User blog comment:Miskos3/Fairy Tail Chapter 488: The Two of Us, Always, Review/@comment-5426822-20160606213319

Ok so this chapter wrecked my weak ass. I never expected this to happen? Even though I know Gajeel is more than likely to be revived somehow in the end, HOLY SHIT. Kudos Mashima, that was one extremely emotional and heart-wrenching chapter.

Not only did the death really surprise me, I was not expecting a love confession this soon? I'm seeing a trend here, Mashima seems to be into making ships canon and then immediately and heartbreakingly sinking them. First with Mavis and Zeref, and now Gajeel and Levy, the one pairing I fully expected to become canon with a happy moment. No one is safe!! Main characters can die! Gajeel's death proves it! I mean I don't think he'll stay dead, this IS mashima we're talking about, but still this chapter was really brutal.

Imo, I hope he stays dead for quite a few chapters; we all know he's coming back its just a matter of time because at this point there's no use saying he's really dead for good, I mean come on, its Fairy Tail. If Mashima somehow forces a way for him to come back in the next few chapters, this whole scene is going to lose what made it so emotional and gut-wrenching.

A bit of a theory I have, but I don't think Gajeel is going to be the only dragonslayer to die in this arc; I think he's the only the first. Gajeel's death marks a darker turning point in this arc for me. I feel that with Acnologia's ominous countdown of the dragonslayers left after Gajeel's demise is foreshadowing. Acnologia's clearly here to destroy the dragonslayers, but before this chapter that threat felt somewhat hollow to me because I never truly believed any of the main characters could be killed off. This chapter proves me wrong.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that maybe, like the chapter titles we've been having, the dragonslayers will be picked off one by one in the coming chapters along with an Acno countdown of who's left. They could all be fighting in one final "hope spot" before they all "die". Then, after they're all defeated, somehow maybe they'll all be resurrected (The One Magic does a thing? The guild finally uses finally uses Fairy Heart? Maybe Irene will realize that Acnologia is beyond out of her league to defeat, so she uses her Enchanting magic to bring them back, after all we know not the full extent of her magic.) so they can all fight and defeat Acnologia together in the end.

It's just a theory that's definetly a little out there and I don't think many people would be happy if Mashima went this route, but it might make more sense in the long run for Gajeel's inevitable resurrection whereas he's not the sole character being saved. This is mostly because I don't really know what Mashima's going to pull out of his ass in order to resuscitate Gajeel.

On an unrelated note, I don't find Mest's decision nearly as stupid as everyone else seems to be thinking it is. For all he knows August could still easily wipe them of the map if he doesn't like what they have to say. He probably thinks it's better to catch August by surprise while he has a chance so they don't end up in a fight they can't win if shit goes south with negotiations. It's logical to me, still a dick move though, fuck you Mest.