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Sebastian and that thing called "Faith"

Writing this bc I remembered another moment in which I grew to love Sebastian

He has such complete faith in his master, he trusts Ciel's ability and resolve. The entire cricket match, Sebastian was only supporting from the sidelines, but it was Ciel who took the podium, instructed the team, and used wicked strategies to win the game.

It's like saying: "If my Young Master says he'll win, then he will."

He doesn't even have any doubt, he already has a uniform prepared for Ciel's victory.

I was reminded of it when I encountered these panels, which occured after Ciel declared that he will take back the title "Earl Ciel Phantomhive":

It seems dressing Ciel in finery is Sebastian's love language. His unwavering show of support. (After all, an indication of Sebastian's absence is represented by Ciel looking unkempt)

This whole time while the household was running from the law and are hiding with Lau, Sebastian was mostly silent and contemplative, only thinking of how to protect and survive, and Ciel was really quiet too. No doubt Sebastian was in a state of limbo as well

It seems he was waiting for Ciels command. I believe he'd even acquiesce with running away like a coward, even if it would prolong Ciel's revenge. Perhaps he was already forlornly imagining how his master would undoubtedly still thrive in another part of the world.

After the Reunion, instead of shocking his master back to his senses like in GWA, Sebastian patiently waited for Ciel's next move. When his master is decisive anew, he welcomed it with open arms. He is learning. Becoming more attuned to his master's emotions perhaps, becoming more sensitive

And then this happens: a gorgeous parallel to Chapter 2, the first instance of Ciel reaffirming his identity as "Ciel Phantomhive"

Their initial plan at the moment was to escape the country. I was almost afraid that Ciel would be too affected to fight his brother, but once again he shows his ridiculous mental strength.

This is surely another moment of Sebastian regaining his faith in his master. In fact, gaining moreso.

With all this in mind, I like to think that Sebastian buying expensive clothes for Ciel, even though Ciel was stripped of rank, riches, and title... It's like saying once again:

"You told me you would win, so naturally, I prepared for the occasion."

Ugh the parallels. Ugh the faith and devotion. UGH the character development, the respect he has for this boy.

Rereading the Blue Memory arc, the contrast between early contract and present Sebastian is so palpable. Could you even imagine??? The difference is a chasm. That demon is so whipped.

At first he was like "lol 'Earl Ciel' Phantomhive 🙄🤭😒"

And now he's like "Earl Ciel Phantomhive 🧎‍♂️🧎‍♂️🧎‍♂️🤲🤲✨✨"

Examining holistically, after everything they've been through, it seems something has shifted. It seems something previously considered "unattainable" has grown in Sebastian.

In the Indian Butler arc, many months prior, Sebastian claimed that "Faith" born out of love and devotion for another person is impossible for demons to achieve.

Sebastian... Boy, I have news for you.

#im sorry if someone already said this like half a decade ago i just really like the fact that Sebastian without question just trusts that #his master would win. so much so that he just preemptively orders new clothes to commemorate it all 😭😭😭#kuroshitsuji #kuroshitsuji musical #black butler #bb observations #bb manga #weston arc #blue memory arc #blue revenge arc #curry arc #the most beautiful death in the world the musical #sebaciel #m'posts

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Since your analysis of Sebastian is always really compelling, I was hoping you could elucidate on the relationship between him and Agni. I've never understood why people say Sebastian views Agni as a friend- Like, aesthetically I Get It, and I could maybe understand some degree of professional respect as a butler, but actually being friends with a human? I just don't see it. Am I completely off base here?

Dear Anon,

Thank you for your high regard of my analyses, that means a lot to me.

About Agni and Sebas, well, that depends on your definition of what a ‘friend’ is. Some people seem to not even know what ‘friends’ are, so I guess it’s not all that surprising they’d say Sebas views Agni as a friend. I mean, people call every person they’re ‘friendly’ with a friend, or refer to romantic interests with terms like ‘have feelings for / like / have affection for’, as though you don’t have feelings for, like, or have affection for, friends =v=.

So, while I would absolutely want to see Sebas and Agni as friends, I would have to say this “friendship” is entirely one-sided from Agni’s side.

Meeting

When Sebas and Agni met they didn’t have personal conflict because the Curry Arc did not deal with anything that threatened Sebas or his goals in any way. It was something of a breather Arc, if you will. Agni and Soma entered their space simply as guests, and without them being a true threat, Sebas could offer them ‘actual hospitality’ rather than ‘Phantomhive hospitality’, if you know what I mean.

