#free the final stroke spoilers
How S3EP1 foreshadowed Rinharu’s conclusion in The Final Stroke part 2
This iconic scene between Haru and Rin in season 3 has always intrigued me. As a huge Star Wars fan, I personally like to refer to it as the Force Bond moment. Kyoani stop reading my diary lol.
Long read under the cut!
Without trying to look too much through the lens of my own shipping goggles, I’d like to get into what is so important about this Force Bond moment and how it pertains to one of the plot points in FS2. Ever since I watched season 3 for the first time last December, I’d been wondering what the significance of this scene was, its purpose. Indeed, it shows the unique connection that Rin and Haru have always had ― the idea that no matter where they are in the world, they are able to feel the other’s presence in the water, thus it serves as a reminder to them the reason they are swimming and what to aim for.
But what else does it have to do with the two of them and swimming? It is not only that they are starting and finishing at the same time in this scene, but in my opinion it is that they are swimming freestyle specifically that is important. And now that The Final Stroke part 2 has come out, I finally understand.
“When I swim for real, it’s always free.”
Because this entire sequence intentionally parallels Haru and Rin as they swim, I’d like to think that even though Haru is the one who says this line, Rin shares the same sentiment.
I love that Rin specializes in two different strokes. Butterfly is the most difficult one, yet Rin chooses to swim both butterfly and freestyle. It demonstrates his strength, his dedication, and his perseverance. It’s just another thing to add to the list of why I love Rin so much. It demonstrates his competitiveness, but also his selfishness. But just as I love Rin for all of his good qualities, I also love him for his flaws. He’s not perfect; that’s the point. That makes him relatable and someone worth rooting for.
Rin wants everything ― to excel in both strokes, to compete at the world level, to win a gold medal, to stand on the same stage as Haru, etc. He’s elated when he wins and he’s crushed when he loses, yet he picks himself back up and keeps trying, and part of that is thanks to Haru and vice versa.
So after watching FS1, the idea of Rin permanently dropping free was a legitimate fear that I had. Sure, if Rin stuck with butterfly, he and Haru could still do relays together, and relays have always been an important aspect of Free!, but it just wouldn’t be the same if they didn’t race each other in freestyle anymore. Freestyle is just one part of their friendship, their rivalry, their dynamic which is always so much fun to watch. It’s something that the franchise has demonstrated over and over again, how they continue to push each other and guide each other. Racing freestyle is theirthing.
FS2 erased all of my fears, but if I had only paid attention to all of the signs, then the answer would have been clear to see long before. Their race in S3EP1 is one of those signs, a seed planted, evidence that Rin and Haru are not only meant to swim together, but also evidence of one very crucial thing which can be found in this conversation/interview that the two of them have, referring to that very moment:
Rin: Haru, how’s university life for you? Have you gotten used to your team?
Haruka: I told you last time. Not much has changed. What about you?
Rin: What’s with that. You’re so cold. You never tell me anything.
Haruka: I tell you a bit. So, how are you?
Rin: ……!!!! Well, it’s moving along. Because of Mikhail’s training schedule, I’m able to keep my speed up at the end of races. But I still feel like I did my best swimming on the day I first trained with Mikhail.
Haruka: I see. Speaking of, I think the first time I swam with the Hidaka swimming club was the time I swam the most natural with the water. University pools have a different feel than high school ones.
Haru and Rin swim their best when they are swimming together. This is the message. They are better together. And it’s funny because they go on to say that them swimming so well that time is probably due to the fact that swimming pools at universities have better equipment than those at high schools, but I don’t think that’s all of it! It is obvious that individually, Rin and Haru were aware that they felt the other’s presence in the water, but I don’t think they had any idea that the feeling was mutual. And of course they don’t talk about it. There are a lot of things that they don’t talk about, which leads to so many misunderstandings between them. Those silly fools haha. I love them dearly.
We as the audience can infer that Rin and Haru are better together from what the show has provided us, but the fact that it is explicitly stated in this conversation between the two of them, even if they were not aware of it at the time, is really, really exciting! FS2 once again reaffirms this in the night pool scene, when Haru is able to enjoy swimming again when he swims with Rin. And not only that, but two staff members who witness their race make a comment that they may have set a world record. You can read a fantastic summary of FS2 here.
