I liked how Norman stare at Ray like: protect Emma.
Ah; I think this is a good prompt for me to reply with a CHAPTER 128 META on:
Norman’s trust and love for Emma and Ray
I want to pick apart Norman’s behaviour and analyse it, since I think he and his growth is easily misunderstood due to having a tendency of trying to hide his true feelings. Luckily we have LOTS of REFERENCES from the escape arc to work with.
First of all; this is not primarily a shipping post (though you can take some parts of it as that), and ofc spoilers for anime only people.
Secondly, I have seen some people say that Norman seems to be too harsh with Emma, and doesn’t care if she dies during this risky mission, and that…
Norman cares so much it is killing him on the inside, but he chooses to let them go because he loves and trusts both of them.
Because if you love someone, you let them have their independence and make their own choices, even if you DISAGREE with them.
It is made exceedingly clear that Norman disagrees with Emma. However his growth is shown that compared to the escape arc, he makes his feelings and resistance clear from the start.
While back then he monologues, now we see him make his points outloud. And look at how similar they are to 2 years ago. Norman is shown to still hold the same beliefs as then.
(Note that I have numbered the references so you can match everything, since there are a LOT of callbacks.)
Regarding references 4 and 5, note that the panels show the same view of Norman, BUT in the escape arc he PUTS UP A FRONT and smiles, but in the new arc, he is HONEST.
He has grown enough to realize that he can’t lie about his worldview anymore to Emma just to make her happy. He is ready to be realistic with her from the start.
The thing to note however is that despite being honest, Norman still keeps his calm. He is firm, but very collected in explaining his reasoning… except when Emma comes up with a crazy plan. And… the SAME thing has happened in the escape arc.
The authors have even sacrificed 2 panels’ space to draw attention to this parallel that most likely Norman himself realizes as well.
Just like back in the past, the only thing that can really throw off Norman from his game is the thought of Emma and Ray putting their lives in danger.
Norman literally goes mad with worry, going as far as shouting when even Ray, who is supposed to be logical and rational supports Emma’s plan. It happens in both cases, and the expressions are basically identical on his face.
He completely loses his sh1t composure at the thought of them being hurt.
Emma comforts him the same way as she did back then too: simple, loving, physical contact. The difference is that this time the embrace is much closer, much more intimate and Ray doesn’t want anything to do with it, because he is a self-conscious boy who is not okay anymore with THIS LEVEL OF INTIMACY thank you very much.
The panels fit so well together, it looks almost as if Norman is remembering that past scene, and perhaps he is…
Because what he does next is also similar to what he did back then: he draws up his walls by distancing himself and lies to Emma to placate her.
He makes the exact same face when he lied in the old arc. But he is NOT lying about the same thing.
(my personal theory is that he is lying because he plans on going to Gracefield to rescue Phil and co. while Emma is gone… but it might be the case that it’s more along the lines that he plans on self-sacrifising himself in his plans for some reason like in @vobomon and my demon gene theory…)
He has already been honest about disagreeing with Emma’s plan though , and having a different plan, (which was what he lied about back in the escape arc) and in the next panels he drives this home further, even going as far as being intimidating:
As you can see from the comparison, he has done this to Ray before, and if you remember right afterwards he was ready to welcome him back into his trust and make him his spy. Norman was simply using the intimidation to make his boundaries absolutely clear.
This is where I stand, DO NOT CROSS
(or I will be angry for real and hurt)
But, if he was so distraught about Emma’s plan, what changed his mind? The last time he didn’t let Emma or Ray risk hurting themselves…
I think it is also part of his growth to finally realize…
How to treat and trust the people he LOVES
Norman feels conflicted and confused, so he looks to the other person he cares the most about. There is a silent communication between them that needs no words to be said outloud, since their connection is so deep. I will try to fill in the blanks though:
Norman: Ray… What do I do? Is it really okay to let the two of you go? What if you are hurt? What are the chances of you even succeeding?
Ray: Norman, TRUST US. Haven’t I kept Emma safe so far? I wouldn’t be doing this if I thought it was was impossible…
Norman: I… I… *hesitates*
I will trust and let you go because I love you.
But it hurts to let you go… it hurts to be left alone…
I think the real reason Norman doesn’t hug Emma back and distances himself from her is because he needs to be able to put up a front to hide that he is HURTING deep inside by making the mature choice to support the people he loves even if he disagrees with them… Norman decides that he can’t control or cage them up, that if they want to go despite knowing the risks, he must accept their choice. Even if he is left feeling all alone without them, unable to follow them or their ideals… ah, the distance isn’t just physical between them…
So Norman clenches his teeth, and while he is bleeding inside, he smiles at them and wishes them luck and prays desperately that they will be safe…
You can see that Emma and Ray is brimming with confidence, just like in the escape arc, they wear the exact same expressions. Yet Norman is unable to smile together with them the same way since he is breaking apart on the inside.
As soon as Emma and Ray leaves, his smiling facade falls down, and you can see just how devastated he is by letting them go on their own on this dangerous mission.
It’s a powerful callback to the time where he put up a brave front before.
There is no inner monologue this time, but his expression and slumped pose matches when he was previously afraid to die… this time though
he feels like dying thinking about the possibility of losing Emma and Ray forever…
(Note: he doesn’t actually look at the hand that failed to hold Emma, that’s his left hand and this is his right hand… the same hand he used to sign the contract with Giran… Is he also thinking about how he could die in his plans? Or is he upset because he knows he has some demon genes and if he wants to destroy all demons, he must destroy himself as well? Well, there is not enough evidence yet to confirm that theory, but it could fit too.)
TL;DR: Norman was able to let Emma go because he trusts Ray to keep her safe (and vice versa). He chose to support them and give them freedom to choose their own path because he loves them.
But watching them leave to risk their life and leave him behind in the process… alone, perhaps forever… kills him on the inside with worry and lonliness.
I hope you enjoyed my analysis of this amazing chapter, and if you agree about how much Norman really cares about both Emma and Ray, then feel free to signal boost until everyone gets the message! 😉
Check the notes for more additions to the analysis.
jbbartram-illu
kaledo-art
gummygunk
blakekathryn
ellievsbear
stormborns
