ext_41821 (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
lovely-fatima.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
dgray_man2008-08-13 10:21 pm
lovely-fatima.livejournal.com) wrote in dgray_man2008-08-13 10:21 pm
Entry tags:
Theories About Cross
Hello. I'm new to the comm, even though I've been reading the manga for the past two years. Normally, I'd lurk for a while before posting, but my brain has been spinning with the events of the past few chapters and none of my friends and coworkers reads this. So, here are some theories I've been tossing around concerning our mysterious General Cross Marian.
I have a theory:
Cross mentions that for one thing to survive, something else must be sacrificed. It's a theme that runs throughout the manga, actually. The Akuma themselves are created on much the same principle with the distraught loved one being forced to sacrifice the beloved who asked the Earl to bring them back. Komui has essentially sacrificed his own life and freedom to be with Lenalee at the Order. Lavi has had to sacrifice the bonds of love and friendship in order to become one of the impartial Bookmen. Suman Dark becomes one of the Fallen because he sacrifices the lives of other Exorcists and betrays his own Innocence in order to save his life and that of his daughter. These are only a few of many more such cases.
I believe that ever since Levoissier showed up at the old HQ, Cross has seen the writing on the wall as it concerns Allen. He needs to convey vital information to his apprentice about his being the 14th and what that means in the war ahead but he's stymied by the constant presence of Link and the order forbidding him to speak with Allen. Therefore, Cross sets a plan in motion. He agrees to go with Levoissier and tell him everything he knows in exchange for the chance to speak with Allen. Cross is *quite* aware, at this point, that this will almost certainly result in a death sentence for Allen. Thus, he implements stage two of his plan.
Cross is a frightfully canny and clever old snake. And I mean OLD. He might *look* young, but I think he's just as old as Millennie himself. Not only that! He was able to ressurrect a dead exorcist (Maria) and gain command of her Innocence through the use of Magic. Now, I could be wrong, but the only other person in the resurrection business and who is said to use Magic is The Earl--yet another thing that links the two of them together. Furthermore, Cross somehow managed to change or transform Akuma and bend them to *his* will rather than that of the Earl. More than all this, he created Timcampy, a golem like no other and whose abilities we've only glimpsed throughout the course of the story.
Either in person or quite possibly through Timcampy, I believe Cross was witness to the 14th's betrayal of the Noah, his attempt on the Earl's life, and his subsequent flight with his brother Mana in tow. There's something to wrap your brain around! It's speculation, of course, but we *know* that Timcampy was there as a witness to Mana's "adoption" of the young Allen (if that was ever his name to begin with...), and thereby Cross was as well. We also know that Timcampy and Cross have a certain connection. The golem is ginormous when we first see it perched on Cross' hat in that Chapter 3 flashback, but in the very beginning and throughout much of the early storyline, he's teeny enough to be swallowed by a cat! Throughout the whole "where the hell is General Cross?" trek across Europe and Asia towards Edo, Timcampy gets bigger the closer in proximity he gets to Cross' location. Tim reappears inside the Arc when Cross makes his magnificent entrance and just happens to hold the "music" necessary for Allen to control the Arc and save his friends--music written in the language Allen made up with Mana. In fact, the shadow of the 14th that Allen sees in the mirror says that Timcampy is his, even though we've been lead to believe that the golem belongs to Cross! So many significant things and events where Timcampy is involved!
Back to that plan Cross had. Knowing the extent of Levoissier's zeal and knowing how vital both Allen and the 14th are to this war, Cross understands that for Allen to survive, something else has to be sacrificed. That something else is himself--or rather, the "character", Cross Marion. In addition to the theme of sacrifice, there is also the idea that these events are some sort of drama or play being acted out upon a stage. Here's what I think happened: Before Allen even sets foot in that room, Cross is planning to sacrifice himself. So much is made of his feeding his cigarette to Timcampy that I believe there is some significance to part of that act. Perhaps it is his way of relaying instructions? Or maybe it is his way of providing himself a bit of "life insurance" given the bloody act he's about to commit, preserving something of himself that can be resurrected. Who knows? He accomplishes his goal of telling Allen the truth about his connection to Mana and the 14th, and retreats to his room. The guards are dealt with, and here's where I think Cross has an accomplice--possibly Maria, but more probably someone else. Komui? Bookman, perhaps? I'm even willing to speculate that Link may know *far* more than he allows Levoissier to suspect and that HE is the one who aids Cross with the distraction of the guards. At any rate, Cross waits patiently in his room until he hears the knock of said accomplice on the door giving the signal that the guards are asleep and therefore won't notice the noise of a gunshot. He takes up Judgement and shoots himself in the head, staggering back to rip the curtain, falling against the glass and slumping onto the window seat.
