Tolkien nerd ⛰️🌬️🌌 || Alnst enthusiast 👾👽|| I draw creepy/scary stuff 🌚👻 @miou_06 on instagram :D || I post random stuff, but mostly elves behaving badly 🧝🌿
WHA spoilers through Silver Eve, up to current.....
I'm sorta fascinated by Eoleo and Deanreldy and the parallels between them and how it's obvious the father's views and goals have been imparted to the son. Both are presented as deeply charismatic and approachable but have a ruthlessness underneath in their quest to attain what they want.
And what they want just happens to be in the possession of a certain master and apprentice currently in their care.
It's another really faceted adult/child relationship the manga likes to explore with masters and apprentices and parents and children and I like that we've gotten some non-witch characters with these dynamics.
The king and prince are so interesting to me because they both genuinely seem to care about helping and serving their people as monarchs and I never read that care as artifice. But, at the same time, they want every tool available to them and view magic as a tool they are specifically denied.
There is an elitism you can read into their words. They want this tool the witches have but speak of it as something they should hold to help the nation, seeing themselves as worthy of that power where the common person may not be.
And this makes me so worried for Beldaruit and Riliphin being around them for any continued amount of time because it's very obvious the father and son are directly targeting them both to obtain their magic.
They both heavily use charm as a weapon. Beldaruit sees through it pretty easily during their conversation and calls Deanreldy out, firmly rebuffing his interest. He seems very aware of what the king wants out of him and how he's using his position as healer as leverage to get something out of a person in a vulnerable spot.
Deanreldy instantly throws that right back in his face as he holds the view that witches do the exact same: offer help disguised as control.
The whole scene is uncomfortable in the way the king shifts tactics through the conversation, trying to win Bel with charm, logic, then by being vaguely threatening when the first two don't work.
There's a menacing, creepy intimacy to the way this is presented, with Bel on the bed gripping the sheets and the king looming over him in a position of power.
Bel is constantly presented through the panels looking up at the king, being framed as smaller or having to lean himself up to engage. And when it's clear Bedaruit isn't going to give him what he wants Deanreldy jokingly dismisses him and ends the conversation.
Someone online pointed out that it also seems the king has not offered Beldaruit the use of a mundane wheelchair, essentially trapping him in bed which leads to the bedsores and his need for treatment, lending an even more sinister edge to the situation.
Later, after Silver Eve, Deanreldy is incensed when the counterclock heals the wounds of the people he'd spent all night doctoring. Here I can honestly sort of understand his upset. He's likely been laboring for hours, fighting to keep wounded people alive and lost who knows how many, when the witches just come in and appear to 'instantly' fix everything.
But in retaliation he uses his position as king to forcefully tip the balance by kneeling to Beldaruit and Lagrah in front of his subjects when they're unable to stop him. He succeeds by backing the witches into a corner and literally forcing them to retreat.
Deanreldy truly seems to want the ability to wield magic as a tool and he will use whatever means necessary to get it.
Eoleo, on the other hand, seems more interested in rekindling the old partnership between king and witch.
He first forms a connection with Tetia when they met during Silver Eve and he's hiding from his bodyguards. From her he learns that the old bond between king and witch might be possible to achieve when she's so open to a friendship with him. He even says "In speaking with you, lady witch, I see a flicker of hope for a dream I'd thought impossible."
Tetia, much like Beldaruit, clocks him pretty quickly, seeming to realize she misstepped by so easily offering him friendship and later expressing discomfort with his proposal. Tetia is a very emotionally intelligent character so it's possible she read the undertones in Eoleo's seemingly innocent request.
Eoleo later meets Riliphin, reaching out to him with empathy while he was overwhelmed in the forest after the leech attack and separated from his master.
His interest in helping Riliphin when he was having a panic attack is presented as genuine. He sees his scars and offers him a way to ask for help if he's being abused. He sits with him, doesn't mock when he expresses fear of crowds, and offers advice that helps him calm down.
