111- The "Winged" Reason

[Super Angillis]

Claymore Chapter 111- The “Winged” Reason- Review
Hello Everyone, and welcome to the first Claymore of the new year. Fittingly our chapter for 1/11 is 111. And speaking of the New Year, I hope everyone is recovered by now. If your not, you need to tone it down, a lot. Since this was a sort of short chapter, I figure this is going to be a shorter review. Anyways last month I asked everyone what they wanted to see happen this year in Claymore? Zombie Claymores, and Mystery AB's both got three votes. Whatever unholy hybrids of Priscilla's flesh and the remains of the former Number One Warriors Dae creates got five votes. Six votes were for seeing the Ghosts take on the Org. And unsurprisingly the high vote getters were seeing Claire emerge from the blob, and Galatea in a swimsuit, both receiving ten votes. You heard the people Yagi, get right on it.
Awakened Everywhere-
We pick up right where we left off last month. Anastasia's group is under attack by multiple male AB's. It isn't long before one of the girls named Phina gets hit. Ana quickly acts to save her and attack the AB's, with amazing aerial acrobatics. And then Nike starts doing some impressive back flips of her own, even getting the other two Claymores to safety, and changing trajectory in mid air. However she ends up stopping short in the middle of an attack...
Nice Hair-
Nike gets saved by Ana who wonders if Nike gained weight. Unfortunately the AB's have figured out whats going on. As Nike explains, Anastasia doesn't really fly. Rather she attaches strands of hair to her surroundings. She can use this hair to move herself and other Claymores, but it isn't strong enough to hold the AB's in place. Whats more, all an opponent has to do to render the ability useless is cut the strands of hair. So we get some major drawbacks to someone using their hair in a manga for a change, LOL. Anyways, Ana has decided to buy time for the others to escape. But Nike doesn't consider herself just a friend, and isn't leaving Ana alone. Honestly the two have a relationship that reminds me a lot of Deneve and Helen. We get the name of the last member of this group, Keira, as Nike tells her to take Phina and run. We also get Nike's number, 15. Funny, this is probably more information than we got about the group of Jean's that Riful wiped out. As Ana laments that with the enemies having figured out the secret of her technique it's useless. However it seems like someone else has found the fleeing Keira and Phina...
Big Damn Heroes... Again-
Anastasia and Nike sense more Yoki from where their comrades went. Nike tells Ana to go save them, only to see her get hit. Looks like this squad is dead meat. But wait! A sword suddenly strikes one of the AB's in the head, and the others are cut down! Seems that wasn't more AB's they were sensing. Rather it was Ghosts, and Dietrich. Deneve comments on how the result of choosing the northern path was not as simple as hoped, as she appears before Anastasia and Nike with Helen, Dietrich, and Tabitha by her side. I would assume then that Cynthia and Yuma are helping Phina and Keira, with one of them fixing the wounds up. Now the question is, what will the Ghosts do with these Claymores who are still loyal too the Org?
Winner of the month- The Ghosts. They show their ability to mop the floor with AB's that can overpower a normal Claymore squad.

[HegemonKhan]

The poll depends on Anastasia's and her team's actions, so I can't really vote/decide, as I don't know what they'll do. Deneve will respond accordingly to whatever they do

We got the ominous/scary words of Deneve of last page of ch 111:

~"We'll (I'll) crush anyone and everyone who gets in our (my) way!"

It doesn't sound like Deneve will have the same dilemna that Miria had, hehe

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P.S.

Anastasia is very "Miria-esque", same leadership and closeness qualities, though she's a bit softer and more compassionate openly then Miria was as a leader.

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P.S.S.

someone on another site, gave a great description for Anastasia's ability:

"Anastasia the Spider"

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P.S.S.S.

I actually think (though I could be wrong, didn't really examine it closely) that there were ABs in ambush for the running away Keira and Phina, as well as the Ghosts who showed up.

[Super Angillis]

The leg in the shot looked like it belonged to one of the Ghosts in my opinion. It looked slender, and clad in a tight black outfit.

