Owari no Seraph Chapter 152 - Analysis & Review
Hello everyone, it's been a long time. A lot of things happened again, but it's okay. I found the currenr chapter okaish, not entirely great but not entirely bad either.
P.S: Theories, Analysis & Reviews are held in neutral view, ships are excluded.
First of all, let's start with a small fast review. We got to see the follow up of the battle between Rigr vs Guren, Mahiru, Ferid & Shinya.
Of course, this battle was definitely not on Guren's side ever since Yuu chose to form a truce with Rigr Stafford. To make it worse Rigr is powered with a demon no less. The outcome was the utter defeat of Guren's team since Yuu didn't let Guren kill Saito. Guren at the end accepted he lost, Mahiru too apologized for everything. (We'll discuss this).
Ultimately we see one final talk with Guren & Mahiru. Ferid died in a rather pathetic way. This itself has a bit of meaning yet execution wise it's not impactful. And as many have stated it's rushed. Why? Because it's the end, the line that converges to the 2 leading parties is close. Yuu of course received his last warning from Guren (we'll discuss this). Yuu unaware, has been monitored by Shinoa who literally has a lot of knowledge regarding Shikama's plan & how it's going to take a load on Yuu.
Let's proceed with the Analysis.
1. The end of Guren's team. Was it all for naught?
Admist all the preparations Guren had, he never guessed Yuu would end up siding with Rigr Stafford nor he predicted Rigr would use Urd as a demon to fight them. To make it worse, Ferid of course had a time limit due to him using all the power the vampires granted him to fight one on one vs Rigr. Shinya on his side, being a sniper never had a chance for a combat against a progenitor. Mahiru on her side has been controlling the curse on Guren's body but since they've been giving all, the time ran out.
Thus the first question is "was it all for nothing?" I wouldn't say that. Their story back in the Catastrophe was so different. They didn't have a picture of who they were fighting. All of them tried to reach out someone. Mahiru fought alone because she didn't want anyone to mix up but then Guren came & he tried to reach out to her. Ultimately everyone got involved but it was their own choice to lead that path. Even still, Guren doesn't regret the path he chose because he fought until the end. He took reasons to live even if he was always in pain, he couldn't save the love of his life, he couldn't save the very 1st friend he made that didn't view him as an Ichinose but simply as Guren.
Mahiru on her side, had a relative small time of peace before the plans were set into motion which I'm sure many find confusing regarding this panel:
Mahiru at that time, before the demon started to take influence, before she had to take the worst decisions since her fate was set in stone, she did technically have a relation with her classmates. She didn't form strong bonds but it was a small part of her life were she was able to live before everything had to be set into motion.
In conclusion, they fought for the place they were living in. They fought for their lives in order to be free of the puppet master.
2. Ferid's death
Ferid's death is not as strong as many would love to have seen & I agree, it feels quick. However, considering the type of character Ferid is, he basically received the karma he ignored for so long. He could have planned an alliance with the progenitors or the vampires long ago, but he chose to fight alone, he chose to devour the vampires who technically had a relatively "good" relationship with him.
Thus this scene of him being ignored, of having no one by his side has its own impact because he pushed everyone to the side, he chose to devour, he chose to fight solo & his end was to die alone.
3. Yuu's role in this story of sacrifices
Yuu's fighting for an extremely greedy dream. He wants to resurrect angels, progenitors & humans alike by also reviving the angel Mikaela, by destroying paradise. Shikama warned him about the price he must pay in order to trigger the spells. But before that, way before those points. He had a vampire Mika who warned him to not lose focus on his present, we also had Ashera who told him humans were bound to die once their time came. And lastly Guren, who told him that even if he had a plan he had to move forward, not back. Because ironically, Yuu had looked back, he looked way back to when he was the angel Mikaela, when he was Shikama's son.
The fact that Yuu thinks he can achieve everything through punching and fighting & then realizing he has to take harsh decisions.
He of course will walk forward to his dream even if it means it'll fail and put an end to everything. Yuu of course plans to, at some point cut ties with Rigr & pull his plan, though of course, that's not Rigr's plan at all considering he will make sure he keeps an eye on Yuu.
Lastly.
4. Shinoa's role
Ever since Shinoa arrived to the battlefield, she chose to observe because Shinoa & her squad, Mitsuba, Kimizuki & Yoichi, chose to live for themselves & find meaning in life, which means, they will decide their fates.
Shinoa so far, has done the same Mika & Yuu did which was monitor the battlefield. However, unaware to Yuu, Shinoa also monitored his attacks along Rigr's. Shinoa is fully aware Guren's team failed, she's aware that due to Yuu, her sister finally died. But let's take something in consideration. Why is she aiming to fight too? Is it just for Yuu?
The answer is a big no.
Shinoa through all the manga story, we've caught glimpses of her feelings of guilt, of how she views her existance as the cause of many terrible events that have taken place. Such as the catastrophe, Mahiru being unable to be happy, Guren & Mahiru being unable to be together, her own squad members being unwilling puppets & test subjects due to Shikama's goal.
One of the things that can be recognized here & why Shinoa is choosing to stand on the front is because she's fully aware that if the scenario had been different, Guren & Mahiru would have kept her safe even if it meant taking away people she holds dear. But since she now took her own path, she's willing to put an end to the sacrifices that keep persisting & the fact that she saw that even if Yuu's fully centered on his goal, she knows Yuu will break since there's a huge detail to take in consideration.
Out of the Shinoa squad, Yuu's the first character to take a human life. So far they've fought demons, vampires & soldiers but regarding soldiers, not once they chose to take a life. However, Yuu, in order to do so, he had to deal with the consequence, which was to put an end to Guren's life.
For her to say that she can't leave the plan of resurrection to Yuu, it means she knows something else, something that involves way much more pain than anything else. Shinoa seeks to save Yuu not just out of love for him, but rather because the stakes are too high & the risk of everything going into oblivion is strong.
What do you think dear readers? Let me know!