When Eoleo realizes that other people might be suffering in a similar way he wants to help and instantly hops to magic as a solution, asking Riliphin if he knows Tetia and seeking his aid to find her.
And Eoleo does succeed in getting Riliphin, Tetia, and the other apprentices to help the evacuated citizens. He does so by reaching out with empathy and friendship to the young witches who are more open to reciprocating this sort of relationship than their elders, which likely only reinforces Eoleo's belief that king and witch as partners can work.
After Silver Eve is over Tetia goes home and isn't in Eoleo's immediate sphere any more. It seems he shifts targets to Riliphin who is stuck in the castle while Beldaruit recovers from his broken arm. Like Tetia he's young and kind but unlike her, at least as far as we know, he has a history of being abused by people in authority.
Eoleo and Danreldy have different tactics when it comes to trying to get what they want but their views and some of their approaches parallel each other quite closely.
They both make a point to highlight the divide between witch and non-witch, Deanreldy to point out how old-fashioned it is and Eoleo to use it to put Riliphin at ease. Both takes seek to break down that barrier with their respective target.
They both use a tactic of being overly friendly and familiar with their witches. Eoleo employs a lot of physical touch, which he can likely better get away with given his age and how well he plays innocent.
Deanreldy leans on verbal familiarity, speaking to Beldaruit in a way that's not really proper between two leaders and also sweeping him up in his bold acts, forcing Bel to participate even if it's not overly wise to do so.
Both of them speak of 'their' witch and their powers as a tool they wish to acquire or something they wish to have. In Eoleo's case he first seems to be talking about Tetia specifically but after Silver Eve he may just be open to any witch.
I found that interesting because I wasn't sure if the story was trying to set up a relationship between Tetia and Eoleo in the vein of Richeh/Eunini. But Eoleo does the same disarming, eager-for-friendship play with Riliphin, so I get the feeling he's not quite so picky.
And now we're at a point where master and apprentice are stuck in the castle with these two for the time being, as Beldaruit requires more treatment.
The discomforting isolation is back when we see a few panels of Bel in bed, surrounded exclusively by the king's staff. It's an opulent space, not a prison cell, but for all intents Deanreldy essentially has Bel at his mercy, again weaponizing his position as ruler and healer to control 'his' witch. (Bel does not look happy about this.)
With Beldaruit in this position it's unsure how much supervision or protection he can provide his apprentice, leaving Riliphin to Eoleo's attentions.
The prince has already started up with the charm and working to build a close friendship with Riliphin much in the same way he did with Tetia.
With her he appealed to her outgoing and upbeat personality, with Riliphin he seems to focus more on his desire not to upset anyone in a way that feels like a guilt-trip. Which is uncomfortable in the light of Riliphin's past abuse.
Eoleo is breaking down the barrier in a slow, personal, 'soft' way in contrast to his father who took a direct, public route that instantly put Beldaruit and Lagrah on the defensive.
There's also a costuming thing going on. Eoleo asks to try on Tetia's hat and apprentice garb when they first meet, blurring the lines between them. There are some visual elements that tie Eoleo and Riliphin together too, such as the flared cut of their sleeves and a noticeable triangle shape to their collars.
Later, Eoleo has his guards clad Riliphin in the same feathered black cape he wore when they first met, tying their visual language even closer together, in a way that feels to me like Eoleo is claiming him.
I'm both anxious and interested to see where the plot goes with these four because I don't at all think it's anywhere near done yet.
These two are just so layered and intriguing to me as characters, with their complex motivations and differing ways of using their skills and abilities to acquire what they want.