Another fitting name for Anastasia would be "Anastasia of the Web". But as she notes, once you figure it out, her skill is useless, so it makes sense she'd go with something missleading. On the other hand, should Yuma learn this skill, she'd be able to retrieve her sword after throwing it.

[HegemonKhan]

Web is good too! Spider or Web, same thing, both are good descriptions

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The benefit of Anastasia's ability is her "seemingly being able to fly", her ability to change directions off the ground. This is usually a problem for most Claymores, as they like us in the real world, can't alter much direction once in the air. Which is why the smart (or coached/taught, like the ones in the Zakol Mtns by Riful) NYs try to get Claymores to jump into the air.

I'm not sure if the ABs can actually break the "web-hair" (as they do seem to be moving around, which would have been breaking the "Web-hair"), but nor can it be used to ensnare them as well. It might be magical hair of Yoki strands, and not purely her physical hair strands.

Maybe a stronger version of this "web/Spider" Ability, could be strong enough to actually ensnare and even possibly kill targets (like in Naruto with child Sasake's frequent use of the wire-threads). But for now, Anastasia's use of this ability is merely for mobility.

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Yuma needs to be able to control her thrown sword's movement like Centaur Isley can with his arrows, or have the Shadow Chaser/Hunter Sword Technique like Nina does. Or, like in norse mythology, Thor with his magically "boomerang" hammer. Or, she needs to get stronger, so she can then line up a bunch of targets and throw her sword through all of them, like with the Amazon's Strafe/MA/EAs Skills in D2 game. Or, Yuma needs to get a Golden Retriever pet dog. Or she needs to be holding a lot of swords on her


p.s.

Yuma and Cid/Sid (and early Clare too) should have a throwing contest !!!

[Super Angillis]

I think that what happened was the AB's cut the hair. When Ana says they've figured it out, the AB's are moving their arms, and score marks are appearing in the ground.

[wickedsmile]

Yagi has some imagination with Anastasia's hair. How does this give a warrior a tactical advantage that would propel her to the number seven ranking. Then again, it's not worth trying understand "logic" in a "fantasy" story. Anastasia's demeanor reminds me of Galatea. She cares for her fellow warriors but has a sharp and witty tongue that befits her ranking. It's too bad she doesn't appear to carry Galatea's fire power. At least the latter could back up her banter.

Also, there is absolutely a double edge meaning to Deneve's last statement at the end of the current chapter. Without question, it's aimed at the Yomas and ABs, but given that Miria is missing and presumed killed (per Galatea's statement in Ch 108), does she mean to include current generation warriors as well. Given Deneve and Helen's predispositions, could you see them killing other warriors? Given Tabitha's attachment to Miria, I can definitely see her exacting retribution.

ws

[Super Angillis]

That's the million dollar question. Will the ghosts acually be able to kill the orgs warriors? Granted I wouldn't want to be in #10's shoes when Tabitha finds out what she did to Miria.

[HegemonKhan]

that would be poetic justice....

Miria was helpless from Raftela's Yoki Manipulation

Raftela* would thus be helpless against Tabatha, as Raftela's Yoki Manipulation won't work against Tabatha

*(who might have no combat ability, or if she does, Tabatha could probably still pwn her as Tabatha would probably be more powerful. rank 14 Claymore was so inferior to rank 40 Yuma, ~"that it was as if her sword attacks were frozen in time to me", so I can certainly then conclude that rank 31 Tabatha could easily handle rank 10 Raftela too)

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my only contension is this though:

yes, Tabatha is distraught over Miria's seeming death, but I don't we've yet seen any signs of a desire for actual vengence, of having the strength to kill other Claymores or even the Black Coats themselves...

I don't see the same violent rage in Tabatha (Miria too didn't have violent rage and that was her seeming downfall/death) over Miria's seeming death that we see in Clare (towards Priscilla), Ophelia (towards Priscilla and all Awakeneds), Priscilla (towards Yomas, Teresa, and "Clare-Teresa"), Helen (towards Isley), and Deneve (towards Isley and seemingly truly the Organization).


and I just remembered something:

Deneve is RAGEFUL, ever since Pieta...