Of course he's not dead. The *body* of the player known as Cross Marian might be bleeding and lifeless, but The Man is still very much alive and waiting for the light of morning when the effects of his actions can come to fruition. As soon as the guards have a chance to see the bloody "corpse" of Cross Marian, TIMCAMPY springs into action with the instructions he was given. He takes the body to where Maria waits, and under her concealment, Cross Marian exits, stage left. Timcampy remains to be found by Allen with nothing but a message from The Man saying that the golem had always belonged to Allen from the start. And incidentally, the time-skip is important. Levoissier was all set to have Allen called out as a heretic and a devil before the entire assembly of Exorcists. He was damn near gleeful at the prospect that the dangerous threat would be eliminated with an implied torture and execution. And yet, the next thing we see is Allen, in uniform, on a mission. True, Link is still stuck to him like white on rice, but the salient point is that Allen has survived. Cross' sacrifice ploy worked.
So to answer a few lingering questions: Why is Judgement left behind? Probably because The Player-Formerly-Known-As-Cross doesn't need to use Innocence anymore. He may not even need Maria anymore. He's got Magic, remember, and as the Skulls informed us all during the Arc battle, there are some things that Innocence is useless against. But what about the half-mask, shown broken and bloody and left behind? [And as a side note: Has anyone else noticed how similar the markings of Cross' mask are with Mana's Clown make up and Allen's cursed eye?] Some speculate that it is the source of his Magic, but I say that it is only a tool of said Magic. The mask was a symbol of the role The Man--whoever he really might be--was playing at that moment. He acted out the role of a General of the Order until such time as he was forced to relinquish that role and take on another one. Perhaps this new role is related to the hidden side of the war that made Bookman so nervous to hear of? Whatever the facts may be, I am certain that we, the readers, have not seen the last of The Player-Formerly-Known-As-Cross. He's out there, and I think he'll be back to help Allen in the next stage of his journey.
Your thoughts?aside from the fact that this post was entirely too long...
I have a theory:
Cross mentions that for one thing to survive, something else must be sacrificed. It's a theme that runs throughout the manga, actually. The Akuma themselves are created on much the same principle with the distraught loved one being forced to sacrifice the beloved who asked the Earl to bring them back. Komui has essentially sacrificed his own life and freedom to be with Lenalee at the Order. Lavi has had to sacrifice the bonds of love and friendship in order to become one of the impartial Bookmen. Suman Dark becomes one of the Fallen because he sacrifices the lives of other Exorcists and betrays his own Innocence in order to save his life and that of his daughter. These are only a few of many more such cases.
I believe that ever since Levoissier showed up at the old HQ, Cross has seen the writing on the wall as it concerns Allen. He needs to convey vital information to his apprentice about his being the 14th and what that means in the war ahead but he's stymied by the constant presence of Link and the order forbidding him to speak with Allen. Therefore, Cross sets a plan in motion. He agrees to go with Levoissier and tell him everything he knows in exchange for the chance to speak with Allen. Cross is *quite* aware, at this point, that this will almost certainly result in a death sentence for Allen. Thus, he implements stage two of his plan.
Cross is a frightfully canny and clever old snake. And I mean OLD. He might *look* young, but I think he's just as old as Millennie himself. Not only that! He was able to ressurrect a dead exorcist (Maria) and gain command of her Innocence through the use of Magic. Now, I could be wrong, but the only other person in the resurrection business and who is said to use Magic is The Earl--yet another thing that links the two of them together. Furthermore, Cross somehow managed to change or transform Akuma and bend them to *his* will rather than that of the Earl. More than all this, he created Timcampy, a golem like no other and whose abilities we've only glimpsed throughout the course of the story.
