The Identity Reveal
**I think Iāll start this off by saying this post, while basically being just how Iāve been theorizing for months now, I think still could be deemed spoilery? As I will include episode descriptions etc of unreleased episodes. So readers beware haha this is your warning** Iāve wanted to make this post ever since the synopsis for the season four finale got revealed: āRealizing that Ladybug's caution is the reason why she always wins, Shadow Moth prepares a diabolical plan to create a supervillain who can force his victims to take all sorts of risks. When Marinette learns that Adrien is leaving Paris for several weeks with Lila, the new face of the Agreste brand, she will do anything to stop him from doing so. But until what point? Will she reveal her secret identity for the sake of love? And would Adrien finally face his father?ā So the thing that bugged me when I first read this was that it didnāt make sense. Why would Marinette reveal her secret identity for the sake of love to try to convince Adrien to stay in Paris? Why would she need him to stay in Paris if heās only gone for several weeks? The only conclusion that made sense to me was that she knew he was Chat Noir. Because she does needĀ Chat Noir; her and him against the world. And knowing how much he loves Ladybug, I think that reveal would be advantageous in convincing him to stay. So needless to say, Iāve just 100% believed and accepted that the reveal happened one-sided at some point in season four before the finale for months now. Like I said, I wish Iād made this post back then, but Iām making it now because I think the reveal episode is upon us (and confirming my suspicions) thanks to the episode titles and synopses weāve gotten recently.Ā Ā Synopsis for Ephemeral (the 22 episode of season 4; 100th episode produced): āWhat would happen if Ladybug and Cat Noir discovered their secret identities? To beat a villain, Ladybug calls on nine superheroes when all she needed was Cat Noir and his cataclysm. But she couldn't call the latter, as she still doesn't know his secret identity. The Celestial Guardian of the Miraculous decides that this situation cannot go on. It is too dangerous to leave Cat Miraculous in the wild with a stranger. If Ladybug wants to remain Guardian, she must find a way to tell Master Su-Han who really Cat Noir is. Someone must know, to control. Faced with this ultimatum, what will Ladybug do?ā So from this we get that Ladybug, after leaving Chat behind a lot this season and having the build up about identities and whatnot, is going to re-realize the importance of having Chat as her partner/right hand man. (I am curious to the circumstances though, that Chat didnāt realize/show up to fight the villain on his own like usual) But from the rest of the synopsis we find that Su-Han has decided that Chat Noirās identity needs to be known. Though I will admit, they did write it in a vague way with the āmust find a way to tell himā who Chat is. Because you could loophole out of that with her not knowing, but Su-Han knowing. Chat only revealing his identity to him. But I donāt think thatās the case. I think Ladybug will find out. (Whether being told directly, accidentally finding out, or just coming to realize it herself) And I donāt think this knowledge will be reversed this episode like usual. (On the notion of Ladybug being told, I believe it would be in a way that Chat Noir wouldnāt know she found out. In which thereās only three options (I think?) for someone to tell her: 1) (least likely option) is Aeon/Uncanny Valley 2) Luka (also still unlikely given the circumstances that would need to happen) 3) (most likely) Tikki or another kwami) So all this being said, I think depending on what route happens here really changes what I think could go down in the episode that follows it. Seeing as episode 23 is entitled Kuro Neko, which is Japanese for Black Cat.Ā Seeing as episode names are typically the akuma of the episodeās name, I think itās safe to assumse that stays true here.The only question is who is going to be akumatized into Kuro Neko. I feel like the obvious choice would be either Chat Noir or Adrien. (Seeing as Chat Noir is french for Black Cat) (And yes Iām aware that miraculous holders are the same person as their alter egos, but I feel like itās canon that theyāre different when it comes to stuff like this)Ā The less obvious choice I think would be Ladybug. Though I think it would be poetic cinema that she would have some crazy emotions going on after finding out the identity of her partner causing greater fears over Chat Blanc. Thereby making her fall prey to Shadowmoth, becoming Chat Blancās opposite. (I suppose Kuro Neko could also be FĆ©lix, given that heās like Adrienās double and we havenāt seen him yet this season, and heās already given copycat vibes but likeee ;:\ ) Maybe Iāll update my theories on Kuro Neko after getting to see Ephemeral. (Because I have so many theories about how it could go down for each) And at this point Iām not 100% sure whether Marinette will reveal her identity in the finale. (I feel like the side of me that thinks she wonāt is winning. But the side that thinks she will thinks that Adrien will then still decide to leave.) And then thereās the ominous title of the finale as a whole: The Last Attack of Shadow Moth. (But thatās a whole other bucket of theories to dig into itself)Ā What do yāall think?
