A Phase (位相 Isō?) is a layer applied over the world, in this context referring to the entire universe or reality itself, which acts like a veil or filter, and changes how the world appears to be.[1]
Principles
The world, as it is normally perceived, is not pure and untouched - various layers, or phases, exist over it and act like filters, affecting how it appears. By applying new phases over it or manipulating the existing ones, the world can be altered and appear entirely different to the one perceiving it. .[1]
Many phases have vastly different physical or magical laws, or contain alien energies, such as the Telesma present within Heaven, which canbe utilized by various means. [2] Some may hold different forms of life,[3] often in the form of pure energy,[4] such as the angels within Heaven.[4]
Phases are intrinsically linked to the forces of Magic.[5][6][7]
Creation and Manipulation
The many religions (Christian, Buddhist, Celtic, Indian, Shinto, Incan, Aztec, Greek, Roman, Norse etc) which have arisen throughout history have applied different phases to the world. [1] There are possibly many phases in the world as there are divine legends and religions.[5] Extremely powerful beings, such as Majins/Magic Gods, are capable of manipulating Phases, and applying new ones, by themselves. [1]
Imagine Breaker, as the reference and restoration point of the world, Can restore the world to a point before the phases were manipulated to enact a change. [1] This later proved problematic to Touma as though he knew its purpose, he didn't know how he could use it to restore the world back to his original world other than Othinus, forcing him to cast his "hesitations" in a fight with Othinus, believing that he could "reach her".[8]
The sword Dáinsleif, when unsheathed, is capable of cutting through Phases, releasing energy stored within them and manifesting them as a figure of calamity from that mythology or religion, representing the evil imprisoned by the gods brought forth once the domain of the gods and their protection is removed.[2]
Kamisato Kakeru's power, known as World Rejecter, can destroy a new phase as it is created, before it embeds into and changes the world,[9] being a product of the conflicted Nephthys.[9][10]
Aleister Crowley, who devised a plan to destroy the Phases, also devised a way to gather the sparks and spray from the phase collisions resulting from the magic he uses, allowing him target and fire them at an opponent[6][11] or contain them within his own body so they don't cause harm to anyone else.[12]
Effects
Othinus showing Touma the "Perfect World", one created from manipulating the phases.
The effects of an individual phase on the world, and the effect of manipulating existing phases, varies by circumstance. The changed world may be similar to the previous one, like the Omega World being recreated by Othinus each time Touma was near death,[13] or radically different, like the Omega World where people's various traumas and tragedies have not come to pass. People and events may be completely changed; for example, in the Omega World, many who had perished in Touma's world still lived, and Sherry Cromwell had the age of a child, despite everybody else being the same age as that of Touma's world.[14]
When the world is changed due to the manipulation of the phases, most of its inhabitants do not realise it truly believing that the world is the same as always and lacking the means to preserve awareness between changes. However, if the Will of the Whole Misaka Network saying that Othinus "cheated" can be believed,[15] it can be assumed that Othinus can assure that people would have memories of the previous world. Regardless, the only people that have continuous memories of all of the worlds as the phases are manipulated, are beings like Magic Gods,[13] and to a limited extent, likely the living bearers of the Imagine Breaker, such as Touma. There are also beings such as the thought entity known as the Will of the Whole Misaka Network, referred to as beyond the living and the dead, and the collective entity St. Germain, who may not be directly or completely affected by the changing phases of the world,[15] though they may be indirectly influenced. Phases themselves are ususally beyond the ability of people to perceive or interact with. The beings able to manipulate Phases are usually the ones who have perception of them. One particular layer, referred to as the Hidden World, is where the true Gremlin reside, hidden but unable to leave, and was beyond perception or the ability to harm by most - even Othinus, a Magic God, was unaware of its existence.[3]
The distances between the phases are not even, gaps between them change irregularly and constantly. As the overlapping phases contact and collide with one another, 'sparks' (火花 Hibana?) are produced. The sparks and 'spray' (飛沫 Shibuki?) produced by phase collisions have a thin but widespread influence on the world and its people, influencing probability, fortune and misfortune. Use of magic, particularly those involving unified theories such as Hermeticism, causes Phases to collide more frequently.[5][6][12] The Imagine Breaker is capable of providing some protection from the effects of these sparks.[6]
Pure World
- Main article: Pure World
Beyond the filters lies the 'pure world', described by Othinus as a world of science, pure and whole physical laws unaffected by religion and therefore magic. The being known as "The Silver Star" has been been attempting to tamper with this realm.[1]
Aiwass, not originating from any religious category and subsequently the phases of magic, is described as the angel of the bottommost layer, closest to the world of pure physical laws, and as such, is at the core of Aleister's plan to eliminate the phases by establishing a means of controlling him and shattering the Phases, destroying magic entirely. [7]
Background
Throughout history, the various religions which have arisen have had the effect of applying phases to the world.[1] At some points, the phases have also been manipulated by the Magic Gods,[1][3] the majority of which eventually formed the reconciliation council Gremlin and came to reside in a hidden layer, separate from the rest of the world.[3][16]
After Othinus became a Magic God, she used her power to apply new phases and change the world, however as she did, she forgot how her original world was and as such couldn't go back once she wished to, leading her to recreate the world many times attempting to reach it. Her hesitations prevented her from using the Imagine Breaker to return the world back to her own original world.[13] These hesitations and uncertainties would later build up inside of her, and she had hoped to find someone to understand her, and she believed that person could be found in her original world.[17] She would later settle in the current world[13] — the world where Kamijou Touma would be born as a bearer of the Imagine Breaker.
