abybweissekurodemonology

[abybweissekurodemonology]

Yesterday

[abybweissekurodemonology]

Hi! I just started reading Black Butler again after five years! I love this manga but what always drives me crazy is I can never get a read on Sebastian. There are some chapters that give snips of actual thought from him (like when the UT shows his record while on the ship) but not too many. There is one fairly consistent thing that comes up where Sebastian considers Ciel's contrasting moments of confidence and fear/dependence and then smirks ominously. What is your interpretation of him here?

In those particular moments? 🤔 This tends to happen after our earl has staked his claim as “Ciel Phantomhive”, the head of the Phantomhive family, the rightful earl, the rightful heir, etc. Though he is the rightful head of the family, until real Ciel pops up again, Sebastian knows his claim to be “Ciel” is false. And he has teased his young master for telling lies, when the demon is not allowed to. Sebastian might also be amused just how different the young master is from the persona he typically wears around others. He can be brave, but he’s also very young and vulnerable.

If we look at the “meal” aspect of this — that Sebastian is preparing a soul to devour it — we might say Sebastian is thinking about the effect that all the lies and the false portrayal are having on the “flavor” of our earl’s soul. Our earl’s experiences are like seasoning, herbs, and spices to the flavor his soul will have. The meal might also become “larger” as he gains experiences, good or bad.

There is also possibly a parental pride aspect to all this, as Sebastian has essentially raised his young master these past almost four years. Of course, it could also simply be seen as the pride a gardener might have for growing their own produce... or a rancher might have for raising their own livestock.... 👨‍🌾 to 🍽

[abybweissekurodemonology]

[abybweissekurodemonology]

Putting it here, too, simply because Snake might be part demon. 🤷🏻‍♀️

🔥 Snake

A lot of characters I don’t really have serious opinions about, one way or another. But I often develop theories about them, which can be proven true or false, as (if) we get more canon information about them.

Snake is a particularly interesting character (an opinion that’s not too unpopular, though), and my theories have to do with his origin... and what might happen to him.

Origin theory #1: He’s part demon and doesn’t know it. But Sebastian might realize it. Maybe that’s why Sebastian doesn’t seem to care that Snake is watching with rapt attention while Sebastian destroys bizarre dolls on the ship.

Origin theory #2: He’s the product of mad science experiments, and it might even be another case of a parent who turns their child into a mere tool.

Sad Outcome theory #1: Regardless of whether he finds out about the circus troupe deaths, he sticks by our earl and continues to prove very useful, with his snakes and all... but he loses his life. Considering how Phipps playing the pungi (snake-charming pipe) had a disorienting effect on Snake, we might see that instrument again. Reminds me of the first kuromyu, with the flute that can kill demons.

Sad Outcome theory #2: He finds out about what happened to the other first tier circus members, and he becomes an adversary. Either he just relies on his snakes, or he taps some abilities he’s never used before (that we know of, at least), and it requires Sebastian to destroy him. I am reminded of the Akuma6 chapter, in which Snake’s snakes combine into a basilisk of sorts. Just because the snakes and Snake survived that odd AU doesn’t mean they would survive in canon.

[abybweissekurodemonology]

🔥 Sebastian Michaelis

Hmm 🤔

Even though he’s a demon, and demons do terrible things by nature, he has the ability to learn. Not just from his mistakes while under contract, but he also has the ability to gain compassion for humans. I think he’s learning to care.

His burgeoning feelings of empathy and compassion for human beings is at war with his demon nature.

I’m hoping that, whatever the outcome of this series is, he undergoes a major character development. Something life-altering, even for a demon.

I’m not sure whether my ideas are unpopular, per se, but I do know that a lot of peeps in the fandom cannot stand him. They hate him for being his natural demon self. They say he cannot change, simply because Yana-san says he likes to be mean to his young master and — of course — still wants to eat his young master’s soul.

I think devouring our earl’s soul might be the final catalyst required for such a significant change.

[abybweissekurodemonology]

Today’s Terrible Contracted Sebastian Name Suggestion is...

