#Morbius projected to make morbillion at the box office upon being rereleased in theaters again

[fullscoreshenanigans]

Went with "other" because it's a nuanced topic that cannot be captured in a single choice poll.

The first option is gold for comedic purposes or a short comic, especially if Norman's arrogance is being played up, but ultimately I don't believe Ayshe would think he was worth expending that kind of energy on and giving him that satisfaction, in addition to how it would be upsetting to the younger Grace Field children.

Ideally, I'd like to see Norman attempt to apologize during the search for Emma after seeking counsel from his family, though I don't think he'd do it right away, and I don't know if she'd be willing to talk to him in depth at that point. More lowkey intimidation with her dogs is fun. I feel like he'd have enough tact not to speak with her in the demon language again unless she's the one leading the conversation into that territory, though he would again acknowledge that he understood her perfectly when they first met.

#I want many of these choices to happen within the same chapter tbh #In all seriousness though I want to take a page from Tearmoon Empire in regards to whatever consequences Norman will need to face #''Punishment serves 2 purposes: providing emotional solace for the victim #And to encourage reflection in the offender'' #I actually want Shirai to let us look into Norman's head so we can know he understands the gravity of what he did to Ayshe #And also to take on whatever punishment she'll want to dish on him afterwards like a mature person would #And tbh this won't be popular choice for everyone else but I want Ayshe to forgive him #Number 1 reason being so she herself doesn't get shackled by anger and grief by the end of this story #And also so she can have the higher moral ground in this situation #I also want the Lambda gang involved because they were also involved in this matter #On a meta point I really want this chapter to make some fans stop trivializing what Norman did as ''a small mistake'' or something similar #Because I've seen those posts and they give me rage in my heart (via @thathilomgirl)

What we could have if we got a Shaman King perfect edition scenario where a whole extra fifteen chapters are added to the human world arc (even if it would be largely self-indulgent because I'd want to use it more as a vehicle for the characters to do some introspection without an immediate threat looming overhead).

The forgiving vs not forgiving debate is interesting with people's different takes on what constitutes forgiveness for something this grievous, like if some people consider restitution as a part of the process, and how the former option could mean anywhere within the realm of immediate canon to her forgiving him years into the post-canon (I could see her not doing so until they're in their twenties).

I also wonder how much trivializing what Norman's done overlaps with certain ships lol

#i would like him to put in more effort rather than just saying sorry #like giving Ayshe parts of demon culture she was forced to leave behind (what he found in Smee’s research since he had access) #Despite hating demons he doesn’t want their culture to die out and doesn’t want this world to forget about them #because neither him or Ayshe ever will (via @graphx)

Yet another instance of me kicking myself over not asking a question for Shirai to answer during the anniversary Q&A with how large of a fallout there would be with hundreds of thousands of cattle children showing up in the human world in November 2047, only a fraction of whom know they were originally living in the demon world to begin with. Just how much was the Ratri family willing to reveal to the public, and at what pace?

Even if not to the public at large, the clan would be the best bet of acquiring any written documentation Norman or the other kids couldn't recreate from memory.

(Chapter 181.4)

With how staunchly he feels about taking money from them, him taking the hit to his pride and asking them for help on this matter could be a step toward making amends with her.

That said, your phrasing of "despite hating demons he doesn’t want their culture to die out and doesn’t want this world to forget about them because neither him or Ayshe ever will" is super interesting to me because I interpreted the latter half as him having a deep conviction to do this for the sake of personal understanding and so that humanity at large recognizes demons as a fully sapient species on par with them.

Even with him saying this in chapter 154, I don't think I've ever seen anyone pitch him as the biggest, most enthusiastic advocate of sharing the knowledge he has regarding demons because of all the baggage he carries. Similar to how Ayshe could separate acknowledging the circumstances Norman found himself in when he had her father murdered and forgiving him, he might divulge factual information about demons while not being personally invested in exploring the significance of deeper cultural connotations and traditions? I don't know if I could see him or any of the kids besides Ayshe doing the latter given the convenience of the ending separating the demon and human worlds as opposed to an integrated society being formed where it would be a necessity. It's hard to pitch with de facto anthropocentrism being a thing.

