vex 🥄

unc WE are going rat-hunting [screenshot redraw]

A lot of folks in the fandom are confused about how exactly the RTO eyes look, so I decided to make this post to clear up some confusion.

The chapter that introduced the concept, 173, shows the eyes like this:

Well, issue is, the translators used the magazine's copy of the chapter, and unfortunately it seems like the artists either made a mistake or decided to retcon this. Because in the volume release these frames look like so:

So, RtO eyes are characterised by this very specific, pitch black wing-like pattern. It's not the shiny demon eyes.

Basically:

^ these are RtO eyes.

^ these are NOT.

So, uh. Clara just ate Azz's pills, the function of which is to force user into a Wicked Phase, and then got eyes like this:

On the first glance it seems like it makes everything a lot more confusing.

On the second glance it actually clarifies a lot more. You might even say. CLARAfies. Did I make you return to origins with this pun? Please don't kill me.

Anyway, this is what Balam has to say about wicked phase specifically induced by these pills:

And that's why Clara gets this pattern - this particular WP is actually really close to RtO state.

And this explains the many instances of seemingly normal and well-adjusted demons getting this pattern, but then just going back to normal and never commiting any kind of terrorism, e.g. Sylvia, Gyari, Robin, etc.

This is them briefly falling into their WP, and a particularly strong instance of one. One more step, and they can very well tumble down into permanent state of RtO, but something snaps them right out of it.

It also establishes a stronger link between Wicked Phases and RtO.