THE WINTER OF HER DISCONTENT

Kirakira Pretty Cure à la Mode
Episode 45
THE WINTER OF HER DISCONTENT

 We never knew what happened to Threestars, since was seen running away from Yukari in the beginning of the episode and some kids explained that it has not been seen for a while. But I am speculating that Threestars might have holding some plot device that could be important in the upcoming episodes but we have to wait and see. 

The episode begins with the girls excited for Christmas, discussing what they should do for it. Yukari surprises everyone by suggesting that they have a Christmas party.
Seeing Yukari be proactive about that kind of thing gets Aoi wondering if they will even be able to hold a party next year – everyone will have their own things that they will be doing.

 Yukari suggested a Christmas Party at the Pâtisserie!


Pekorin asks Yukari if she is going to stay at the KiraPâti forever
Pekorin starts feeling a little blue after hearing the conversation between Aoi, Himari, and Akira, so she goes to Yukari and asks if she will stay. Yukari assures her that they will always be together.

Ciel teaches Yukari how to make macarons

Later on, Yukari asks for a favour from Ciel. Yukari wants to learn how to make the best macarons. She has made macarons before with her heart poured into them, but this time heart is not enough. Ciel agrees, and puts Yukari through her paces.
The next day, the others arrive at the KiraPâti to discover that it has been transformed.

Yukari’s macarons render one speechless

Yukari has prepared macarons. Those who taste-test them end up speechless, almost crying, due to how good they have turned out.

With the KiraPâti’s new decor, there is a flash of inspiration for their upcoming Christmas party. After that, Yukari has a request...



After that, it is time for the KiraPâti’s Christmas party. There are plenty of familiar faces who show up to celebrate.


Bilberry ate everything that was on these plates!


Bilberry gets into the spirit of things, though she doesn’t openly admit it

Glad Miku is allowed to come to the party.

As the party continues, the KiraPâti girls decide to share a few words with their guests. For the most part, they thank their guests (including the Kenjos and the yousei!) for the continued support of KiraPâti. Then comes Yukari’s turn…

Yukari announces that she will go to study abroad

Yukari tells everyone she intends to study abroad, at the Kingdom of Confetto. Before, Yukari was just bored with life, but that changed thanks to the friends she has made through the KiraPâti. She wants to go to Confetto to study sweets even further.
This news seems to come as a shock to everyone, but nobody protests. Akira even leads the applause for Yukari afterwards. (THAT'S MY OTP ***** !!!)
After the party, Pekorin seems to be the only one who is upset with Yukari’s announcement. All the others say that they will wholeheartedly support Yukari’s dream.

It’s about time for Elysio to show up

Worrying about Yukari’s future gets put on hold for a little while, as Elysio arrives.

BEAUTY... AND EXCITEMENT... LET'S LA MAZEMAZE!! 

Meow

CURE MACARON! READY TO SERVE!

As they fight Elysio, Macaron says that no matter how far apart they are, their hearts will always be together.

Elysio is defeated in the typical way, getting totally curbstomped by Cure Macaron, and he retreats. It seems that these repeated defeats are really taking a toll on him…







After all that, the group in the screenshot enjoy Yukari’s macarons together. Akira says that this is definitely Yukari at ‘her most delicious… and prettiest’. (YEEEEAH FOR ANOTHER OTP MOMENT!!!)

However, the tweens and Pekorin are unable to hold back their tears. Yukari hugs them, saying that they will always be together.

The episode ends with Noir looming over a barely conscious Elysio, calling him his ‘adorable doll’ (kawaii ningyo) and asking if he will still fight for him...

Does that mean that Noir made Elysio, that Elysio is his artificial "child" very like Pinocchio, Coppelia, or Frankenstein?
Next episode is the much awaited Start of Darkness and that mystery will be revealed...

MY OWN HUMBLE OPINION:
The Good: It was interesting for this episode especially the scene where they wondered if they will be together for another party next year. Since Himari is planning to study under Prof. Tachibana, Aoi with her singing career, Akira wanted to be a researcher for medicine ...which left Yukari wondering what her future will be. Thankfully, her identity crisis (which gives this episode review its title) has been solved at the end of the day!
Yukari's behaviour has been strange. She was the one who suggested to have a Christmas party at the Pâtisserie. Next she asked Ciel to teach her to make the perfect macaron which she finally made after a long night. Of course, the shocking news during the party was Yukari making the announcement that she is going overseas to study about sweets in the Ruritanian country of Confetto (It is the birthplace of the Prince who tried to marry Yukari in Episode 25). DOES THAT MEAN THAT PRINCE NATHA WILL SEE HER AGAIN!? OMG I FEEL A PRINCESS BRIDE AU COMING UP; WITH AKIRA AS THE MAN IN RED... ALL I HAVE TO DO IS CAST THE 3 YUKARI-NAPPERS! Glaive and Elysio have already claimed two slots... but who would be Íñigo Montoya? PS. Cast another Vizzini; Elysio signed up as the Count!
Her reasons is to learn more about sweets and the relationship with humans so that she can understand better about feelings. Of course, everyone is upset but pulled themselves together when Elysio came back for one final battle with them. The girls somehow defeated him thanks to Cure Macaron's quick thinking. 
Elysio retreated and Noir decided to make a move now. We also finally know that Noir has been gathering negative kirakiraru energy to create some kinda of evil tree. (Seriously? Another evil tree? How many times this plot has been used in the Precure franchise already? Why is it always a tree? Isn't it meant to be an Yggdrasil or Forbidden Fruit reference?)

This definitely felt like a missed opportunity for more AkiYuka moments – I suppose we did get Akira calling Yukari pretty, as well as that moment serving the Kenjos – but it is entirely possible we’ll get something more before the conclusion of the season. OTP OTP OTP!!

I don’t really get why Yukari has chosen to go abroad to Confetto to study sweets. Ciel taught her how to make perfect macarons – surely it would make more sense for Yukari to go to Paris (than to some Ruritanian realm) to learn the same stuff that made Ciel a prodigy (tensai).

This batch of character-focused episodes just hasn’t been as strong as ones we have had before. I feel that this is the weakest Yukari episode. Still, we might have some more interesting surprises in store for the final few episodes.

Looks like Elysio will be making a final stand in the next episode.

Elysio's Ensemble (for this Xmas):

Butterfly fairy knight... the most feminine costume he has worn so far, 

definitely putting the Sissy back in Sissy Villain!
If it weren't for that phallic spear in his right hand, which, definitely, Macaron has utterly pwned!!!

OUR OTP IS FINALLY OFFICIALLY CANONISED (GET THE CANONS)!!!
Episode 25 still remains as one of my favourites of KiraKira ☆ PreCure à la Mode, with its focus on Yukari’s relationship with Akira. In between pwning Elysio and solving that identity crisis, our oneesama still had spare time to coo with her redhead... <3 <3 <3 
Of course Yukari is leaving for Confetto pretty soon, but doesn't absence make the heart grow fonder?


IN NEXT EPISODE (46):
START OF DARKNESS (AND OF LIGHT, BTW)!!
AKA THE PART OF EVERY PRETTY CURE SERIES WHICH I LOOK UP TO THE MOST...

Elysio, is that you or Seve Snape with extensions?

Lumière and a dark young man who may have been Noir once...
I definitely get Snily vibes (he looks more Snapey than the upgraded Elysio), of unrequited love as a motivation for evil... Who was "James" in that case?
Or was it an Othello scenario, with Elysio in the role of Iago tearing a happy, healthy couple apart?
We'll have to wait until next episode to find out...

"Plus the truth between Lumière, Elysio, and Noir is finally revealed!"