Sebas’ experience with humans has been mostly negative to neutral because he is eternally unimpressed. Agni however, was seemingly one of the first humans who managed to achieve what Sebas couldn’t: making use out of what he deemed ‘useless’. Sebas certainly has respect for Agni, but having respect for somebody does not make them your friend.

Indeed, as Editor K also made explicit:

Q: What does Sebastian think of the servants? Toboso: Nothing. Sebastian sees all human beings as kind of grasshoppers. He might differentiate the individuals like grasshopper A, grasshopper B, grasshopper C, but in the end he sees them all as just grasshoppers. Editor K: He was surprised by Agni’s ability to motivate other people, but he was actually just impressed in the sense of ”He's quite good for a grasshopper”. (translation from @akumadeenglish‘s post)

Sure, when you meet somebody new it is not at all weird to not be friends yet. And especially not if you are actively opposing each other, even if not for clashes of personal interest. However, what about later?

Post non-conflicting positions

The first time we see Sebas and Agni interact after the conclusion of the Curry Arc is in the Circus Arc, where Agni declared himself Sebastian’s friend. (I believe it is only in the anime that Sebas makes a semi-touched comment about: “wow... it’s the first time someone said ‘friend’ to me uwu.”) In the manga however, we can see How Sebas did not really react until Agni’s arguments hit the bull’s eye: the one thing Sebas believes in - his butler ideology*.

(TLN: In Japanese the word is 美学 (bigaku), and if you look this word up all English translations say ‘aesthetics’, which is actually a bit weird. There is no perfect translation for this word when used in Sebas’ context, but as the meaning is somewhere between ‘principles’ and ‘ideal’, I propose the translation: “ideology”.)

Later too, Sebas never returned the sentiment of being part of this ‘friendship’ which Agni had imposed onto them. When Agni apologised, Sebas merely told the man apologies were not necessary because he saw the value in Agni’s advice. This would have been the perfect chance to say: “don’t worry about it, we are friends, after all,” but Sebas never took said chance.

Final interaction

Excluding the bonus chapter, it wouldn’t be after many, many chapters that the two of them would finally interact again. It was mostly Agni talking to O!Ciel, but Sebas is usually not shy to chip in even if his master is talking. However, Sebas made no such attempt because he shared his master’s view on breaking ties with the Indians if the situation called for it.

The final words Agni would hear from ‘his friend’ is merely a professional compliment, from one butler to another.

Mourning?

When Sebas found Agni dead in chapter 127 he was shocked and the closest to ‘sad’ we’ve ever seen him. However, one does not need to be friends to be saddened by the brutal death of somebody you respect. When the death of Chadwick Aaron Boseman was announced for example, millions of people were very sad, some even crying. I dare say that 99% of those people are not Boseman’s ‘friend’ however. It is simply the lament one has to see somebody so talented and meaningful now gone.

And indeed, even as Sebas held Agni’s body, his final words to him are what he said before: a professional compliment from one butler to another.

Conclusion

Though I would have loved to see more of Sebas and Agni’s interaction as friends, I have to say there is no ground to say this ‘friendship’ is mutual between the two. If a ‘friendship’ is not mutual however, I personally would not call it friendship at all.

Had Agni lived longer, then surely he would have agreed too. He would have noticed how he’s told Sebas so much about himself, including his deepest shame, his grandest honours... but that he knows next to nothing about Sebas. How old is he? Where does he come from, why does Sebas serve his master with the same level of loyalty as he himself served his prince? What inspired his ‘butler’s ideology’? How come Agni has consistently been offering help to Sebas on all fronts, but Sebas never did a single thing back?

To Agni and Soma, their ‘one-sided friendship’ might be enough to keep them happy, and I have much respect for that. To Sebas at least however, I would say he did not and would not return this kindness. Agni is just an impressive grasshopper, after all.

“Does Soma’s alliance with O!Ciel survive?”

“Why Agni could die in relative peace?”

#Agni #Friendship #Curry Arc #Kuroshitsuji spoilers #Kuroshitsuji Spoiler #Death #grasshopper #analysis

Sebastian’s first curry

Is made using Richard Terry’s “Bengal Chicken Curry” recipe.

And we also have the same explanation that Soma gave regarding curry powder not being used in India. This excerpt on the right is from Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquers by Lizzie Collingham.

I do think that Yana-san might have used a copy of this book for her curry research. It does, after all, have the only picture I’ve ever been able to find of the product bottle and label for Edmunds’ Empress Currie Powder.

Since it’s already in black and white, that makes it easier to reproduce for the manga.

And, as I’ve pointed out in old posts about the Artworks inside covers, she has definitely used clip art images before (perfume bottles, soaps, etc.).... So, redrawing or even just reimaging this wouldn’t be out of the question.