User blog comment:Miskos3/Fairy Tail 522 & 523: Gray's Trump Card & Is Destiny Burning, Review/@comment-25111584-20170218071635

Chapter 522

Typical FT. Looking down on all and sundry. ;P

Not interested in the movie, but I repeat myself. >.>

Know thy enemy... and then take steps to ensure that they are able to exploit your every weakness, eh? All Mashima knows (and the misuses) are the basic strategies that aren't really going to impress anybody older than a primary schoolchild. He's far too lazy to do more, unfortunately. .-.

Oooh, Zeref has a hidden agenda... Not interested! \( ^_^)/ Lovely to see that Zeref has also fallen to the cliche of the big bad explaining his big bad plan before (failing in) killing a/the hero. e_e

So... is Gildarts teleporting around or is he just that fast? I think it's the latter. Cool fight. ...And then Cana crashes in. Huh? Eh? I've wanted Cana to win against a major opponent at least once in the series, but her first fight is *le gasp* alongside Gildarts and against August? No thanks. Mashima, please prove that you have more grey matter than I give you credit for and let Cana retreat! You have Laxus and Jellal in reserve, so bring them out. No, I don't care whether you have (most certainly dumb) plans for them against Acnologia and Zeref respectively. And to think I had hyped myself for Cana and Lucy vs. Brandish in the beginning. T_T

I'm sure there are many other parallels, but block August reminded me of Galvatron. /o/ ...Man, Extinction was so boring. >.>

So... Mavis' tactical brilliance has been reduced to spouting basic knowledge and posing on the battlefield? Should never have expected... Wait, I never did! For the first time, I'm ahead! \( ^_^)/

It still astounds me how many people get confused between 'lose' and 'loose'. Is this some American thing I'm not aware of or something? D:

Thank you, Mashima. Thank you, Gray. For the first time in this arc, you've actually been sensible. Thank you so very much. So glad to be proven wrong about the stupidity of the Trump Card. Genuinely satisfied here. This doesn't redeem Gray for his stupidity throughout the arc, but it's a good start. \o/

Oi, Mashima, where's Ultear? Did you seriously shit on Ultear yet again? Mashima? You realize the Water Whore's not even gone and Gray knows it, right? Yet you include her (which isn't wrong), but then exclude Ultear? Godsdammit, Mashima, stop being so disrespectful to Ur and Ultear all the time!

Let this sink in. Gray told Juvia that he will give her his answer after the war. But he made it clear that he would use his Trump Card during it... Gray, you awesome bastard, you! I wish you were just as awesome throughout the arc as well... D:

I would complain about Zeref just standing around explaining his plan, but that's pretty much a given. I would also complain about him just standing around while Gray prepares LIS, but Deliora and Silver made it seem that the target has a tough time affecting the caster during the preparation phase, so... *shrugs*

Actually, I love this Trump Card. Gray knows the grief of having somebody sacrifice themselves for you. Which is why he has always tried to live with his friends. But that's not going to cut it here. Simple idealism is not going to work against Zeref. Which culminates in this twisted utilitarianism. For the first time in the arc, somebody knows their limits and acts rationally. It's bloody fantastic. ...Okay, it's not, but that's as close to it as FT is gonna get, so sue me for being enthusiastic. >.>
 * The only gripe I have with this development (aside from the inevitable cop-out, of course) is that it's considered a Lost Magic. That's pretty convenient BS. Why bother? You could have actually given a short yet proper backstory to this Spell. Gray takes the idea of Memento Mori and collaborates with Mest to create this Spell. Throw in Porlyusica for the heck of it. It would also give depth to their characters given that we know (or at least believe) they can be ruthless. Wish Mashima would work harder on writing than drawing. ._./

Gray should have been the one to face Zeref at the beginning of the war. Get your head in the game, Mashima. e_e

The worst part of this Chapter, however, takes away all the joy one feels. Simple. Gray won't be able to go through with his sacrifice. Somebody will stop him. I just pray it's not Natsu or, even worse, Juvia. In the end, despite Lost Iced Shell being a brilliant (which doesn't necessarily mean ideal) end to Gray's character arc, it is nothing but setup for Gray to simply learn Zeref's grand plan. Lost Iced Shell will never again be used. It'll be lost in the mists of time as somebody or the other gives Gray a nakama speech and he regresses back to being a generic arrogant and stubborn FT Mage. At least Abyss Break isn't used because Mashima likely has little idea what the Spell should do aside from widespread destruction. Meanwhile, Gray has the perfect way to end the conflict between Zeref and FT and it's not gonna be used. Despite the fact that Makarov died in the same way against friggin' fodder. Mashima's absolute lack of competence is incredibly infuriating.

Score: 2/10 The rest of the Chapter is... neither bad nor good, tbh. Pretty mundane. But the brilliance of LIS just makes the inevitable cop-out that much more frustrating.

Chapter 523

I completely agree with you, Gray. It doesn't matter what anybody else says or what influence you were supposed to be under, you tried to kill a friend. As long as you remember that incident, at no point should you forget that guilt.

I sympathize with Natsu, just like I did with Happy when he stopped Natsu from killing Zeref. Definitely won't condemn him.

Dammit, Mashima! Could you, for once in this terrible manga (welp, post-Tenrou anyway), actually stop being a complete wimp and just make the right decision? This is the third Iced Shell cop-out and easily the worst to date given its proper setup. Gray has already had one fake death and two evilification cop-outs! If you don't plan to deliver, why the fuck bother with the setup? And then you dare to whine about how the readers do not trust you? Because you're bloody insincere, that's why! Seriously, does the guy think about anything other than wanking his chosen few and feeding us nakama crap?
 * I'm not as bummed out about the dispelling of LIS as much as the fact that, despite it being a perfect solution to the situation, it will never be mentioned again. 'Cuz fucking nakama crap (which is admittedly reasonable in-universe). Why the hell should Gray even be convinced? He has a foolproof plan, for crying out loud! Natsu is going to get hurt or even killed if he doens't go along with it! Happy and Lucy too! Thinking otherwise would be the height of arrogance, not familial love for fuck's sake! Makarov sacrificed himself for less, but you obviously didn't slot in some convenient BS there, eh Mashima? The blatant stupidity of the man is astounding.

Now Gray is injured, has drained a large amount of MP due to his failure to cast LIS and should be unable to use DeS because he's already been driven to the verge of madness. He is nothing but a liability now. Happy and Lucy are fodder. Natsu doesn't have Igneel's power anymore. Meanwhile, Zeref is in top condition. How should this be anything but a slaughter? But it won't be! Lords, somebody needs to spank Mashima. His reasoning is as immature as a brat's. e_e

Natsu talking about fate and standing tall in front of Zeref... makes me wish somebody would give him some lessons in hard reality. You don't want Gray to sacrifice himself? No problem. I don't blame you. But retreat! Get reinforcements! That might be futile too, but that is the point where you make your stand, not offering yourself to your opponent piecemeal, you obnoxious brat! ...Is what Lucy should be saying, but I can't expect anything from the woman whose complete dependence on Natsu is a sad sight to behold, especially given her independence in the earlier parts of the manga. D:

Sorry, Mr. Acnologia, you're far too late for the party. Try again some other time if you want to generate hype. .-.

Score: Negative infinity/10 You know I despise a Chapter when I'm too busy ranting to even mention Ur's appearance. ;_;