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I got a bit carried away researching some stuff and this is a bit long, but I couldn’t help it. Enjoy! (Also please let me know if any images don’t show up)
•Peridot is often called “the gem of the sun” or “the gem of compassion” and those are definitely two of Shuri’s defining traits: she’s bright and warm and endlessly compassionate towards others, so she’s often associated with light/the sun.
Plus peridot is believed to help break bad habits and cycles, and that really speaks for itself doesn’t it? (Sidenote: I found like one article saying that peridot can also help give insight into relationships and help balance relationships, which I kind of thought worked with my idea that Jeremy giving Shuri the brooch was supposed to show how he did in fact want to treat Shuri like family but it’s not the strongest evidence so…)
•Blue roses aren’t naturally occurring in nature; you have to dye a white rose blue in order to get a blue rose. Because of this, blue roses are often used to mean an impossible or unrequited love. However, it can also symbolize uniting two lovers who have been separated. This works amazingly well for TL1 Nora, who could not ever tell Shuri of his love for her, and of his wish that burning the Empire to the ground might be able to bring Shuri back.
•Two of Richelieu‘s reflections look almost like wings at Theobald’s back; however, because of Richelieu’s robes and dark hair, those “wings” look more bat-like than feathered, which tends to be more associated with demons/the devil than angels. It shows that neither of them are truly the kind or saintly people they portray themselves as.
•Richelieu having specifically six reflections kind of stumped me admittedly. I couldn’t find a lot of mentions of the number six in the Bible, and sources were a bit contradictory on whether it was a good number or not. Some said that because God created the world and everything in it in six days, that meant it symbolizes being whole or complete, which could relate back to Theobald’s obsessive need for love. Other sources said that seven was actually the number meant to show being whole (which is why there are seven days in a week) while six was an incomplete number and why 666 is the mark of the devil. I don’t know, maybe I’m missing something.
•Purple roses symbolize royalty and pride, but are often given as congratulations on one’s achievements. My first thought was of Ludovika’s wish to become “the noblest lady in the Empire” by becoming Empress. Like, that was to be her crowning achievement (pun intended).
•Richelieu having one eye covered is interesting for a number of reasons. My first thought was the saying “an eye for an eye” meaning that whatever crime you commit, the punishment will be as equally severe. The full quote:
Which again relates back to Nora destroying the Empire for Shuri. But there is another quote from the Bible that could work here:
Two things to note about this quote: 1) This is speaking of controlling sexual desires specifically here, and it’s been made pretty clear that Richelieu desires Shuri, 2) that the original quote mentions plucking out the right eye specifically, and Richelieu has his left eye covered. Most explanations of this passage I read though agreed that this was said merely to get how serious this point was across, and that it didn’t matter which eye you were supposed to pluck out; the entire thing is just hyperbole. Though Augustine’s interpretation was interesting to me:
“…The right eye may be understood one who counsels us in heavenly matters, and by the left one who counsels in earthly matters.”
Richelieu believes that he was saved by God from drowning; afterwards, he dedicates himself to the church because he’s “seen the light.” He starts a Holy War because he believes himself to be chosen by God. He has his left “earthly” eye covered because he thinks himself above everyone, that only he knows the true grace of God. Though in an almost ironic twist, it’s often believed that the left eye is actually the one connected to the heavenly/spiritual plane. In trying to be a good servant of God, Richelieu ended up blinding himself to God and was left with his own desires and wants. (Could probably word that better but I’m tired. Hopefully you get my point. Also I’m not religious so I hope I don’t offend anyone; please let me know if I have or if I got something wrong)
•I agree that it looks like Jeremy on the cover with Ohera, though the gem looks a bit like how diamonds are usually portrayed. Diamonds are usually associated with engagement rings, and as such tend to symbolize love and commitment. Makes sense as Ohera and Jeremy are betrothed, even if they never got married in TL1. But Ohera’s mom also has some interesting dialogue in chapter 57:
She compares herself to a glittering gem, and even calls Ohera her gem. Maybe the original Korean is more specific about what kind of gem, I don’t know, but Ohera being associated with a gem that means love and commitment when she has such heavy trauma surrounding those very things is brilliant. Also herkimer diamonds are thought to help people let go of anger, pettiness, and childhood issues/trauma. Ohera lying to Shuri to get her away from the wedding is one big trauma response.
