The flow of fate is a fascinating concept, a theory which dictates the existence of a predestined ‘proper’ direction for the world to follow. As we’ve learned from Ugo, there are those who fight to maintain this path and work to keep the world in the vision of Solomon’s wisdom. Others, however, are opposed to this path and fight against it, laboring against this flow of fate to improve their power and their lives at the expense of Solomon’s plan. Because of this dichotomy, the conflicting sides fighting to improve their own personal goals, one has to wonder if there is a ‘right’ and a ‘wrong’ side to Magi or if the two are blurred and ambiguous with each sharing some positives and negatives alike.
The flow of fate is arguably the most essential, imperative and integral concept in Magi, heavily influencing every fundamental aspect in some capacity. Whether it is the entire world of Magi, all the charming characters we’ve seen, or the various events that have structured this story, everything has been affected by the flow of fate. Considering how significant and supreme this concept is, playing some role in shaping every feature of this anime, it should be no surprise that there is an apparent war ongoing with the two sides fighting for the current flow of fate and the other fighting against it. Although there are a diversity of reasons for involving oneself in this everlasting struggle, everything simplifies to the point where each side is fighting to improve their own lives. For some, the flow of fate is a blessing. For others, it’s an obstacle or a barrier preventing them from obtaining their immediate goals. To those who face the flow of fate in its opposite direction, it is necessary to fight this predetermined destiny in order to live the life that they envision. So, considering the ethics of this situation, do ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ sides exist or is there some uncertainty and obscurity that clouds this issue?
At this point in the story, the question is impossible to answer, but there are some hints and clues that would suggest one should the series continue to play out the way it does. As it stand currently with Solomon and Ugo favoring the flow of fate seems like the ‘right’ option but the notion of predestination from the flow of fate leads to questions about issues like poverty, slavery, inequality and war occurring in the present world. Likewise, the flow of fate can be viewed as a means of binding everyone to a set path that they have no choice but to follow, almost as if everyone and every event is a slave to this plan set out by Solomon. From that perspective, one could argue that the people fighting against the flow of fate are attempting to liberate themselves from this bondage that restrains them to their current lives. However, everyone that we have seen thus far that has fought against the flow of fate has generally been manipulative, selfish or, in some way, generally evil. These characters are using their powers or their authority to conspire against humanity and seek to only profit themselves at the expense of others. It might even be said that the cruelty and hardships in this world are solely the cause of who fight against the flow of fate and are the reasons for slavery, poverty and inequality in the world. It would be logical to then deduce that it is those who are fighting against Solomon’s vision would be the ones who are ‘wrong’. However, as mentioned previously, this question cannot be correctly answered at this point. It is notable that the issue is not clear or straightforward either, just because Aladdin and Ugo are on one side and the mysterious figures with black rukh are on the other, especially if the sides ever begin shifting or flipping as the story continues. At this point though, it seems as though we are supposed to favor the flow of fate given Ugo’s explanation, but analyzing it and understanding it for ourselves and making our own decision sounds like much for me, at least for me.
One aspect that often irks me in fighting anime is how previous fights, powers and damage seems to be immediately ignored or neglected whenever there are breaks in fights. For example, take Alibaba’s magoi at the end of the battles in the courtyard and the interior of the palace. Following those two fights, Alibaba was depleted of his magoi and was unable to utilize his Djinn weapon equip. Though he was able to keep the Metal Vessel close to his body as he recovered, the following events likely occurred over the matter of a few dozen minutes, not the hours that was mentioned previously by Sinbad. Not only that but consider the extensive damage and exhaustion Alibaba obtained from those two battles, too. With the fight against Kassim in the latter half of the episode, Alibaba is fully-charged, able to wield Amon without any forewarned hindrances or complications nor showing any problems due to pain or fatigue. It’s like he never had those fights to begin with considering how robust and vigorous he is in this fight. While it is true that it’d be cumbersome and inconsequential to show him tired or drained of his magoi in this current battle, it would help signify just how important and taxing those previous battles were and that he faces another disadvantage to overcome when fighting against Kassim. Sure, in the long run, the whole situation would be pointless and futile, but I still would appreciate it if the anime showed some lasting consequences or significance from these fights, especially after it explained the rules of magoi and Djinn earlier in this arc only to contradict them in the very next fight.
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#1 by BobBobsters on January 28, 2013 - 1:24 PM
‘right and wrong’ is the question, but what is merely answered is light and dark, natural and unnatural. The rukh are normally the light color, while when influenced by those going in the opposing direction, they become the darker, black. The implication is something like nature versus nurture, but the whole while using the viewer’s perception of slavery to implicate dark and unnatural with wrong. Perhaps the right and wrong argument is like in Gurren-Lagann [SPOILERS]; that the people attempting to enslave everyone are doing it, because they know the safest way for them to remain in existence or something along those lines.
On the matter of the fighting, there is often a part of adventure stories that is included to allow the story to move along more quickly: some kind of faster-than-normal healing. While magoi may return more quickly when near a metal vessel, perhaps the magoi also heal the user, or some kind of crap like that. Perhaps when near a metal vessel magoi returns at a flat rate no-matter how much you can normally have, showing how absolutely weak Alibaba might actually be at this point, that he gets back to full magoi in such a short time. Either way, some kind of healing is usually necessary for stories, or the majority of adventure stories would either never have the protagonist harmed, or would be something like 60% the character being in rehab/PT/hospitals/etc. Most every story has something like that, OR they have very definitive time jumps.
#2 by avvesione on January 28, 2013 - 5:53 PM
I don’t believe the answer is necessarily limited to light/dark or natural/unnatural. I tried to preface the answer to the question by saying, at this point in the story, we don’t have enough information but the issue is not black and white. I believe we will arrive at an answer when we understand Solomon’s plan and why the flow of fate functions the way it does and why it runs in the direction it does. We will also need to hear the opposing arguments, too, to see why people are opposed to Solomon’s plan, what would be better and why they are doing what they do. At this point, yes, it is a question of light vs. dark, but I don’t believe that this answer really satisfies this question.
As for the fighting, I don’t want to have any down time in the hospital or anything like that, but I would like to have seen Alibaba been a bit weaker, a bit exhausted and maybe a bit slower as a result of those previous battles. If not, a time skip or something would’ve sufficed. I can believe some of the faster-than-normal healing because /everything/ has that, but I would have preferred to see Alibaba struggle in using his Djinn equip or something due to the depleted magoi that we saw from his last battle. As for the magoi returning to the Metal Vessel, Sinbad said it would take hours which doesn’t really match the timing of the events that occurred between the fights. I find it amusing that the anime takes the time to say that, making it sound like the process is lengthy and time consuming, when in reality it just skips over these limits like they’re nothing.
#3 by BobBobsters on January 28, 2013 - 9:31 PM
Silly Avve, Logistics is for HoMaM, not anime!