#Hanna Annafellows

[delusinaldreamer19]

Give me your most out of context black butler head cannon. I wanna laugh.

Mine’s that Hanna built the pyramids.

[truedarkhunter]

Hannah Annafellows - secretly the main character of Black Butler Season 2?

Here we go again. I've been digging around in my notes and looking at Hannah Annafellows, one of the least liked characters in Black Butler. What is there to like? She is one of the few female characters and all she does is get degraded and it felt uncomfortable to watch. However, we have another bored demon who comes across a child who is trembling with fear, but cheerfully greets her anyway. What does he want? To ask her help not for himself, not for riches, fame, power, or anything people normally ask for. No, he wants the happiness of someone else. Having never encountered such selflessness, she is intrigued and agrees to make his wish come true. Luca thinks that will happen by destroying the town that grieves him and his brother so much. Easily done. She and the triplets cause a fire and kill everyone who acted against the brothers...save a few poor boys who were in a similar situation or took pity on them. Hannah says it is done and Luca THANKS HER. In all the years she had done contracts with humans not one thanked her. Why would they? She would be their ultimate end. Fear, anger, resignation, those would be common, but gratitude? Not for their demise, the oblivion that Ciel appears to be seeking to escape what happened to him and his brother, but for being so kind as to help them. This changes her. It affects her strongly and deeply. The Kuroshitsuji Fandom site says she cried as she devoured Luca. She could not break the deal either, but instead of 'digesting' Luca, she kept his soul stored inside her. She went to see the happiness of his brother, to insure her side of the bargain had been well kept...only to see him in distress over the loss of Luca. He had his wish, bought by another, yet wasn't happy? This probably threw her for a loop. For her part, she would have been given a great gift-something new that in thousands of years she hadn't experienced, yet would not have felt she had executed her part in kind. So she contemplated how to achieve happiness for this mortal for whom nothing seemed to bring joy. He gained wealth, power, even some fame as an Earl, but it did not fill him. He wanted his brother which she could not give. He would not join Luca in "heaven" so she needed to get him to make a pact with her. That was a tricky business since he also contracted with Claude. We saw that Sebastian was unable to complete his contract when he didn't have both the soul and the body. So she took Alois/Jim's physical eye which would look like a mere repayment of the indignity visited upon her to Claude. Thus their whispered pact as he lay dying could take hold. Why was it possible? Claude abandoned his pact with Alois. He mislead his master about the truth of who started the fire and then got bored with taking revenge upon Sebastian. Even with Sebastian, he broke that pact as well, because Ciel is just so darn tasty!

Anyway, so Hannah had the body in the form of Alois’ eye.  Claude had the soul in the ring, but cared not to eat it, rather trying to alchemically merge (another version of the merging theme) the two souls so he could claim the tastier one of Ciel.  Alois wanted Claude’s regard, so Hannah pointed out that Claude DID acknowledge Alois/Jim before dying. That allowed Alois to gain his happiness and Hannah was then able to allow herself and them to die to reach Nirvana where there would be no sense of self, and eternal happiness.  Her trials were those of the demon who followed the monk to learn how to rise up spiritually.  She quested not for herself, but for both of the boys and even tried to redeem Claude. Over the course of the show, the only one that actually grew and changed their nature was Hannah. So it is odd to discover that the story was actually hers. There are legends of demons in Japan following monks and Buddhism to reach enlightenment. I suspect that is similarly what was in play here. She suffered not only for Alois/Jim's pleasure, but to redeem her actions so she could reach that place of Nirvana for them all in the end. That's why she suffers silently, does not meet anger and pain with more of the same. She sought to end the cycle. I still don't like her character, but changing the lens certainly allows a better perspective to understand her and write her with agency. Her agency was the choice not to act, but to show humility and kindness. I think the tale told from her perspective, with more of her mental thoughts available to the audience would make an interesting one. Oh, and we know that the demon's names mean something. The other spelling of her name was Hannah Annafeloz. I tried looking up "feloz demon" and got a correction for "feliz demon", clicked on it and what did I get? Mephistopheles. Reading the Wikipedia page on it, that name is a Greek compound of "love" and a negation term. So Hannah's arc goes from "no love" to "loving". Her pact is the actual Faustian pact but turning the tale completely around from destruction to enlightenment. Interesting stuff, no? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mephistopheles

[eemoo1o-animoo]

Okay, here me out—originally I thought that the colour of a demon’s eyes determined the colour of their contract marking, but Sebastian disproved that so I’ve tried again—the colour of the Faustian mark is determined by the equality of the contract.