wanted to ask about asm physical volumes covers they have a lot of signs and Symbolism especially Richelieu's cover , any thoughts abt them ? i love your analysis + btw i noticed an Eagle flag behind leon in the Vol.5 cover , is that the streife flag ? and who do you think will be in the next cover ? personally i think it would be ali
sure! let's get into it! but first, for my vol. 8 cover prediction! i'm also pretty inclined to think that ali will be the next cover. he's the last one on the roster for our main cast, so it's preeeetttty likely. unless Orka throws us a fastball and gives us a Letran cover for whatever reason... (i'm nervous for the day we'll get a johannes/ludovika cover)
Annnyways! So far we've got the korean/english physical releases of ASM vol. 1-6 (7, if you include Orka's teaser for vol. 7 featuring Ohara). for the sake of the length of this post, i won't be covering the japanese edition covers (they're mostly all the same, just simpler)
i'll be deep diving below the cut! Spoiler warning! be warned! it's a lot of text! (at the least, check out my vol. 6 richelieu analysis!)
Vol. 1 features our protagonist Shuri in all of her beautiful glory! This cover is so beautifully... generic (as it was meant to be) so we don't get a lot of info but.... here's what we got
The golden lions crest: I'd like to think that the family crest is symbolic of how her newfound family will come to back her up in the first volume.
Jeremy, his siblings, and Nora: The framing of the Neuschwansteins on the left and Nora on the right is both foreshadowing to their early conflict and a way to show that they're all watching over her shoulders. Whether in judgement or in protection is what new readers will come to find out.
The peridot brooch: We all know the implications of the brooch and it's connections to Shuri's death in the 1st timeline. It's a looming warning above Shuri's head, but also behind her, just like how Shuri's death is a memory that she can't seem to shake.
The red ribbon: It's the red string of fate that links eeeeeverything together. And it's also the symbol of the Empire. The red petals are a symbol of romance and violence, something that sums up ASM quite well.
Vol. 2 features a young Nora holding his sword. This is where the fun starts and Orka sneaks in more narrative symbols. The cover is bathed in blue, Nora's key color and his family's color symbol.
Broken peridot brooch: On the leftmost frame, we see Shuri's peridot brooch shattering in a pool of blood. It's a violent red flag on an overwhelmingly blue cover. It's a direct reference to Nora's investigation of Shuri's death in the 1st timeline
Knight's armor: On the right, we have a suit of armor, stoically framed in glowing blue light. Becoming a knight for the Imperial Family is the fate for Nuremberg nobles.
Shuri's portrait: In the back is a frame of Shuri as the Spider Widow. Her head is cut off ominously, another reference to her death. There's a small spotlit corner of the portrait flickering behind Nora, like he's always thinking of her.
Blue roses: Blue roses are a mysterious symbol. Shuri also happens to meet Nora under mysterious circumstances and doesn't even learn his name until their fateful second encounter.
Vines: The wrapping vines in the background are a fairytale symbol for danger and fate.
Overall, my take here is that Nora must choose between the three framing elements, aka Streife (the Brooch), Love (Shuri), or Family (Nuremberg Knights). Shuri was never a choice for him in the 1st timeline, but her ending isn't over just yet! So maybe Nora will finally get to explore his 3rd choice.
Vol. 3 features Jeremy in a much simpler setting. This volume is almost completely centric around Jeremy's trial and the cover reflects that. His pose centers focus on his right hand (the hand he almost lost) as he unsheathes his sword.
Chains: Jeremy's imprisonment. that's it
Golden Lions and the Peridot: We've gone over this. If you see a peridot, it means Shuri. She's what is holding together the Neuschwanstein estate.
Shuri and Johannes: There are two silhouetted busts of the current and former head of the Estate. Johannes, in white, has passed on his burdens while Shuri, in black, inherited the burdens of the estate. The Neuschwanstein manor is overlayed on top of the two, as the real subject at stake during the trial.
