Angel Fall Arc

Template:Infobox arc The Angel Fall Arc is a story arc that occurs in the Toaru Majutsu no Index storyline. It concerns with the activation of a world-wide spell known as Angel Fall, a spell that switches the elements, as well as the appearances of persons around the world. The most notable effect of Angel Fall is the expulsion of an angel to earth.
The arc focuses on Touma, Kaori and Motoharu trying to find the culprit and stop Angel Fall, while Touma deals with his family that he meets for the first time since losing his memories, during an involuntary vacation outside of Academy City.

Background

Aftermath of the Sisters Arc

Main article: Sisters Arc

After defeating Accelerator, delinquents looking for prestige and glory increased their hostilities on Touma as he was the one to have defeated Academy City's strongest esper. Because of this, Touma is forced to leave Academy City (along with Index) at the urging of Tsukuyomi Komoe, while Academy City quells the situation during his absence.

Activation of Angel Fall

Kamijou Touya – Touma's father and collector of souvenirs from all around the world – unitentionally activates Angel Fall after arranging the various souvenirs in his home in accordance to the principles of feng-shui in an effort to stop his son's vast misfortune and after accidentally leaving his house unlocked to go to Touma's current location.

Chronology

Light Novel Version

Touma wakes up to find everyone has changed appearances, and he has no idea what has happened.

As everyone went onto the beach to play around, Touma went off by himself to try and think through what happens. Tsuchimikado Motoharu found Touma when he's around 100m away from Index and others, and warn him nee-chin (Kanzaki) is coming to get him, thinking he's the culprit of Angel Fall. Here Touma found Motoharu is actually a magician of Necessarius, and from what he talks about the 'Imaginary Number Sector' and 'Academy City's Darkness' Touma can feel Motoharu isn't lying about being a spy, as he has no idea what Motoharu is going on about.

After explaining about things like Angel Fall, Heaven & Hell, and Idol Theory, Kanzaki started to shake Touma and told him to hurry up and reverse the spell, as she doesn't want to be treated as Stiyl for the rest of her life. Touma tries to stop being shaken by someone with the physical strength of a Saint by pointing out he's a esper, so he can't use magic. Kanzaki paused and was going to accept that, until she thinks of Motoharu who is also a esper but can use magic. Motoharu raises the point if espers use magic they will have physical damage, as shown by the esper students who were part of the Gregorian Chant in the Deep Blood Incident.

Touma was then subjected to a body search by Kanzaki, who feels Kanzaki's hands are almost like something licking him and is afraid he might end up having a fetish of sort if this goes on. As 'his body started reacting due to being a normal heterosexual high school student' Touma tried to make excuses to try and avoid being slashed by Kanzaki, as he thought she might be offended by his uncontrollable reaction. However Kanzaki was actually thinking of 'that place' needs to be searched as well, and started to put on surgical gloves. Touma was given the choice of letting Kanzaki do it or let Motoharu do it, and it's only when the two magicians saw Touma's face which is on the verge of tears they took pity and stopped. Touma was then forced into helping them solve the incident in exchange for being protected against attacks by other magicians who may come investigate.

Kanzaki meets Touma's family. They discuss how Kanzaki's demeanour doesn't match her appearance (ie Stiyl's), and she's slightly femnine. Touma tried to make her feel better by saying they're talking about Stiyl's appearance and not that 'no matter how she looks she's like a ferocious man', and it lead to Touma being dragged away by Kanzaki. Touma's afraid that Kanzaki will subject him to waterboarding punishment as they are headed towards the baths.

Anime Version

1st Day

Prior to the start of the arc, Touma makes and agreement with his family in the Oowarai Beach resort. However, for some reason, Touma's family were unable to go to the resort on the appointed day promising that they would arrive the day after, disappointing Index who was eagerly awaiting their arrival.

Throughout the day before meeting his family, Touma becomes considerably anxious and worried of their impending arrival, citing his memory loss as the reason, as he has no idea what his family looks like and what kind of persons they are.

2nd Day

Touma meeting his father for the first time.

Touma wakes up the next morning, unaware of the change that the world has gone through. Touma meets his father, and though depressed that he could not recognized his face as well as the fact that he will never get to see the house he was born in, as Touya says that they have moved into a new house (as is the reason why they were not be able to come to the resort the other day). Touma is however, content that he finally gets to meet his father.

However, soon discovers something is incredibly wrong, after seeing that nearly everyone he knows from both magic and science side has converged into the resort apparently to pull a prank on him. With Index being his mother, Misaka Mikoto being his cousin Tatsugami Otohime, and Aogami Pierce as Index.