Aka., Sebaciel is purple because it’s relatively equal, because purple is a blend between red and blue which are their eye colours; Clauois is yellow because Claude was always in control (his eyes are yellow), and the same goes for Hanois.

[eemoo1o]

I wonder if Hannah’s animal representation is a snake, or something, but one that’s big and long and not venomous for like symbolism or whatever

[grelleswife]

Hannamey Headcanons

@bapydemonprincess requested some Hannamey headcanons for an OTP ask meme; my answers are included below!

I'm assuming that we're in a more auspicious version of the Season 2 verse where O!Ciel wins and stays human, although Alois eventually dies and leaves Hannah free to pursue her love in peace.

Pre-relationship

2. What was their first impression of each other?

Mey experienced a full bi panic when she first laid eyes on Hannah in that seductive black dress. The maid didn't recognize her feelings at the time, but she had a crush. Although Hannah didn't show it, the comely young maid caught her eye straightaway. The demonness was quietly amused by how taken Mey Rin was with her; Hannah knows exactly what kind of effect she tends to have on the sapphics >:3. Due to her devilish instincts, she sensed that Mey had a tragic past, and that she'd sent many souls to an early grave (the act of killing tends to "mark" the spirit in ways some demons can perceive), which piqued her curiosity. 4. Who felt romantic feelings first?

Mey Rin! She tends to fall fast and hard in romantic relationships. As a demon, Hannah took longer to acknowledge her growing attraction for the maid as something other than carnal desire. 5. Did either of them try to resist their feelings?

Both of them did, to an extent. Mey Rin was distraught because she knew she shouldn't harbor romantic feelings for someone who served an enemy of young master, while Hannah, after becoming acquainted with the pain of grief through Luka's death, was none too keen on being entangled in an intimate relationship with a human. Love could not be suppressed for long, however... >:3

General

2. Did they have an official first date? If so, what was it like?

Sort of. Their first few trysts occurred under the cover of nightfall, in the woods near the Phantomhive manor. That way, Mey Rin wouldn't have to risk a visit to the Trancy estate, and Hannah was sufficiently far away from the grounds to avoid Sebastian detecting her. However, their first proper date took place when the Phantomhive servants went on a trip to London. Mey Rin split off from the rest of the group to have a rendezvous with Hannah at a little cafe. They both started off a bit awkwardly (Mey was a bundle of nerves and Hannah felt uncharacteristically shy), but once the conversation got going, the bubbly, smiling maid of Phantomhive soon drew Hannah out of her shell. The demonness bought Mey a plateful of the tastiest pastries on the menu; of course, Hannah didn't eat or drink anything herself, but dear flustered Mey was too caught up in the moment to notice. When it was time for Mey to rejoin the other servants, Hannah walked her part of the way back, and the two held hands. >w< 3. What was their first kiss like?

Mey Rin bid Hannah goodbye after one of the demon's nocturnal visits, but they both lingered, neither wanting to be the first one to leave the secluded forest spot. Hannah took an indecisive step towards Mey Rin. Then she tenderly cupped the maid's face in her hands, bent down, and kissed her. When they parted, she whispered a simple "Good night" before disappearing among the trees, leaving Mey Rin red-faced and trembling. The maid dreamily stumbled through the next day, grinning and tripping on air. The demonness wore no perfume, but she smelt of petrichor, and a whiff of the earth after it rains never fails to remind Mey Rin of that first kiss. 7. Who takes the lead in social situations?