Lilies: White lilies symbolize purity and rebirth. Jeremy believed he would lose his hand that day, and knowing that Shuri was going to sacrifice herself for him was Jeremy's rebirth. The trial was reshaped the trajectory of Jeremy's entire life, which had been written from birth.
Vol. 4 features Elias and the twins. From this point forward, I don't own any of the physical volume copies, so I can't be 100% certain about it's contents... but it's a bright cover for a new season and kicks off new arcs and new characters, but i'm not sure if it includes the epilogues.
Golden lions crest: of course we can't be without the crest again. I don't think it needs any more explaining.
Streife: The eagle on the left is the Streife symbol, the Empire's secret police force. It may be in reference to Streife reporting Shuri's death but i'm honestly not sure of the relevance here, especially when i don't know which chapters are in this volume.
Golden amulet and Safavid: On the right we have a golden amulet hovering over a bird's eye view of Safavid. It's a little teaser for when we finally get Ali's first appearance
Devil's trumpet and bellflowers: The white devils trumpet flower symbolizes danger and power while the bellflower symbolizes calm. You could say that it's the calm before the storm. Season 2 introduces itself with Leon returning from boarding school. Everything seems happy and cool until Shuri reminds us that political strife has risen over the 3 year timeskip.
Vol. 5 features Theo in a sinister red, gold, and purple palette. I should note that the Japanese releases are behind from the Korean/English releases. Specifically, Vol. 5 includes the missing epilogue episodes that were not included in Vol. 4. However, the Guardian arc and the Family Trip arc (included in Vol. 3 of the english release) are included in the Japanese version of Vol. 5. TLDR, I'm not sure which arcs are included in the official Korean/English Vol. 5 volume.
Violet roses: The violet roses are a symbol of Theo's mother, Ludovika. In the Japanese version, Theo's childhood flashback appears in this volume and we get some insight on Ludovika.
Mirrors and Richelieu: There's a strangeness in the way Richelieu, who appears a surprising 6 times, faces away from the audience. Mirrors should mean self-reflection, but Richelieu faces away from the mirrors. He's so focused on enforcing his beliefs on others and in the process, becomes the greatest sinner. He's aware of this, but he doesn't seem to care.
Cherubs: Two twin cherubs frame Theo, as they seem ready to stab him with their arrows.By season 2, Theo has already fallen for Shuri, in a toxic obsessive love.
Upside down crown: A flipped crown can mean a lack of authority or a change in power. Richelieu manipulating Theo strips away Theo's power as a royal. It also foreshadows Theo's depleting support pillars (Nuremberg and Neuschwanstein)
Vol. 6 features a young Richelieu. Like Vol. 5, the Japanese volume contains the flashbacks of Richelieu's past, which is the only main moment we see a young Richelieu. Anyway, there's a lot here.
Richelieu: This exact depiction of young Richelieu never actually appears in the manhwa (his forehead is bandaged, not his eyes). But there is significance in him being "half blind." Not to mention, there's a huge glowing iris on fire behind him.
There's a saying "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." It's about a seeing man who comes across a town of blind men. He attempts to preach his seeing knowledge to the town, knowing that he is a tier above the people. However, the town cannot understand the meaning of sight and peck out his eyes, because after all, "the king must be of his people." Richelieu's seeing eye (in the background) is going up in flames in the same way. Richelieu literally calls himself a "king" in his youth, fully aware that he is cut from a different cloth. On the cover, he sits on a throne with a divine halo behind his head. Exemplary of how he feels "chosen" by God to strike punishment onto sinners. There's even meaning in the way he is holding his book. In art history, hands on a book in this specific manner is an allegory for great power in knowledge (think Aristotle).
Wolffe: I'll be honest, I'm not entirely sure of Wolffe's significance in the cover, but wherever Richelieu is, Wolffe follows.
Apple: Another symbol of knowledge. Adam's first sin was eating the fruit (apple) of knowledge.
Raven: Ravens are a symbol of transformation, prophecy, and intelligence. I've gone further into Richelieu and his connections with ravens here!
Windows: The windows in the background reference Richelieu's divine awakening. To the moment he woke up from his coma after drowning and the window light shone onto the church pendant on the wall.
Bubbles: The bubbles reference his drowning and eventual "rebirth."
