Delicious In Dungeon – Season 1 Episode 23 Recap & Review

Griffin Soup/Dumplings

Episode 23 of Delicious In Dungeon begins with a flashback. In it, we see Senshi and his former crew stumbling upon the ancient golden castle he spoke of in the previous episode. Senshi tells his allies they shouldn’t explore this place without a proper plan. However, Senshi’s allies coerce him into checking the area with them. Senshi tells Laios and the others that his former allies became obsessed with the dungeon and acted out of character. 

Suddenly, in the past timeline, Senshi’s allies discover one of their ally’s (Totan’s) remains. Another ally says a winged beast killed Totan and the castle’s transformed into a dungeon. Senshi and his former allies tried fleeing, but Senshi says he and the others ran into numerous hurdles from traps to loss of supplies. This persuaded Senshi’s group leader to split everyone into teams to tackle different tasks. 

Senshi’s leader tells Senshi to make a detailed map and stay at their safe location. As days pass, Senshi remarks that they lost more allies and supplies and had no choice but to eat the horse that traveled with them. Eventually, only Senshi and his allies Brigan and Gillin remain. Gillin tells Senshi they’re dealing with a Griffin but tells Senshi not to worry about the beast. 

Later, Senshi overhears Brigan yelling at Gillin for giving Senshi food since Senshi rarely contributes to the team. Inevitably, Gillan and Brigan encounter the Griffin. Gillin regroups with Senshi, informing him that he murdered the Griffin but Brigan perished in battle. Gillin makes a soup out of the Griffin and hands a portion of it to Senshi later. 

Then, Gillin departs the area and never returns, leaving Senshi alone with his finished meal. After some research, Senshi flees the area. He tells Laios and the others about his experiences with the orcs and the teachings they bestowed on him. Eventually, Senshi reaches the surface but refuses to visit his homeland. Therefore, Senshi says he chose to live around the dungeon and its shallower levels. 

Then, Senshi ponders Gillin’s last dish to him. Senshi wonders if Gillin used a different type of meat in that dish. Senshi says out of all the monsters he’s eaten nothing came close to that dish’s taste. Senshi says he ran away from the Griffin because he was afraid to discover that the “Griffin meat” he had eaten long ago didn’t come from a Griffin. Next, Laios suggests Senshi eat the Griffin they defeated. 

He argues it’ll help Senshi know if Gillin fed him Griffin meat that day. Senshi eats the dish and confirms that it wasn’t a Griffin he ate that day. Laios eats the meal next and argues that Gillin fed Senshi Hippogriff meat. He argues the winged beast that attacked Senshi’s group wasn’t a Griffin and says it was a Hippogriff. As they did with Falin, Laios argues Senshi’s group mistook the Griffin for a Hippogriff due to their similar build. 

Laios tells the others that they should look for a Hippogriff. He argues the dungeon’s Changelings (mushroom-like creatures) will help them find it. Laios delves into a “Replacement Child” tale. Essentially, anyone, monster or human, who walks within a ring of Changelings will undergo a slight appearance change. That said, Laios argues the Griffin they defeated wasn’t a Griffin. 

Laios believed this was an entirely different specimen who turned into a Griffin because it encountered Changelings. Laios places the Griffin’s meat inside a ring of Changelings. Its meat turns into Hippogriff meat. Laios makes a Hippogriff soup and feeds it to Senshi. Senshi eats it and says this is the soup Gillin fed him and thanks everyone for their help in recreating it. 

Senshi apologizes to Laios and the other for withholding intel. He promises to help them find the winged lion, Thistle, and Falin. Laios gladly accepts Senshi to the team. Suddenly, Laios and his friends wander into a field of Changelings and discover their effects on them at night. Laios tells the others they’ve all changed species from Marcille becoming a half-foot to Izutsumi becoming a Kobold. 

Laios and the others realize the dungeon’s shifted again too. Nonetheless, our group departs, hoping to find a ring of Changelings that’ll return them to normal. Laios and his team stumble on the magic door. Kensuke attempts to open the door and a group of Gargoyles attacks our heroes. Chilchuk and the others struggle to combat the Gargoyles because they’re not adapted to their new bodies. 

Fortunately, the door opens and our heroes escape from the Gargoyles’ wrath. Laios makes everyone a meal. While eating, Marcille lectures Laios about this defensive area and how it relates to the war between the elves and the dwarves and the technology created during this battle. Chilchuk hopes Marcille can speak with the elves if they come after them. 

Laios says they can count on Senshi to do that since he’s an elf now. After staring at Senshi again, everyone admits he won’t be helpful in that regard. Therefore, the episode closes with Laios and the others plotting a way to return to normal. 

The Episode Review

As anticipated, this episode delved into Senshi’s dark experiences with his former dwarf allies. Although we don’t delve into each ally’s death significantly, the members of Senshi’s troop who received substantial screentime certainly influenced him. Moreover, it was touching seeing Gillin stand up for Senshi. Additionally, Brigan’s qualms with Senshi were reasonable as anyone would react similarly as he did with Senshi’s special treatment. 

Unfortunately, the chapter doesn’t delve too much into these background characters to make people feel too empathetic for their deaths. Although some may theorize Gillin’s and Brigan’s survival because we didn’t see their bodies, they likely perished. However, Delicious In Dungeon has had its share of unexpected turns in past episodes, so there’s merit for people feeling this way. 

That aside, many folks will find this chapter’s monster and world lore fascinating as usual. Again, it shows how very little we know of the dungeon, the species that inhabit it, and the way it was truly formed. On the other hand, the Changelings and Hippogriff situation feels mildly convenient, writing-wise. Nevertheless, it was nice seeing Senshi apologize to Laios and the others for not being honest with them. 

Simultaneously, it was great having Laios and the others welcome Senshi back to the team. All in all, this was another imaginative and informative chapter of Delicious In Dungeon. I’m excited to see what the final episode offers next week.