It depends. Hannah is melancholy, withdrawn, and secretive, while Mey Rin tends to be cheerful and outgoing in environments where she feels secure. However, if Mey Rin is nervous or unsure of herself, Hannah will take the lead in order to spare her lover the anxieties that come with prolonged social interactions. She'll gently pat Mey Rin's back or hold her hand to help the maid stay calm. 8. Who gets jealous easier?

Hannah. Demons jealously guard the souls they hold dear, and are very protective of their mates. If Hannah catches someone trying to make a move on her woman, she'll either wrap an arm around Mey Rin's waist and hold her close, or step between Mey and the (real or imagined) rival...giving them a deadly glare that makes the bravest heart quail. She bares her fangs and lets her demonic essence show, her long hair writhing like Medusa's serpents, until the interloper beats a hasty retreat. However, after a few conversations with Mey Rin on the subject, Hannah learns to calm down a little. 9. Who whispers inappropriate things in the other's ear?

Under normal circumstances, I don't think either of them is given to making crass remarks. Hannah prefers subtle innuendos--double entendres or inside jokes that no one but Mey Rin will understand. She'll smirk knowingly when she catches Mey Rin's longing glances at her cleavage (causing the maid to turn into a blushing, incoherent mess). Mey Rin gets a little bolder when she's tipsy; she'll climb into Hannah's lap and whisper about all the things she hopes the demon will do to her when they're alone. Shortly thereafter, Hannah finds an excuse to leave the party early with her lover so that she can make good on Mey Rin's suggestions. ;)

Love

1. Who said "I love you" first?

Mey Rin! She gave Hannah a small gift (a little embroidery piece of an owl), and when she saw how stunned the Trancy maid was at the gesture, Mey Rin blurted out, "Why do you look so surprised? You know I love you, yes I do!" She was mortified by her outburst and slapped her hands over her mouth, but Hannah just laughed and gave her a warm hug. 2. What are their primary love languages?

physical touch and acts of service, with quality time being a close second. Like most demons, Hannah views language as a tool for manipulation--in her mind, actions speak far louder than words when it comes to revealing a lover's true intentions. And since Mey Rin spent most of her childhood and young adulthood deprived of meaningful connections with others, she craves small intimacies like having the demonness brush her hair or hold her when she needs comforting. 4. How often do they cuddle/engage in PDA?

Very often! They're extremely snuggly in private. Mey loves to sit in Hannah's lap or rest her head against the demon's bosom, and Hannah dotes on her human. They have to be cautious about overt PDA in the Victorian period, but no one will look twice if two very good lady friends stroll arm-in-arm together... 8. Who's better at comforting the other?

Mey Rin is a little better at this because she's naturally warm and empathetic. However, Hannah has a quiet, reassuring presence, and she learns to tell when Mey Rin is feeling sad or vulnerable and needs a little cuddling. 10. Do they prefer verbal or physical affection?

As explained above, physical affection! 12. What kind of nicknames do they call each other?

Hannah calls Mey Rin "beloved," her flower, or her little princess; Mey Rin is initially hesitant to speak so familiarly with an ancient, powerful demon, but she'll sometimes call Hannah "honey," "love," or Chinese terms of endearment.

Domestic Life

1. If they get married, who proposes?

Demons' concepts of mating bonds aren't the same as our ideas about marriage, so it never occurred to Hannah to make a formal proposal. But one day, Mey Rin wistfully confessed that she would love to be Hannah's wife, if society were more open-minded about that sort of thing. The demonness couldn't bear to see her human sad, so she used her powers to make a pretty engagement ring (amethyst set in gold) to give to Mey shortly after this conversation. If they couldn't have an official ceremony, then damn it, they'd make their own. 2. What's the wedding like? Who attends?

