So, as some of you may know, Damien is my favorite Seduce Me character. However, after doing a deep dive into some of the game-related questions Michaela Laws has answered on her Tumblr page, my interest in James was piqued. While all of the incubi have a brute demon father, their mothers are all different. According to her, the brothers’ genealogy was explained as such:
Sam: 50% brute demon, 25% incubus, 25% dragon
Damien: 50% brute demon, 25% incubus, 25% shadow demon
Matthew: 50% brute demon, 50% incubus
Erik: 50% brute demon, 40% incubus, 10% dreamstalker demon
James: 50% brute demon, 30% incubus, 20% unknown
I don’t like unknowns. Unknowns make me curious. So here we are.
I’ve done some digging. As the percentages show, James’ heritage stems farther down the maternal line, likely from his grandparents or great-grandparents. Based on the information in the games and the answers found on Michaela Laws’ page, I’ve narrowed it down to two possibilities. One of these hypotheses has more evidence than the other, but at the end of the day it’s all speculative. Let’s jump right in!
There is very little information about fae demons available, but there are some pieces of evidence that could lead us to believe that James is part fae demon. The most obvious trait to point out is James’ green thumb. He is good with gardening and has an affinity for flowers. According to the Otome CD, James says, “The first thing I did was go to a library and read all I could about history, culture, law, and other topics I believed were necessary to survive. A gardening book somehow got mixed in with the books I was reading, but I couldn’t bring myself to ignore it. I read through every page and found myself fascinated with it. Everything was so intricate and detailed. I couldn’t help but read a couple more books on the topic afterwards.” After being forced to learn all there is to know about ruling a kingdom, it’s no wonder finding his way back to nature would grab James’ interest. If I remember correctly, it was Matthew who sounded surprised by James’ ability to alter the wedding guests’ memories. This ability is one that fae demons have been known to dabble in. It is Fae who alters the protagonist’s mind after walking in on the secret meeting. And I know Michaela Laws has nothing to do with this, but when searching “fae seduce me” through Google, a minecraft skin and a sketch of James appears within six or seven lines. I thought that was interesting.
All of these points are all well and good, but there are some counterpoints to this hypothesis. James exhibits no form of specialized elemental magic. Of all the incubi, Erik was the one to combine flowers and magic in the first game. While incubi and succubi genes are dominant, all of the brothers can tap into their other demon powers, regardless of how connected they are to that part of their heritage. Damien, who is 25% shadow demon, can use doppelgangers and manipulate the darkness. Erik is only 10% dreamstalker demon, and can use his power with ease. The two other known fae demons, Twila and Fae, have elemental abilities. Fae can control plants and Twila has wind powers, much of which exhibit themselves when she has a magic flare. Both Fae and Twila have abilities that have to do with the air. They can fly and control wind. James levitates during his final fight with the angel, but apparently all of the brothers can do that. James’ main ability is his quick-learning. While fire and lightning are elemental, this secondary form of magic seems to be common among demons, as shown by both James and Diana during the final battle. This leads me to believe my second hypothesis over the first.
I think this is more likely specifically because Michaela Laws was hesitant to reveal this information once she put it out there. If James were just part fae demon or some other sort of demon that hasn’t been mentioned, it might be a bit more obvious; perhaps even anticlimactic. Michaela Laws is always making connections to angels via James. His route is the only one in Demon Wars to include angels. In the final battle with the angel, James’ sword gleams with “an almost ethereal and god-like glow.” As she discusses why angels are antagonists in the second game, Michaela Laws uses James as the example. None of the other brothers are discussed in that post. Just like Saero, he has “supernatural golden eyes.” Fae demons are more free spirited while angels are stoic and serious. This fits James’ character more.
There are times where demons and angels are shocked by his abilities. Again, Matthew sounds surprised at James’ use of mind-altering powers at the wedding ceremony. During the final battle with the fate-keeper angel, James “formed a large wall between himself and the angel, pushing him back. The angel, unimpressed, tapped the wall over and over in attempts to dispel it, but found it to be impenetrable.” The fate-keeper angel is confused and infuriated by this turn of events. Angels are known for their ability to wipe memories, and holy magic is meant to defend and repel. It might be out of the norm for demons to be apt in these abilities. James is more powerful than his brothers because, whether he knows it or not, he can perform holy magic.
The red and blue indicators for pursuing Suzu and Naoimi in the first game represent chaotic and lawful choices. When comparing each path, we find parallels that lead to comparisons between two brothers: James and Sam. While Sam is hot-tempered, James contrasts his demeanor with a cooler personality. There is even a whole episode dedicated to the two fighting among themselves for the main character’s affections. This shows a clear match between a dragon and an angel. Much like Naomi and Suzu, they are two sides of the same coin.
Naomi & Suzu are the two friends whose personalities clash.
Law & Chaos are two competing forces in the universe.
Trinity & Dragons are company name suggestions, holy vs heathen.
Angels & Demons are two opposing entities.
James & Sam are the two brothers whose personalities clash.
James has this inner conflict where his conscience fights between law and chaos. This manifests itself in James’ desire to be a gentleman. In the Otome CD, he says, “Miss, you are aware that I am a demon, correct? On top of that I am an incubus, a creature who lives and feeds on sexual energy from any creature it can lay its hands on. Despite this I maintain control of myself because I don’t wish to make you a meal to consume. I’ve devoted myself to being the perfect gentleman. Yet, I find my urges harder to control with each day that passes by while I live here.” James constantly has to reign himself in and fight against his demon urges. His chaotic desires offset his lawful tendencies. He has said many times that he wishes to be the perfect gentleman, but never goes into where that notion stems from. Perhaps James is unaware of it himself. Regardless, the inner struggle of demon and angel blood may be a catalyst to this behavior.
If that isn’t enough evidence, look to Queen Istorae, who in this instance would have more angel blood than her son. She is always described as cold and militaristic. Angels in this universe are merely agents of heaven, whose soul purpose is to protect and serve. The wise queen was described as an anarchist among demons. Rather than becoming a matriarchal ruler, she handed the reins over to the Demon Lord. If Christian mythology is at work here, then the angels are more inclined to follow a patriarchal system. Finally, a lingering question I had after playing James’ route in Demon War was why he was locked in a stone destiny to begin with. Why would his mother give up her life force in order to create it? He was already meant to rule, and most of his brothers were content to keep it that way. One of the reasons could be that James had nephilim blood, and would therefore be in constant danger. Locking him into a stone destiny would protect him from angels indefinitely, as only the barer of the destiny can break it.
I see you, James. I’ve got my eyes on you.
Shout-out to @sm-asks for archiving and tagging all of the Seduce Me answers from @thebunnyofevil. You are the biggest star! Also, I’d like to reiterate that these are all hypotheses. I adore the idea that James could be a niphilim, as that adds another layer to his character, but that doesn’t mean it’s positively canon. If there is something I missed, or you want to add to this in some way, I’d love to hear from you!
