User blog comment:IamJakuhoRaikoben/Chapter 464: Natsu vs Zeref, Review./@comment-24546844-20151130220956/@comment-4829046-20151202102929

Destiny tropes are kind of a given in this kind of manga though. ^_^" Actually, Mashima has added destiny tropes to pretty much all his series. Who else makes a 'carrot-nosed dog' an actual implement necessary for advancing plot? XD

I suppose it would be a good twist, but I really want Layla to be epic, not just another Karen. I mean, she was someone concerned for the future in a more personal sense than Jude was.

I hope so too. Having all that past speculation stuff off the shoulder would make it much easier to just enjoy what comes next. Though I still hold that the moment Mashima does that, it means the grand finale is in sight unless he throws away his author pride. >_>