It's held in the Phamtomhive garden, among the roses (Sebastian and Hannah reached an uneasy truce after Alois's death), and all the Phantomhive servants attend. The triplets are also there to assist with the ceremony, strewing flower petals, carrying the ladies' wedding trains, and so on (my headcanon is that they're babey demons who serve as Hannah's subordinates). Lizzy, Sieglinde, and Ran Mao are Mey Rin's bridesmaids. Both Mey and Hannah wear beautiful dresses (pink and purple, respectively). Instead of having a religious official preside over the ceremony, the ladies exchange vows that they wrote for each other. 4. Do they have any pets?

Oh yes! Hannah sometimes takes in injured wild animals to nurse back to health, like a fox kit that got its paw stuck in a trap, or a robin that broke its wing, so they soon have a smol menagerie on their hands. 8. How do they celebrate holidays?

Mey Rin loves holidays like Halloween and the Chinese New Year, so Hannah learns about the associated customs and traditions to help her wife celebrate. For events like Halloween, they'll coordinate costumes (one year, they both dressed up as witches), and save up lots of candy to give to the local kids. Hannah uses her demon powers to add spooky touches to their home, like magical floating candles and ghostly shadows that appear in the windows when someone passes by. Mey Rin gets a huge kick out of it! 10. Who's the better cook?

Hannah. When you've existed for millenia, you pick up a few skills here and there, such as navigating your way around a kitchen. ;) She loves spoiling Mey with her favorite treats. 11. Who likes to dance?

They both do, though Hannah is usually the one to ask Mey to join her on the dance floor.

[anotakusleftnipple]

Sassy Bassy

Grell: Hey Bassy~

Sebastian: Wha-- Actually no, fuck you and whatever you're going to say. Just leave me the hell alone or I swear I will avenge Madam Red. Honestly though, why are you even in this anime? Go find your own, because this one's mine.

Grell: I just wanted to say I love you, darling~

Sebastian: Well fuck off because I don't love you back.

Grell: But--

Sebastian: gET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE OR MADAM RED IS GOING TO BE AVENGED.

Ciel: *yelling from another room* JUST HURRY THE HELL UP AND KILL HIM.

[claudemeiyu]

black butler characters i will write for

currently i only write x reader! please refer to my pinned post for more anime and characters <3

also please request snake omg please my boy is so underrated ALSO WILLIAM I LOVE HIM SO MUCH

Ciel Phantomhive (O!Ciel only)

Sebastian Michaelis

Baldroy

Finnian

Mey-Rin

Snake (please request him omg i love him so much)

Elizabeth Midford

Charles Grey

Grelle Sutcliff (Please note that I will only use she/her pronouns when referring to Grelle.)

William T. Spears

Ronald Knox

Othello

Undertaker

Ran-Mao

Agni

Soma Asman Kadar

Sieglinde Sullivan

Alois Trancy

Hanna Annafellows

[abybweisse]

Maybe UT wants to unite somehow the brothers. Like Hannah in anime. He has a soulless BD's body of Ciel and a still living Earl with his own soul. So maybe his goal is to unite this soul with BD's body- to make the most perfect BD ever. And this is why he tries Sebastian, doesn't want to hurt Earl and tells him to take care of his soul.

This is pretty much something I’ve suggested before. Just recently I even revisited the idea (like… just yesterday) that Undertaker could be up to something like this... making him like the manga answer to either Ash/Angela or Hannah or BOTH. Ash/Angela wants “Ciel” to “heal his soul”, to forgive and forget (and they mess with his cinematic records in the attempt). Claude tries to make “Ciel” confused about his own identity… and tries to essentially fuse two souls into one body. Hannah’s secret goal is to reunite two brothers, even if that means only in death.

As I also said in that recent post, perhaps John Brown being so mysterious is really just a red herring. He might be an angel; he might not be.

We shall see! :)

[into--the--abyss]

Sebastian, the Compassionate Demon?

[Long post warning: sorry, I got carried away, but it’s been a while and I needed to speak…]

I always had this sneaking suspicion that ideas from Seasons 1 and 2 would start making their way into the manga proper.  Lately it seems as though we’re venturing into Season 2 territory.  (I can’t remember if Yana had any input on the plot of Season 2 or not, but I think she may have?) We’ve already had an instance of Ciel ordering Sebastian away (Green Witch) and rings have been prominent in both the manga and Season 2.  Currently I think we’re headed towards a Hannah situation.

