate her with apologies for things he's not at fault for, and not even knowing what he's apologizing for. If that's not bad enough, Stark's whole character flaw and growth revolves around his lack of confidence and self-worth, and overcoming such. What Fern does to him not only doesn't help that, but it's the opposite by making things worse. Fern's relationship with Stark is the most toxic thing ever, it's undermining him instead of nurturing him...yet somehow it's thought as some precious heartwarming shipping?

I understand it's supposed to be comedic and romantic, but the longer the toxicity is coming from Fern each episode, the less comedic and romantic it becomes. What does Stark even see in Fern? What has Fern actually done for him that's positive? The only thing I can think of is buying him a birthday gift, but the real big irony with that is Fern didn't even know it was Stark's b-day until Frieren told her, yet she's crucifying him in this episode for thinking he's forgotten her b-day when he didn't actually. I really can't think of anything else beside getting his clothes back from gambling last episode which I felt that whole situation was unusually off the norm. Essentially it seems like Stark is being held hostage by Fern's imagination most of the time, and it's to his detriment in regards to his confidence and self-worth.

I'm actually kind of disgusted by how abused Stark is by Fern, and now he's sort of trapped in a romantic entanglement with her. I can only hope a subversion is coming because the anime seems to acknowledge Fern is being horrible to him by having Frieren and now Sein often pointing that out to her.