“The time that you lived up until now…that is ‘life’…Tell me…the meaning of my ‘life’ – colour by i-azu
It is said that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can however change form, so what if while the energy used by Ultear (her ‘time’) in performing the Arc of Time spell, Last Ages, served as the price to carry out the spell, it also went beyond the necessary payment of the one minute rewind and the excess energy, which released into the sky upon casting actually exist in some place of space within the world of Fairy Tail. What if this excess energy representing Ultear’s ‘time’ is able to be returned to her?
I refuse to believe fifty or so odd years of Ultear’s life constituted a mere one minute of time rewound, if such a taboo spell had only a minimal effect (mere minutes for the price of a human life), why even bother creating such a spell? Arc of Time is a Lost Magic that is a type of Ancient Spell, it is a magic that has been obliterated from the history of the world due to its immense power and the sheer gravity of its side effects on the user. Ultear may have gotten a handle on the Arc of Time magic, but she may not have gained mastery over it due to not having full knowledge of what exactly the Arc of Time magic is – she only learned from the fragments of information that were recorded in books she found. If Ultear was unable to handle the Arc of Time magic properly to the point of being unable to fully utilise and connect the energy released from herself during the Last Ages spell within the spell, the possibility that that excess energy which escaped from her may in fact still be returned to her exist. If this is true and the effects of Last Ages is much more effective than we have seen, then the ‘time’ or at least some of it which Ultear lost may still be able to be returned to her. Ultear’s feelings of repentance and atonement at the time may have had a hand in why so much ‘time’ was stolen from her by the magic – it reacted to the will and feelings within her heart.
Last Ages is a magic that steals ‘time’, but the intricacies behind it haven’t even been revealed fully, sure it may steal ‘time’ but has it used all the ‘time’ up in itself? The answer is unknown, so until the time it is revealed it can’t, Ultear may still be able to get some of her ‘time’ back.
As for how, well once that energy existing in space somewhere is found by her, she could find some way to bring it back inside her. This theory I have could overlap with another theory I’ve been thinking about that sparked from a potential foreshadow made by Mashima-sensei during the Grand Magic Games arc:
A potential water dragon slayer? This could be quite interesting
Yes, the water dragon, I have wondered when the water dragon or something similar to it will make its appearance in Fairy Tail. There are two main elemental dragons that have yet to be revealed in Fairy Tail which are most likely existing in the story; the water dragon and the earth dragon. We already have Igneel, the Fire Dragon and Grandeeney, the Sky Dragon (a form of air), so having some sort of water and earth dragon appear is only something that appears natural from the flow of things (well we did have that Earth dragon from the past Cobra faced off against in the Grand Magic Games arc, but he has since then been returned to the past).
Why do I believe a water type of dragon slayer magic can help Ultear? Water embodies all, without it nothing can live and the common qualities associated with water are; emotion, intuition and healing. Within that quality of healing, a far greater power of healing then what we’ve seen could exist, a power able to help Ultear regain the ‘time’ she has lost.
Initially I had thought that a Water/Mist/Ice Dragon Slayer could exist already in the world of Fairy Tail and end up helping Ultear, but after reading up on the element of water and what it represents, I think it would be a better move to instead have Ultear herself become a Water-type of Dragon Slayer, because she so deeply reflects the qualities embodying water and more than anything else, her mother, Ur, is forever existing in the ocean made up of water. Water is a cleansing, healing, psychic, and loving element; when we swim it is water that supports us, when we are thirsty, it is water the quenches our thirst. The very essence contained within the energy of water is the essence of love and within Fairy Tail, love is the underlying reason for all magic. Water is also a feminine element, as well as the element of emotion and subconscious, of purification, intuition, mysteries of the self, compassion and family. Ultear, after everything she has been through and through the sacrifices she has made for the people she cares about and for the future, she to me, is the perfect candidate to become a Water-type of Dragon Slayer. Plus if she does become one, it will offer her another way to use magic not taboo and double-edged like her Lost Magic, Arc of Time. It is also interesting to note that water can also be associated with time, so even if Ultear never uses the Arc of Time magic again, she can incorporate elements of the spells she has learned into the Dragon Slayer Magic she learns, if she does become a Dragon Slayer. Ultear’s journey ended prematurely and I don’t want that, I want her to continue journeying with Jellal and Meredy and to continue to carry out Crime Sorcière’s purpose and intentions together with them – to never stop loving people and to protect them and their happiness:
Crime Sorcière seems just so empty without her, her farewell has left such a massive gap within that neutral guild and within my heart – I WANT YOU BACK ULTEAR!
We already know Igneel and Grandeeney are active (to a point) somewhere in the world of Fairy Tail currently, so the possibility of a Water-type Dragon being active as well is a likely possibility. With the Dragon King Festival over, or at least the human version of it, it appears the Dragons will begin to move (as Igneel stated at the end of chapter 293) – Dragons have remained silent for the past 340 chapters, it just feels like it’s about time they make a move. Ultear, in her aged form, while wandering the lands in her recently achieved enlightened form, could end up stumbling upon a Water-type Dragon, be it weakened by certain circumstances or hunted by an organisation of humans i.e. dark guilds, whatever the reason the strings of fate could pull the two together.
If Tartaros gets involved somehow, via one of their underling guilds attempting to capture a Water-type Dragon, things could become quite interesting as Fairy Tail would also enter the picture. Gray I know for one would do anything to save Ultear if it is within his power.
Gray was just like Ultear was, he too was looking for a place to atone for his sins, a place to take responsibility for his weaknesses, a place to die…Ever since Ur died, Gray blamed himself, he blame his weakness, he never forgave himself, he cursed himself and if not for Natsu, Gray would have continued directing the negative thoughts caused by his judgmental mind at himself. When Gray realised what Ultear had done for him, those feelings of guilt and anguish due to his weaknesses and powerlessness to stop the unfortunate events that have happened from happening, those feeling must have resurfaced and tore him apart. Not being able to save the mother caused him a great deal of pain and regret, but now realising he was saved by the daughter as well, the amount of pain, gratitude and sorrow he must be feeling, it should be crushing.
More than anyone, Gray would understand what Ultear felt and the torment she suffered in and more than anyone else, if given the opportunity and chance, I believe Gray can save Ultear. So I am hoping right here, right now with an intensity so thick and heavy that it could break a desk that Ultear is given a chance to reclaim some if not all of the ‘time’ she has lost. Ur is one of my favourite characters in Fairy Tail, so seeing her daughter, Ultear, suffer the same fate she did is just too cruel; I want Ultear to live long! I want her to continue smiling! I want her to continue being part of the Fairy Tail story! And I know it’s selfish of me, but I don’t want this to be the end of her story, I don’t…I WANT HER TO TRULY HAVE A HAPPY ENDING!!
Jellal and Meredy as well, they are precious friends of Ultear who would go to the depths of hell to bring her back, so if the opportunity to save Ultear’s ‘time’ presents itself, they too will be at the forefront of making sure Ultear gets it back. Along with Gray, those two would do anything to help her, because they realise just how much she has done for them.
My mind registers that this is only a work of fiction, but my heart, it feels the pain…just being a spectator to the tragedy taking place in front of my eyes, it’s heartbreaking feeling so powerless. This deep deep emotional connection that I have with Fairy Tail and its characters, it wants to do so much more, but all I can do is believe and put my hopes in characters within the story and merely theorize ways to remedy this tragedy within the flow and context of the story.
Thank you for reading.
12Dimension 