Free! (English Dubbed) Season 2 Episode 4 Somersault Turn of Promise!

Haruka and Rin's respective swim teams finally get to meet and compete in a joint practice at Iwatobi's pool. While the Iwatobi Swim Club boys are excited to show off their home turf and provide hospitality to their first-time visitors from Samezuka Academy, it is clear from the very beginning that tensions are high on both sides. The first relay race kicks off with a heated horn blaring, and everyone dives in.

As the four boys from each team swim their heats, it becomes apparent that Samezuka's Rin is watching Haruka like a hawk. Despite the fact that he's won every race he's swum in since returning to Japan months ago, Rin is still obsessed with beating his old childhood friend. There's some awkwardness between Haru and Rin, but the Iwatobi team remains supportive of their captain and main swimmer.

Despite home advantage, the relay races do not go well for Iwatobi. Their team members are not as cohesive as Samezuka's, and they fall behind early on. In the changing rooms, the Iwatobi boys are very aware that they didn't perform to the best of their abilities, and Haru seems particularly out of sorts as he obsesses over Samezuka's Rin and his own swimming. Makoto, the team's mom-like figure, tries to encourage Haru, but it doesn't seem to have much of an effect.

The atmosphere between the two teams is not great, but they decide to hold a social mixer at the local beach anyway. It is here that the episode's main event takes place. Rin challenges Haru to a race in the ocean, making a promise that they would once again swim against one another, as they did long ago. Haru accepts, and both he and Rin swim out into the ocean. The two friends turned rivals perform a somersault turn as they break for the finish line, with Haru touching the buoy mere seconds before Rin.

In the aftermath of the race, both Rin and Haruka seem more content. Rin admits that his single-minded focus on winning against Haru was making everything else in his life feel hollow. Now that he's lost, he feels like he can start focusing on swimming for the love of it again. Haru, on the other hand, has always been primarily interested in swimming as a way to explore water and feel free, and this race helped him clear his mind and refocus on that goal.

Overall, 'Somersault Turn of Promise!' is a quiet episode that focuses mainly on character development for Haru and Rin. While there's plenty of racing action, the majority of the episode is conversation and introspection. As always, the stunning animation and emotional musical score make even the smallest moments feel momentous.