Hasenfuß

“He’s still contracted by Frederick II of Prussia... but he’s named after a favorite dog that had died. They were Italian greyhounds. Frederick had planned (since 1744) to be buried on his favorite estate, Sanssouci, next to his dogs. When he died in 1786, his wishes were ignored, and he was buried elsewhere. Hitler and his Nazis were a bit obsessed with Old Fritz, and they exhumed his grave to keep it from being damaged. Frederick’s remains were laid to their final, intended resting spot in 1991. Eleven of his favorite dogs are buried there, and Hasenfuß (Hasenfuss, “rabbit’s foot”) was one of the few males. https://royalcentral.co.uk/features/a-kings-grave-and-his-dogs-128646/.”

Double cursed by @abybweisse

[abybweissekurodemonology]

Today’s “Legit” Contracted Sebastian Name Suggestion is...

Michael Gabriel (Fredersdorf)

or maybe...

Count Kaunitz

“The blog requests information about how Sebastian gets previous contract names, so here you go! 🤣

What he says about the Viennese Waltz at Schönbrunn Palace suggests he was in Austria during the second half of the 18th century... and that he had access to royalty, too. The Habsburg dynasty fell into ruin around this time, and the last Habsburg to rule (the only female of the line to rule) died in 1770... apparently from smallpox that never fully healed.

I theorize that our demon was summoned and contracted to take down the Habsburg family. Maria Theresa’s greatest rival was Frederick II of Prussia, and he was able to invade and take over Silesia, an affluent province of hers. Frederick II died in 1786, but by then he had turned Prussia into a leading military power in Europe, and he was called Frederick the Great (and Old Fritz). After her death, her son Joseph II replaced her; his line is called Habsburg-Lorraine. Perhaps our demon was summoned by either Frederick II of Prussia — or even her own son, Joseph II — to end Maria Theresa’s reign.

**********

Old Fritz (forced to marry a woman in 1733) was notoriously homosexual, and he later became angry when a longtime companion of his, Michael Gabriel Fredersdorf, decided to marry a woman. Michael died suddenly, on January 12, 1758, less than a year after being dismissed from his post, after legal issues regarding money. It’s said he died ashamed of his lost honor. I can see him being the sacrifice Frederick might have made to summon the demon, since Frederick would have seen it as a personal, emotional sacrifice. Then the demon was given that name, since the demon now looked a bit like Michael, who had always had ‘a very pretty face’.

These two portraits have been assigned to the wrong sitter, and it’s now believed they are both of Michael Gabriel Fredersdorf.

We know this is definitely (younger) Fredersdorf:

So, maybe the demon got named after him after the sacrifice?

**********

Joseph II, born at Schönbrunn Palace, was the first son of Maria Theresa, and he was her successor. He also served as a co-monarch for many years... but didn’t have any real power until his mother died. If our demon was summoned by Joseph II, he might have been named Count Kaunitz, after Wenzel Anton, Prince of Kaunitz-Rietberg, a diplomat and statesman for the Habsburgs. Maybe the real Count Kaunitz was sacrificed, and the demon took his place in court....

Here is the real (or is it? 😈) Count Kaunitz:

It’s possible that Frederick II of Prussia and Joseph II were in cahoots, as they did meet in private at least twice (1769, and again in 1770). The second time they met up, Joseph II brought Count Kaunitz along, too. Of course, Joseph also plotted to take Silesia back from Frederick, and that soured their friendship, once Frederick got wind of it. Joseph II died in 1790.”

Blessed by @abybweisse

(Mod UT: Reading up on the Habsburgs, Frederick II of Prussia, and their circle of influence is a wild ride. FYI, the Emperor of Austria that patronizes Mozart and Antonio Salieri in the 1984 movie “Amadeus”? That’s Joseph II.

Note: Corrected Maria Theresa’s death year. Sorry!)

[abybweissekurodemonology]

Have I reblogged this here? Idk. So, here it is.

Collapsar.

[abybweissekurodemonology]

What do demons know about Judgement?

Sebastian tells Undertaker that death being permanent is what makes it beautiful. Undertaker gives him a look of disagreement... but disagreement in what way? That death isn’t beautiful? That death isn’t as permanent as the demon thinks it is?

