Why is Frieren a disgrace to wizards?

Summary

  • Frieren hides his mana to survive against demons, but this challenges cultural pride and the essence of magic.

  • Demons consider the concealment of mana a disgrace, Flamme criticizes it as a deviation, and mages find it dishonorable.

  • Frieren's mastery of concealment is a controversial shortcut to power that undermines traditional wizard principles.

Frieren: Beyond the journey's end is a show where mana is the universal measure of a wizard's power and pride. It is their best metric for evaluating opponents, but hiding it is perceived as a lose-lose situation. In Frieren's case, her mastery makes her a formidable sorceress, but at the same time it is also a cultural and philosophical affront to demons and wizards alike.

However, Frieren's reason for hiding his mana signature is deeper and more practical, and it's a feat he deserves credit for. Yet, for elusive reasons, the wizarding community just can't accept him, because they consider him “cowardly” and a “disgrace”.

Related

Frieren: How time breeds complacency

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End deals with the passage of time, and as a result, complacency is a major undercurrent of Frieren's journey.

The demon's perspective

Pride of power

For demons, mana is more than a tool and can be considered a declaration of identity. The more mana you have, the more status and respect you get. Hiding mana for them is like hiding their wealth when their society expects them to flaunt it.

For demons, disguising their mana is not only deceptive, but downright shameful. This undermines their deeply held belief that strength should be worn openly, as a testament to one's pride and superiority.

I despise geniuses. They miss the beauty of accumulated effort.

Frieren's concealment directly offends this value. It's not just that he hides his mana; he has perfected the art so well that even the most discerning demons, such as Aura the Guillotine, fail to detect his true power. This makes his victories seem like cheap tricks to his enemies, an empty punch rather than an honorable duel.

Flamme's philosophy

Betrayal of the essence of magic

fried flame

Flamme, Frieren's mentor, introduces a more nuanced critique. For Flamme, magic is about beauty, expression and sharing, values ​​rooted in the peaceful and creative applications of magic. Hiding Mana, however, is an ability born of violence and necessity, used solely to counter the mana-sensing abilities of demons. By dedicating centuries to perfecting this “cowardly” technique, Frieren distances himself from Flamme's ideal of what magic should represent. It's as if Frieren has prioritized revenge over the wonder of magic itself, a path that Flamme subtly criticizes. This conflict comes to the fore when Flamme teaches Frieren the spell to make a field of flowers grow, a stark reminder of the peaceful origins of magic.

Undermining a lifetime of work

Lernen from Frieren

Among human mages, the concealment of mana is divisive. Many wizards dedicate their lives to increasing their mana reserves, proudly displaying the fruits of their labor. Frieren's mastery of concealment, which allows her to appear weak while wielding enormous power, seems like a shortcut: a betrayal of the traditional wizard ethos of hard work and open strength.

When Frieren defeats Lügner using his hidden mana, his reaction encapsulates this frustration. For him it is not a fair fight, but a calculated trick. For traditionalists, Frieren's approach belittles the art of magic, reducing battles of skill and power to gimmicky ploys, and while it gets the job done, it is a shortcut that undermines the effort a normal magician must expend to achieve that point.

Frieren's self-reflection

A life of loss

Frieren stares calmly while surrounded by leaves in Frieren

Frieren herself is also haunted by the implications of her choices. She reflects on the times she has been defeated by wizards with less mana than her, realizing that pure power isn't everything. Her reliance on concealment has made her a survivor but not necessarily a stronger sorceress in the traditional sense.

She has dedicated centuries to this skill and sacrificed the opportunity to develop other powerful spells or techniques, leaving her vulnerable to those who take a more balanced approach.

Group/Individual Perspective on mana cloaking Reasoning
Demons Vile and shameful Mana represents pride and power; hiding it undermines their cultural values ​​and sense of superiority.
Flamme (Mentor) A necessary but tragic betrayal of the essence of magic Magic should be beautiful and peaceful, not reduced to tactics born of violence and deception.
Human traditionalists Dishonorable and undermining the magician's art Concealment seems like a shortcut, ignoring the ongoing effort of accumulating and displaying mana.
Frieren Practical survival technique A pragmatic response to the constant threat of demons; prioritizes victory over tradition.
Lügner (demon opponent) Frustrating and unfair He believes that concealment takes advantage of the opponent's misjudgment, turning battles into tricks rather than tests.
Modern wizards (e.g. Fern) A new generation technique worth mastering Considered innovative and effective, it marks a change in the way battles are approached by younger wizards.

However, this is not a weakness in the traditional sense, since as an elf, Frieren has all the time in the world to develop and complete his odyssey as a wizard.

A necessary evil

Why Aura "The guillotine"? Frieren

Frieren's use of mana cloaking is a pragmatic response to the existential threat posed by demons, but it comes at a cost. For the demons it is a slap in the face to their cultural pride. For Flamme it is a deviation from the essence of magic. For traditional magicians it is an insult to their way of life. Yet, for Frieren, it is the ability that has kept her alive for over a millennium, allowing her to honor her companions and continue her journey.

And in the end, it is precisely this determination and willingness to adopt any method necessary that allowed her and her group to slay the Demon King, a feat that not even the great wizard Serie has yet to accomplish. However, considering how different Serie A's goals are to Frieren's, this is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

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