FS1 set up that fear of Rin dropping free, which was cruel XD but I understand now that it had to happen. Not only for the sake of drama, but because it was one last hurdle for Rin and Haru to overcome. They needed that conflict so that they could finally be on the same page and take the next step forward into their relationship. However one may view said relationship, whether platonically or romantically, there is no doubt that them swimming together was one of the critical issues addressed in part 2, and that they really are better together.
Since I have not seen part 2 yet and all of my knowledge comes from reading the graciously provided spoilers on the internet, there may be more to Rin and Haru’s relationship that the movie touched on that I am not aware of. I didn’t really get into Rin and Haru’s characters and the nuances and complexities they have as individuals, but those are very important as well. And there are plenty of seeds scattered throughout the franchise hinting at their true potential together that I haven’t mentioned either! But the Force Bond moment is one that really hits home for me. I don’t know if something like that will ever happen again, but it still amazes me that it actually exists. It still amazes me that FS2 exists in all honesty!
Whatever the future holds for the Free! franchise, whether or not we will get to witness Haru and Rin pursue their dream in the world together, I still would love to see how their relationship will play out going forward. I want to see them cheer each other on and fire each other up. I want to see them have their fun banter and tease each other. I want to see them have their silly competitions where suddenly nothing else matters and it’s just the two of them in their own little world, while their friends watch in exasperation lol.
But most of all, if there are any more hurdles that come their way, I want to see them overcome them together. I think at this point it’s safe to say that they are on their way to being fully committed to each other, if they aren’t already. It doesn’t mean that there aren’t going to be any hardships, that it’s always going to be sunshine and rainbows, and that’s okay. Relationships take work and they take compromise, but that’s what I love about Rin and Haru. Their love and hate, push and pull, on and off again relationship, the amount of time they go without seeing each other, the long distance between them, is so compelling because it’s so realistic. And I especially love that even though they 100% fit the trope of opposites attract, that’s not all that defines them. They are so much more. They are wonderful people on their own, but they are also better together.
Rin and Haru have a really unique bond that has had me hooked ever since the beginning. I genuinely think they are soulmates, for soulmates come in all forms, whether it’s your close friend, family member, or romantic partner. And it seriously feels SO good for a pairing I love to be explicitly validated in canon. Not a single one of my other favorite pairings have been validated to the extent that these two have. I’ll love Rin and Haru forever ❤️
P.S.“Pretty” by Astrid S & Dagny is such a rinharu song. It fits them so perfectly I can’t believe it ;_;
In honor of the new Free! movie premiere in a few days, I drew my two most favorite characters, Haruka and Rin-Rin~
Still getting used to drawing these two. It’s a shame that the movie won’t be getting a US release!
I feel compelled to gush over Rin on this Sunday afternoon. He always looks handsome, but he looks especially so handsome in The Final Stroke part 1! It boggles my mind just how good the animation is in this movie. They really went all out! It also makes for great drawing references haha!
I looooove his dynamic with Mikhail!
Look at his hair flowing majestically in the wind ― like a true love interest lol
I also love how his hair has gotten longer, ever since season 3. It really shows that he’s growing up and becoming more mature and refined ;_;
The fact that he called out Haru’s name FOUR TIMES during his race!!! Can you believe this guy??!! I love to imagine what it’ll be like when he and Haru finally understand each other and are on the same page, how they’ll always be cheering each other on and firing each other up at tournaments. THE POWER these two would have.
In conclusion, Rin has always been my favorite character in Free!, ever since I first watched the show in 2015, with Haru as a very close second. I’ll always root for him!!!
the way the animation quality JUMPED during the rinharu break up scene…
I mean just look at the subtle detail in this!!!!
Free! The Final Stroke Part 2!!
So I managed to snag first day first show tickets at my local theater, and I WATCHED THE MOVIE.
IT WAS THE BOMB.
My Japanese isn’t the greatest, but here’s what I saw!