I really want to like them both but they're dangerous too and pose real threats to Beldaruit and Riliphin on a personal scale and witchdom in general.
qifrey and his butch wine aunt from hell vs easthies and his melodramatic ass uncle who's probably high most of the time
like if you tell beldaruit his spell sucks, he's gonna invent 17 never-before-seen magic theorums just to prove you wrong and he will look good doing it while also doing a 30-minute long magical girl transformation in the process
if you tell vinanna she's doing her job wrong she's just going to fucking kill you
"oh but using magic against another witch or killing someone with a contraption is against the pact" exactly. which is why she's going to kill you with her bare fucking hands alone, which is not against the pact in any capacity. she's going to kill you and it'll be completely legal because she is the law
I have a major theory that explains why every action taken by the Knights Moralis actually makes sense, and why this is all one massive Chekhov's gun that has been set up since the very beginning of the manga.
Kamome Shirahama is known for building the world of Witch Hat Atelier down to the patterns carved into furniture. She planted the Silver Tree plotline ten years ago. But why would she write the Knights Moralis so poorly? In the manga they are portraited as very evil antagonists whose only purpose is to stand in the way of children trying to do good.
(English is my second language, so I'm sorry for my mistakes)
Everything they do starts to make sense if we assume that there is some kind of Force / Entity / Powerful Magic above humans and witches. It either intimidates and controls the world, or at times shows it favor.
However, the only people who know about it are the two sages and Vinanna's successor (and probably the king as well).
Lagrah had only just assumed his position. It was literally his first day on the job, so nobody had time to tell him.
Now, let's take a look:
Chapter 57 ^
It's the first chapter in which the Knights Moralis are the focus of the story. Almost immediately Easthies nearly lets it slip that they are not the ones to make the final decisions.
But there is no authority above the knights in Zozah.
If not you, then who?
Chapter 75 ^
The next time we hear about this is three years later.
This is the chapter where Coco tries to convince everyone to use the Time Reversal spell against the leech. Vinanna doesn't like the idea. She is surprised that Beldaruit, of all people, approved it. He should have understood the consequences of using the forbidden magic.
Then Vinanna says a coded phrase that only the two of them know. As the second sage, Beldaruit immediately understands what she is referring to. Neither Coco nor we, the readers, do.
This is the first mention of the "Anomaly" (I'll call it like that, based on Chapter 97).
To witness this Anomaly either means to receive permission to use forbidden magic (keep this point in mind, it will be important when we get to Easthies), or, conversely, to be reminded of the consequences of doing so.
Vinanna chooses the first version.
Chapter 80^
When this chapter came out, we started thinking (well, I did) that Easthies had some deep trauma related to forbidden magic.
We thought that it was PTSD. That he snapped, attacked people and even his superiors while being confused. And that once we we had learned about his past, we would have cried, forgiven and loved him.
NO.
Remember that Easthies is the only person present, aside from Beldaruit and Vinanna, who knows about this Force/Anomaly in the sky. And what It will do to them, if people start using forbidden magic on a large scale.
He was so terrified that he immediately rushed to erase the memories of everyone involved as soon as he heard the plan. At the same time, he wasn't erasing all of their memories. Only connected to that day's forbidden magic.
And as we learned from chapter 97, he did it with a clear mind, fully aware of his actions.
To him, it is better to let the leech devour the city than to allow whatever is above them to happen.
"What is it that burdens you?" Lulucy asks.
And behind Easthies we see a serious and tired Beldaruit, who, like Easthies, carries the burden of knowing what hangs above them.
The question is addressed to both of them.
Chapter 79 ^
Why did I ask you to remember what I said about Vinanna earlier?
Vinanna had seen the Anomaly and knew that the permission to use the forbidden magic had been given that night.
But she didn't have time to tell Easthies.
In fact, she was trying to tell him right in the chapter. We just didn't realize what she was trying to say at the time.
Easthies decided that his captain had lost her mind. That he was the only sane person left who could still save everyone. And so he attacked Vinanna without even listening to her.
And that's the only thing he was condemned for. Otherwise, he wouldn't have faced any consequences for his rampage.
Attacked civilians and erased people's memories?
Pfff fair
Vinanna completely understands his actions and would have done exactly the same thing herself, if the Anomaly in the sky hadn't given her permission to break the law.
That's how terrifying this thing hanging above them is.
