An anime protagonist having a dead or absentee mom is practically tradition at this point. Like, think about it, we even have a hairstyle devoted to moms who end up dying in canon. No, I’m absolutely not kidding about that one; does anyone remember Eren Jaeger’s mum in Attack On Titan? It’s kind of ridiculous, but that’s just how anime logic works, I guess. And in an Isekai, those kinds of tropes play out more often than naught, and this one is no exception. I mean, just take a look at what happens to Rudeus Greyrat’s mother in Mushoku Tensei.
In Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, the protagonist does end up reuniting with his mother. But the circumstances that lead to it, and the eventual meeting itself, are both bittersweet and incredibly complex. We already know that his mother, Zenith Greyrat, had been missing for a while when the story started. She had disappeared during the teleportation incident, and since then, her fate had been up in the air. But she is eventually found again, albeit not in the condition Rudeus might’ve imagined.
After all, Zenith was a well-renowned individual in her own right. She was a strong and capable warrior who achieved an S-rank in adventuring. I mean, this is also one of the only people to have encountered Orsted, a literal Dragon God, and survived to tell the tale. But sadly, after the events of the Teleport Labyrinth incident, things didn’t remain the same. And the Zenith we know now isn’t the same person she used to be.
But what happened to her? And how did Rudeus find her again in the first place? Let’s discuss in another round of Lore Analysis, a segment where we closely look at a specific story (manga, anime, or light novel) and see what we can find. The mythos it holds could be hiding a ton of foreshadowing, and it’s our job to see where that leads us. Today we’re discussing Zenith Greyrat’s role in Rudeus’s upbringing and her fragmented existence.
Zenith Greyrat: A Mother First, A Bada*s Always.
One thing you can say about the Greyrat men? They always know how to pick their women.
Zenith was of noble birth, being born in the Holy Country of Millis to an Earl as their second daughter. She was raised in the faith of the Millis Church and was, by all means, an exceptionally well-bred and behaved young lady. Until she turned 15, Zenith decided she wanted to be more than just arm candy for some noble and ran away in a fit of rebellion.
Her powers as a Healer helped provide her with a means to an income, but she gradually became more interested in becoming a solo adventurer. But since she was new to this world, she kept getting scammed by various parties who took advantage of her skills and left her without paying. And that’s exactly how she comes across Paul Greyrat, who rescued her from getting conned.
Zenith joined the Fangs Of The Black Wolf, which was Paul’s guild. During her time there, she started to fall for Paul despite knowing his philandering, womanizing ways. And likewise, Zenith couldn’t trust him. He promised to be faithful, but when she ended up getting pregnant, the ugly insecurities came back. However, Paul kept his promise and married her. Then they both retired to Buena Village.
By all means, she is a very warm individual, full of love but strict where she needs to be. But she is ambitious, with her healing powers being her strongest forte. She kept Paul Greyrat in line, so that also calls for something. And again, you don’t just face Orsted and come back from it, but she did.
What Happened During The Teleport Labyrinth Incident?
The Teleport Incident is a calamity that kickstarted Rudeus’s journey. After the Playback, Miko loses the boy she loved; she basically creates a rift in time and space to try to bring him back. However, the individual that emerges is Rudeus’s human identity, who is now Isekai’d in this world.
Heartbroken, the Miko could not be sustained, which led to the aftereffects reaching the past, causing the Greyrats to be involved. During the aftermath, there were casualties, but Zenith wasn’t amongst them. In fact, she was never found. Turns out, she was transported to the Teleport Labyrinth.
Miko: How Did Zenith And Rudeus Ended Up Reuniting?
She was stuck at the Labyrinth in a mana crystal for six years until Rudeus, and his party stumbled upon her. However, she seems to have lost her memories and never truly recovers them because she became a Miko herself.
She’s in a catatonic state, where she can’t speak or interact, but she still has an awareness of her surroundings. However, when the party discovers another Miko who could read minds, she assures Rudeus that Zenith is aware of what is happening and is proud of him.
Will rudeus marry to elf ??