One very important point of Season 2 was showing how demons could learn compassion and love, as the result of a human soul’s influence.  Hanna Annafellows consumed the soul of the child Luka and, if memory serves, she learned to love as a result.  I think her character design even changed to reflect this, as did her personality.

Well, I’m starting to think Sebastian is going to pull a Hannah on us at some point.

Now in the efforts of full disclosure, Sebastian’s growth as a character is one of the aspects of this manga I feel closest too.  That being said, I didn’t pull this out of thin air and this isn’t complete wishful thinking, but it is of course influenced by my hopes and dreams for this manga. XD

What is Known About Demons

Part of our problem with our understanding of demons in the Kuroverse is that we only have Sebastian as an example.  Other information has come from Ciel and William’s rantings.  We know they are beastly creatures who consume humans souls and who are incapable of human emotions (as was stated in the Blue Cult arc.)  We know they are capable of manipulating humans to accomplish a goal.  Apparently three years is a long time to go without a meal, because William remarks that Sebastian is starving during their encounter in the Circus arc.

Despite his supposed hunger, Sebastian seems to be in no rush to effect Ciel’s revenge and thus consume his soul as payment.  This issue has never been addressed directly in the manga, so we don’t know the cause of this.

Since we have precious little to go on, we’re all pretty much in the dark when it comes to understanding Sebastian’s inner workings.  We can assume from Will’s information that demons are quite nasty creatures: luring their prey with lies, stealing souls, manipulating the innocent.  Sometimes the word “beast” comes up to describe demons in the Kuroverse, and Sebastian fits that bill: sharp teeth, long nails, and cruel and cold enough to brand a ten-year-old child’s eye without a moment’s hesitation.  This was Sebastian’s original nature—but that does not necessarily mean it is his current nature. That would require growth.

Sebastian’s Growth

If Sebastian is capable of change, is there any evidence of this?  Has he perhaps grown a tiny bit beyond his simple, animalistic nature?  We don’t know if demons are capable of growth or not, but we actually have seen Sebastian change, albeit slightly, throughout his three years with Ciel.  To wit:

He changed how he treated Ciel when Soma and Agni (RIP) admonished him during the Circus arc.  Back then, he didn’t mind teasing Ciel, withholding information, and being downright nasty to his master.  (Remember how he let him stay tied up during the Kidnapping Arc?)  He’s changed to the point where as soon as Ciel is in trouble, he goes running to his side.  He even disobeyed Ciel’s orders and put him to bed in the Circus arc, which was in Ciel’s best interests.  He’s shown that he is capable of more than blindly following an order.

When Ciel said he could go wild and act like a beast during the Green Witch arc, Sebastiain remarked to himself that he enjoyed the game of playing butler more.  This shows that he has altered his behavior from his natural state.  A minor change, but a change nonetheless.

He was ready for a quick meal when he first met Ciel, then changed his tune when he was impressed by Ciel’s willingness to destroy himself.  This shows that he is capable of delaying gratification, though to be fair, he believes the meal will be more delicious as a result of Ciel’s development.

All of these changes are in stark contrast to Sebastian’s beastly origins.  He has shown he likes the finer things in life: being a buter for a well-to-do child and all the trappings that come with that.  I would like to think he would act differently if acting beastly were still his primary motivation.  It seems has he grown beyond that, however.

Sebastian’s Emotional Landscape

I’ve always been a bit mystified by the idea that Sebastian is an emotionless character. I think he’s one of the most expressive characters in the entire manga (that shocked face of his...always gets me.)

There have been plenty of times when Sebastian has shown emotion and expression.  He is not a disinterested observer of humanity (that title goes to Will,) but instead has become thoroughly involved in the lives of those humans around him.  Think of his differing reactions to humans such as: Tanaka, Frances, Ciel, Lizzy, the Servants, Sullivan, and so on.  All of them elicit different responses from him.  Of course, this could all be mere acting, but I’ll get to that in a bit.