Lots of fascinating things to ponder here on the topic of how Ayshe would integrate into the human world knowing no one has those deep emotional ties to the culture she was raised in when, if nothing else, she's at least close to Don and Gilda and is conversational with Ray.

#And it was so much more than just a lesson #forgiveness? Probably not but tolerance and understanding they were both kids in a screwed up situation is decent #I’d love to see how Emma and Ray react to Ayshe the person who suffered most from Norman and how they forgive him so easily #And how her suffering changed how they see him (via @graphx)

Saaaame I've touched on this in the tags of this post and this post (the latter being some of my favorite REN fanart):

#the balancing act of loving Emma and Ray accepting Norman back in his entirety with open arms #(perhaps even selfishly‚ thinking of all the demon families he left broken with farm raids prior to the imperial capital #the ones who weren't lucky enough to be healed by Mujika's blood) #and thinking he should have gotten his ass beat by Ayshe at minimum #huffing the copium until Shirai releases that bonus chapter #Ray seeing what this looks like on the other side now‚ two years later #[He is familiar with the bitter taste of shame and regret. #Of knowing you’ve done something unforgivable. / #He hopes beyond hope Norman can be fully reeled in. #Ray isn’t the only one with a heart riddled with enchanted shards. #Suddenly he knows how it feels to want to pluck them out, #to show Norman something good and beautiful.] #(I am always a slut for a Between Your Fingers, Between the Lines quote #anyways can you believe the Vol18 inner cover is real

#After the powerful declarations that they give him in Ch153 #“I've decided that I won't let you kill yourself anymore. That I won't let you go it alone‚ Norman. #“We don't want a future where you're going to suffer. No matter what result it brings.” #they've gotta be firm because he's so damn obstinate klsfjkls #but underneath that there's the very palpable fear of losing him when they just got him back #and this vulnerable and desperate and gentle and admittedly selfish (but they don't care and they'll accept the consequences) plea #that's so simple yet weighed with so much gravity to speak to the core of his soul and what he wants for himself #love how in the midst of all this there's light bathing them from above but not quite engulfing them #as Norman is just on the precipice of this pivotal decision #love how his eyes are the only blue in the pic to highlight how scared he is (how he continues to hesitate to return either of their holds) #but Ray and Emma accept him in his entirety i'm fucking. love them so much your honor 🖤🤍🧡

None of them have to deal with the fallout of the demon families destroyed in the razing of Lambda and other production farms, but Ayshe is present in the lives of the main cast of kids. She didn't completely abandon them to go off and live in the wilderness akin to how she was living with her father.

(Chapter 169 Bonus Scene)

And Ray acknowledges how, regardless of his species, Ayshe's father was a fundamental figure in Ayshe's life directly to her while still prioritizing Norman's safety (though if Norman asked for his counsel he wouldn't shy away from telling him that he hurt Ayshe. I don't think Emma would either if given a rundown of what happened).

#ALL OF THEM #ALL OF THE ABOVE #damn it was really really hard to choose between these options they're all really good hfksjskd #but ultimately I went with Norman apologizing during the search for Emma #as much as I'd love to see Ayshe beat his scrawny ass to a pulp I think it would be a bit anticlimactic #considering the whole. breaking the cycle of violence character arc Norman went through #and the fact he kinda went 'i know about all that lol i played along cus i kinda deserved it' when he spoke to her in demon tongue #at least I assume that's what's going on? judging by Ayshe's reaction and the way he'd fixed his shit 2 minutes ago #anyway where was i? RIGHT Norman apology #i think they'd have time to sort out their issues during the search. Maybe Norman could be like #'i was blinded by grief and was so sure this was the only thing I could do' and Ayshe could be like 'oh fuck he kinda like me' #obvs he wouldn't use it as like an excuse the convo would just devolve into venting I think they would have a lot to talk about #would Ayshe forgive him? FUCK NO LMAO ARE YOU INSANE. but she would understand him a bit more. #something something he's not the heartless monster she thought he was. #i have. a lot. to say on this topic Norman and Ayshe are up there in 'top 5 morbillion missed opportunities in tpn' #i hate this manga (<-girl who loves this manga more than should be allowed) (via @darklight-owl)

I repeat we need multiple choice polls so fucking bad.

