[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Sol Falling

In this case, if we can posit the 'natural' balance as indeed the absolute moral behind this story, may I suggest the idea that this is perhaps precisely why Kyuubey is the villain?

When a narrative's villain takes actions that are diametrically opposed to the moral or theme of the story, then that should ultimately result in the villain getting his comeuppance at some point (villains/antagonists don't always "lose", but when they don't, it's usually because they're not running afoul of the theme of the story, if there is one). In other words, you reinforce your moral/theme by showing the villain who goes against it getting defeated because he went against it.

Classic simple example: Vigilante and/or cop captures some crooks, sending them to jail, reinforcing the theme of "Crime doesn't pay".

So, should Kyubey get his comeuppance within the final episode or two, then that would back up your argument here quite nicely.

However, should Kyubey ultimately get away with his crimes, then that would throw serious doubts on the concept of "natural balance" being part of the theme of this anime, since villains who go against the theme of the story usually pay for it. If they get away with it, that kind of undermines the theme, imo.

Short version: Should Kyubey be made to pay for his crimes, then your argument here has some considerable merit. If he gets away with his crimes, though, then your argument here seems dubious to me. So, I think that this is a case were we'll need to wait for the final two episodes before we can determine how accurate your arguments here are. They are interesting ones, in any event.

In this case, by sympathizing with these characters who have been harmed by Kyuubey's self-interest, perhaps the role of Kyuubey who succeeds in that act is precisely to make us reflect on the cost inherent in our own actions. Victims of Kyuubey's quest to deny nature, we come to understand the pain that would be caused by seeking to deny nature ourselves. In this way, Kyuubey as the antithetical alien interloper becomes ultimately only a mirror to our own humanity. Kyuubey, by striving to escape the cost and reward, gain and sacrifice nature of our reality, finally only proves how he is chained to it in how he becomes directly involved in our human suffering.

Very interesting.

So then, by Kyubey acting in his self-interest to the degree that he tries to get free lunches, he brings extreme pain and suffering (up to and including death) unto others. In displaying the horrors that Kyubey visits upon Earth, Gen is actually arguing against self-interest as one's sole driving motivation, implicitly arguing that sincere caring for the welfare of others should play a role in the decisions that we make.

If this is the case, then a profoundly altruistic and caring act by Madoka could be what resolves the plot of this anime, as it would be the logical antithesis to what Kyubey is standing for.


You've raised two intriguing ideas here, Sol.

However, how valid they are will probably ride on how the anime ends.