An Analysis of the Raijinshuu's Eye Magic and How it Bonds Them!
Heads up, this is a very lengthy post but I have been brewing this up for a while! If you are a fan of the Raijinshuu, or just curious about some subtle world building within Fairy Tail, I think it's worth a read!
TL;DR: I talk about how eye magic seems quite rare and taboo in the world of Fairy Tail, and how it shaped the Raijinshuu's characters (despite the little we do know about their backstories.) How growing up with such magic is likely the reason they isolated themselves yet still became a team over shared experiences... and how it lead to their undying loyalty to Laxus Dreyar.
Okay, so we already know the Raijinshuu have no canon backstories, unfortunately. The most we get is from their introduction pages in the manga (chapters 106-108.) But, I think their connection with eye magic might reveal a lot about their characters that's not said outright.
First off, we know Freed created the Raijinshuu and scouted Evergreen and Bickslow for their eye magic. (I know the Gaiden Spin-Off shows they were already a team before meeting Laxus, but according to Ch. 106... Freed created the team specifically for Laxus. So we're going to use that version as canon.)
According to the remarks about Evergreen in Ch. 107, her stone eyes are very powerful, so much so that she wears glasses to keep her powers in check (and as a fashion statement.) She only joined Fairy Tail because of the name, and had no interest in making friends; isolating herself from the moment she joined.
This got me thinking... why would she accept Freed's offer to join the Raijinshuu if she had no plans of making friends?? She probably knew very little about Laxus to care about him yet. And honestly... I think she was scared to get close to anyone because of her eye magic. After learning that Freed (and possibly Bickslow) had similar experiences with such magic growing up, maybe it finally gave her the chance to feel seen. Maybe, for once in her life, she didn't feel so alone anymore... So, she took a risk and accepted Freed's offer.
It's not explored much in canon, but I believe eye magic is a quite rare and taboo form of magic.
The number of characters who use eye magic is very limited. And from the characters that do use eye magic, most are major villains... aside from the Raijinshuu. The other eye magic users being Richard/Hoteye, Hades, Wahl, Irene, Zash, etc. (And while the Raijinshuu were antagonists in the BoFT, I would in no way consider them major villains. Their intentions were more foolish and misguided than outright evil.)
I don't think any member of the Raijinshuu learned eye magic willingly... I think they were all cursed with such power at very young ages. We've seen how 'cursed' children are treated with Mirajane's backstory... and I don't think the Raijinshuu faired much better. They probably had a lot of trouble controlling something as strong and unpredictable as eye magic... which is why they all cover their eyes to some extent to control it, even has adults. Regardless if they do have a lot more control now... covering their eyes probably gives them a sense of ease/comfort due to their pasts.
Again, if eye magic really is that rare, most people wouldn't even try to understand it before just labeling them as dangerous.
I've talked about this a little before, but it could explain why Bicklsow and Evergreen don't have last names. Maybe they were orphaned or shunned from their families due to this terrifiying type of magic they had little control over. In Freed's case, I think he lost his family before developing his magic, so he honors his last name instead.
This kind of treatment towards them when they were younger would natrually explain why they isolated themselves even after joining a wizard guild... they were just looking for work and didn't care for the guild-family dynamic. They likely never believed their magic would be accepted, even by their own guildmates. People, even other wizards, would likely judge them and spread rumors about magic they didn’t understand. Rumors about Bickslow stealing souls, Freed being connected to demons, or even Evergreen turning people to stone with just a glare.
Hell, we saw this in the Battle of Fairy Tail when Happy told Lucy that Bickslow "steals souls and turns them into puppets" (Ch. 115.) That was nothing but a rumor fabricated from the unknown nature of Bickslow's magic. He didn't deny it, probably because he was used to it at this point. And it made him sound more intimidating, so knowing him, he likely just rolled with it. Bickslow is also one of the few characters to use black magic, which only adds fuel to the fire. In Ch. 108, it's explained that he specifically uses "errant" or wandering souls to assist him. He doesn't steal souls. He befriended lost souls. It would easily explain why he has the same five dolls from his debut to present day. You think if he could steal souls he would just make an undead army with ease? Nah. It's because he formed a deep bond with the souls he has now. They were probably his only friends for years, long before he ever joined Fairy Tail. And, if he was orphaned as a kid, adopting these lost souls as his own 'babies' seems very fitting.