I can see them starting to sort out their issues during the search but not fully resolving them, yeah. Norman says they're all getting along well to Emma while alluding to the conflict between him and Ayshe. He appears rueful and accepting of whatever feelings she directs toward him, even with the comedic antics he's remembering in the background of the panel in chapter 181.

I talk about this in this post too, but I think one can argue part of Ayshe's reaction in chapter 160 is frustration at Norman once again dictating how things will proceed between them and knowing that in the moment she can't really argue against it.

The boy is quick to move on, no doubt because what he says is true. They really don’t have time to do more, even though that’s what Ayshe deserves, and Norman knows it. But on top of being scared for their friends and family back at the base, I believe that though he accepts the most likely outcome of Ayshe being upset with him, the perfectionist in him is glad to take refuge in this immediate threat. It allows him to avoid confronting a major mistake he made that he can’t conceive a satisfactory resolution for, if only for a bit longer. And Ayshe is just…kind of left with what Norman’s said. Like, “you absolute bastard. Not only did you know the demon language and knew what I was saying back when you murdered my father and knew you fucked up for months, but you still just can’t concede control of the situation to the wronged party and are trying to dictate how this resolution will play out.” He doesn’t ask her how she’s doing, how she felt because of what he ordered, or engage with her in any dialogue, barely allowing her any time to react before moving on. Her eyes are obscured, there’s a bit of sweat on her face, and her jaw and fist are clenched while the background takes on a common downcast pattern seen in manga. It’s clear she does not take it well.

But provided he approaches her with an intent to make amends and then afterward gives her control of how they'll proceed from there, it's at least a start to tackling the emotional side of the conflict since it seems like she's already made peace with the logical side of it in her conversations with Ray in the bonus scene ("he was a monster, you know") and with Don and Gilda in chapter 139.

#several #them speaking about the elephant in the room of course #with Norman apologizing. giving his reasons but accepting her wrath and sadness (the sadness is worse) #with Ayshe accepting his apology because she by now realized Norman did it out of a state of danger and being afraid #logically she can put a lid on it. emotionally... it's harder. a process taking her whole life #the life her father did give her #plus her assuming her father wouldn't like her to be sad and sitting in a cell alone because she killed someone #he did save her so Ayshe could smile and be happy #and she is with her new friends and safer life #so doing Norman any harm won't do any good. won't ease the pain #much like he probably feels about Isabella and the Ratris #also them discussing Norman's statement in ch.160 and talking it out in demon language (via @officersnickers)

I love how you're even more pragmatic in considering the aftermath of committing first-degree murder in the human world ljdlfkj

But yes, wrath can be doled out and equated to punishment and absolution; sadness and grief of this magnitude linger, even if they aren't all-consuming.

Conversing in the demon language I feel needs to be handled delicately since it's not something they need to do in order to communicate with each other. Him initially speaking with her in it was done to inform her without words that he knew she harbored killing intent toward him since they first met. Doing it again unprompted is just showing off if it isn't followed up with a question to relate it back to her. Maybe asking if this is how she understood a phrase or idea that's hard to translate into the human language they share.

*Norman attempting to speak with Ayshe using the demon language again and Ayshe getting mad at him for it.

Semi-continuation of the "If Shirai announced one more chapter of TPN, I would want it to be about…" Poll where a resolution to this conflict was the option with the most votes.

(Chapter 181)

Other related posts: • Shirai's post-series reflections on the Ayshe-Norman conflict and some thoughts • My guess for what Norman says to Ayshe in chapter 160 • Did Ayshe forgive Norman during the timeskip?