Pantagruel (パンタグルエル Pantagurueru?) is a character introduced in the PSP video game Toaru Majutsu to Kagaku no Ensemble. He is the main antagonist of the Magic (Hidden) story of the game.
Etymology[]
His name is derived from the title character of The Life of Gargantua and of Pantagruel, a 16th century series of novels about two giants, Gargantua and his son Pantagruel.
Appearance[]
Pantagruel has a pale, gaunt face with long, unkempt black hair, an exposed forehead, red lipstick and blue eyeshadow. He wears a black leather coat with white fur lining over a grey suit.
Background[]
In the past, Pantagruel traveled around the world, trying to find a way to communicate with Aleister Crowley whom he revered, without success. As spells for communicating with the dead had failed with Aleister's remains, Pantagruel came to suspect that those remains may be fake and also that Aleister might not be dead after all. With Academy City as the only place left unchecked, Pantagruel began a plan to summon Aleister, be he dead or alive, through the use of Rondo Net.[1]
Chronology[]
Toaru Majutsu to Kagaku no Ensemble[]
- Main article: Toaru Majutsu to Kagaku no Ensemble
Pantagruel infiltrated Academy City, using the actions of Gate of the Gods Come from the Heavens as a distraction. He then proceeded to implement his plan, incorporating a spell into the Rondo Net with a functional magic contract in the user agreement which would integrate anyone who accepted into the spell (with basic Academy City utilities being incorporated into the Rondo Net, the spell would cover everyone in the city). When the spell was activated, Rondo Net would function as a virtual version of Academy City with anything happening to the avatars also happening to their real-life equivalents. He covered his tracks by both physically and magically destroying the data at the company headquarters and using magic on the company's employees.[2]
Pantagruel meeting with Tsuchimikado before Endymion.
When Kanzaki Kaori attempted to disrupt the balance of the Rondo Net spell using a ceremony, an invisible Pantagruel tried to stop her but was driven off by Tsuchimikado Motoharu who in the process attached an equivalent of a magical tracking device to him. As it was a continuous spell, Tsuchimikado collapsed and Pantagruel called his phone to inform Kanzaki of this fact, forcing her to let him go and stop the spell so Tsuchimikado wouldn't die. He then proceeded to incorporate everything in Academy City into the Rondo Net spell and removed Kanzaki's parameters as a Saint so she couldn't interfere in the same way again.[2]
After Kamijou Touma defeated Ureapaddy Exica, Pantagruel appeared with Tsuchimikado pursuing him. Ureapaddy attacked him but Pantagruel switched his location parameter with Sozty Exica to swap places with her so she was hit instead, before rolling back the damage, threatening to re-open the wound if anyone opposed him. Pantagruel then realized that Touma wasn't incorporated into the Rondo Net spell as his right hand negated it from his phone. Touma fought Pantagruel but was no match for him as he had altered his own parameters to above Saint-class. He then described the true purpose of the Silver Star Miracle and his intent to contact Aleister Crowley.[1]
Pantagruel attempted to summon Aleister Crowley, however the attempt failed as he failed to take the Misaka Network into account. As he made a second attempt, Ureapaddy used her Brahma Astra to make another 'shooting star', creating a duplicate of the spell together with the remains of Kanou Shion which were released earlier. The two spells collided, destroying each other. With Pantagruel's increased parameters temporarily gone, Touma was able to hit him. Partially regaining the Rondo Net spell, Pantagruel escaped by altering his location parameter.[1]
As Pantagruel planned to rebuild the Rondo Net spell and start again, he was contacted by Aleister Crowley himself, who took control of the spell and used it to roll back the city, repairing the damage done to it. Aleister then informed Pantagruel that he will be deleting his existence from the city, however Pantagruel was satisfied as he was able to speak with Aleister.[1]
Abilities[]
Pantagruel's specialty lies in communicating with the dead. This is done by examining their remains and using a ceremony to restore their thought patterns.[1]
The Silver Star Miracle.
He is also capable of constructing spells such as the one integrated into the Rondo Net, which had a functional magic contract in the user agreement and when activated, functioned as a virtual Academy City with its users incorporated into the spell with anything that happened to the avatars on it happening to the real-life equivalents. While in control of Rondo Net, Pantagruel is able to alter the parameters of anything covered by the spell, enabling him to switch locations, alter physical abilities and 'roll back' damage.[1] Sigils are incorporated into the construction of the Rondo Net spell.[2]
Using the invocation "M Veniens argentum stellas", Pantagruel can activate the Silver Star Miracle (シルバースターの奇跡 Shirubāsutā no Kiseki?) spell embedded inside Rondo Net, intended to summon Aleister Crowley.[2]