User blog comment:Derax-Pagani/Chapter 502 Review/@comment-24102956-20160919112456/@comment-7418318-20160920094032

But there is one point I have to raise in favour of Mest's action from an out-of-universe view. His action was very effective as a story-telling device.

Nobody, absolutely nobody expected this to happen. The attack came at the perfect moment for maximum shock value, surprise and stirring up a wide range of emotions from pity and sympathy for Brandish, over worry about Natsu, Lucy and Happy to hatred for Mest.

In that sense it was a nice stroke by Mashima and it certainly got us talking endlessly about it. ^^