Jellal Fernandes

Jellal Fernandes is a childhood friend of Erza Scarlet from their days of slavery. However during that time he apparently came under the control of the dark mage Zeref and turned evil as a result, seeking to revive the dark priest through the tower he was originally enslaved in. This eventually comes to a head in the Tower of Heaven arc, in which Jellal is the main antagonist. It was revealed that Siegrain and him are originally one being.He commands an army of his and Erza's childhood friends.

Personality
Originally, he was a very kind boy, deeply caring for his friends. He always was cheerful and optimistic even in times of slavery, most likely having lost his parents like other slaves. He was ready to be punished instead of Erza and did never lose his faith in freedom.

As he was later manipulated by what he thought was Zeref he drastically changed. He became insane with the idea of building a new R-System. He treated the slaves much better (They even did not believe that they were, in fact, slaves), but only because they did more work this way. He sees his actions as a game even if this will cost lives, including his own. After being defeated, he returns to his own self for short time.

After he was revived by Wendy, he suffered from amnesia and seemed somewhat scared of the world, not remembering himself, but remembered the names of Erza and Natsu. As he learned of his sins, he wished to die as penance, but a scolding from Erza convinced him to live to atone for his actions.

Appearance
His most prominent features are his blue hair and strange marking/tattoo around the right eye he had from childhood. As a member of the Magic Council he dresses himself in elegant robes. While Siegrain dresses in white, Jellal himself is seen in more darkish clothes, with a hood to hide his face. Under these clothes is a special fighting suit for melee combat, revealing his toned-up body.

History
Though he is revealed to have some history with Erza at the start of the series, the nature of their relationship is not made clear until much later. As a child Jellal was forced to help build the R-system tower. While there he was possessed by what he believed was Dark Mage Zeref, supplanting his former kind personality with more violent one. He forced Erza to escape, took control of the construction of the Tower of Heaven, and worked his way into the Magic Council using an image clone of himself named "Siegrain". Apparently "Siegrain" ran into Erza later on and could only stop her from attacking him by telling her he was Jellal's twin brother.

Macao arc
Jellal is introduced under the alias of Siegrain, a young member of the Magic Council. With his "underling" Ultear he typically disagrees with the rest of the Council, by showing leniency to the Fairy Tail Guild much to the annoyance of those on the Council. In the anime, Siegrain's photo is seen in Lucy's bachelor book, the same page where she crosses Loke's photo.

Lullaby arc
At the end of the arc, Erza is arrested for their battle against Eisenwald Guild. Before she brought before the council, she meets a projection of Siegrain outside who reminds her not to mention "that" (though what that is, is never addressed). He then joins the others in prosecuting her, although the arrest is just a formality to assure the world of the Council's power. When Natsu Dragneel interrupts the proceedings, all Siegrain can do is smile. He then shows interest at Natsu after this incident.

Galuna Island arc
He also shows up at the end of this arc, having been the one who set the whole events in motion by sending Ultear, under the disguise of Zalty, to use Lyon Bastia and revive the demon Deliora so he can control it. However Deliora was long since dead, causing the mission to be a failure. He talks to Ultear and compliments her on her mothers talent. Ultear doesn't seem to care, but Jellal looks into her orb and tells her how interesting Natsu is.

Tower of Heaven arc
Siegrain, Jellal’s psychic projection is seen at the Magic Council meeting. They are discussing the R-System, or as Jellal tells the council, The Tower of Heaven. The council knows that a mysterious man, Jellal is the builder of the forbidden tower. Siegrain just stares at his partner, Ultear. Later, Siegrain tells the council the tower is too dangerous and proposes to use the Etherion.

At the Tower Of Heaven, the real Jellal is confronted by his other partner from Trinity Raven, Vidaldus Taka. He asks him why he just let the intruders, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Gray, and Juvia get into the tower. Jellal simply replies everything is a game and that they all cleared a level. Vidaldus then reminds Jellal they have to hurry with the ceremony so the council won’t find out what they’re doing.

Back at the council, Siegrain continues to persuade the council to use the Etherion. With the help of Ultear they manage to get most of the members on their side and need one more vote

At the tower again, after Natsu defeats Milliana, Jellal goes to his chess board made of pieces that represent all the people in his “game” and knocks Milliana’s and Wally’s pieces over symbolizing their defeat. He then tells Vidaldus that Simon and Shou have betrayed them but he’s okay with it since that’s how a game should be. Vidaldus just tells Jellal to hurry up with the ceremony. He gives Vidaldus the job of doing it instead, and Vidaldus awakens his true form, and his allies, Fukurow and Ikaruga appear alongside him. Jellal tells them it’s their turn to move. Jellal uses magic to send an audio to everyone in the tower. He tells everyone it’s time to begin the Paradise Game. He states the rules are to try to prevent him from using Erza to resurrect Zeref and they much get past Trinity Raven to get to him. He then informs everyone that the Etherion will also hit soon and destroy the tower so they have an unknown amount of time. Either way he says nobody will win and everyone will die. When Vidaldus manages to turn Juvia onto his side, he knocks over her piece and thinks Lucy is next to go. When Lucy and Juvia use Unison Raid, it completely shocks Jellal and he knocks over Vidaldus’s piece. He talks to himself how he heard stories of people who tried to use that move their whole life and never achieved it.