I don’t think Sebastian knows that reapers are suicides that have been given a punishment (or second chance, however you prefer to see it). We wouldn’t know, either, if it weren’t for Sascha’s short explanation.

I still say it’s a new life — probably in a new body — not a continuation of the old one in the same body. So, it’s not like a true return of what (whom) was lost, but it’s also not as simple as “You die, and you stay dead.”

Soma and Agni believe in karmic reincarnation for anyone who has not attained moksha. And I have every reason to believe that Agni did attain moksha when he died. I expect that his soul (collected by Grelle) will be judged “complete”, and there will be no rebirth for him.

I think that’s what happens to suicides: rebirth. Their souls get judged and then reincarnated into new bodies, and being reapers is their punishment/chance of salvation.

And I don’t think Sebastian quite knows this... at least not yet. As a demon, he knows that reapers try to collect souls... to send them off for judgement. Perhaps he thinks it’s simply a matter of Heaven or Hell for those souls? He knows that the souls he devours bypass that entire system, so those souls never get judged; they have no chance for Heaven, Hell, or anything in between. Death really is permanent for souls devoured by demons. Judgement is outside his jurisdiction, you might say. So....

How much does Sebastian really know about the judgement of souls?

[abybweissekurodemonology]

June 6, 2020: Happy Devil’s Day! 🥳

[abybweissekurodemonology]

Wow 😳 Four years, already?

[abybweissekurodemonology]

Victoria and John, a contract (part one)

I’m pretty much convinced that not only is John Brown not human (demon or angel would be my best guess), but he has made a contract with Queen Victoria.

We’ve talked about the Albert hand puppet quite a bit, and I truly do believe it serves the same purpose as what Sebastian offered to our earl in ch138 — make the contractor feel as though a dead loved-one has returned.

Our earl didn’t fall for such an offer, but I think Victoria found it all too tempting to pass up. Sure, she still dresses in the black of mourning, talks about Albert in past-tense, and then breaks down crying. However, as soon as the puppet appears, she genuinely behaves as though she thinks Albert is there with her.

This is not simply a puppet; it’s a mind control device, a powerful tool to manipulate her feelings, thoughts, and actions. Sometimes John even uses that deadpan Albert voice to give her ideas and plans of action... not just words of encouragement... as if they are coming from Albert himself. We could simply see it as a parody of real life, since Queen Victoria claimed John Brown was a medium who allowed her to communicate with her dead husband, but I think it’s something way more sinister in the Kuroverse.

However, ch21 shows us, right off the bat, that whatever charm/power John has over her with the puppet, it’s not perfect. As I pointed out above, sometimes she realizes Albert is dead and gone. Historically, Victoria stopped making such frequent public appearances after Albert’s death because of her deep mourning. Here, it’s because John/“Albert” suggests she stay home and out of the public’s eye. John realizes her behavior when she’s upset about Albert, as well as her reaction to the puppet, must take a toll on her reputation. If this says anything about the rest of the contract terms, it’s a poorly-made contract.

But, what else would be in the contract, and what might have been left out? I want to look at the wishes and terms spelled out in ch138 for a possible framework, since a contract between John and Victoria would likely parallel the contract between Sebastian and our earl.

I don’t think it’s simply for Albert’s “return”, since there should be some finiteness to fulfilling the contract. Perhaps it’s to make her think Albert has returned for the remainder of her natural lifespan, and then — upon her deathbed — John gets his “payment”, whether it be her soul or something else. Or it could be until she has achieved some other goal. Or John didn’t make it clear the contract had to have a distinct end and couldn’t be extended.... More on that later.

If there is another wish for John to fulfill? That’s a bit harder to guess. Some specified level of power and influence? Some achievement for the legacy she leaves behind? Revenge against some foe (real or imagined)? 🤷🏻‍♀️ Ch138 might actually give us clues to Victoria’s desires, and not just the one about Albert.

