User blog comment:Ncduru/Alvarez Empire Arc: Recap/@comment-25111584-20160228234622/@comment-25111584-20160229092958

Your (and DM's) optimism is an example to us all, Ncd. Sadly, I can't bring myself to follow that example. D:

I definitely think predictability should be avoided. *looks at almost certain Gray, Lyon, Juvia team-up and groans* However, I'd rather it be done with proper power-scaling in mind. Mashima wants to change up the order? Natsu stronger than Erza? Jellal stronger than Gildarts? Absolutely no complaints from me. However, there has to be a limit. Lucy stronger than Minerva? lol, no. People like Gajeel shouldn't be able to solo a Shield of Spriggan even with extreme difficulty. And Sky Sisters shouldn't prove a match for people like Gajeel. So, even if they sacrifice their lives, they shouldn't even be able inflict great harm on the Shields. I'll take predictability over BS power-scaling anyday. ._./

And, tbh, only the opponents are somewhat different. Jellal has teamed up with Kagura and Erza. Wendy has teamed up with Sherria. Gray has teamed up with Lyon and Juvia and Meredy has teamed up with them. It's not as if the sickening predictability is absent, it's just maybe a tenth less than normal. .-.