Dogwood Leaves and Thorns: The red leaves can be likened to blood, sure. But did you know it's believed that the Cross of Jesus Christ was made of Dogwood? Richelieu believes his self-flagellation is a form of early repentance for his future sins.
The Vol. 7 teaser features Ohara, but it's highly filtered (for good reason) but we can soooorta only make out some things. There's a jewel? and what looks like Jeremy? I can't say much yet, but let me know what you think?
No new analysis, just wanted to say I got volume 4 today!!
And it does include all the epilogue chapters, including Richelieu and Theobald’s backstories.
wanted to ask about asm physical volumes covers they have a lot of signs and Symbolism especially Richelieu's cover , any thoughts abt them ? i love your analysis + btw i noticed an Eagle flag behind leon in the Vol.5 cover , is that the streife flag ? and who do you think will be in the next cover ? personally i think it would be ali
sure! let's get into it! but first, for my vol. 8 cover prediction! i'm also pretty inclined to think that ali will be the next cover. he's the last one on the roster for our main cast, so it's preeeetttty likely. unless Orka throws us a fastball and gives us a Letran cover for whatever reason... (i'm nervous for the day we'll get a johannes/ludovika cover)
Annnyways! So far we've got the korean/english physical releases of ASM vol. 1-6 (7, if you include Orka's teaser for vol. 7 featuring Ohara). for the sake of the length of this post, i won't be covering the japanese edition covers (they're mostly all the same, just simpler)
i'll be deep diving below the cut! Spoiler warning! be warned! it's a lot of text! (at the least, check out my vol. 6 richelieu analysis!)
Vol. 1 features our protagonist Shuri in all of her beautiful glory! This cover is so beautifully... generic (as it was meant to be) so we don't get a lot of info but.... here's what we got
The golden lions crest: I'd like to think that the family crest is symbolic of how her newfound family will come to back her up in the first volume.
Jeremy, his siblings, and Nora: The framing of the Neuschwansteins on the left and Nora on the right is both foreshadowing to their early conflict and a way to show that they're all watching over her shoulders. Whether in judgement or in protection is what new readers will come to find out.
The peridot brooch: We all know the implications of the brooch and it's connections to Shuri's death in the 1st timeline. It's a looming warning above Shuri's head, but also behind her, just like how Shuri's death is a memory that she can't seem to shake.
The red ribbon: It's the red string of fate that links eeeeeverything together. And it's also the symbol of the Empire. The red petals are a symbol of romance and violence, something that sums up ASM quite well.
Vol. 2 features a young Nora holding his sword. This is where the fun starts and Orka sneaks in more narrative symbols. The cover is bathed in blue, Nora's key color and his family's color symbol.
Broken peridot brooch: On the leftmost frame, we see Shuri's peridot brooch shattering in a pool of blood. It's a violent red flag on an overwhelmingly blue cover. It's a direct reference to Nora's investigation of Shuri's death in the 1st timeline
Knight's armor: On the right, we have a suit of armor, stoically framed in glowing blue light. Becoming a knight for the Imperial Family is the fate for Nuremberg nobles.
Shuri's portrait: In the back is a frame of Shuri as the Spider Widow. Her head is cut off ominously, another reference to her death. There's a small spotlit corner of the portrait flickering behind Nora, like he's always thinking of her.
Blue roses: Blue roses are a mysterious symbol. Shuri also happens to meet Nora under mysterious circumstances and doesn't even learn his name until their fateful second encounter.
Vines: The wrapping vines in the background are a fairytale symbol for danger and fate.
Overall, my take here is that Nora must choose between the three framing elements, aka Streife (the Brooch), Love (Shuri), or Family (Nuremberg Knights). Shuri was never a choice for him in the 1st timeline, but her ending isn't over just yet! So maybe Nora will finally get to explore his 3rd choice.
Vol. 3 features Jeremy in a much simpler setting. This volume is almost completely centric around Jeremy's trial and the cover reflects that. His pose centers focus on his right hand (the hand he almost lost) as he unsheathes his sword.
Chains: Jeremy's imprisonment. that's it
Golden Lions and the Peridot: We've gone over this. If you see a peridot, it means Shuri. She's what is holding together the Neuschwanstein estate.