Victoria had been queen since she was 18, she married her beloved around the same time, and she lives in luxury. But her reign saw the new expansion into foreign lands, the wealth raked in by controlling serval industries abroad, and the exotic goods and other treasures that this brought to her and to the British markets... for those who could afford them. Ch21 might essentially confirm this, since John (while being stepped on by the horse) starts listing off her achievements since she’s been queen. The increased power and reach of the nation, her influences on fashion and popular culture, etc. Maybe we should be getting the idea that these grand merits, like creating the “empire where the sun never sets”, are actually achievements made possible only because of John, just like our earl’s successes are largely due to Sebastian’s abilities. It does read similar to ch2’s initial assessment of our earl’s business successes. It also makes sense when paired with Undertaker saying he doesn’t like her, won’t accept “the queen’s coin”, and complains how she sits in comfort and safety while others do her dirty work. Maybe all of her accomplishments are not her own.... More on that later, too! 😏

Some guesses for what might have been included... and left out... of the terms. Let’s go with three wishes, just like our earl was offered. Looking at ch138, we see this about our earl’s first wish:

Wish 1. Speaking the truth.

John must be able to lie to her, simply because she might not have been thinking clearly enough at the time to demand otherwise. Sebastian acted like our earl’s demand to always speak the truth is somewhat of a novelty; he was taken by surprise. We know John can lie to her because he does so every time he says Albert is there with her. That entire wish about Albert is fulfilled by lies.

Wish 2. Obeying orders.

Sebastian is being particularly sneaky here to put an extra condition on the terms... after the terms had been agreed upon. This gives him the ability to not follow every order he is given, unless “I command you” is stated. And to accomplish assigned tasks without following very specified ways of doing so. That’s how he was able to “interrogate” Beast for information about the signet ring... instead of going to the two places our earl told him to go. And he was able to say he completed the task, without admitting he never went there... and without lying, because of how he got our earl to rephrase his questions.

John likely has to pretend he’s a normal human, but also like Sebastian, he’s going to pull off some weird shit that’s definitely not normal for humans... and witnesses will just have to remain willingly ignorant to the oddities... much like Finny realizing he had brought Sebastian iris bulbs, not plants full-grown and in bloom.

Sebastian also makes it clear there need to be limits to the contract terms; there cannot be extensions or alterations to the contract terms by way of orders.

How about with Victoria and John? It seems to me that John must have a lot of leeway, when it comes to obeying orders — how he accomplishes them... if he really obeys at all. He might even be able to obey orders in a way that doesn’t always achieve the queen’s desired results... if he doesn’t want to. It’s difficult to see how this part of the contract works (or fails), since we don’t see much of what they say and do.

What we do see, however, is Victoria making hints about what she wants... and sometimes we see John taking note of it. It makes me feel as though the terms could be as vague as “fulfill my desires” or “make my wishes come true”. If so, we run into the issue of contract limitations again. Where does that end? John really might have accidentally made an open-ended contract....

Sebastian is smart to state that he will not accept orders to give more wishes, extend the contract, or make further changes to the terms. Yes, he is trying to take advantage of the kid, but the kid is also hoping to take advantage of the demon. Each one wants as much as they can get from the contract, just like Sebastian says is to be expected. Which brings us to the third wish.

Wish 3. Protection and no betrayal.

Sebastian threw in the “no betrayal” part as a freebie, since it’s a personal policy of his to not make multiple contracts. He specifies this is a fourth wish that he’s allowing only because it’s an automatic, to him. Our earl set aside the offer to be kept safe from illness; he didn’t think the asthma would return. Besides... imagine how this story would have gone if our earl was stuck inside Sebastian’s body? Very differently, indeed. Entirely different.

I see a setup here for John to be one of those greedy, gluttonous sorts. Charles Grey would be in awe? 😆 I have no idea what sorts of protections John might have offered Victoria, or what she might have agreed to. However, I suspect that 1) the terms might be changeable, so we could later see John do weird things to protect her and 2) John might have another contract with someone else, so betrayal is quite possible. I’d even say it’s likely. With the terms of the contract as loose as I suspect, John could be like Ash/Angela without even changing names, appearances, or personalities.

TL/DR: If John Brown is a demon or angel in a contract with Victoria:

One goal or wish is to make her think Albert has returned.

