Is reinhard able to pull out his sword in front of subaru cause subaru is worthy?
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Executive summary
Reinhard’s sword in Re:Zero behaves with apparent agency — choosing when it will be drawn — and the primary textual evidence shows it refuses some opponents on the basis of “worthiness,” but also that Reinhard can and does use other means (sheath, different blades) when the sword won’t draw; whether Subaru’s personal worthiness is the triggering factor is supported but not conclusively proven by available sources [1] [2] [3]. The strongest, direct line of evidence comes from translated Arc 5 passages where the sword’s refusal is explicitly framed as an evaluation, while other chapters and the fandom record show both exceptions and limitations to a simple “worthiness” rule [1] [2] [3].
1. The textual claim: the sword “decides” not to draw against certain enemies
In Arc 5 translations, Reinhard comments that “the sword has concluded that this enemy is not worthy of being drawn against,” an explicit in-universe statement that the blade exerts a judgment about its opponents, and the scene is framed so Subaru himself understands this after seeing the sword fail to appear in another confrontation [1]. That same chapter records Reinhard telling Subaru that Subaru himself “would not be able to unsheathe it either,” directly tying the sword’s agency to who is permitted to draw it or under what circumstances it will allow being used [1].
2. Practical evidence: Reinhard adapts when the sword won’t draw
When the sword refuses to act, Reinhard does not simply stand helpless — he uses the sheath as a weapon and unsheathes other swords, including an ice blade given by Emilia, to deal with threats; the text shows him evading and drawing Emilia’s ice sword to repel Regulus and even using the sheath as a blunt instrument in combat, which demonstrates that the refusal to draw does not render Reinhard powerless [2]. The fandom summary catalogues confirmed occasions when Reinhard has drawn his sword and notes other times he used its sheath or different means, reinforcing that the blade’s agency is only one aspect of his combat options [3].
3. Does Subaru’s “worthiness” enable Reinhard to draw the sword?
There is no direct passage that states “because Subaru is worthy Reinhard can draw his sword before him.” Instead, the evidence is inferential: Reinhard’s remark about the sword’s evaluation of enemies and Subaru’s witnessing of the sword failing to appear against Elsa or Regulus create a pattern where the sword’s choices correspond to the perceived moral or metaphysical status of opponents, and Subaru is explicitly told he couldn’t draw it either in that context [1]. Additionally, the fandom record lists a confirmed occasion where Reinhard drew his sword on a sealed Subaru in Arc 9, showing the blade has at least once been used involving Subaru, but that instance is described without a clear “worthiness” rationale in the available summary [3] [4].
4. Limits, alternative interpretations, and sourcing caveats
The sources here are a combination of fan translations (Witch Cult Translations for Arc 5 and Arc 9 excerpts) and a Fandom wiki entry summarizing appearances; these are reliable for narrative details but not official production commentary, so reading “worthiness” as an absolute metaphysical rule risks overinterpreting narrative color and character quips [1] [2] [3]. Alternative readings exist: the sword’s refusal could reflect contextual constraints (the nature of the enemy, magical seals, or the author’s plot needs) rather than a moral scoreboard keyed specifically to Subaru’s character. The fandom entry lists multiple distinct occasions the sword was drawn or withheld, underscoring inconsistency that invites caution before declaring a simple cause-effect relationship between Subaru’s worthiness and the sword’s behavior [3].
5. Bottom line
The best-supported conclusion from the available translations and summaries is that Reinhard’s sword exhibits agency and sometimes refuses to draw against foes it deems “unworthy,” and Reinhard can and will act with other means whenever that happens; the plot provides suggestive, not definitive, evidence that Subaru’s personal “worthiness” factors into whether the sword appears, but the record is mixed and allows alternative explanations [1] [2] [3]. Any stronger claim — that Reinhard can draw his sword in front of Subaru solely because Subaru is inherently worthy — is not fully substantiated by the cited material and depends on interpretation beyond the explicit lines in the translations.