Shuri and Johannes: There are two silhouetted busts of the current and former head of the Estate. Johannes, in white, has passed on his burdens while Shuri, in black, inherited the burdens of the estate. The Neuschwanstein manor is overlayed on top of the two, as the real subject at stake during the trial.
Lilies: White lilies symbolize purity and rebirth. Jeremy believed he would lose his hand that day, and knowing that Shuri was going to sacrifice herself for him was Jeremy's rebirth. The trial was reshaped the trajectory of Jeremy's entire life, which had been written from birth.
Vol. 4 features Elias and the twins. From this point forward, I don't own any of the physical volume copies, so I can't be 100% certain about it's contents... but it's a bright cover for a new season and kicks off new arcs and new characters, but i'm not sure if it includes the epilogues.
Golden lions crest: of course we can't be without the crest again. I don't think it needs any more explaining.
Streife: The eagle on the left is the Streife symbol, the Empire's secret police force. It may be in reference to Streife reporting Shuri's death but i'm honestly not sure of the relevance here, especially when i don't know which chapters are in this volume.
Golden amulet and Safavid: On the right we have a golden amulet hovering over a bird's eye view of Safavid. It's a little teaser for when we finally get Ali's first appearance
Devil's trumpet and bellflowers: The white devils trumpet flower symbolizes danger and power while the bellflower symbolizes calm. You could say that it's the calm before the storm. Season 2 introduces itself with Leon returning from boarding school. Everything seems happy and cool until Shuri reminds us that political strife has risen over the 3 year timeskip.
Vol. 5 features Theo in a sinister red, gold, and purple palette. I should note that the Japanese releases are behind from the Korean/English releases. Specifically, Vol. 5 includes the missing epilogue episodes that were not included in Vol. 4. However, the Guardian arc and the Family Trip arc (included in Vol. 3 of the english release) are included in the Japanese version of Vol. 5. TLDR, I'm not sure which arcs are included in the official Korean/English Vol. 5 volume.
Violet roses: The violet roses are a symbol of Theo's mother, Ludovika. In the Japanese version, Theo's childhood flashback appears in this volume and we get some insight on Ludovika.
Mirrors and Richelieu: There's a strangeness in the way Richelieu, who appears a surprising 6 times, faces away from the audience. Mirrors should mean self-reflection, but Richelieu faces away from the mirrors. He's so focused on enforcing his beliefs on others and in the process, becomes the greatest sinner. He's aware of this, but he doesn't seem to care.
Cherubs: Two twin cherubs frame Theo, as they seem ready to stab him with their arrows.By season 2, Theo has already fallen for Shuri, in a toxic obsessive love.
Upside down crown: A flipped crown can mean a lack of authority or a change in power. Richelieu manipulating Theo strips away Theo's power as a royal. It also foreshadows Theo's depleting support pillars (Nuremberg and Neuschwanstein)
Vol. 6 features a young Richelieu. Like Vol. 5, the Japanese volume contains the flashbacks of Richelieu's past, which is the only main moment we see a young Richelieu. Anyway, there's a lot here.
Richelieu: This exact depiction of young Richelieu never actually appears in the manhwa (his forehead is bandaged, not his eyes). But there is significance in him being "half blind." Not to mention, there's a huge glowing iris on fire behind him.
There's a saying "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." It's about a seeing man who comes across a town of blind men. He attempts to preach his seeing knowledge to the town, knowing that he is a tier above the people. However, the town cannot understand the meaning of sight and peck out his eyes, because after all, "the king must be of his people." Richelieu's seeing eye (in the background) is going up in flames in the same way. Richelieu literally calls himself a "king" in his youth, fully aware that he is cut from a different cloth. On the cover, he sits on a throne with a divine halo behind his head. Exemplary of how he feels "chosen" by God to strike punishment onto sinners. There's even meaning in the way he is holding his book. In art history, hands on a book in this specific manner is an allegory for great power in knowledge (think Aristotle).
Wolffe: I'll be honest, I'm not entirely sure of Wolffe's significance in the cover, but wherever Richelieu is, Wolffe follows.
Apple: Another symbol of knowledge. Adam's first sin was eating the fruit (apple) of knowledge.
