#chilly-territory

Merribit can't, she's not a politician (business is her expertise). She's already by Orga's side, but it does nothing to stop him. But Kudelia can, especially with her new found determination to improve as a politician and a diplomat. They need to stand together asap if Orga wants to avoid a big disaster for Tekkadan.

I meant more the politics of business -- dealing with people diplomatically doesn’t only apply to literal politics, but in the workplace and any time you have to negotiate anything, like a protection deal or getting information from an enemy. 

It’s fine:) Although I’m afraid I’m not budging in my view that Crowley’s manga outfit is a lot more aesthetically pleasing than his anime one, to me at least.

Well, I just like it how the manga Crowley has only 3 colors: predominant white with some red (his hair, eyes and the blade of his sword when he activates it) and black (buttons, chevron, belt, boots, other things). Makes it neat for my taste and closer to his Temple Knight image.

Nah man, symbolically I’m with you there. Aesthetically, the purple just makes a nice statement (to me). I think his buttons are actually gold, just “antiqued?” If only because they’re not colored in black in the uncolored manga pages, but eh small details.

I just find it funny that it’s stated in fan books and the wiki that his uniform is similar to that worn by the Knights Templar and I’m like ACTUALLY that coat is more 18th century than anything lol. Maybe the over the shoulder cape, but even then, that’s a stretch. Color wise, yes, design, no.

Got your point:) But to me, if a good act is motivated by heinous agenda, which is the case with Ferid and Saitou, it's not gray, it's still black. We'll have to agree to disagree on this;) Also, Japanese 'Kumo no Ito' story is kinda demonstrative in the sense that villains be villains, regardless of good acts.

It could also just be a matter of interpretation. As that’s pretty much what I’ve always taken the phrase to mean. How good people are capable of doing terrible things, and terrible people are capable of doing good things. As the morals that these villains may hold, that are considered wholesome values (like Ferid’s apparently value in an education. As the library itself really didn’t have an ulterior motive. Aside from maybe picking up a meal every once in a while. Ferid isn’t the type to go out of his way to do something he can just as easily do through some other method and in a lot less time.) don’t really detract from their agenda, nor does it redeem them. It kind of makes them more relatable, to an otherwise unrelatable character, as the world itself isn’t a clear cut black and white. You’re meant to hate him. But here’s this other aspect of his character that makes him three dimensional and compelling, rather than flat.

Mostly agreed except for Ferid. So far, I see absolutely nothing that can redeem him after all the blood-chilling shit he pulled and keeps pulling. That’s no gray, that’s very much black to me.

Ferid is by and large, a villain. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about that. And he is unapologetically so. So is Saitou. When you go back and look at the things he’s pulled in the light novels. Perhaps that’s where he learned it from?

The thing about that, though, it shows that vampires operate on a different set of morality. They’re not human, so our human concepts of morality really aren’t valid to them. In a sense, it’s not really comparable. They don’t have morals, because their morals are not the same to us. 

However, his grey comes in the fact that he has done good things, even if they were for his own benefit. IE, the library for the children he built in Sanquinem. That in of itself is a fairly benevolent act, giving these children access to information they may have never otherwise had access to, even before the ‘apocalypse’. 

Saitou, in the fact that how kindly he treats the orphans, specifically Mika, of the Hyakuya Orphanage.

Kureto, on the other hand for example, justifies his actions. They are for the betterment of humanity, and the end justifies the means. Even if it means subjecting children to torture, personally doing so himself, or turning a blind eye to the fact that he instigates more carnage than salvation. (Kureto is such a wonderful depiction of Lawful Evil and dear lord he reminds me SO MUCH of Dr. Doom and I LOVE IT. ANYWAY.) He commits terrible acts, and turns around and justifies them. And for the most part, yes, these sacrifices might be necessary, but the method leaves much to be morally desired.

 Does this mean that Ferid is a redeemable character? No. Does his and Saitou’s acts of kindness absolve them from their otherwise heinous actions? No. They’re terrible. They’re awful. And they have no qualms about it. Which again is refreshing to see, because I can’t tell you how tired the misunderstood villain with a tragic back ground can be. They’re just plainly awful.However it’s a pretty clear example of how there are things they still value, that are considered ‘good' and moral values. Their grey is definitely 95%. But it shows that even evil people are capable of doing good things. 

This is a massive shout out to @chilly-territory, who is a blessing with slaving away at all of these new light novel, fan book, and Q&A translations! A huge self dedicated project that no doubt eats up a vast majority of their free time, and yet they still find time to like about 90% of my crappy posts here. lmao (what’s wrong with you, do something better with your time. like... translating. IDK.)

Great theory! I'm also betting that the missing 1st progenitor has to show up somewhere and that he (or maybe "she", considering that "Michaela" is technically a female name) will also be a Michaela

It was honestly just a lot of “WHAT IF” and I would be actually REALLY FLOORED if something like that turned out to be canon, or even close to it, honestly. Haha. It’s an interesting concept to think about at least!

Only in case he even has a heart - dried out and shriveled up, somewhere very very deep inside

Ferid is actually the Grinch.