Let’s take his reactions towards others off the table and just look at quieter moments that might belie his inner thoughts:

In the Campania flashback, he has a forlorn expression as he turns away after watching Ciel address his parents.  Ciel could not see his expression here, and therefore would not benefit from Sebastian’s acting.He tucks Finny in during the Murder arc.  A small moment, but why bother with something like that?He seems genuinely impressed with Agni as an exemplary model of humanity.  Why would a demon be impressed by sterling goodness?  (Shouldn’t he instead be impressed by evil?)To me he looks a bit regretful at the end of Chapter 128 when Ciel asks if he is lying to him.He always treats Tanaka with the utmost respect.  It is in keeping with his station, but I do believe he respects Tanaka as a person.Sebastian’s expression during the Green Witch arc when Tanaka prevents him from reaching out to Ciel looks quite heartbroken.  From where I’m sitting, I see someone who is so upset by the fact that they are helpless to change a situation.  He also has been by Ciel’s side for three years, and now he’s been rejected.  (Yes, he did snap Ciel out of it rather harshly, but it had to be done.)Sebastian goes through great pains to prepare Ciel for a world which containins things “more evil” than a demon, as he says in the Campania flashback.  Sebastian is a teacher at the School of Hard Knocks, apparently.

He shows concern for Ciel on many occasions, but my all-time favorite is when he regrets he cannot make Ciel a cup of tea to warm him up while he’s in the midst of battling Bizarre Dolls out in the middle of the ocean.  (He also gave Ciel his coat in the Jack the Ripper arc, too.)There is also one panel, very early in the manga, where Sebastian looks on at a sleeping Ciel and muses to himself that this life isn’t so bad. This moment is juxtaposed against a cat’s paw—the creature that gives Sebastian the most joy in the world.  If taking care of Ciel is as enjoyable as petting a cat’s paw, then doesn’t this show that Sebastian enjoys his time as Ciel’s butler almost more than anything else?  It also shows he’s capable of enjoying the company of humans.Campania and the efforts that Sebastian goes to to protect Ciel’s life.  I don’t know about you, but no matter how hungry I get, I’m not going to get myself impaled through the gut for a meal, even if it were at a 4-star restaurant.  Because if you’re dead, you can’t eat, you know?  Not only that, but Sebastian seemed genuinely taken by Ciel’s praise at the very end.

His reaction to Ciel’s order to burn the mansion in the Circus Arc is what really sealed the deal for me.  He is thoroughly shocked at his master’s behavior and the nature of the order, and he even hesitates to carry it out—when has he ever hesitated to carry out a direct order before?  I think he was taken aback by how shocking the situation was.

It’s outside of canon, but there is that dialogue from the seiyuu event that shows Sebastian making a birthday cake for Ciel long after he has passed away.

Take a snack break and enjoy this little collage of the above moments:

Sebastian and Purity

It hasn’t been touched on in the manga, but it’s a common idea that demons were once fallen angels.  Keeping that in mind, it seems as though Sebastian is drawn to purity in a very earnest way.  (I don’t mean in the sense of him wanting to corrupt anyone.)

Outside their interactions in the current arc, Sebastian has been nothing but kind and respectful to Lizzy.  Of course this goes along with maintaining Ciel’s social status quo, but it’s something to keep in mind.  In addition to Lizzy, the other human whom has been elevated to friend status is Agni, a truly pure and noble soul.  It could also be said that Agni’s love and devotion to Soma was almost childlike.

And there is that little moment in the Circus arc when he stoops to pick up a doll at the site of the abandoned workhouse.

(@dorkshadows​  I think it was you who pointed that out to us all.)  :)

Sebastian also covered Ciel’s...eye...when Bard showed him a naughty magazine, he covered his eyes again to keep him from seeing the mutilated corpse left by Jack the Ripper, and covered Ciel’s ears during Madame Red’s joke.  If demons enjoy corrupting their prey, why is Sebastian taking such pains to protect Ciel’s innocence?