After Clare killed Rigardo and Jean reverted Clare back, Deneve picks up Undine's sword and says:

~"My Revenge Starts Now!"

and thus we add this to ch 111 Deneve's comment:

"We'll (I'll) CRUSH anything and everything that gets in our (my) way!"

I now really think Deneve will not be afflicted with "weak heart" (soft, caring, and compassionate heart), like Miria (and Clare too) is/was.

[thornofcarrion]

We don't know what will be the reaction of Anastasia group, who were saved by Ghosts. I would assume they should be at least be a little bit thankful to them. Whether they stay loyal to Organization or not, we will know soon enough.

As for Deneve's statement, it would be more fitting for AB and such. I think they are much capable of Immobilize them. My statement would have been different, if I felt Anastasia and her companions can pose a life threatening risk to the Ghost.

[HegemonKhan]

for your poll, another option that I just thought of:

Seeing as Anastasia's group is "weak" (compared to Deneve's group), and if Anastasia's group is interested in defecting, then Deneve should tell them to go to Rabona and stay with Galatea, Miata, and Clarice, as they'll probably just get in the way (need protection/rescuing) for Deneve's group as they attack the Org HQs.

[ZERO PHOENIX]

I doubt Anastasia's group will betray the organization just like that. I mean think about it. Oh here are the traitors that we've been informed about. Oh, the organization is really the bad guy. OK we'll just hide out in Rabona with the other defectors. I really don't see that happening.

Claymore's loyal to the organization who were just introduced aren't going to turn traitor just like that. Then again events have an interesting way of transforming characters and then there is Clarice and Miata. Still, unless Anastasia or her crew have some kind of connection to one of the Ghosts they aren't going to turncoat after meeting the organizations traitors.

Dietrich could vouch for them but again, if Anastasia doesn't know anything about Dietrich apart from her number, why should she or her team believe anything the Ghosts have to say. I could see a tense scene between the Anastasia and Deneve but traitors or not I doubt Anastasia is going to throw down. Not because Deneve is probably much stronger than her, but given Anastasia's personality she'll probably feel indebted.

[HegemonKhan]

I do agree with that assessment, as the only thing that could influence them (that we currently know of), is the strange male humans mutating into the male ABs and had attacked them, which had just happened, obviously. It's possible that Anastasia's group discovered other "unsettling/disturbing" things in Alphonse about the Organization, but we've haven't seen such a possibility.

for all extensive purposes, its likely that Anastasia's group won't join Deneve's group, unless they are very persuasive, and/or Anastasia's group has reasons (troubling knowledge about their so called "noble Organization") to do so.

As to whether it turns hostile, that's a bit more uncertain, as even Audrey+Rachel were level-headed enough to be thankful of being saved by the Ghosts (well, at least Audrey was and Rachel then listened/obeyed her, lol), and not get into a fight with the Ghosts (which is good, as the Ghosts could have killed them easily, which is the same for Anastastia's group too, hehe), so the same could happen with Anastasia's group too, of not turning hostile.

If Anastasia's group does turn hostile, either Deneve's group will simply knock them unconscious (as we've seen Deneve's group is on a completely different level then Anastasia's group, including speed, for knocking them unconscious) or... Deneve will personally kill all of them, hehe

[Joe7133]

There is something interesting different on Chapter 110 and 111. Anastasia's group is fighting multiple awaken being correct? Judging from the look of the monster, they are AB instead of normal Yoma. I thought AB are only given to warrior's from the past. From the looks of the people that are awakening, they don't look like warriors at all. Shouldn't they be Yoma's instead of AB?

Is Yagi slipping or are there other reason why he did this? I hope there is a good explanation on this.

What's weird is Anastasia group fighting this many AB too. I know, the AB aren't as powerful as the other AB in Pieta but still?

I don't think these AB are the same as the one in the war in the north. Isley sent those AB east and Alicia/Beth made short work of them if I'm correct.

