I do think there’s a chance, and I would like to see it!
I’m taking this line from Shizuku, unfortunately, as likely foreshadowing:
Shizuku’s death would be interesting from a thematic perspective as well thanks to her ability–usually used to clean up the PT’s mess–no longer being an option, because this time Chrollo really is in way over his head. But who knows.
But I think it would be a good thing to see Bonolenov and Kurapika interact. He’s one of the least fleshed-out PT members (besides Kortopi who, alas, is no more. RIP Kortopi). But his being from a similar background has a lot of potential for any interactions with Kurapika, and if he does not make it, it could be interesting for Kurapika to have to consider whether he wants to let the legacy of his tribe be the sad end Kurapika is fully aware he’s heading towards, or if he wants to deviate from that path.
It is difficult to say, but I think it comes down to
what Levi asked him here:
Here Levi is talking about tactics, but his question is important also for Erwin’s existencial situation: “What will you do once you realize your dream?”.
I think Erwin’s answer would have determined his future. We
can’t know this answer and if Erwin were a real person he could have come up
with a positive and constructive answer as well as with a negative and
destructive one. We can’t know because people are complex and have in themselves more strength and more weakness than what we can imagine.
Instead of Love Boat we’ve got Death Boat. It’s a disaster :)))) Also Morena and her crew are out to get the princes and everyone else on the way. Game of Thrones got nothing on this. 😛
My predictions for this arc are that Chrollo will lose several more Spiders. Shizuku, Bonolenov, and Franklin I think are the most at risk since they have the least development and were less of a part of the whole ‘law vs people being with you’ debate when it came to saving Chrollo in Yorknew–Machi and Nobunaga were very much on the people side (Paku too), and Feitan and Phinks (and Shalnark) on the law side–law being in this instance the rules Chrollo has set. The whole thing is both of those spider sets, if you will, love Chrollo, but for Feitan and Phinks it’s more about Chrollo’s philosophy whereas for Machi and Nobunaga it’s more about him as a person. I think Chrollo will have to make a choice since he tries to toe the line between philosophy and people–his quest to simultaneously be close to people while being aloof is a defining trait of his character. Either choice he makes may result in him losing more regardless, but if he leans towards protecting his Spiders, he’ll probably have to team up with Kurapika.
Kurapika is not entirely likely to be okay with hurting Illumi or Kalluto, imo (well, more Kalluto, and those two are not at all at risk thanks to plot armor named Killua). So while I can see a temporary team up with Hisoka for Kurapika to mirror the one in Yorknew, I can also see a solution to this arc being Kurapika eventually turning on Hisoka again and helping Chrollo get his Spiders off this boat, and Oito and Woble with him. Kurapika will almost certainly have to choose between the eyes and his (living) clients (Oito and Woble) and I can see Chrollo having to choose between his revenge and stealing the treasure, or saving his friends as well. Since they’re shadows, I would hope that would end in them working together, though it could also end in them having a moment of understanding but choosing separate paths. I think the former is more likely though/more interesting thematically, since Chrollo is his shadow and you should reconcile with it.
I agree! I had said earlier that I did not like the manga scene, while I wouldn’t say it’s badly written it just didn’t exactly… I didn’t like it. I thought this scene emphasized Historia’s growth (and also foreshadowed how it’s not necessarily a purely good decision, the ramifications of which we’re seeing in the current manga arc), while showing again the stark foiling of Levi to Kenny. Levi loves his squad and is learning to communicate that without violence. The original manga scene of Levi choking Historia emphasized again how Levi would move away from communicating via violence, but I also think the anime conveyed that without us needing to see Levi choking Historia, which I think is better written for the story as a whole.
I ain’t gonna compare/contrast the scale of the trauma they’ve faced. It’s unfair and unnecessary because pain is pain. Nobody gets to choose their breaking point.
That said –
Dabi and Shouto are excessively alike. They’re both quiet, private people, keeping to themselves as much as possible. Especially in the beginning, before Midoriya, Shouto had the same Lone Wolf vibe that Dabi boasts.
They actually seem to be pretty blunt. Even flat out rude at times. I note that Dabi seems to have shown off his sass capacity more than Shouto has, but that might have more to do with the villain persona that Dabi’s been pushing.
They’re both also ready at a moment’s notice to square the fuck up too. I mean we all saw Shouto go off on the police chief after Stain, right? And how Dabi was absolutely ready to incinerate Shigaraki and probably a fair amount of Kurogiri’s bar too back when they first met?
Also the way they cast their fire – the arm slash? Eerie in it’s similarity, isn’t it??
The biggest difference between them, though, isn’t that one is a villain and the other an aspiring hero. It’s their self-confidence.
Shouto’s self-confidence was built entirely on the fact that he’s his father’s greatest creation, his father’s masterpiece (therefore he is raised being told that he has the power to even surpass All Might, he just as to work for it). Events have changed and he’s grown, and he’s learned that he can rely on people, he can have friends, he doesn’t have to be a single pillar of strength anymore – he’s starting down a healthy path to develop a proper sense of self. But self-confidence based in being his father’s masterpiece was the foundation of his surety. This is why he was able to sustain his lone wolf act. Thanks the the effect of his father’s ‘praise’ Shouto was able to believe that he was strong from the very start, that he could achieve things with his power and ability.
Touya is different. He was his father’s first failure and it’s strongly hinted that he was sickly. Chronically ill, even. And so his self-confidence in himself never grew. It practically doesn’t exist. Dabi of the League of Villains is noted by the news and other heroes to have an exceptionally powerful and dangerous quirk – strong enough that if he truly wanted to follow Stain’s will, he could have done that on his own. He didn’t have to join the League but he did. And that is because Touya does not believe he can do anything on his own. It’s his father’s words, the condemnation of being the weakest out of all his siblings, sickly and with a feeble quirk – or a quirk too big, too debilitating for his body. Constantly tell your kid that they’re a failure and guess what! They’ll start to believe it. Questioning their capabilities and their worth, trying to find ways to compensate and maybe, just maybe, prove their parents wrong and prove that they’re not a failure. They are worthy of notice. Of love. Please remember that Dabi only ever entered the arena after Highend was dead and Endeavor was at Death’s door – when Dabi’s chance to kill him was highest. Please remember that Dabi never fights alone, and when he does, it’s only when he has an exit strategy prepared. Touya was convinced from a very early age that he would never be able to achieve anything under his own power. And so he really hasn’t. He joined the League of Villains to use their resources, use their help, to get his revenge – because he doesn’t believe he could ever do it on his own.
I read anything, honestly, so long as it has good characters. I have read many a thriller, krimi, and romance novel (which may be a guilty pleasure of mine :P) I am less inclined to read horror or dystopia, but there are also exceptions.