Afternoon

After much trouble, Touma finally realizes that people switching their appearance is too much in a large scale for it to be a mere prank. While pondering about this, Touma is nearly attacked by Misha Kruezhev who suspected Touma to be a spellcaster, however, he saved just in time by Kanzaki Kaori (who he meets for the first time and successfully manage to fool her that he didn't lose his memories) and to his surprise Tsuchimikado Motoharu.

Here, they explain to him that for reasons unknown a magician has cast a spell called Angel Fall which caused a distortion in the world by forcing an angel class into that of a human class, ruining the balance between the classes and thus switching the content and appearances of humans. Motoharu explains that Touma is the most likely suspect for Angel Fall, as his appearance did not change and is the reason why Misha attacked him. Though, they explain to Misha that Touma could not have been the spellcaster as he is a low-level esper, and that he shows no signs of injuries with use of magic due to him being an esper. Tsuchimikado also states that Touma could not have been the spellcaster as he holds Imagine Breaker, an ability that negates all supernatural phenomena.

Touma proves his innocence to Misha by cancelling her magical directed attack on him as a test. However, the spell is still centered around Touma, which indicates that someone close to Touma might've been the one to have cast Angel Fall. Touma later demands how Motoharu knows of his Imagine Breaker and his knowledge regarding the magic side, to which Motoharu replies that he is also a member of Necessarius.

Nighttime

Having explained the situation to Touma, the group concludes that the spellcaster must be near Touma, and that they must either defeat the spellcaster or destroy the ritual location of Angel Fall.

Touma offers Misha a piece of candy.

Both Misha and Kaori investigate Touma's family, much to their delight due to their queer appearances (with Kaori having the appearance of Stiyl). Meanwhile, Touma and Motoharu talk on how he is a magician as well as an esper (as well as he cannot be with Touma's family since his appearance is that of Hitotsui Hajime and would most likely cause a ruckus), and that using magic again could potentially kill him, and shows his injuries to Touma. They also talk about on how he was a magician using Onmyouji and specialized in feng-shui, before coming to Academy City as a spy and going to the Power Curriculum Program, which made most of his magic unusable; as well as Kanzaki Kaori's apparent distaste for her own fortune, with connections to her past as an Amakusa Catholics; which is also the reason why Motoharu warns Touma not to say his "Such misfortune" line.

However, Kaori suddenly barges in, unable to bear being around Touma's family. She later forces Touma to guard the entrance to the male hotsprings as her form is currently viewed by others apart from Touma, as a man and the obvious implications of her going into the female's hotsprings. After a misunderstanding with his father, Touma is forced to runaway with his father from an attack by Kaori as they both see her trying to get dressed.

After catching their breath, Touma remembers that his father's appearance is not truly his, which depresses him. This prompts Touya, to reminisce on his youth, and compares Touma's worried look to that of Shiina. Their bonding is interrupted when they notice that Misha is alone, Touya later forces Touma to interact with her.

Though having a cold demeanour, Touma breaks the ice by offering Misha candy. Though, she is extremely modest in taking it from Touma, trying not to touch his right hand. Misha then explains to Touma that Angel Fall is still incomplete, and that if it was completed a great calamity would occur like that of ancient lore.

3rd Day

Morning

Touma awakens the next day to find that her mother forgot to lock the door to the house, and opts to return home to check on it, with Misha accompanying her, which confuses Touma. Touya tries to make a joke about it regarding Misha's shyness; however, Touma notices that Misha didn't touch his hand at all after Touya pointed this out to Touma. Knowing this Touma reports this Kaori and Motoharu, to which they conclude that Misha maybe the culprit. Pointing out that Misha somehow knowing a significant amount of information regarding Angel Fall as suspicious, since there are no records what Angel Fall truly is. Because of this, Motoharu accompanies Touma to his house.

They arrive to find out that they have arrived before Shiina and Misha (since they took the train). Here, Motoharu and Touma notices that Touya has gathered several souvenirs in his home, curious of this, Touma tries to touch them though is told by Motoharu not to. While wondering around however, Touma discovers that the picture of his father remained consistent with his current appearance, to which Motoharu reminds to Touma that besides him, the spellcaster's appearance will not have changed. At the same time as this Shiina and Misha arrives, the latter discovering that Touya is the culprit of Angel Fall as well. This forces Touma to follow her, as Motoharu is preoccupied with Shiina since she mistook him as Hitotsui Hajime.

Afternoon

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Touma confronting his father

Touma arrives on the beach before Misha, and is informed by Kaori that his father is in the beach alone. Touma explains to Kaori the situation regarding his father as the culprit, and although reluctant at first, she allows Touma to handles the situation with his father.

