#ane 143

Can I also say it’s just so sweet that Osceola’s knowledge (who’s been a strong but secondary character until fairly recently, i love him and his design so much tho) resonates with Rin on such a personal level? 

After all, cooking is the one thing Shiro thought hard about and decided that Rin would study at home with him...

because Rin needed an efficient way to learn how to control his strength. 

Now we reached a point in the story when Rin admits to “having defeated his demon side” and controlling his flame, talking to Yukio about his doubts, and Sensei parallels it in the same chapter with...

...Rin actively learning about the field of talismanic cooking.

Also, I love how, little by little, Sensei highlights how Rin’s objectives have changed throughout the story, because of what he learnt about himself and about the dual world (made of Assiah and Gehenna) that they live in. In shonen series, the hero(es) often have one or several immovable goal(s) to achieve but Rin’s have steadily evolved. He initially wanted to kick Satan’s butt for Shiro’s death, but now...

...he realizes there’s just too much he doesn’t understand to be sure of what he can actually do. 

EDIT: To elaborate, this was foreshadowed way back, during the Kyoto arc, that without understanding of both sides Rin would never become a bridge between Assiah and Gehenna...

...and once more in the Aomori arc...

...but it’s good that he started mentioning these doubts to people around him.

After all, in that alternate future that Mephy saw, Rin became the “demon king”, leader of the demon army, meaning that Rin’s hesitation is worth expanding on, or he’ll choose one side and fight against the other before long and I don’t think this is the answer Kato-sensei is going for. Yukio (with whom he discussed in this chapter) has just always been on the more careful side of things (also he’s like 16 years old) compared to, say, Shura...

...who understands that Rin’s situation has no precedent and that, at some point, Rin has to follow his instinct (still vouching that he’ll have to travel to Gehenna to gain more understanding of the situation but hey, I could be wrong). 

Additionally, Rin also once said, early in the story, that he wanted to become Paladin, because that’s the title Shiro held before dying (and maybe also out of animosity towards Arthur), but reading this chapter, I found myself relieved thinking that Rin’s true calling might finally be upon us. :)) To say nothing of the fact that Paladins are previous Section 13′s Baal clones who are chained to the Order, I think the Paladin title (a very specific position at the top of the Order’s hierarchy) would suit Yukio or Bon more than Rin. 

I’m sure Rin wanted to ask Satan if Satan loved their mom, but Yukio had to shut Rin out. The poor boy just wants answers and everyone keeps telling him to suck it up and fight.

RIN & OSCEOLA INTERACTION

Repeat : RIN & OSCEOLA INTERACTION

THESE ARE MY FAVORITE PANELS FROM THE ENTIRE CHAPTER, THEIR INTERACTION ADDED 100 YEARS OF LIFE TO ME, CURED ALL DISEASES AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE. LOOK HOW THEY GET ALONG LOOOOK EVERYONE LIKE AAAANFNENSNANSNDHSHWJSJAJAN. I WILL NEVER SHUT UP ABOUT THIS