The following contains spoilers for The Devil is a Part-Timer! Season 2, Episode 8, now streaming on Crunchyroll.
In The Devil Is a Part-Timer, Sadao Maou is a demon king who wants to take over both the Earth and the fantasy realm of Ente Isla, but many fans are more interested in who he might end up with romantically. In Ente Isla, Maou was almost defeated by the hero Emilia Justina, who followed him to Japan under the name Emi Yusa. Emi often expresses her contempt toward Maou, even as he has developed into a protective, hardworking MgRonald's shift manager and is outraged whenever her friends suggest that she is interested in him romantically. However, some fans believe this same antipathy is the foundation for an enemies-to-lovers romance.
In Season 2, Episode 8, Maou went to work on his coworker Chiho Sasaki's family farm with his demonic roommates Hanzo Urushihara and Shiro Ashiya, but Emi soon arrived with her friend Suzuno Kamazuki and Maou and Emi's self-proclaimed daughter Alas Ramus. After an extremely awkward scene in which the gang struggled to find a plausible explanation for their relationship (they couldn't tell Chiho's family that Alas Ramus came from a plant Maou grew) the two groups ended up working together on the farm. However, it was this farm work that reminded fans of the biggest obstacle to Maou and Emi getting together: Maou's army destroyed Emi's farm and family when he invaded Ente Isla.
Chiho woke Maou up to talk to him about Emi, revealing that part of the reason she arrived was that she was insulted by the irony of Maou farming. Given that Chiho is often positioned as Emi's romantic rival -- admitting in this episode to being jealous of Maou's ability to imagine Emi's reactions, for example -- it was interesting that she took the time to think about Emi's feelings. The fact that Chiho would risk bringing Maou and Emi closer by telling him how she felt shows that Chiho's friends being happy could be even more important to her than her crush on Maou.
Emi and Maou were assigned to harvest eggplants. Emi described why it was so important to harvest the eggplants that early in the morning: they replenish nutrients overnight, so it is when they are most nutritious. Emi talking about her farming expertise made Maou remember Chiho's words. The importance of the scene is not just that Emi reminded Maou about her farm; it's that her detailed description forced him to think about the routine that her father Nord followed, and the care and attention and passion for his work that made him who he was, all of which Maou's army thoughtlessly swept away.
Maou developed a guilty expression, and Emi said she hoped he wasn't starting to regret what he had done, because "my thirst for revenge might waver a tiny bit." This is why the episode problematizes a potential romantic ending for Maou and Emi. Before now, anime fans knew Emi didn't forgive Maou for killing her father, but this episode reveals that she doesn't even want to. Emi doesn't want Maou to feel regret, but she doesn't want him to forget what he did either, which is why she went into so much detail about harvesting crops. For Emi, Maou doesn't deserve the catharsis of apologizing, and she would turn down any potential relief she would get from an apology in favor of letting him suffer.
The division between them was symbolized visually by the eggplant crop in the center of the frame. In the context of the story, it simply made sense for the two workers to harvest the vegetables from either side. Metaphorically, however, the crop could represent farming as a whole -- and because of Maou destroying Emi's family and their farm, that is the biggest obstacle that divides them.
Could the episode be read in a way that still provides hope for Maou and Emi? One way of looking at the scene is that, since Emi tried to punish Maou by reminding him of what he destroyed, she at least understands that he has become somewhat more empathetic since he came to Earth. Emi may not want her hatred of Maou to diminish, but she did acknowledge that it was possible. Perhaps Emi's refusal to forgive Maou means they won't get together romantically, but the frank encounter could still have brought them closer together as teammates, parents and even friends.
Even though the original The Devil Is a Part-Timer! light novel series has ended, the anime may yet go in another direction, so the question as to who Maou will end up with is still up for discussion. Emi's words in this episode make it seem unlikely that she would ever date Maou, and understandably so; the anime blends serious stakes with relatable comedy so often that it's easy to forget the gravity of Maou's deeds as king of the demon realm. No matter who ends up with whom, Maou's cruelty during the invasion of Ente Isla will always be part of his character.
The Devil Is a Part-Timer! hits Crunchyroll in the West every Thursday.