A man calling himself as the Silver Star has also attempted to tamper with the Pure World beyond all the filters and continues to aim to do so.[1] Aleister Crowley also attempted to find and breach the hidden layer where the true Gremlin resided, leaving the world's strength to handle Othinus, despite knowing of the dangers of her running free.[3] His goal is to eliminate all phases, having lost his daughter as a result of the sparks from the conflicting phases,[6] using Aiwass, the angel of the bottommost layer above the pure world of physical laws.[7]
Chronology
Toaru Majutsu no Index
Angel Fall Arc
- Main article: Angel Fall Arc
The term 'phase' is briefly mentioned during Tsuchimikado Motoharu's explanation to Kamijou Touma about the nature of Heaven and Hell.[18]
Academy City Invasion Arc
Fuse Kazakiri's presence is mentioned to warp the several "layers" of the world that are piled up on top of each other to blow away the magical laws in Academy City, a clear reference to phases.[19]
World War III Arc
- Main article: World War III Arc
The term phase is mentioned by the narration as Fiamma of the Right starts to dye the world by calling in Heaven.[20]
Aleister Crowley mentions phases, specifically the adjustment of a phase's thickness, when talking to Fiamma of the Right about the similarities between their plans.[21]
Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index
Magic God Othinus Arc
- Main article: Magic God Othinus Arc
Lance of Gungnir
While explaining his ability to stop her magic, Fenrir clarifies to Oriana Thomson that he's not damaging another phase and throwing it into Heaven or Hell.[22]
Shifting and Fluctuating World
After acquiring Gungnir, Othinus 'ends' the world, creating a new phase over it. She then proceeds to recreate the world through multiple new phases in an attempt to break Kamijou Touma. After subjecting him to many worlds, she talks about him about phases before creating one last new world.[1]
Failing to break Touma with the phases, Othinus attempts to break him directly, repeatedly crushing him again and again without him breaking, before becoming exhausted and trying to end him. The world created by the applied phase is then ripped apart as she throws Gungnir and when the lance is destroyed, she uses a crossbow comprised of the black world to strike Touma. However as Touma dies, he manages to remind Othinus why she was trying to return to her original world in the first place - to find someone who understood her. Realizing she had inadvertently made such a person in Touma and that there may not be anyone like that in her original world, Othinus chooses to recreate Touma's world.[17]
VS The World
During his journey with Othinus across Denmark, Touma faces Marian Slingeneyer, who makes use of Dáinsleif to cut away phases within a barrier and summon figures of calamity to attack him.[2]
Following Touma's attempt to save Othinus from killing herself, the Magic Gods of the true Gremlin interfere from their hidden world, a phase which Othinus didn't perceive or affect, to prevent a change occurring in Touma which would be inconvenient for their plans for his future. As they discuss the events, Aleister Crowley penetrates and compromises their hidden world, stepping into their "divine territory". On apparently being provoked by them, Aleister begins a battle with the Magic Gods,[3] eventually escaping with a third of his body blown off but having accomplished his goal.[23][24] With their hidden sanctuary gone, Gremlin proceeded to make preparations to enter the real world.[25]
Magic God Invasion Arc
- Main article: Magic God Invasion Arc
After being weakened by Aleister Crowley on entering the real world, Nephthys is left the only Magic God in the true Gremlin able to swap out the phases, due to her nature, and only able to do so once. She attempts to do so when faced with Kamisato Kakeru, who had exiled by Niang-Niang and the other Magic Gods with his World Rejecter, but the phase she creates is crushed before it can be embedded and the world changed.[9]
Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator
Necromancer Arc
During Hishigata's attempt to turn his sister Hirumi into a Level 6 (unknowingly a Perfect Golem for the Taowu and Isaac), he fooled DA into believing the plan would "add a new layer" to the world that would match with their values of justice, in order to keep their support.
Examples
Created by religions
- Heaven and Hell (天国 & 地獄 Tengoku & Jigoku?) (Christianity)
- The Underworld (冥府 Meifu?)[1] (Various)
- The Pure Land (浄土 Joudo?) (Buddhism)[1]
- Yomi (黄泉 Yomi?) (Shinto) [1]
- The Abyss (地底 Chitei?)[1]
- Olympus (オリンポス Orimposu?) (Greek)[1]
- The Fairy Island (Celtic)[1]
- Nirai Kanai (ニライカナイ Nirai Kanai?) (Ryukyuan)[1]
- Asgard (アースガルド Āsugarudo?) (Norse)[1]
- First sun (Aztec)[2]
- Takama-ga-hara (Shinto)[2]
- Amaravati (Hindu)[2]
Worlds created through phase manipulation
Other
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 09 Between the Connected Points
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 10 Chapter 13
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 10 Epilogue
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index: Kanzaki SS Chapter 4 Part 2
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 18 Chapter 3 Part 11
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 18 Chapter 3 Part 13
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 18 Chapter 4 Part 5
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 09 Chapter 8 Part 8
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 13 Epilogue
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 Epilogue
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 18 Chapter 4 Part 2
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 19 Epilogue
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 09 Chapter 8 Part 5
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 09 Chapter 6C Part 1
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 09 Chapter 7 Part 4
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 13 Chapter 1 Part 8
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 09 Epilogue
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 04 Chapter 1
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 13 Chapter 8 Part 10
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 22 Chapter 10 Part 3
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 22 Epilogue
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 08 Chapter 4 Part 9
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 11 Epilogue
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 12 Epilogue
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 12 Prologue
| Religious and Mythological | Heaven and Hell • Underworld • Pure Land • Yomi • Abyss • Mount Olympus • Fairy Island • Nirai Kanai • Asgard • First Sun • Takama-ga-hara • Amaravati |
| Phase-manipulated Worlds | Alpha World • Beta World • Omega World • Black World |
| Others | Imaginary Number District • Artificial Heaven • Current World • Hidden World |