I think Makarov was the only guild master willing to accept wizards like Freed, Evergreen, and Bickslow into the guild. It's not like we see any other eye magic users in legal guilds. Where others saw eye magic as something dangerous, Makarov saw potential. It definitely sounds like something he would do. Plus, I think Makarov would have also understood that, if he doesn't accept these lost, misunderstood teens... then it raises their chances of being pulled into some dark guild (who no doubt would love wizards with such power!) Like, I could see a younger Bickslow trying to join different guilds but repeatedly being turned away. Because... what kind of legal guild would take in a guy who controls HUMAN souls?
Fairy Tail.
I think Freed joined Fairy Tail first and met Laxus not long after joining. He likely felt drawn to Laxus due to his strength and serious attitude as a wizard. Unlike everyone else, I can see Laxus respecting Freed's magic from the get-go. Laxus, especially back then, believed in strength and power over everything else... and eye magic is exactly that. Powerful. Which is why when Freed decided to form the Raijinshuu, he specifically scouted those who use eye magic because he knew it was a type of magic Laxus respected. He probably got the idea after Evergren joined Fairy Tail. And when Bickslow joined the guild some time later, Freed recruited him too. Or, I kinda like the idea that they found Bickslow by chance while on a job. Obviously Evergreen joined the guild for it's name. But maybe Bickslow gave up on ever joining a guild until he met Freed/Laxus/Ever.
(The order they joined is never confirmed, so this is up to interpretation. I'm just playing around with ideas lol.)
Regardless of when or how they joined Fairy Tail, they all likely bonded as a team over their shared experiences growing up. And they probably shared similar attitudes about wizardry and magic in general.
I also don't think their loyalty for Laxus was instant (aside from Freed, who idolized Laxus very early on.) I think they all respected Laxus for his power... but when he showed that same respect back? When he made it clear that he admired their power and didn't fear it?
I think that's when they pledged their full loyalty to the S-Class wizard. They finally felt accepted. He gave them respect they never had before. They weren't lonely kids anymore... they finally found friendship for once in their lives, and they had the freedom to be their true selves without fear of judgement. This goes the same for Laxus too, who finally had friends who saw him for who he was, and not because he was the Master's grandson. And, over the years, these bonds between them became unbreakable.
That's why the Raijinshuu didn't hesitate to follow Laxus' plan in the Battle of Fairy Tail. They trusted each other, but lacked that trust with everyone else in Fairy Tail. But as Laxus said at the very end of the BoFT (Ch. 128), they do still have attachment towards the guild... because Fairy Tail is still the guild that accepted them and their magic in the first place.
It's also why I think the Raijinshuu has some of the strongest bonds in the series. They are an inseparable found family. They even stuck together through Fairy Tail's year-long disbandment, which can't be said about most of the others. And I think that speaks for itself.
Eye magic isn't explored too much in canon, neither are the Raijinshuu's backstories... but I think Hiro Mashima gave us a lot more to work with than even he realized. And as much as I wish their magic was explained more in general, I appreciate what we do have. Obviously a lot of this is just theorizing and personal headcanons on my part, but I think it makes a lot of sense. And it's actually really fun trying to piece together information about their characters and backstories like this!
I know this was a lengthy ramble, but if you made it to the end, thank you for reading! I really appreciate it! And please feel free to share your thoughts about this if you have any! It can be about their eye magic, the Raijinshuu's bonds, or their characters in general.
I'd love to hear what you think!
(And for those interested, I have talked about the Raijinshuu being one of Fairy Tail's strongest teams before, but that post mainly focuses on how their characters/magic is criminally underutilized in the story after the BoFT. Still, I think that post and this one tie together really well!)
Now I have the need to drawing a comic with this post in mind. I feel so inspired! 🤩
Sadly I can’t confirm when, I’m so busy with personal stuff that probably won’t be finished this year 😬
BUT THATS WHY I WILL PIN THIS POST. Because even if I have one moment, in less than 24h will be finished.