Raven: Ravens are a symbol of transformation, prophecy, and intelligence. I've gone further into Richelieu and his connections with ravens here!
Windows: The windows in the background reference Richelieu's divine awakening. To the moment he woke up from his coma after drowning and the window light shone onto the church pendant on the wall.
Bubbles: The bubbles reference his drowning and eventual "rebirth."
Dogwood Leaves and Thorns: The red leaves can be likened to blood, sure. But did you know it's believed that the Cross of Jesus Christ was made of Dogwood? Richelieu believes his self-flagellation is a form of early repentance for his future sins.
The Vol. 7 teaser features Ohara, but it's highly filtered (for good reason) but we can soooorta only make out some things. There's a jewel? and what looks like Jeremy? I can't say much yet, but let me know what you think?
There are no ages listed pre-time skip when a character is introduced, and I couldn’t find anything about his age throughout all of volume two, and I had almost given up on volume three when I got to the family vacation chapter with this panel:
“Aren’t you and I the same age? There’s no way you’ve been sworn in as a knight already.” Assuming Christmastide happens in December just like regular Christmas, with the vacation taking place shortly after that then yeah Jeremy and Nora would currently be the same age (14).
so after doing some math i realized that nor isn't 17 , he's 16 right before his 17h birthday , and its mostly September or the end of august - start manifesting for nora's birthday people !
That's right! Nora's birthday is next after Shuri's (8/24), so hopefully we get a birthday scene in S3!
he's also a giant for a 16 year old omg
so after doing some math i realized that nor isn't 17 , he's 16 right before his 17h birthday , and its mostly September or the end of august - start manifesting for nora's birthday people !
That's right! Nora's birthday is next after Shuri's (8/24), so hopefully we get a birthday scene in S3!
he's also a giant for a 16 year old omg
what's your general opinion on season 2 ? what did you like/dislike ? which characters you wanted to know more about or generally to appear more ?
Overall, I thought Season 2 was great! Like a super solid 9.5/10
Season 1 was great in terms of establishing story and characters but S2 is when the main story realllyyy starts to play out as the timelines diverge more and more.
I can't really say that I was looking forward to anything specific though. iirc ASM already wrapped up S1 and was starting S2 when I first started reading.
See more below the cut
I'm always preferential towards older characters, so I'm glad we got the 3 year timeskip (even though the majority of our main cast is still Very Young). ofc it was refreshing to see characters that act their age in S1, but I don't know how many more seasons of chaotic kiddie shenanigans I could take before I'd get secondhand parenting fatigue. I think it stopped right before we reached that point.
to be honest, I always cringe a little when pre-pubescent characters act and talk like adults but ASM doesn't really do that (thank god). "Adult in a toddler's body" is a super common trope these days that I'd rather do without it. that's just me though
3 years was the perfect amount of time for a timeskip. Elias' teen angst Sheiss arc was the perfect way to address Shuri's history without making her address it herself. They could've done a cringey scene where Shuri says "you don't understand pain, I know pain," but I'm so relieved they didn't. That would've been... really dumb and more common that you might realize.
The characters getting older also suits the somewhat darker tone that S2 takes on, finally delving deeper into the characters' traumas and violence themes.
The art also got a huge upgrade in Season 2. Orka has always been a genius and a top tier artist even in S1, but she somehow still manages to surpass herself with each new chapter. We live in a household where Orka slander is not allowed but I think we can all agree that Cardinal Richelieu got one of the biggest glow ups of all time.
A super small gripe I had was that a few chapters felt a little rushed in terms of the art and were heavy on reusing old art (not naming which chapters. If you missed it, then there wasn't a problem). That has less to do with Orka and more to do with rushed deadlines, I think. And with 95% of the manhwa looking as great as it does, it's hardly a complaint.
S2 really drove home some great character building moments with Jeremy and Nora. The S1 Jeremy we all knew and loved was obstinate and loudmouthed while S1 Nora was calm and kind. S2 flipped things on its head as Jeremy's stubborn attitude turned into righteous devotion and Nora's will to protect turned ferocious and roguish.
Nora's still my top boy but Jeremy really shot up my rankings this season. He's just such a good boy that only wants the best for his people and you can't really find any fault in that.