At the council meeting as a final push to get a vote, Siegrain tells the council that Jellal is trying to use the tower to bring back the dark mage, Zeref. The council is all stunned and asks Siegrain to tell them everything he knows. Siegrain gets the vote. Yajima is still against it and tells Siegrain if he’s ready to accept the consequences of firing it. Siegrain says he is, but Yajima then gets very angry and tells him if he’s ready to accept all the death he will be causing. Siegrain says to wait and see .When Fukurow defeats Natsu Jellal knocks his piece over and wonders how they will win with one of their strongest pieces gone. At Era, Ultear walks up to Siegrain and asks Siegrain if he is happy that his plan is finally going to be achieved after eight years. He asks if Ultear is afraid but she isn’t and says she always trusted him. Siegrain realizes this is only because her life is not on the line. Siegrain tells her is the Etherion fails then he dies. Yajima, who is eavesdropping on their conversation, overhears this.

After the rest of Trinity Raven is defeated Jellal knocks over their pieces as well. Erza emerges into the scene and asks if playing with people’s lives are fun. Erza makes it to the part of the tower where Jellal is. Jellal claims the game is over, and Erza asks if playing with people’s lives are fun. Erza claims she will free her friends. She thinks Jellal is bluffing about the Etherion falling but he claims he is not and that either way she will be a sacrifice for Zeref. Jellal announces there are 7 minutes until the Etherion strikes. He attacks Erza with shade magic. She dodges all them and cuts them up. Jellal then attacks her again making her fly out the side of the tower. She manages to get back up by jumping on the crumbling rocks. As she swings her sword she asks why Jellal is damaging his tower so carelessly. Jellal doesn't seem to care, but Erza does because Shou and her friends spent years making it. He uses his shade magic again hitting Erza. She manages to break out of it, slices Jellal and holds him down on the ground. She then tells Jellal he failed at completing the R-System because the tower has no magic to resurrect. There needs to be 270 million sources of magical power in order for the tower to activate. Trying to make her give up, he explains how his body was possessed by Zeref and how he is nothing more than a doll doing his biddings. He claims it was all over before it had even begun and that nobody could save him. Back at the Era the Etherion is finished charging and all the members pray. At the tower, Jellal says he knew he could not finish the R-System but Zeref would not stop him. He asks Erza to strike him down. She refuses, and hugs Jellal as the Etherion hits the tower, completely destroying the outer structure.

Surprised she is alive after the blast; Erza looks around and notices there is crystal everywhere and that the structure is an absorbsion crystal. Jellal explains that the councils Etherion provided the tower with 2,700,000 magical units, enough to bring Zeref back. At Era for the final time, everyone is stunned that the tower is still standing and everyone asks Siegrain in shock what happened. Yajima yells at Siegrain as he teleports to the Tower Of Heaven, where his real body Jellal is. They both reveal then that they are the same person and that Siegrain was just a psychic projection. Now that the two morphed back together, Jellal’s full magical power returned. He pushes Erza to the ground. Just then a serpent binding spell stops Erza from moving. It was put on her when she hugged him. She is forced in the R-System crystal preparing to be sacrificed. Natsu then comes and pulls Erza out. Erza tells him to leave, but he instead punches Erza causing her to faint. Natsu then goes to fight Jellal.

