Hey Anon! Ah, well, I don’t agree but you’re free to have your own opinion on this subject 🙂
Personally I don’t find the S4 to be that different from when they were in Weston, the only difference being that in Weston they were figures of authority and as such held a position of power, while now they’re more humble, because they’re helping Bravat in order to atone for the sins they’ve committed at Weston.
They’re full of good intention, no one can deny that, except that they’re too naive, but still, I think it’s amazing how their friendship survived through all of this.
Besides this arc makes it clear that it’s not about them but about wanting to be useful, so I find that this is a giant step forward in their characterization, even if they still don’t realize they’re pawns in someone else’s game.
That being said, you might be unhappy that Yana “bent their personalities”, but I personally never liked the one trope-one characterization thing (I mean the P4 were the biggest stereotypical characters of the whole cast so far) and I’m glad that they’re now a more homogeneous group, while still having their differences, because they’re still linked tightly even despite everything that happened.
I know it’s not a popular opinion but I like this arc even if the pace is super slow, just like I liked the Weston arc and I’m happy that the S4 are a part of it, even if it seems like it’s a redo of the Weston arc because they’re in the opposite side again.
As I was saying though, it’s just my opinion and I’m sorry if this feels like a cheap arc and cheap writing to you Maybe the next chapters will change your mind? I hope so in any case.
Rereading the arc, so just a few things to maybe ponder on or a few possibly interesting details.
The Queen visiting Sieglinde
A little mention towards the war subplot: the Queen is still all about using Sieglinde in her war against Germany. I already said once before that I think she definitely knows Ciel got rid of the “SULIN”, so she most certainly visits Sieglinde because she intends on getting her trust until Sieglinde won’t be able to refuse creating some stuff for Victoria, or something similar.
The Queen is clever and dangerous. Not that it’s anything new.
People of influence being patrons of the Sphere music hall, a link with Alexis Midford?
I think everyone already pondered about Alexis and Frances’ absence since the beginning of the arc because it’s been probably one month and a half since Lizzie ran away from home. So plot convenience or not, I’m wondering if there could be a link between their absence and a good number of Lords being involved with the Sphere music hall?
Alexis is the leader of the Knight Order after all and I’m guessing many Lords are Knights. Ciel himself received something from him when he got his title of Earl from the Queen…
This is a theory we discussed at the beginning of the arc with @darkspellmaster, so all that to say that maybe Alexis, as the Head Knight, will have a role to play in regards to what’s going on within the Sphere music hall and maybe that’s why Yana didn’t mention either him or Frances ever since the beginning of the arc.
The S4 only want to atone for their sins by making people happy
I don’t know how Bravat got to meet with the S4
(if UT is involved, maybe through the “pact” the S4 made with UT when they killed Derrick and co) but it’s obvious that he is using their regrets and wishes to atone for their crimes to manipulate them as his pawns.
I don’t know if the S4 told him what they did and he gave them a new purpose, or if he “knew in advance” like for Lizzie, Ciel and Sebastian (in that case, the person who told him all that about those seven characters is someone who knew all of them, and then again UT is the most likely possibility), but it’s really sad that the S4 only want to make people happy and don’t seem to notice
(Violet aside probably) how they will follow Bravat if he falls.
I wish the F5 could maybe talk with them, but as this point, I doubt they’d listen, because they’re too enthralled by Bravat.
Why Nina as the Sphere music hall’s taylor?
Why the enthusiasm? I mean, I think Nina is indeed extremely talented but since she’d have initially refused, how come they only wanted her?
Because she’s innovative and not so traditional? Because of plot convenience so Ciel would have one way of getting info because Nina’s family knows about the Phantomhives’ duty? Because of… another reason?
¯_(ツ)_/¯
Lizzie’s different outifts
I know many people wrote about Lizzie’s different outfits, but I just find interesting how those two panels are just completely the opposite to one another: ribbons, earrings, gloves, bracelet vs no bracelet, swords, simple dress vs an elegant one (that is also different from what she usually wears as well)…
I wonder why sometimes she wears the simple dress (when she goes giving her blood for example) and why she wore the elegant one as well as all her other accessories when she fought Sebastian.
We can also wonder why she’s barefoot in the middle of the day (for example when she goes to see Ciel in ch113 as he’s asleep and giving his blood) and what she even does of her days at the Sphere music hall in the first place.
It’s obvious she isn’t like the S4 or the other people welcoming the guests giving their blood and, as I was saying, since she often was wearing the dress on the left during the middle of the day, she’s not always carrying her swords around…
We still have quite the huge mystery on her side of the subplot, huh…
Ciel as a great businessman
This one is more of an ascertainment that if Ciel hadn’t gone through… well, everything that he went through, he would have probably been all about business during his life, because he seems to completely enjoy this (and he does understand customers well).
