Ameline, the original knights, and the demonic hands are connected.
Okay, after the last episode of Dragon Striker, I noticed something (or rather, several things) that could easily have gone unnoticed. The first and most important point is that the match commentator didn't know Ameline's surname. This is odd, not only because he should theoretically have access to academy records containing her personal information, but also because, after checking the credits and supplementary material, her surname doesn't appear anywhere.
You might wonder why that’s strange; after all, it’s common in many shows for a character to be known by just a single name or nickname, and thats fine. The issue here is that even tertiary characters, characters who appeared only once and likely didn't even have lines, DO have surnames.
The fact that they deliberately made an exception for a member of the main team, group of five no less, is enough to raise an eyebrow. If they are intentionally withholding the surname and drawing attention to that fact within the show itself, it implies that the surname might be significant. After all, lineage matters in this series: one of the star players of the Bards is a coach's nephew, and the protagonist is the child of one of the sport's greatest and most powerful strikers.
Now, what do the Knights and the demonic hands have to do with all this? Well...
It’s interesting that, given our initial impression of the character, Ameline was so eager to revive the Knights and join the team. She didn't speak much, kept her nose in her books, moved at her own pace, and barely interacted with the world around her, she didn't give off the vibe of a sports enthusiast—let alone someone who would want to play at that level. Yet, there she is, unhesitatingly carrying the Knights' banner.
Another highlight of the latest chapter is the mausoleum/tomb of the original Knights'. As soon as they found it, Ameline dove right in, even though they were already running late for the match. Along the way, we discovered two things: first, the wall carvings depict a creature resembling the one in her book—the very book we saw when they were searching for her right after the attack by the Tama-stealing demonic hands. The second thing is that Ameline is investigating a specific tomb... And the body is missing its head...
The Roses' coach made a very interesting remark after Key used his dragon in that same chapter. Paraphrasing, it was something like, "Imagine the havoc they could wreak if they combined Tamas with that." She was implying that Key's attack, which essentially nuked the battlefield and critically injured another player, could become even more dangerous if their magic were combined. She cited this example after having noted earlier in the chapter that no one had been seen combining Tamas for centuries, as it was considered taboo. Interestingly, while we don't see a combination involving Key's dragon, we do see one where Milo's jelly combines with Ameline's absorption ability, granting the jelly the latter's anti-magic properties.
A powerful Tama can become even stronger—and more dangerous—if combined with another one. Combined Tamas share the characteristics and properties of both Tamas involved. Some Tamas are practically entities in their own right, such as Key's dragon. And most importantly, Tamas can be, in fact, inherited.
What if Ameline is a descendant of one of the original knights? That would explain why she’s so keen on joining the team and playing, as well as her interest in the team's history. Maybe she’s trying to uncover more about her ancestors, or even clear their names. Because there’s another angle to consider: what if the reason the original knights' team was disbanded, turned into a bad omen and making the Tama combination taboo, was because they accidentally created the demonic hands?
After all, Sugoi herself said that Ameline’s Tama can’t absorb others' power to that extent on its own—but what happens if you combine them? Plus, she absorbs powers through her mouth; and where is the mouth located? On the head. And what was missing from the knight in the tomb? Exaclty.
I’m not saying she’s evil or anything. Like I said, it’s most likely just curiosity or a desire to clear her family name. But I’m certain she has a connection to them.
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