Natsu rushes towards Jellal. He dodges his first attack, but is impaled by his foot. Natsu continues punching him and uses Salamanders Wing and Salamander’s Claw, and ends the combo with Fire Dragon’s Roar. Jellal emerges from the attack with a new suit on for his Meteor magic and asks if that’s the extent of Natsu’s power. He then calls dragon slayers weak and Natsu rushes towards him. Jellal uses his meteor magic to fly behind Natsu and attack him several times. Natsu tries to use his nose to predict Jellal’s movements, but fails and Jellal attacks him several more times and uses Seven Star Sword on him causing a huge blast on Natsu and damaging the lacrima tower. Natsu slowly gets up and throws a piece of lacrima gently at Jellal. Natsu then starts destroying the tower so that it will be too damaged to resurrect Zeref. Natsu and Jellal continue their battle. After several more attacks Natsu asks if Jellal is holding back because he doesn’t want his tower destroyed. This angers him and he hits Natsu again. Natsu bounces back and uses Salamander’s Grand Flame. Jellal then charges up to hit Natsu. Just as he is, Erza gets in front of Natsu asking if he would hit the sacrifice. He still prepares to launch it calming it does not matter who the sacrifice is now that there is so much damage. He launches he attack. Opening her eyes, Erza sees that Simon is in front of her and that he used his body as a shield to protect her. He falls to the ground and Erza runs towards him. He confesses his love for Erza, and then dies. Erza screams and Natsu continues his battle with Jellal. Natsu punches Jellal and starts eating the lacrima tower itself. This makes Natsu gain massive amount of fire power, but he almost dies but manages to engulf it. Fully charged Natsu rushes towards Jellal and pounds him with powerful attacks and blames him for making Erza always cry. As this is happening Jellal rants how he cannot be defeated and that he must bring freedom because Zeref chose him. Jellal begins to use Abyss Break which surprises Erza because it will destroy the tower. Before he can launch it he feels the aftershock of a slash Erza gave him during their fight and his magic fails. This gives Natsu and opening and he charges at Jellal’s chest. He then finishes him off with a huge smash to the ground which eventually leads up to the tower not being able to contain the magical power. After the tower explodes and Erza is saved by Natsu, Erza looks out at the sea and hears Jellal voice say she’s gotten strong. Erza forgets about it thinking it was impossible. In the aftermath Ultear reveals that she had been manipulating Jellal the entire time rather than the other way around and that his attempt to revive Zeref as futile, as Zeref was never dead in the first place.

Oración Seis arc
Jellal is seen again in a coffin as Brain makes Racer bring him to Wendy Marvell. He is apparently in a death like state because of the Etherion. Wendy mistakes Jellal for his Edoras counterpart, Mystogan, who once saved her life. Because of this, Wendy subjects to Brain's plans for her to restore him as Brain believes Jellal can lead the Oración Seis to Nirvana. After given five minutes to think it over Wendy decides to do so, and Natsu arrives just in time to see him restored. No sooner than he sees him, Natsu goes on the attack but is instantly blow away by a magic spell from Jellal. When Brain tries to compliment him on his power, Jellal turns and knocks him down to a lower level of the base before leaving, taking one of the defeated Naked Mummy member's clothing, and muttering Erza's name. He is next seen being stalked by Cobra, who was given orders by Brain to follow him because is heading for Nirvana. Cobra ends up at a large tree and when Jellal touches it, it causes a large pillar of black light to appear (which was Nirvana's magic). It is later revealed that Nirvana has powerful magic capable of changing the alignments of those caught between good and evil, and quickly begins to affect those who are on the borderline. When Erza confronts him it is revealed that he has become amnesiac due to the Etherion event. The only thing he can seem to remember is Erza's name, and he pleads with her to tell who that person is.

As Erza explains who he is and what he did to his comrades, Jellal broke down in tears, disgusted by what kind of person he was. Suddenly, Cobra appears and attempts to take Nirvana but Jellal reveals that he put a self-destruction magic around Nirvana to destroy it. However, he also put the spell on himself so he could end his miserable life, and free Erza from the pain he has caused her and her comrades. Just then, Brain arrives telling him it was he who invented the technique and taught it to Jellal, but he forget this when he lost his memory so he deactivates it. After Nirvana rises, Erza convinces Jellal to cancel the self-destruction magic on him as it's his duty to live and see the future for himself or as she says "LIVE AND STRUGGLE!!". He is seen with Erza hearing the explosion of Brain's trap, then Midnight appears. Jellal asks Erza to move out the way so he can confront Midnight but is taken out easily leaving Erza to deal with Midnight. As Erza deals with Midnight, he could only helplessly watch Erza be defeated by Midnight's reflective magic. He becomes disgusted when Midnight reveals the secret behind Cait Shelter and why the Oración Seis has to destroy them. But is only reminded by Midnight, that he himself has already ruined many lives and has killed and harmed his own friends. Guilty and ashamed as he is reminded of his evil actions in the past again, Erza cuts in by saying that she still believes in the light shining inside of him. With that thought in her mind begins to prepare to fight Midnight once more. When Midnight transforms into a giant monster, he creates a giant explosion and stabs Jellal and Erza, however Erza slashes him and reveals that the transformation and stabs were all just an illusion.