The Scales ^
Throughout the entire manga we're constantly reminded how important the balance between humans and witches is. Otherwise, something terrible will happen. But we're never told exactly what.
(The Anomaly in the sky will punish them. That's what.)
Beldaruit's entire arc with King Deanreldy revolves around this.
Beldaruit knows what consequences the Anomaly will bring, if that balance is lost, and he does everything he can to oppose the king.
The manga tells us that after the Silver Night the scales tipped in favor of the witches because they were the ones who saved everyone.
And that was before...
Chapter 88 ^
THE KING KNELT BEFORE THE WITCHES.
Lagrah doesn't understand what's happening. Beldaruit, on the other hand, is absolutely horrified.
He wasn't this frightened even when the entire city was being devoured by the Leech.
The balance has been completely destroyed.
He's the only person currently conscious who understands the consequences and can see the guillotine hanging above them.
(Vinanna is unconscious, Easthies has been knocked out with sleeping powder, and Lagrah is a newby.)
It's unknown whether the King knew about this Force above them. What kind of power does something have to possess to terrify even a Sage?
Chapter 97 ^
Vinanna finally speaks about the Anomaly directly and says that it absolutely cannot be ignored.
The Sages have their secrets. So does Vinanna, and she will share them only with her future successor.
Easthies is depressed, sitting alone in his quarters.
No position. No support. No understanding. But even so, he doesn't regret his actions. And he is still prepared to erase the memories of an entire city, if that's what it takes to save the world from whatever is threatening it.
WHAT is it?
He's not a fanatic. He simply knows too much and can't tell anyone else. (Even if you take away his pudding.)
Conclusion:
We have some kind of Anomaly that terrifies the Sages, and the Sages, in turn, terrify everyone else in an attempt to save the world.
But we can only piece this together through the clues scattered throughout the story.
So if erasing the memories of an entire city is safer than leaving things as they are, then erasing the memories of a twelve-year-old girl at the very first sign of forbidden magic is even more justified.
The world is falling apart.
The Knights are trying to keep it from plunging into the abyss.
The Brimhats are swinging the scales around.
The Anomaly officially exists.
And it turns out I wasn't losing my mind for the last fifty chapters.
Thank you all for coming to my TED Talk.
And thanks to Commander Effie for helping me with English ^^
"Meet me in the valley of your slowly fading memory" ⛰️🌬️🫧 || Caranthir x OC where an elf lord falls in love with a mortal and learns about the price of love, grief, and the fate of loving something death can touch.
Caranthir x OC - I hc the emo elf to be a stick figure (albeit quite tall) because he spends all day in his office doing taxes and getting rich #slaymoneykingmoryo #payyourtaxes
OC is just a reoccurring one that I've been shipping the emo gremlin with lol.
being a silmarillion fan is looking at a piece of fanart featuring forty different elves who all have the same shade of either black or gold hair and instantly being able to tell by their vibe who is who and which finwhatever is which
I can't stop thinking about a Silmarillion fix-it AU. I don't usually like AUs, but this one is a balm to my soul: Nerdanel went to the War of Wrath. Maybe in secret. And at the very end, she is the one standing guard over the Silmarils. Her sons sneak into the camp and are about to kill the guard... BUT THEN THEY SEE WHO IT IS and stop. In the end, it all turns out well for them. Someone, please, write this fanfic 🤧🤧🤧
The old king is dead, long live the Regent 👑 -- Macalaurë refusing to be High King and instead King Regent is something that adds so much depth into his character. Instead of fleeing responsibility (as many hc depicts him as being soft and weak), he takes up the eldest brother mantle and becomes a leader. It shows that he is gentle, not weak. A reminder that even the singer, too, is a Feanorion.
Alnst x SCP Foundation 👾👽 --- Till and Sua are from the Foundation while the rest are college students. Might add more to this crossover, we'll see hhh
PvZ x Cyberpunk AU 👾🌿 -- The "Saplings" are rebels who refuse to be controlled by the founding father, evil Dave, while the zombies are government agents sent to hunt them down