And, to reiterate: he hesitated at Ciel’s order to burn the Kelvin mansion, and even had a quiet expression on his face as he started the fire.

What this might all come down to is either Sebastian’s origins as a former angel, or perhaps the influence of a child’s soul.  I’m not saying he doesn’t have a nasty streak (he sure does love punishing the guilty, that’s for sure…) or that he’s somehow becoming good, but I believe Sebastian values purity and innocence, when one would think a demon would be more attracted to the sinister aspects of human nature.

Devil’s Advocate Time

There are many good arguments against Sebastian’s capability for growth and emotion. Here’s what I can think of:

1.  Sebastian is merely acting to keep up appearances and fit in with society

I completely understand this.  No point in having a demon butler by your side if he can’t pass for a human, right?  The thing is: Sebastian doesn’t seem all that concerned with fitting in.  He does stupid things all the time in front of people, like donning a unicorn suit, saying his nose is better than a human’s, getting stabbed with a bunch of knives at a party, and even coming back from the dead.  If he wants to avoid drawing attention to the fact that he isn’t human, he’s doing a really terrible job of it.

On top of this, why act when no one can see him?  We’ve seen a few times where he’s shown emotion when no one is watching. Why show a sad expression when Ciel’s face is turned?

2.  He’s luring Ciel in with his demonly ways

Ciel already knows he’s a demon, so there isn’t much point in this.  I guess he could use his acting to get Ciel to let his guard down, but how would this benefit Sebastian?  He’s already getting his soul.  I think Ciel is a strong character and he’s fully aware of his own (and Sebastian’s) actions.  I think he views Sebastian as a means to his end, as he has no trouble using Sebastian for his purposes.  While Sebastian may have influenced him and schooled him in the School of Hard Knocks, I think Ciel was out for revenge from the very start (he ordered Sebastain to kill everyone in the hall.)  It was more his being captured and imprisoned that hardened Ciel more than Sebastian’s influence, and if anything, Sebastian helped him to become a refined and proper Earl.  Ciel knows what he wants and he’s going to get it; Sebastian is just along for the ride.  (There is also the fact that Vincent was a bit shady himself, and Ciel is part of that lineage.)  And let’s not forget that Sebastian raised Ciel to be prepared for the challenges he is going to face, which actually has Ciel’s best interests at heart, not Sebastian’s.

3.  Demons aren’t capable of growth

And people aren’t capable of coming back from the dead, but we’ve seen that, haven’t we?  This manga is all about subverting our expectations, and it’s been done brilliantly in the past with such things as the identity of Jack the Ripper, the Bizarre Dolls, and Lizzy’s reveal.  Didn’t we all think there were werewolves at one point, too?  There’s no reason why we can’t be surprised again.

4.  But Yana and/or Editor K said demons don’t have emotions

If I were George Lucas in 1977 and I had access to Twitter, I’d be tweeting up a storm about how Darth Vader is DEFINITELY not Luke’s father.

5.  But Sebastian is cultivating Ciel’s soul…

I know, this is the most damning evidence, and I’ve spent a long time trying to process this panel.  I am in no way qualified to make any solid pronouncements about Japanese grammar, so take this with a huge grain of salt, but from my rough understanding, it seems the English translation left out a bit of a nuance.

In the original, Sebastian uses せっかく, which means taking great pains to do something.  This feels different than going through the “trouble” of something, which to me, sounds more like a hassle.  The English translation goes with “cultivate,” but 育てる means to raise, rear, bring up—in fact, the 育 kanji is used in the word for “foster parent.”  He’s taken great pains to raise Ciel.  The second panel he says something like he doesn’t want (it) snatched away from him, and the sentence ends with たまらない, an expression that means unbearable.  Take of that what you will, but to me it sounds different and more nuanced than the simple act of cultivating a soul and having it stolen because he’d be missing his dinner.  (Dictionary links here, so you all can see for yourselves: http://maggiesensei.com/2015/04/29/how-to-use-%E3%81%9B%E3%81%A3%E3%81%8B%E3%81%8F-sekkaku/ , http://tangorin.com/general/sodate , http://tangorin.com/general/%E5%A0%AA%E3%82%89 , https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100304112810AA4ALDB , http://www.jgram.org/pages/viewOne.php?tagE=tetamaranai, )  I probably have a lot of these nuances wrong, but I tried.  XD