As a plan to destroy Nirvana is formed, he hears Natsu's name and seemingly regains his memories. Jellal goes to the same lacrima crystal as Natsu and interrupts the fight between Natsu and Zero by blasting Natsu. However, he is in truth trying to help Natsu by giving him the Flame of Rebuke. Though Natsu refuses to accept it at first, he eventually accepts Jellal's help. He then collapses after giving Natsu the flame. After Zero is defeated by Natsu, Jellal thought to himself that he far exceeded beyond his expectations. Everyone else is seen to have destroyed the Lacrima Crystals as well, and the Nirvana collapses. They are later all united and Jellal was able to hear Gray and Lucy asking who he is, in which Erza says that he is Jellal. Wendy tries to tell them that he lost his memories, but they still question his trust. He turns down a thanks from Erza and admits that he's afraid to regain his memories when asked what he plans to do. He's surprised to hear that Erza will support him, but before their conversation can continue they are interrupted by the new Magic Council, who have come for him and the Oración Seis. Jellal agrees to go without a fight. He is distressed, however, when Natsu and the others try to fight to keep him from being taken away. Erza stops them and lets him leave, he sighs in relief. As he leaves he remembers her last name, Scarlet in which he picked for her when they were little when she told him she didn't have one and they say their final goodbyes.

Magic and Abilities
Jellal uses "Heavenly" Magic that allows him to move and fly as quickly as a meteor and to create black holes. Additionally, it is presumed that he is highly proficient in water, fire, earth, and air magic, given his ability to cast Abyss Break. As a former member of the Ten Wizard Saints, Jellal's combat capabilties are good enough to be recognised by the Magic Council, along with other powerful mages including Jose Porla, Jura Nekis and Makarov.

Heavenly Body Magic (天体魔法 Tentai Mahō): Jellal's primary magic which is based around celestial bodies and other objects of space, such as meteors and black holes.


 * Altairis (暗黒の楽園 Ankoku no Rakuen lit. Dark Paradise): Jellal crosses his arms above his head to begin casting the spell. As he prepares to fire the spell, all nearby shadows are drawn towards him. Jellal then unleashes a black orb with small white lights, similar to the night sky. The orb appears to be incredibly dense, and may hold a tremendous amount of gravity to crush its opponents. This spell was used to kill Simon. In Rave Master, Sieg Hart uses a spell with a similar name but with drastically different effects.


 * Grand Chariot (七星剣 Shichi Seiken lit. Seven Star Sword): Jellal summons seven pillars of light from the sky and strikes the enemy with all of them at once. According to Jellal, this spell's destruction capability rivals a meteor. Sieg Hart, from Hiro Mashima's earlier work, Rave Master, uses this spell in a similiar manner. The spell's name is derived from the Big Dipper.


 * Meteor (流星 Ryūsei): Jellal's body is surrounded by magic, allowing him to move through the air at incredible speeds. Even if someone could detect his trajectory, it is near impossible to catch him. With his speed, Jellal assaults his opponents with quick but powerful melee attacks. Jellal wears a special suit under his robes to better utilize this type of magic.

Other
Abyss Break (煉獄砕波 Rengoku Saiha lit. Purgatory Breaking Wave): An elemental dark spell, it uses the elements water, fire, earth and wind to create an destructive dark blast.

Bind Snake (拘束の蛇 Kōsoku no Hebi): A magic that appears in the form of a snake tattoo. The snake winds its way around the target's body, tightening and restricting movement.

Darkness Magic: Jellal's other ability is darkness magic like Jose Porla's magic and Brain's Genesis Zero. Jellal can use this magic in this form of ghosts or dark blasts to strike and entangle. He used this magic against Erza with creating dark hands or dark coffin.


 * Telekinesis - Jellal has shown to have telekinetic abilities. He can move objects and humans.

Flame of Rebuke (咎の炎 Toga no Honoo): A golden flame Jellal gives to Natsu in order to defeat Zero. When it was eaten by Natsu, Dragon Force was activated.

Psychic Projection (思念体Shinentai): Jellal separates his maximum supply of magic to create a mental copy of himself called Siegrain. Jellal and Siegrain can travel great distance apart from each other and still transfer information between themselves. Since Siegrain is not really a physical being, he can also appear and disappear across great distances, although he can still interact with physical objects. The quality of Jellal's copy is enough to fool S-Class mages like Erza and even the entire Magic Council. Once Jellal and Siegrain reunite, Jellal's magical capacity returns to normal.

Self-Destruction Spell (自律崩壊魔法陣 Jiritsu Houkai Mahoujin): An extremely complex spell which Jellal used in an attempt to destroy Nirvana and commit suicide. Without knowledge of its cancellation code, it cannot be dispelled. Brain invented this spell and taught it to Jellal.

Trivia

 * His design is the same as that of Rave Master's Sieg Hart, Hiro Mashima's previous work, as a form of fan service.
 * Name Jellal \j(el)-lal\ is a variant of Jalal or Galal (Arabic), and the meaning of it is "greatness, superiority, renown".
 * In the manga, he uses a special suit under his robes. Unlike this, in the anime, he wears a purple t-shirt and normal clothes.
 * Mystogan is his Edolas Counterpart.
 * In the manga, in chapter 95, Jellal said "I love you, Erza." It is unknown whether or not he meant it due to the fact that Zeref took possession of his body.