Lucas was also a surprisingly good character in Season 2. Not because of who he is (which is a piece of shit) but how much depth he gained as a character. I won't talk about it again but I go into more detail about Lucas here.
Unveiling Shuri's Memories
aka (spoiler) compiling all of Shuri's flashbacks from her death
1st timeline spoilers under cut (warning: graphic depiction of violence):
Ch 83: Shuri's carriage abruptly stops. She looks out the window and calls for her guards, holding the pendant Jeremy gifted her for her 19th birthday.
Ch 113: Shuri remembers seeing the dead bodies of her guards.
Ch 3/70: Bandits wielding swords open the carriage doors.
Ch 15/69: Shuri remembers the bandits' last message before getting brutally murdered: "Your fate was doomed to end like this."
ch 81: Shuri drops the the pendant and dies.
Ch 59 Bonus: Alberon discovers the murder scene.
I am a hardcore NoShu shipper, and I absolutely want them to admit they like each other and kiss already! But I admit I’m also interested in how Shuri will react to everything. She not only has trauma from Johannes accusing her of having a lover behind his back, but also just from putting the Neuschwanstein children’s wants/needs before her own for so long that choosing something solely for herself (like starting a romantic relationship) will most likely feel utterly nerve-wracking to her. I’m excited to see how she grows as a character!
I am too! The slow-burn romance in ASM is so real sometimes!!
Part of me wonders if there will be a classic confession scene? Because I feel like we already got one with Nora saying "You have me" at the end of the Swordsmanship Tourney Banquet. Like they definitely know they like each other but they're so repressed it hurts LOL
I want to see Shuri finally live her sexy, free, and single life with Nora after "completing" her duties as their stepmother 😭😭
Happy 5th Anniversary of ASM!
ORKA is sharing artwork from Season 2!
introducing my basic relationship chart to ASM!
This chart mostly focuses on family ties and lineage, excluding most 1-off characters and estate affiliates (maids, butlers, knights). I may do an extensive guide in the future, but it's pretty complicated as is.
committed to a lifetime of 3rd wheeling
Jeremy: What’s your favorite color?
Nora: Shuri.
Nora: Wait, what was the question?
It's Jeremy's birthday today! (7/30/1101) He's officially turning 923!
Featuring my favorite Jeremy look aka his grown up "Captain of the Imperial Knights" outfit from the 1st timeline.
obligatory redraws of memes with asm characters
I don’t think it’s meant to symbolize him seeing someone in the water, actually. Instead, I think it—and the ribbon—are meant to represent Richelieu’s faith in God, and how he believes himself to be the only priest free of sin.
(my brain didn’t want to word correctly so my apologies if this feels too stilted or disjointed, I just couldn’t seem to get my thoughts out correctly. If you need clarification just ask and I’ll happily answer)
Quick recap of the chapter for anyone who doesn’t have immediate access to it: Richelieu accidentally stumbles across some old passages underneath the Vatican, and starts exploring them. He discovers hidey-holes that allows him to spy on other priests and see just how corrupt they are. As he wanders, he believes God guided him to the tunnels and questions what God wants him to do about all this (which is where that panel occurs). He comes to the conclusion that he must cleanse the Church of corruption, and starts taking steps to do so (becoming Theobald’s teacher, turning Wolff into his right-hand man). Chapter ends with Richelieu and Theobald in present time, going into a room to talk after Theobald has returned from the gambling house.
While researching, I found a short passage in the Bible called “The Parable of the Pearl”:
Basically it means that if you aren’t willing to stake your entire future on getting into Heaven, then you were never worthy of it in the first place. Another popular interpretation is that material possessions can never measure up against the beauty and wonder of Heaven. Both interpretations line up pretty well with some of Richelieu’s thoughts in this chapter:
Pearls have always been extremely valuable, especially in ancient times, and are still often used as a symbol of wealth. I think that’s why Richelieu is shown as separate from the whole strand of pearls; he is the one “good” pearl connected to Heaven while all the other pearls (the priests) chase after their riches. Plus pearls symbolize purity, wisdom, and faith. And yet the strand of pearls looks like it’s stained with something (perhaps blood because the Church plotted Shuri’s murder and then started a Holy War?), which again I thought related back to “chasing after riches and immorality instead of wisdom.”
