Maerossa Appreciation
*This is the one I posted on Twitter before. I believe I did want to post this here at some point but then completely forgot about it haha. So let's do it*
Preface
It has been a while ago since I set up my “Maestarossa appreciation” page on my tumblr blog but I really don’t have a chance to finish it… One of the main reason is that I feel sometimes people argued with me a lot in the past regard to the interpretation and understanding of the character arc etc. so I just stop writing such things at some point. But maybe I should speak up more about my own opinion…
I know that it’s hard to persuade people, so this will more serve as a reminder for me to always read the manga again and appreciate the ship
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As I always rant on my twitter, I have a feeling that people absolutely love to emphasize how different Mael and Estarossa are, and this is what I hate the most haha. People have the right to say they are different because they do in some way, but really I feel like in the fandom there is a lack of the voice to appreciate how they share the same personalities and feelings in the end. This similarity is a bless and a curse that both cannot escape.
But how? I will explain in detail below.
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1. A hypocritical love
Since back then, Ludociel has taught Mael that to kill a demon is to save the soul from the foul. To him, killing is a way to show the mercy and love, even a hypocritical one.
The Commandment of Love sounds definitely sarcastic in my opinion. In the original Japanese, the commandment is specifically referring to the love that has a merciful side. Even though Estarossa seems to kill people to fulfill the order from Demon King or even just for fun, he does show his hypocritical love side and kill people as a mercy.
2. A lonely heart
From Bonus: Awake from a Black Dream
Mael has said that he hates wars and killing people; nevertheless he follows his brother and becomes the Angle of the Death and the strongest Four Archangel. Why he would do so?
In my mind, he is a child who always eager for the recognition from his beloved. Mael values his brother and choose to kill demons even though he is not willing to do so. He also hopes his beloved Elizabeth could toss him a glance as a nod; however, this is almost impossible due to the conflict nature of Elizabeth and Ludociel’s stands:
He constantly devalues himself as he tries to fulfill the expectation from others. In the end, he becomes a lonely child who never truly grows up and always sit on the lawn of the sky islands.
This self-devaluation and loneliness also plays an important role in Estarossa’s personality.
Imitation is a form of self-devaluation.
And always be alone.
3. Reconcile
The tragedy is never solely a coincidence. Besides Gowther’s plan, the fall of the great archangel is majorly caused by Mael’s ignorance and the lack of true self-recognition.
Mael (or Estarossa) looking at the opposite side to Elizabeth, implying the loss of the true self.
Thus the true remedy for the trauma is to reconcile with the lost self. It seems like “Estarossa” is dead for everyone else, as people around Mael will naturally use the real name to call him and celebrate his return.
However, Mael specifically refer his “fake” name when he looks back into the past. Estarossa never dies nor disappears, but lives with him forever. There is no way for him to escape from himself.
And Estarossa will simply accept the truth then smiles back.