WARNING: MAJOR MAJOR SPOILERS FOR PART 2 UNDER THE CUT
Free! FS Spoilers & Sum up
from what i’ve gathered on twitter here is a REALLY brief sum up of the movie..
the main plot line is rin haru and ikuya at the world championships. rin and ikuya don’t place that high and if behinds to cause a bit of an issue between rin and haru. haru competed well. next swim is haru against albert and it seems like albert has his own emotional baggage. he has a coach/mentor who is very demanding that he wins and succeeds. during the swim, haru goes back to thinking about why IS he swimming. thinking about his friends he pushes forwards but the entire match plays with his mind. around this point albert goes back to sweden suddenly and doesn’t get to finish the final completion. haru, rin or ikuya all don’t manage to win a medal. kinjou (orange hair guy) wins bronze. they all go back to japan and there’s a lot of fun scenes with all of the boys having a good time. but haru is still not over the march against albert and pushing himself to do better and be stronger. we see natsuya helping sousuke train. haru ends up feeling more alone than ever. there’s a scene where him and makoto are at the top of the city and makoto goes to ask if he’s okay but gets a call from home and leaves haru alone. haru has a panic attack and goes to iwatobi elementary and stands outside the sakura tree and rin finds him and joins him. rin proceeds to tel haru that him and ikuya want to continue the life as professional swimmers. haru then feels even more isolated and feels as if everyone is leaving him to do their own things. haru suddenly snaps and the way it’s understood is that albert has a sort of grip over haru mind and forces him to say some really nasty stuff to rin. he taunts him with the “ it doesn’t matter what rin does because he’ll end up leaving like he usually does anyways “. real haru seems to get frustrated and angry that he can’t control what he’s saying to rin. rin obviously gets annoyed and leaves. the last scene is haru sitting next to the ‘for the team’ brick that we saw a lot in season 1… there’s a final post credit scene with sousuke and makoto telling rin and haru that they’re inspiring…
so overall, i’m emotionally unstable.
( these spoilers are found from a collection of tweets that i’ve seen but predominantly @ aitaikimochi so please check out their thread on twitter )
so rin and haru are on bad terms at the end of the movie . Pls No
Free! FS Spoilers & Sum up
from what i’ve gathered on twitter here is a REALLY brief sum up of the movie..
the main plot line is rin haru and ikuya at the world championships. rin and ikuya don’t place that high and if behinds to cause a bit of an issue between rin and haru. haru competed well. next swim is haru against albert and it seems like albert has his own emotional baggage. he has a coach/mentor who is very demanding that he wins and succeeds. during the swim, haru goes back to thinking about why IS he swimming. thinking about his friends he pushes forwards but the entire match plays with his mind. around this point albert goes back to sweden suddenly and doesn’t get to finish the final completion. haru, rin or ikuya all don’t manage to win a medal. kinjou (orange hair guy) wins bronze. they all go back to japan and there’s a lot of fun scenes with all of the boys having a good time. but haru is still not over the march against albert and pushing himself to do better and be stronger. we see natsuya helping sousuke train. haru ends up feeling more alone than ever. there’s a scene where him and makoto are at the top of the city and makoto goes to ask if he’s okay but gets a call from home and leaves haru alone. haru has a panic attack and goes to iwatobi elementary and stands outside the sakura tree and rin finds him and joins him. rin proceeds to tel haru that him and ikuya want to continue the life as professional swimmers. haru then feels even more isolated and feels as if everyone is leaving him to do their own things. haru suddenly snaps and the way it’s understood is that albert has a sort of grip over haru mind and forces him to say some really nasty stuff to rin. he taunts him with the “ it doesn’t matter what rin does because he’ll end up leaving like he usually does anyways “. real haru seems to get frustrated and angry that he can’t control what he’s saying to rin. rin obviously gets annoyed and leaves. the last scene is haru sitting next to the ‘for the team’ brick that we saw a lot in season 1… there’s a final post credit scene with sousuke and makoto telling rin and haru that they’re inspiring…
so overall, i’m emotionally unstable.
( these spoilers are found from a collection of tweets that i’ve seen but predominantly @ aitaikimochi so please check out their thread on twitter )