And Richelieu even goes on to state just how faithful his family has always been:
They don’t cling to material possessions but instead their faith. It took Richelieu longer to find that faith, but when he did, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to it.
Also, apparently when Eve cried as she was kicked out of the Garden of Eden, her tears fell into the ocean and became pearls. Holy figures falling from grace and being associated with pearls…you get the gist. And yes, I do find it a little odd that pearls are both associated with Heaven but also being kicked out of Paradise, but whatever.
The only really mention of ribbons I could find in the Bible was when God ordered the Israelites to wear blue ribbons as they left Egypt to show that they were people of God, but the color white is associated with purity and being free of sin. Ribbons/knots in general tend to symbolize loyalty and eternal bonds. Except the ribbon in the panel isn’t tied or bound to anything. Richelieu may be loyal to God and believe himself to be pure, but nothing he does for atonement can ever justify the sins he’s committed in God’s name. God is not with him after all he’s done.
Mystery Pearls
So there's this strange panel I want to draw your attention to. Specifically this scene in Ch. 106 where a teenage Richelieu has a symbolic flashback to the day he was "reborn."
Now the drowning memory isn't very strange on its own but the really weird thing was that he saw bloody(?) pearls and a white ribbon in the water with him. (and no, Richelieu was not wearing pearls in this scene, doesn't wear pearls in the original drowning scene, and they don't seem to be rosary beads) It only appears in this single panel but it's confusing me so much??
I was wondering if this was a reference to Shuri's death and her own revival, but I couldn't find any proof of her wearing pearls on that fateful day. Just who was it that he saw in the river?
Mystery Pearls
So there's this strange panel I want to draw your attention to. Specifically this scene in Ch. 106 where a teenage Richelieu has a symbolic flashback to the day he was "reborn."
Now the drowning memory isn't very strange on its own but the really weird thing was that he saw bloody(?) pearls and a white ribbon in the water with him. (and no, Richelieu was not wearing pearls in this scene, doesn't wear pearls in the original drowning scene, and they don't seem to be rosary beads) It only appears in this single panel but it's confusing me so much??
I was wondering if this was a reference to Shuri's death and her own revival, but I couldn't find any proof of her wearing pearls on that fateful day. Just who was it that he saw in the river?
None of these are likely to happen, but what if... we got another vacation-style epilogue arc in Season 3?
I loved the hot spring vacation mini story in Season 1's epilogue, but it was a shame that all the characters were still so young (we really missed out on topless adult!Nora official art).
Full picture of Shuri in the streiffe (not sure how it spelled) jacket, given by her boyfriend 🤭
You know, I actually had the same thought myself, but in my head, Nora actually tries to use the Nuremburg name to get close to Shuri. Like, the Neuschwanstein and Nuremburg families have been close for years, and Jeremy is around his age and skilled with the sword so perhaps Nora could visit them to be a friend to Jeremy and the kids, help them through their grief.
Or that’s the general reasoning Nora gives his parents, at least. I think Heidi and Albrecht would believe that Nora is finally being “tamed”, becoming a bit more mature, and would agree fairly easily. Both to help Shuri and in the hopes this might get Nora to mature even more.
Except, whoops, someone just insulted Shuri and Nora does not hesitate in going feral to protect her.
But what if Nora was the one who regressed instead?
Imagine Streife!Nora, in all of his tortured glory, going back in time to protect Shuri from evil. It'd be so violent but also so romantic like-
What would his first re-encounter with Shuri be like? He would probably be the one to seek her out, since they never officially met if Shuri hadn't gone shopping or organized Johannes' memorial party. Would he ever formally introduce himself? I'm kind of imagining a "lady and the tramp" situation, where Nora runs away from his family and starts a life on the streets. And he becomes the mysterious scamp that appears like the wind on Shuri's balcony window.
He'd appear at a moment's notice, somehow knowing exactly when and where Shuri needs his help. Effectively getting rid of obstacles before they even become a threat. Theo and the church would actually stand no chance.
Nora would keep remembering his promise to Shuri at her grave. Knowing that God gave him the chance he always prayed for, he would never let it go to waste.