Kanata

In the end, Madoka disappears quietly without uttering a single word.And Homura, who is left behind, wears an expression filled with a sense of peace I have never seen on her before.Looking at that face, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.Perhaps, Homura no longer remembers Madoka at all.Of course, there is no way to know for sure if that is true.But if Madoka really has vanished from her memory... that serene expression begins to look heartbreakingly sad.It is not that she is in pain from losing someone precious,but rather, she can be at peace because she has forgotten that anyone precious ever existed.When I think about it that way, I can no longer tell whether that "peace" is a form of salvation or something profoundly cruel.Madoka fades away into the distance without a word,and Homura remains there peacefully, without ever knowing what happened.If that is indeed the case,the bond they shared did not simply disappear;it might have been left behind in a place "beyond the reach of memory."That is why the more I look at her final expression, the more painful it becomes.It might have offered more comfort if she had just cried.To think that she looks so remarkably serene precisely because she has forgotten...Even so, part of me still wants to call that expression "happiness."Even if she remains unaware that Madoka is gone,if even a small fragment of peace could be left in Homura's heart.Thinking of it this way makes the word "Kanata" (the great beyond) feel truly sorrowful.The beyond where Madoka faded away.The beyond where their memories can no longer reach.And the distant beyond, where perhaps, someday, something might reach them again.Every time I recall their final expressions,I find myself wondering, "Was this truly for the best?"But I suppose there is no real answer.And that, I believe, is exactly why it lingers in my heart forever.