Other goals seem to be about her achievements and influence as queen. (However, it might even include the crown itself and her marriage.)

He can lie to her, since he lies every time he says Albert is there.

He has to make her wishes come true, but he has a lot of wiggle room on how to accomplish that. And the wishes might not be properly limited.

He probably has to protect her as she achieves whatever goals she has set.

However, he might betray her. Particularly if he’s stuck in a contract that has no well-defined end (other than her natural death).

It’s pretty wild to think about, but it’s entirely possible that Queen Victoria (in the Kuroverse) is a fraud of some kind. What if she made the contract when she was young... and the crown, her beloved husband, her life of luxury... are all just wishes being granted for her? Considering that:

Her birth year is around the time Undertaker rebels and tries to destroy the reaper organization’s HQ... ohh? 🤔

She ascends to the throne the year that Molly G. dies. Her coronation takes place the following year. Hmm. 🧐

And she was, historically, quite attracted to Albert and pursud him to be her husband. As queen, she had to propose to him. Sure, his feelings were mutual IRL, but... maybe not in the Kuroverse? Uh. 🤨

More to come later!

[abybweissekurodemonology]

do you think demons and shinigamis can reproduce?

This gets really complicated!

First off, I think shinigamis/reapers can reproduce amongst themselves, as there do seem to be some biological females. Ronald has mentioned some but not by name. I have a theory that reapers are souls of suicides reborn into reaper baby bodies. Meaning it’s a whole new life for them to prove they deserve salvation (if that’s really what it’s about). But that would mean every time a reaper gives birth, some human must have committed suicide. The male reapers sent to collect souls have to watch humans suffer, struggle to live, and die... as their punishment... while the female reapers are punished by giving birth to new reapers. Maybe we never see them because Yana-san doesn’t want us to know (YET) that they are typically pregnant. Sad to think about.

If Undertaker really sired children with Cloudia/Claudia (and I think he did), it might have been partly to avoid that. Ronald also flirts with human females, like the chick on the Campania and also with Mey-Rin just before he set sail. The thing with reapers mating with humans is that it might require a special, taboo situation. For example, Vincent was born on a Friday the 13th. I suspect that’s also the case with Frances/Francis; in fact, I theorize she was born January 13, 1854... which would make her 2 1/2yrs younger and a Capricorn. If not, then perhaps she is the younger, albeit fraternal, twin of Vincent... since he is a known Gemini ♊️, after all....

In literature and popular culture, it’s common for demons to mate with humans. It’s the premise for numerous horror/thriller movies, as well as supposed evidence against women accused of witchcraft. Someone claims her child is demon spawn, etc.

That said, it seems that demons should be able to mate with reapers. However, Sebastian makes it clear during the Jack the Ripper arc that certain biological requirements still exist; Grelle would not be able to bear children, not even by a demon. Sebastian says that is biologically impossible. (Side note: IDK how advanced reaper technology is; perhaps if Grelle got the surgeries mentioned during the Character Guide interview, then it might be possible. Our own technology isn’t quite there... yet.) On top of basic biological compatibility, there might also need to be some sort of taboo regarding timing... like births on Friday the 13th’s... or on June 6th’s of years ending in 6.

This (reapers mating with demons) is one of those questions we will likely never get a canon answer for, so I guess we can come up with whatever ideas we like.

[abybweissekurodemonology]

1970’s Black Butler AU

Apple in 1976: *releases the Apple-1 computer*

Sebastian: *buys one because he likes the price tag*

[abybweissekurodemonology]

Do you know how Sebastian's Birthday's even work. Like does he age only in a contract? Or does he not age at all?

Our earl says he doesn’t want to hear jokes about his lack of growth from a demon that hasn’t changed in centuries.

So, I think Sebastian just ages very slowly. In demon terms, Sebastian might even be considered young, which would help to explain why he has hangups about people calling him “old man”.

There’s also the chance that he only changes when outside forces change him, like as he learns “major life lessons”. This could be the demon’s “coming of age story” as much as our earl’s….

[abybweissekurodemonology]

June 1, 2019

[abybweissekurodemonology]

I missed cat day

I missed you…

©Yana Toboso