Either in person or quite possibly through Timcampy, I believe Cross was witness to the 14th's betrayal of the Noah, his attempt on the Earl's life, and his subsequent flight with his brother Mana in tow. There's something to wrap your brain around! It's speculation, of course, but we *know* that Timcampy was there as a witness to Mana's "adoption" of the young Allen (if that was ever his name to begin with...), and thereby Cross was as well. We also know that Timcampy and Cross have a certain connection. The golem is ginormous when we first see it perched on Cross' hat in that Chapter 3 flashback, but in the very beginning and throughout much of the early storyline, he's teeny enough to be swallowed by a cat! Throughout the whole "where the hell is General Cross?" trek across Europe and Asia towards Edo, Timcampy gets bigger the closer in proximity he gets to Cross' location. Tim reappears inside the Arc when Cross makes his magnificent entrance and just happens to hold the "music" necessary for Allen to control the Arc and save his friends--music written in the language Allen made up with Mana. In fact, the shadow of the 14th that Allen sees in the mirror says that Timcampy is his, even though we've been lead to believe that the golem belongs to Cross! So many significant things and events where Timcampy is involved!
Back to that plan Cross had. Knowing the extent of Levoissier's zeal and knowing how vital both Allen and the 14th are to this war, Cross understands that for Allen to survive, something else has to be sacrificed. That something else is himself--or rather, the "character", Cross Marion. In addition to the theme of sacrifice, there is also the idea that these events are some sort of drama or play being acted out upon a stage. Here's what I think happened: Before Allen even sets foot in that room, Cross is planning to sacrifice himself. So much is made of his feeding his cigarette to Timcampy that I believe there is some significance to part of that act. Perhaps it is his way of relaying instructions? Or maybe it is his way of providing himself a bit of "life insurance" given the bloody act he's about to commit, preserving something of himself that can be resurrected. Who knows? He accomplishes his goal of telling Allen the truth about his connection to Mana and the 14th, and retreats to his room. The guards are dealt with, and here's where I think Cross has an accomplice--possibly Maria, but more probably someone else. Komui? Bookman, perhaps? I'm even willing to speculate that Link may know *far* more than he allows Levoissier to suspect and that HE is the one who aids Cross with the distraction of the guards. At any rate, Cross waits patiently in his room until he hears the knock of said accomplice on the door giving the signal that the guards are asleep and therefore won't notice the noise of a gunshot. He takes up Judgement and shoots himself in the head, staggering back to rip the curtain, falling against the glass and slumping onto the window seat.
Of course he's not dead. The *body* of the player known as Cross Marian might be bleeding and lifeless, but The Man is still very much alive and waiting for the light of morning when the effects of his actions can come to fruition. As soon as the guards have a chance to see the bloody "corpse" of Cross Marian, TIMCAMPY springs into action with the instructions he was given. He takes the body to where Maria waits, and under her concealment, Cross Marian exits, stage left. Timcampy remains to be found by Allen with nothing but a message from The Man saying that the golem had always belonged to Allen from the start. And incidentally, the time-skip is important. Levoissier was all set to have Allen called out as a heretic and a devil before the entire assembly of Exorcists. He was damn near gleeful at the prospect that the dangerous threat would be eliminated with an implied torture and execution. And yet, the next thing we see is Allen, in uniform, on a mission. True, Link is still stuck to him like white on rice, but the salient point is that Allen has survived. Cross' sacrifice ploy worked.
So to answer a few lingering questions: Why is Judgement left behind? Probably because The Player-Formerly-Known-As-Cross doesn't need to use Innocence anymore. He may not even need Maria anymore. He's got Magic, remember, and as the Skulls informed us all during the Arc battle, there are some things that Innocence is useless against. But what about the half-mask, shown broken and bloody and left behind? [And as a side note: Has anyone else noticed how similar the markings of Cross' mask are with Mana's Clown make up and Allen's cursed eye?] Some speculate that it is the source of his Magic, but I say that it is only a tool of said Magic. The mask was a symbol of the role The Man--whoever he really might be--was playing at that moment. He acted out the role of a General of the Order until such time as he was forced to relinquish that role and take on another one. Perhaps this new role is related to the hidden side of the war that made Bookman so nervous to hear of? Whatever the facts may be, I am certain that we, the readers, have not seen the last of The Player-Formerly-Known-As-Cross. He's out there, and I think he'll be back to help Allen in the next stage of his journey.
Your thoughts?