[HegemonKhan]

usually Awakeneds (ABs and AOs) went through this process:

Human -> NY's flesh -> Claymore (2/4 Yoma 2/4 Human) -> 80% YR -> Awakened (if rank 1 = AO, if rank 2-47 = AB)

but then there's Clare:

Human -> Claymore's flesh -> Claymore (1/4 Yoma 3/4 Human) -> 80% YR -> "reverted" -> HA -> Partially Awakened -> ???

however, when using Awakened flesh, instead of NY's flesh (or Claymore flesh), we get the new type of Awakeneds, the AFs:

Human -> Awakened's flesh -> AFs*

*AFs are distinctly all are females, they're clad in leather bandages/clothes - like some Black Coats wear as well, their eyes and mouths are sewn up, their yoki is blocked/restricted/sealed, they're stuck in humanoid form/body, they're trained/conditioned to only eat the flesh of a single scent, they're given/have the ability to share combat information with each other, they're trained/conditioned or programmed to return to the Org HQs if more than 5 out of the 11 of them are killed, they all have a Regeneration Ability equal to if not superior to Priscilla's, they also are like Isley+Alicia in that they can form Blades from any part of their body, well at least their jaws/mouths/necks anyways, they're incredibly powerful and fast too, and the Infection Ability nullifies the Org's control over them causing them to start attacking and devouring anything and everything)

Lastly, we got the Destroyer, its hellcats, and its Infected Hosts:

AO Luciela + rank 1 Claymore Rafaela -> failed/incompleted half-merging -> a new entity (Destroyer) along with Rafaela (Luciela remains dead so she's omited obviously) -> "vegitative state" -> "stirred" by rank 6 Renee -> awokened by Clare -> Destroyer takes over the half-merged bodies of Rafaela+Luciela -> Destroyer Awakens -> Destroyer (the gigantic towering mass of tentacle shell/exoskeleton body in Teresa's beloved Twin Goddesses of Love image)

Destroyer's Huge Projectile -> Hellcat (in Luciela's body image)

Destroyer's Huge Projectile + Infection Ability + rank 2 Beth -> Infected Host Awakened Beth (in Luciela's body image)

Destroyer's Huge Projectile + Infection Ability + rank 3 Dauf -> Infected Host Awakened Dauf (His arms in Luciela's body image)

Human Raki + 2 Small Projectiles (from the Hellcats) + Priscilla's arm -> neutralized -> Human Raki (as far as we know currently)

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so, what are these newly seen male Awakeneds?

1. they're NOT AFs obviously.

2. they're NOT Destroyers or Hellcats

3. they're not Claymores

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1. they could be newly created or the very last of Isley's Era (there's only ~7 of the 47 remaining, and these Human-Awakeneds seem to be in that range of amount) of male Awakeneds, simply pretending to be Humans (by being in their Human forms/bodies and "crying for help"), in order to sneak up on/get close to Anastasia's group.

2. they could be Infected Hosts (as they do seem to have the Projectiles sticking out of their bodies) from Dae having collected Projectiles on his way back and impaling them into "Human test subjects". Though they have no Luciela body features, which is unusual, though they are male Hosts, so maybe males don't look like Luciela's body image.

3. I haven't compared their bodies with the Dragons, but maybe they're similar or are Dragons (too lazy to do so, lol).

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Pieta ABs:

31/31 ABs = 30 ABs (nearer to rank 1 = "Stronger" ABs) + rank 2 AB Rigardo

the 24 Claymores kill off 8 ABs (including Rigardo)

23/31 ABs remain (Rigardo is not one of them, duh!)

12/23 go to Luatrec, Riful+Dauf kill all of them

11/23 go to Sutare (specifically the Org HQs in the once "Staff, city of the far east" in Sutare), Awakened Alicia kills all 11 of them. These 11 would be the first 11 AF "batch" to hunt Isley.

all the 31/31 Pieta ABs are dead.

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the 3 Rabona ABs (or were there more?), were:

closer to rank 47, the "weaker" ABs (compared to the "stronger" Pieta ABs who were closer to rank 1)

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you can see my out-dated research on this here:

http://mangahelpers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56930

(for example, I still have to add in the Rabona Seige ABs to it)

but you can see that there's at least 40 male ABs that are dead/killed off already (it's the 2nd post in that thread link), but here it is as well:

http://mangahelpers.com/forum/showpo...01&postcount=2