Remember when I said that my Japanese skills aren’t up to the task of translating the last page of a Magi chapter?
Mainly because of that subtitle at the end?
Well Magi 232 threw another curve-ball for me. Now, in Magi 322, the phrase that gave me trouble reads like this in Romanized Japanese:
“[Ugo-God] wo, koerareru no ka --- !!?” which I translated as “To transcend [Ugo-God] --- !!?”
Well, the first part of the subtitle on this week’s last page is...
“[Ugo-God] wo koeru [David-God] wo koeru [Ugo-God] ... !!?” Yeah... (And yes, the same Kanji for God is used for Ugo and David, with the only difference being the little Kana on top.)
I guess it would translate to “[Ugo-God] who transcends [David-God] who transcends [Ugo-God] ... !!?” or something like that?
Though it sounds almost as clumsy as the “To transcend [Ugo-God]” translation I did on the previous page. So I’m not happy with it.
Btw, the second half of the subtitle promises more surprises in the next issue, and all David says on the last page is “Wha... WHAAAT!!?”
I want to say this every time a new chapter comes out for this current Arc but...
dude. DUDE. That was intense I can't wait for the next chapter.
David told Solomon not to look into his own destiny, or he'll lose all hope like David did. Solomon told Aladdin the same.
Now, David basically provoked Solomon into doing exactly that, he even said "You will understand that everything is predetermined already, too" and... well. So much for not looking into your own destiny? Or is that something different that Solomon didn't do? If everything is predetermined, he shouldn't have been able to fulfill his plan of disrupting god and recreating the rukh, destiny and their paths... unless this was in god's plan after all (and maybe carried out with the help of david)... but does that make sense? Why would destiny have to take such weird turns in order to change?
Anyway, Solomon basically dismantled Ilah and tore it's power from it, spreading it to every sentient race to become their own masters. Sweet.
This is what also made Rukh turn white from black, I finally understand how this cursing your destiny stuff works!
If black Rukh = Rukh under Ilah's control and White Rukh = Rukh belonging to Solomon's flow, it's really easy.
Ilah symbolizes a fixed, unchangeable fate, whereas Solomon's Great flow is flexible and symbolizes choosing and creating your own destiny, and as such, hope.
Anyway, I find it very interesting how by "becoming god" or at least Solomon's actions being viewed as such by the people of Aladdin's generation, Solomon "strayed from the path of god" and as this "god" in turn told Aladdin not to show people their destinies.
Solomon has changed destiny from Ilah's/black/fixed to Solomon's/white/flexible, people should not lose hope when learning of this?
The magicians of Alam Toran were the only people who even learned of their destinies through their magic organ (which I guess is the third eye). The other sentient species apparently weren't affected, so I wonder what this could mean for future chapters.
On a different note, say what you want about Magi's art style, I think it's wonderfully dynamic and powerful. I noticed that once again in the scene where Arba confronts Solomon. Ohtaka is great at showingthe ugly and terrifying and shocking things, especially when working with silhouettes, she's great at showing movement and also, even though we don't see that a lot lately, at humorous things.
Speaking about Arba - I already suspected that IF she is Gyokuen or belongs to Al Sarmen somehow, Solomon ripping power from Ilah may be what triggers her change - and he ended up doing exactly that. Now we'll have to wait and see whether Arba actually turns into Gyokuen as well... (still not 100% convinced though).
Solomon also tells Arba that he trusts her and wishes and expects her to berate him and basically keep him reined in.
WHAT IF ARBA AS GYOKUEN IS DOING EXACTLY THAT.
Gyokuen often talks about Solomon being too arrogant and his world a failure - what if she actually thinks it's her duty to Solomon to thwart his plans? Gyokuen doesn't look like a "good guy" to me by any means and if this wacky little theory is even halfway correct, it's probably just a twisted version of what Solomon -wanted- her to do, but eh.
Now look at whatever the fuck the guy standing in place of Solomon at the end of the chapter is. I doubt he is Solomon, since he gave his soul over to the great flow. That guy may be David in some form, possessing Solomon's body, for all I know. Fact is, we just don't know, and we don't know if the others know. I think so, but... yeah. So far this guy is a fucking mystery.
Solomon's last words to his three companions were really touching.
and Ugo's distraught face and Solomon's single tear (we never saw him show much emotion before, did we?) pained. me. so much ah.
Don't even mention Sheba, I don't even want to think about how she holds up in future chapters...
Also, did you notice the modern depictions of war and soldiers and a couple embracing across a fence (in a warzone) during the magician's epiphany? The one in the big bubble to the upper left, isn't that Perdinaus (Scheherazade's first king candidate)??
Damn what happened was horrible and I'm still crying about it but because of this, me and my sister just thought of a possible theory on who gyokuen might be. Possibly.