Touma confronts his father on the beach, and demands to know why he dabbled in the occult. Touya explains that the reason is to counteract his misfortune. According to Touya, the reason he sent Touma to Academy City is because the city lacked superstition, being the city of science, and would hopefully help remove the misfortune that has plagued Touma since his childhood. However, even then the city could not solve Touma's misfortune, and as such Touya turned to occult to help Touma. Touma, however, chastises his father, saying that even though he was misfortunate, he never said that he regretted it, and no matter how misfortunate he was it was his path to walk on.

Hearing this from Touma, Touya agrees that he will stop collecting souvenirs. This surprises Touma as he thought that they were talking about the occult and Angel Fall. Touma determines that Touya has no idea about Angel Fall, even though his appearance did not change.

End of Angel Fall

Archangel Michael with the power of Archangel Gabriel, showing his power over water.

Misha however, appears before them, determined to eliminate the spellcaster. Touma tries to plead to Misha, stating that even though his father's appearance has not change, he has no idea regarding Angel Fall. Kaori arrives shortly, threatening Misha in harming humans without permission; here, she states that the person before them is not Misha but someone who is using the appearance of Sasha Kruezhev. Kaori states that Misha is the one who was affected by the Angel Fall, an angel who has fallen from heaven, who has come to eliminate the culprit behind Angel Fall and return to heaven.

Misha turns afternoon to night, and unleashes a magical array into the sky preparing to unleash The Sweep, a devastating spell said to have destroyed an ancient civilization. Kaori orders Touma to take his father and find away to stop Angel Fall, before the angel uses The Sweep, while she handles the angel. Though reluctant to leave Kaori behind, Touma concedes and takes his father away from the scene.

Kaori fends off Misha by using the techniques she learned back when she was still the leader of the Amakusa, however, she is quite aware of her limitations, and keeps on the defensive, unable to attack Misha.

Meanwhile, Touma and Touya returns to the resort to find that Motoharu has knocked out everyone. Here, he states to Touma that Touya is indeed the caster of Angel Fall, though he himself is unaware of this. According to Motoharu, Touya followed the principles of feng-shui and arranged his souvenirs in his house to create the ritual location for Angel Fall, activating it only after they left the house without locking it. Angel Fall was activated out of sheer coincidence.

Motoharu's spell about to destroy Touma's house.

Motoharu begins threatening them, saying that he needs to kill the spellcaster as he is unable to destroy the ritual location. Touma becomes angry because of this, and states that he will not allow anyone to be sacrificed; he attacks Motoharu but is quickly beaten by him. Touya is also incapicated as well.

Touma however, realizes that Motoharu is trying to cast a magic spell even though he is an esper, which he knows would probably kill him. Touma pleads to Motoharu to stop, but is told by him he will not. Motoharu apologizes to Touma for beating him up, as that was the only way to allow him to cast magic without any interruption, as Touma is similar to Kaori, as they would both stop at nothing to prevent Motoharu from doing this to himself. Motoharu’s last words to Touma are that he is a liar.

Motoharu’s spell is completed, and a stream of light rushes forth from the resort and into the horizon, destroying the ritual location – Touma’s parent’s house. At the same time as this, Misha’s form crumbles into nothing, and a battle-weary Kaori falls to her knees, thanking Touma.

Aftermath

Touma returns to Academy City and is being treated in the frog-faced doctor’s hospital. Here, he discovers that Motoharu is still alive, despite his injuries after using magic. Motoharu states that he lied that he would die if he used magic, as his esper power – Auto-Rebirth allows him to use magic a few more times. Motoharu then states he also lied about him being a spy in Academy City, and that he is actually a double-agent, and states that is also a lie as well and says that he is actually a agent for multiple organizations.

This irritates Touma, until he is calmed down by Motoharu bringing in his parents in his ward. Here, he sees his mother’s true form for the first time. However, their reunion is interrupted after they state that their house has been destroyed by unknown force and is forced to move into their old house – where Touma was born. This angers Touma, and tries to confront Motoharu, however, he has already left, and only to be greeted by a livid Index who then bites Touma for all his abuse on her during their time at the resort.

Effects and implications in later events

Though seemingly an innocuous event, the fall of the angel sets-up various events later in the series, such as the switching of the alignment of angels to their elements. The angel that has fallen from heaven was Archangel Michael using the powers of Archangel Gabriel.

With the angel taking in the form of the human Sasha Kruezhev, left a large amount of residual telesma inside her which would allow Fiamma of the Right, leader of God's Right Seat to summon Archangel Gabriel into the world even though he is normally aligned to Michael, this is due to switching of the elements.

Trivia

• This arc is notable for being highly edited for the anime adaptation, notably the removal of Hino Jinsaku.
• This arc does not appear in the manga version, though some of the characters that appear in the arc, is featured in a short omake. Also, it is shown that Touma and Index some how went to the beach, though this it is not shown whether or not the events of this arc actually occurred off-screen.