Assorted Evidence for Sebastian Becoming Hannah

A part of the 2CT is that Sebastian already consumed one of the twin’s souls.  As akumadeenglish pointed out here, this is what the “price to cross the river” is believed to be.  A demon consuming the soul of one brother while the other lives echoes Season 2 quite strongly, and I feel like we’re headed closer and closer to Sebastian pulling a Hannah on us.  The pieces are all falling into place.

There is also this very interesting find by @white-queen-lacus​: in the Weston arc, Sebastian is reading a Latin poem about love transcending the bounds of death.  It could almost fit with Hannah’s situation: a soul living beyond its natural end, to reach forth its love to its target. Yana likes to sneak little Easter Eggs in this manga, so wouldn’t that be quite the clue?  Perhaps this all speaks to Sebastian learning human compassion after having consumed the soul of a child. (That post is here--go read it!)

In Conclusion

What all of this means is that I think Sebastian consumed the soul of the real Ciel like Hannah consumed Luca’s soul.  As a result, a dim understanding of human emotion was awakened within Sebastian, which kindled the possibility for change.

He still lacks self-awareness, because a child’s emotions are raw and undeveloped, but nevertheless, the die is cast.  This is why Sebastian seems capable of a very nascent form of compassion, expressed as tiny hints that he is something more than just a savage beast.  His potential for change is still embryonic and fragile, and is dependent on the wishes and whims of his master.  It is Ciel who will determine what Sebastian will become in the end, because Sebastian must abide by his wishes, even if that means reverting back to savagery.  (And we’ve already seen hints of this, tragically.)

Sebastian has also let us in on the fact that he enjoys his life with Ciel, along with all the refined details of a butler lifestyle.  And perhaps the fact that he hasn’t brought Ciel to his revenge is a testament not only to Ciel’s unique soul, but also to Sebastian’s enjoyment of his life with Ciel.  Why would he be in a rush to finish up something he finds so enjoyable?

Sebastian reminded us at the end of the Circus arc that what defines humans is the desire to keep going beyond the hills and far away—to break free of their nature—to improve, to evolve, to change.  Even though humans may never succeed in transcending their nature, at least they keep trying.  Sebastian thinks that he, a demon, is incapable of this, but someday a flicker of realization might rise within him, a moment of clarity, no matter how fleeting; a tiny act, no matter how small, where he understands that somehow, despite his nature, he became something more.

And in that moment, that first dawning of Sebastian’s self-awareness, we, the reader, will be aware it of it before he ever could be: that he is becoming more than what he once was, and that perhaps he, too, is capable of reaching over the hills and far away...

If you have read this far, I applaud you and thank you for your time.  XD  But I do hope you take this all into consideration.  Send counterarguments, comments, and anything else if you wish.

[tvrboking]

art of hanna comforting alois is my weakness. Comfort me...with ur.....boobs......

[claudetrashtus]

Claude@Alois:  "I am your loyal servant. Even if you do not try to attract my attention, I want to greedily devour you to the very end."

Hannah:  ʷʰʸ ᵗʰᵉ fᵘͨᵏ ʸºᵘ ˡʸʸʸ'ⁿ, ʷʰʸ ʸºᵘ ᵃˡʷᵃʸˢ ˡʸʸʸ'ⁿ, ᵐᵐᵐᵐᵐᵐ ºʰ ᵐʸ ᵍºᵈ ˢᵗºp fᵘͨᵏ'ⁿ ˡʸʸʸ'ⁿ

[alicethelizard]

"Seven devils all around you.." Freezes then looks at all of my black butler posters. "Oh my god I actually have seven devils around me!!" (If you don't get it then you're stupid..)