Episode 157

New Guild is the 157th episode of the Fairy Tail anime. It aired on November 17, 2012.

With Wendy being unable to compete for Fairy Tail in the Grand Magic Games, Elfman joins the team permanently as he, Lucy, Erza, Natsu and Gray are introduced to the crowd as the Games' opening ceremony starts. While the other seven participating guilds also make their appearance, Team Raven Tail stirs up anger and confusion while Team Fairy Tail B also causes surprise. With even Mavis also joining in the fun, the Games begin as every team tries to win and be the best guild in Fiore.

Synopsis
Team Fairy Tail A get's ready in the Domus Flau for the opening ceremony of the Grand Magic Games. As they discuss their team outfits and the number of people who have attended the event, the group also worries about Wendy and Carla, who were found by Lisanna and Happy and brought in to the infirmary. Despite being conscious, Wendy is completely exhausted and can't seem to remember what happened to her. Erza believes she may be feeling ill from a sudden loss of large amounts of Magic Power at one time, something which Porlyusica -who arrives to check up on Wendy- confirms. Saddened about not being able to compete despite her training, Wendy tearfully asks Elfman to take her place. Porlyusica however, vows to cure her before the end of the Games five days later, stating that Wendy still has a chance to compete.

Vowing to do their best in the Games, both for Wendy and the guilds reputation, Natsu, Gray, Erza, Lucy and Elfman walk out to meet the crowd, introduced by the days announcers Chapati Lola, Yajima and Jenny Realight. However, as they walk out, they notice the crowd booing them, but before they can take offence, the small group of Fairy Tail Mages that came to watch call out over the crowd. Happy that their friends have come to support them, all in Fairy Tail are even more happy (though shocked) that Mavis Vermilion has also moved from Tenrou Island to cheer as well.

Continuing, the commentators introduce the other guilds who passed the Sky Labyrinth elimination round: the hounds of hell Quatro Cerberus passing in seventh place; the all-female guild Mermaid Heel in sixth place; the hosts of Blue Pegasus in fifth place; and Lamia Scale in fourth. With mixed reactions about seeing the new guilds they will have to face, as well as some old friends, the teams begin to talk, Lyon reminding Gray of the bet they made not long ago whilst Blue Pegasus get up to their usual antics of trying to claim all of the women present.

With over half of the teams now introduced, Chapati moves to call out the first three, shocking all in Fairy Tail by introducing Ivan Dreyar's guild Raven Tail. From the stands, Makarov calls out about letting a dark guild participate, unnerving the audience slightly. Chapati however, states that the guild has been confirmed by the Council as a light guild, and is therefore allowed to participate, angering Makarov, who questions Ivan's motives. Approaching Fairy Tail, the members of Raven Tail mention Wendy's current condition, confirming that they are the ones responsible and deeply angering Natsu.

With the crowd beginning to wonder who the remaining two teams could be, Chapati introduces the team that came in second, both the crowd and participants shocked when it is revealed Fairy Tail had a B team, consisting of Gajeel, Juvia, Mirajane, Laxus and someone who appears to be Mystogan. However, Erza soon figures out that the masked man is not their old guild mate from Edolas, rather Jellal, who has disguised himself as his counterpart to sneak into the stadium.

Despite being from the same guild, Natsu quickly vows that he will treat all people against his team as opponents, whilst Chapati calms the crowd by explaining that every guild had the opportunity to put forward two teams, this new rule explaining why so many teams were competing in the first place. Jenny questions the fairness of Fairy Tail having two teams, though Yajima states that that is the advantage they have received for performing so well. As the commentators talk, Erza approaches Jellal and comments on his appearance in the Games and his cheating due to not being a Fairy Tail Mage, though Jellal (with some help from Laxus) pushes Erza's thoughts aside and tells her to just enjoy herself. However, Mavis has also noticed that Jellal does not bear the Fairy Tail mark, but after hearing that he was once part of the Wizard Saints, forgives Makarov for the sake of winning. On the field, Jellal asks Erza if she has spotted anything out of place, with Erza stating that beside Raven Tail nothing has come up. Jellal ignores this though, claiming that they most likely aren't the source of the malicious force as it is their début in the Games.

Finally reaching the final team, the crowd is not surprised to see the current champions of Sabertooth enter the field. Fairy Tail however isn't so pleased, both Natsu and Gajeel glaring down Sting and Rogue as Happy tries to out-cheer Frosch and Lector.

All the teams now gathered, Chapati moves to explain the format of the Games for X791. The first four days of the Games will consist of a competition section and a battle section. For the competitions, each team can choose one member to compete, and the members will earn points from zero to ten depending on how they rank. Afterwards, a battle will take place, only for this section the organisers of the Games will choose the participants that will fight, not the teams themselves. For a win, the team gets ten points, whilst losing will earn them nothing. A draw in the battles will result in five points each. With this in mind, Chapati announces the beginning of the first event: Hidden. Stating that the rules of the game will only be explained after every team has selected their player, the teams begin to put forward their participants: Yaeger stepping forward for Quatro Cerberus; Beth Vanderwood for Mermaid Heel; Nullpuding for Raven Tail; Eve for Blue Pegasus; Rufus Lohr for Sabertooth and Lyon for Lamia Scale, Lyon's participation resulting in Gray competing too, and due to him, Juvia.

With all the participants ready, Hidden begins.

Battles & Events

 * X791 Grand Magic Games Inauguration

Magic and Abilities used

 * None

Manga & Anime Differences

 * The start of the episode is extended in the anime.
 * In the manga, Porlyusica forces the others out of the infirmary, but in the anime, she tells them to go out and they go willingly.
 * When the rest of the guild cheer for Fairy Tail, the banner from the manga seems to be missing.
 * In the manga, the audience discusses the last two teams yet to appear, but in the anime the rest of Fairy Tail discuss it.