User blog comment:IamJakuhoRaikoben/Chapter 410: Memento Mori, Review./@comment-4449950-20141123060745

I kinda ceebs reviewing these chapters when they're just Gray and Natsu being stupid Gray and Natsu, but I feel the need to review this one because I was pleasantly surprised and I really liked it. Granted, I read it off my phone rather late last night, but although the fight was meh, everything talked about (for me at least) was SUPER IMPORTANT, and I am sure we will be referencing this chapter in the future.

So, why was this so good? Well, 2 reasons really:

ONE: CURSES

Okay, this was interesting. "Grudges, envy, hatred... all negative emotions were turned into power. A very power based on the essence of life."

We have noted countless times that Zeref's abilities and Magic seem to be linked to his emotional state. He's also accused GH of calling Acnologia with their sins and malicious thoughts. He also keeps going on abut how when he thinks about life and death and the preciousness of human life that he loses his hold on himself and as such must not think of them if he wants to keep his powers in check.

Mard said that he tries to avoid having any sort of human emotions, and the other Demons tried not to really associate with humans either and seem to see them as less. Mard seems to hate emotions and is designed for the sole purpose of killing Zeref. Almost like Zeref created powerful monsters but took away things that would cause them to fault: in this case, emotional attachments. Acnologia, also hypothesised in the story (albeit possibly by fault) to have been made by Zeref also has shown limited emotions so far - the dragon like refused to speak and just attacks things as it pleases, almost like Zeref did create it as another attempt to die.

But then there's that other part: "based on the essence of life." Essence of life?Is this a nod to the One Magic, the one Hades seemed convinced Zeref possessed?

Gah, I just have a jumble of thoughts, but those few pages in this chapter really started giving out clues I think. Like, hell yes, I was enjoying reading it so much.

TWO: MEMENTO MORI

This was neat. I will say that I get a bit irked when all FT bad guys say something like "fall to darkness", or "disappear" or "this will destroy you" etc etc as they cast a big spell, but I loved it here... because Mard was being literal, and that interested me. I thought it was SO neat that his idea to defeat Zeref had to not involve concepts of living and dying... so cool. Seriously, because Zeref is immortal... death is not a concept for him and living is the wrong option. So what is left? Nothing. Actually making his disappear... nothing.

Again, it drew in the concept of Zeref thinking about human life and death, so I really liked it. PLUS... and this is a big plus... I am SO GLAD the chapter didn't end with silly Natsu or Gray doing a one-liner and standing. I was waiting for it... totally expecting it, but it didn't come. I'd like to think that these to actually didn't survive the curse and that Lumen will have to save them (which in turn could have some link to Mavis almost being an anti-Zeref) rather than them pulling some nakama BS to win, but tbh I will totally not be surprised if they do pull some BS ( -___-) I won't like it at all, but I won't be surprised *sighs*

So yeah. Could have been an amazing chapter, but the rest with Natsu and Gray just being meh made the chapter average out.

I was also pissed at Gray: "Not if I can get my Magic to make contact with him". Uhhh, excuse fucking me, but weren't you and Natsu holding Mard's freakin body and slamming him into the ground with your Magic like only ONE CHAPTER AGO!? >__> Don't get why Gray's so sure he can beat Mard still when all of their previous spells have missed, but w/e... screw you Gray...

And why Mard... why of earth did you cancel your Etherious Form? .-. Gunna get pwned soon because of that :/

Still, hoping to see Lumen next week, or at least Face reaching zero and shit happening... because if it's just continuing this fight because Gray and Natsu just happen to stand for no reason, I'm out >__>