Needs Must: Chapter 125

erebus-cheslock:

That’s not a typo, I really do mean Chapter 125 of the Kuroshitsuji manga. There’s one thing that I believe Yana must address by the next installment of the manga at least if this arc is to truly hit the ground running (combined with showing Bravat’s fate since the scandal and Seb and Ciel’s next move).

Yana must place significant attention on the conflict or dynamic between the F5 and the S4. Former fags-turned-new-P4 versus the disgraced mentors they used to revere – this new phase of their relationship dynamic is burning with dramatic tension and stakes that have yet to be addressed. 

They have not locked eyes ever since that moment the F5 first revealed themselves on stage. They may have walked roughshod over the stunned S4 with the word ‘fraud’ on their lips, but that is where the extent of their interaction has remained since. 

Not only are the dramatic and emotional stakes severely lacking on their side as a result – and considering the history of the Weston Arc and their involvement in this one this is sorely needed – but their characterisation is also. As it stands we’ve only bare bones of a character to care about at best, of course with the exception of Edward. While Cheslock has a better deal for being so striking and unique as a character by design and manner in comparison to most of the cast, we still know nothing of his past, his fears, his desires, his true self, anything that endear readers to characters beyond a very basic (and rather shallow) level. 

If something happened to Clayton or Harcourt right now, what would we lose? Would we lose a deep, meaningful character with whom we had come to emphasise with and support and love and want to see them achieve all their ambitions and go on to live successful lives? 

For Clayton I think we’d be able to cry: “Oh no, not…. that guy! What was his name again?” at most.

For Harcourt: “Oh no, not my baby!! He was so cute!! Why?!!!”

Let’s face it, as it stands we only have basic categories like ‘cute’ and ‘cool’ to attribute to the members of the F5 who aren’t Soma and Edward. They do not make a character either memorable or worth caring for beyond superficial aspects such as appearance or the one trait that seems to define their entire beings. And of course, there’s whatever our brains can come up with in terms of filling the blanks – such us a backstory and personality and so forth.

But that cannot carry a character through an arc or a series. 

It’s quite sad, considering the amazing job Yana did fleshing out and humanising the members of Noah’s Arc circus just in the space of one arc. They were filled with such depth that their depths still have an enormous impact reading back through the chapters today. They even continue to have an impact on the other characters in the story to varying degrees even so many chapters and arcs later.

The fags of Weston – current P4 and members of the F5 – have been given two arcs with which to shine, and we know just as little now as we did in their debut! If they were to kick the bucket right this minute nothing would change. 

As far as Ciel is concerned, they have fulfilled their usefulness to him, and if they happened to snuff it he would barely even spare them a second glance, and would forget about them in five seconds. Their deaths would ring out especially hollow because they have been given so much time to show potential that is there, but so far never acted upon to any meaningful degree except what the plot demands of them.

Hell, most of this arc can be summed up with: “Ciel wants thing to happen. Thing gets done. Sebastian explains it – twice, necessary or not.”

This arc is crying out for dramatic and emotional stakes relating to the F5 and the S4, and it’s really making the arc suffer at this point, and will continue to do so if it is not rectified quickly. I have faith in Yana, mind you. I’m just concerned that this arc is lacking in the sheer power of emotion and drama we’ve seen in previous arcs in favour of long-winded explanations and a rather plodding plot already – perhaps – reaching it’s climax.

Come on Yana, we know you can do it!!