#it's a parallel

The two ship-based pairs in thie arc are actually... quite similar? The set up the upcoming couples, but other than that.

They both started off as enemies. Specifically, the S-class candidate in these teamups lost against their partners. Definitely people focus more on Gajevy and its problematic parts, but I feel it's not as emphasized how Evergreen turned Elfman into stone after curbstomping him in Fantasia. It's the same 'one sided defeat followed by being put on display/humiliated' situation.

I guess, sure, it was only a short fight and not nearly as bad as crucifying someone after marking her belly with the enemy's insignia, but like. I feel Elfgreen could have had an interestingly shaky development similar to Gajevy's powerful strides, if they didn't immediately focus on Tsundere and ganguro tropes. Not to say Gajevy was perfect or anything, they had their tremors, but like, Mashima knew where he was going with it.

Pointedly, Evergreen and Gajeel are both pushy and dominant, and Elfman and Levy are often just strung along their pace. (Especially in the case Evergreen fakes being engaged to Elfman to get past Mirajane.) Both of these pairs needed the help of their partners to get as far as they did on Tenrou. (Elfman definitely wouldn't have gotten past Mira if it wasn't for Evergreen being the crafty person she is, and well, Gajeel does literally save Levy.)

Elfman and Levy do pull their weight at times, but in the middle of the arc, they both break down crying because their partners are unconscious and they're mourning the fact they couldn't protect them better.

Natsu uses the title 'Demon King/Maou', because it's a very staple fantasy trope that the big bad mastermind at the endgame is called a 'demon king'. (to contrast the holy knight/divine hero that the protagonist is) But in that case, the 'Demon King' (endgame villain) of Earthland would be Zeref!

And that's very ironic! The ultimate evil of both Earthland and Edolas are a Demon King Dragneel!

(Which leads me to wonder if the Zeref of Edolas is dead like Natsu would've been on earthland. It's possible, and unless Mashima retcons a new character into the Edolas world, we're never getting confirmation of what an EdoZeref would be like.)

Just realized that Wendy's signature dress has the Natsu-scarf styled squares that are meant to depict dragon scales.

To contrast this, Edolas Wendy seems to have a more birdlike design direction, with the feathery sort of pattern that we see in wing-reminiscent designs.

That seems to be a reflection that though they're both wind mages, Wendy is a dragon with her cute, jejune feralness, while EdoWendy is a crane, down to the more 'mature elegance' impression.

I suppose it fits, but it is a nice parallel that they both have nicknames/grand titles that they are known for.

Scarlet’s “Titania” is about a fantasy fairy Queen who stands at the top of the hierarchy, but Knightwalker’s title is almost realistic, military-like, and cold. Much more, Knightwalker is just the Commander of a ‘Second’ division, she’s not even leading the first. She’s high up the hierarchy, but hardly anything compared to the King. It’s a cool difference, because despite it, both of them are the most admired warriors in their particular ‘army’. (Lily, for example, is shown to be scorned as one of the cats and more of a singular soldier.)

And while Scarlet is humble, and has never proclaimed herself with her title of Titania-- Knightwalker is proud of it, because she has most likely worked her way this far from the ground up. 

Also, this is a bit of a reach, but I like how Scarlet’s hair is straight and (for lack of a better word) calm and flat-- but Knightwalker’s hair is voluminous, tied up, almost lionlike. 

They are both Knights. (technically Knightwalker is the only real knight, and Scarlet is an imitation of a genuine knight, and she has nothing to do with the royalty of Earthland until we learn about Irene.)

These hall remind of the Tower of Heaven. It's a similar, locked-in brick hallways structure.

This scene resembles previous Lucy-gets-saved scenes, of course. The quotes ring of the Fairy Tail raiding Phantom Lord scene, including the chaos shots of enemies getting blown away.

And Lucy being the weakened one reminds me of her getting beaten by Gajeel and the moment Natsu saves her. So, it's nice that it's Gray and Erza this time, and Natsu is the one helplessly sitting around for his moment to shine.

I like the idea that this theme of 'my friends will come save me, even if it seems impossible/too risky for them to show up' gets emphasized when the fight changes from 'us against the Royal Kingdom' to 'the Royal Kingdom against us and Extalia'.

It continues, vaguely, the arc parallels from before, this time in the direction of Phantom Lord. Because while everything up till now emphasized on characters, Gray emphasizes in this moment on "You have antagonized our guild specifically', because it's now about Fairy Tail as a family and how much it means to Lucy, Happy, and Carla in times of strife.

I really feel Knightwalker is a representation of who Erza would have been, if she stayed on Jellal’s side and served in the Tower of Heaven. 

The way it’s all framed, it feels like Knightwalker is holding back. She’s moody, unreadable, and she doesn’t immediately gloat or make fun of Lucy being so naive. Instead, she’s cold, and almost annoyed. It might be just me, but I feel she’s holding back, especially about the part where she 'likes sweet things and cute clothes'. She’s loyal to the kingdom, she’s the fearsome Captain Knightwalker, and the scary captain does not indulge in girly girl things and act lame and silly like our Erza. 

I think if Erza stayed in the tower, she would do that too, hold back on everything indulging and loveable about herself like she did at the start of her joining FT, as a way to handle her guilt. 

Even when Lucy starts shouting at her, Knightwalker’s face is cold. 

It is only at the moment right before she drops her, that she brings up a smile. 

She says she ‘loves to see the despair of others’, and yet, this is the only frame of a smile I can find. And it feels manufactured.

I truly think Knightwalker is restricted by her loyalty. What sets her apart from Erza isn’t love for her friends, but loyalty (to friends vs to authority). I think they’re similar, and they both would love sweets and cute things and fooling around with the boys to be free-- but while our Erza has allowed her heart out of its cage, Knightwalker is duty-bound to be strong and fearsome, and that’s why she does not let her little childish wants get in the way of her work. 

(Which is ironic, because Erza wears a suit of armor to represent locking her heart away, and Knightwalker is in revealing and proud bikini armor. Yet, the reality is entirely opposite.)

We even see at the end of this arc, just how vulnerable she can be when facing the right words. When she fights against Erza Scarlet, when the battle ends, they got somewhere with learning how to express her true emotions. 

Following the whole things where Edolas is speedrunning all the previous arcs up until now, this resembles Fantasia to me. 

We are in a crowd of fervent celebration, but between the panning shots of the joyful crowd we closeup on a few faces, some of which aren’t exactly as happy. 

While in Fantasia it had been Mystogan, Jude, and Laxus that weren’t smiling in the crowd, here we are the ones not sharing the joy. These are some very dark parallels, honestly, especially since Lucy refers to it as a ‘parade’. everything we’ve experienced before is being flipped on its head in the worst way possible in Edolas, and I love that about this arc. 

Another thing I’ve noticed as a parallel is that, on Earthland, being a guild mage isn’t the most commendable job around, since it’s associated with sleazy mages daytime drinking and causing trouble. 

But in Edolas, being indulgent and chaotic is almost what everyone wants to be.