I just find this cute when he’s so passionate. No need to wonder why the Funtom corporation (his company, that he created after becoming Earl Phantomhive) works so well, it’s not just sheer luck.
Kuroshitsuji: Starlight Four vs Funtom Five
Shining boys in white garbs or bad boys clad in black?
I found this super-adorable drawing of small Redmond and Bluer, when I was looking for a specific entry on Yana’s blog the other day:
According to Yana, they are neighbours and know each other since they were children. (source: X)
Keeping this in mind, I then reread the Weston arc and noticed that
Redmond
always…
calls
Bluer
by his first name. Always.
THEY ARE CHILDHOOD FRIENDS…!!! (´；ω；`) I seriously have a soft spot for characters who are childhood friends
And after rereading the Weston arc I also noticed that I actually like the P4 very much. However, considering the latest chapter as well as the fact that they got totally brainwashed by the Blue Sect, I seriously doubt that this arc will end with a happy ending and that the P4 will survive…
Yana, please have mercy on them… (´；ω；`)
Bonus:
Small Violet looking intensely at an ant… (source: X)
and small Greenhill as the type of child who always wears short-sleeved shirts, even in winter… (source: X)
^ THIS! I hope you read @thedarkestcrow‘spost about the lockets seen in ch113 because this is totally relating to what you’re saying!
Honestly I really love this and it would be awesome if that’s actually what happened! Besides, I took another look at the flashback with Derrick upon reading your ask and…
Violet never says a word about the murders in retrospect during the midnight tea party, it’s mostly Bluer and Redmond who talk, so maybe Violet ended up truly regretting that tradition became the wrong reason for murder even before the Blue Sect arc.
I agree with you, I think the reason he’s playing his part in the S4 quartet of Bravat’s sect despite “not feeling the magic” might because he doesn’t want to leave his friends completely manipulated because they want to forget their shame and what they did. Their hands are stained and it will never go away, but while Bluer, Redmond and Greenhill tried to feel better by forgetting, maybe you’re right and Violet remembered Soma’s words and how they had killed 7 people for no good reason.
I really love this and I hope Violet will talk more with Ciel to explain why he’s staying around despite knowing Bravat’s sect might not be such a great place. As I said before, I wouldn’t mind more time for Violet and Cheslock to shine in this arc, so here I am, hoping!
Thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts, Anon, and have a good week! 🙂
Ok, so there’s a lot that smells funny about this recent chapter–it’s more than just the rotting corpses.
Referring back to Chapter 111, Bravat told Ciel that he was under the protection of the first-magnitude star of Sirius. However, the reaction that follows raises a few questions for me:
Maybe it’s just something with the translation–or I’m blowing this out of proportion–but how is Ciel the first person under Sirius these people have seen? Violet is under the protection of Sirius and there are more people besides Ciel when he walks into the Canis Major door.
Even though they’re just a small handful of people, I believe it’s safe to assume they are all consistent visitors of the events at Sphere Music Hall–especially Violet since he and the rest of the P4 are leaders of the bunch and are therefore required to be there. If Ciel was the first person under Sirius for some of those people to have met, then why? Social recluse though he may be, Violet, at least, is there all the time.
Moving on from that note, I’d like to point out something else: The way to tell which star a person is protected by from their bracelets is by counting the numbers of star charms the bracelets possess. Ciel, being under the first-magnitude star, only has one charm on his.
As opposed to those under Vega or Polaris which have three and four charms respectively.
Everyone is required to have these bracelets as form of identification: Everyone, except the P4. Instead, they often have an accessory for their outfits which mark their star protection. Last time it was two necklaces, one earring, and an armband: This time, they’re buttons/brooches.
This is just a small mark in the difference of treatment between the P4 and the rest of the group. Now, compare the picture above with the next one I’m about to show you:
Yes, there is a definite change of attitude among the members, but notice any parallels?
In this chapter, the P4 we’ve always known are now referred to as the S4, or the Starlight Four. In the same way that they were revered as the top dogs of Weston College they are given celebrity status in this new arc, and the groups that they each lead individually are now divided by star protection instead of what characteristics separated their houses.
Sphere Music Hall is literally a recreation of Weston College for P4. Instead of moving forward from their sins, they’re clinging to their old identities and reliving them in a new environment. Nothing’s changed and–based on this chapter–Violet is possibly the only one who can see that.
Maybe the next chapters will change your mind? I hope so in any case. 
midnight-in-town 