Often we believe that everyone has good intentions. That those who know better will do better if given the opportunity. However, live long enough and you will start to see the horrors of the world. That some are born monsters while others have a choice and simply choose to be. Others actually commit to changing and want to be better, and yet cannot help what they are. Demons at their core are still wild beasts.
Recently I binged watched the first and second seasons of the anime: Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. While it is an interesting anime having to do with self-actualization and understanding, it also introduced something I have thought about and feel vindicated on — that there are some things that cannot be helped or be changed, thus you’ve an obligation to Destroy the Irredeemable.
You see. I found myself struggling so much on the thought of giving up on others who could possibly be redeemed. That given an opportunity, they could do better, even if time-and-time again they have shown to fall back to their old ways. Who describe themselves as a sociopath, and have gladly laughed at some of the horrible things they have done which inflicted pain upon others. Am I just as bad if I see them as a monster and lack empathy once I see their nature? Or am I better by realizing that just because you’re similar to me, that does not mean we are the same?
Within Frieren there are demons and monsters. While most consider monsters to simply be animals attuned to their nature, many wonder about this when it comes to demons. Sure, it is recognized that monsters and beasts can be intelligent and clever, it is perceived differently by most when it comes to demons.
Demons can look humanoid, they speak the very same language, and are capable of organization, thought, and magic. These things are the very same traits which govern Humans, Elves, and Dwarves within Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. As people, everyone recognizes that there are good and bad within all races, thus people are often judged on an individual basis. More than that, those who commit wrongs sometime have changes of heart or can be redeemed based upon the realization of the damage dealt by their actions — that’s what we believe in the real world. However, Demons do not possess this ability, and have shown to be irredeemable.
Fundamentally, demons see humans as inferior and something to be preyed upon. Their very nature is predatory, and thus they lower themselves by being equal to humans. I find it is more accurate to say that they do not see the value within human life in general — very reminiscent of psycho or sociopaths. Sure, they could potentially do what others would consider the “right” thing, but why inconvenience themselves by going against their nature?
“They are nothing more than monsters that can imitate the human tongue — I call them “demons”. And take it from an expert, they are all the same“.
—Flamme to Frieren
Frieren once asked Flamme if she believes the way she killed demons was “unfair”, to which she retorted saying that, “They do not play fair. So we have no choice but to take their lead and deceive doubly so”. Stating that the best way to win is to also be dishonest and conniving, to exercise cowardice by preying upon their own principles. That there is nothing wrong with gaining an advantage against a foe who would not hesitate to exploit the weaknesses of others due to their own foul play. This is hard to accept until you realize that morality only applies when you are not dealing with monsters.
In the anime, we flash back to a scene where a small demon child eats the daughter of a villager. Himmel hesitates on killing her because she calls for her mother and seems to be in pain. The Village Chief, despite the demons actions, wishes to offer the child a chance at repenting. By giving the demonic child a home and proper guidance, that she would assimilate human ideologies when it comes to the value of life and adopt our morality.
“The empathetic are often shown that their good faith is merely delusion, naivete, or both“.
—RoK the Reaper
Cut to a scene of the Village Chief’s house on fire with him dead — slashes from the demon child on his back. As Himmel asks her why she would do such a thing, the demon answers in a surprising way. That despite wanting to live in harmony, they felt the blood thirst every day from the villager who’s child she murdered and ate. Thus, she killed the Village Chief so that his daughter would have no father, thus can be gifted to the family of the girl she devoured. This demon child’s intentions were pure, but they were too different to understand that their actions only lead to more suffering.
So what does the demon child do? Look around, see the reaction as Himmel drew his sword and reverted back to her old ways: “I’m holding this child hostage”. As Himmel saves the child, Frieren asks if he will stop her from killing the demonic child this time around. “No”.
As this demonic child begins to crumble into ash, Frieren asks why did they call out for their Mom. Demons are left alone when they are born and have no concept of family. That they are lone wolves who are selfish and predatory. The child’s response was it simply stopped humans from murdering them, and isn’t that “magical”. Rather, lying got them the end result they needed, so nothing else matters.
I’ve found that some people, like these Demons, are simply monsters. That even attempts at correcting their wrongs result in catastrophic ordeals simply because of what they are. It is a horrible joke by fate that, even in acting within good faith, they are simply creatures who are incapable of being redeemed.
We saw something break within Himmel as he realized what must be done. The disappearance of a long held belief that perhaps the arch enemy can be made into friend under the right conditions or circumstances. A pure heart and soul blackened just a bit when, as a hero, you realize that not everyone can be saved. It also hurt deeply that his naivete and hero complex cost a good man his life — that someone good had to face the ultimate robbery due to wanting to believe a zebra can change its stripes.
Himmel saw irrefutable evidence that the Demon ate that villager’s child. We heard the cries for revenge, for the child demon’s death and felt the unbelievable pain and suffering of the deceased girl’s Mother. Even the, Himmel was hopeful that things could be different. Even saw the hero looking on with a smile as she played with a Human child, seemingly fitting well within her new life. It was never a matter of if, but a matter of when that demonic nature would rise back to the top.
I met someone who told me they were a sociopath within their own words. Said they always take the path of least resistance, that they built entire relationships upon lies, and had no empathy with breaking promises or lying. That they put themselves first always. Yet, I badly wanted to believe their nature was different, that I knew they had more than what they showed me. Like Himmel, I knew that they ate that child. Like Himmel, I put away my sword and waited to see what would happen — time and time again. I badly believed that things would be fine, and every time I had to put up with the fact I was a fool.
On the other side of the coin, the hero also has to be a monster. However, his reason for wanting to be one comes down to saving others and making the world a better place. Yet Himmel and his party must be ready and willing to kill the opposition without any sense of remorse, empathy, or hesitation for their plights. The world is being made a better place by the bringing harsh consequences to those who would destroy it.
“The Hero has to be a Monster, but a controlled Monster. Batman is like that you know, it’s everywhere. It’s the story you always hear”.
“If you’re going to be a fighter, if you have to want to win — and you have to want to hurt people. Not for the sake of hurting them, that’s what make you different from an evil person. But you HAVE to have that capacity — you have to develop that”
— Jordan Peterson
Think about Frieren here. This elf attempts to help those when she can, inspired by Himmel’s kindness in doing so. Always asks for something small in return so they do not owe anything, thus does not incur debts for the deeds given to aid them. Thinking about others and doing her best to make the world a better place since she has lived long enough to see that even the smallest actions ripple outward. Yet, for all her kindness, she is merciless to Demons.
Demons on the other hand, only care for as long as you are useful to them. Even Flamme said they only have hierarchy which mirrors human society, but it is really based upon strength. At the same time, we can also see within the anime that usefulness plays a massive part in that.
The people I knew, specifically, the two I am referring to within this video only cared if someone felt useful to them in one way or another. One would lose all sense of kindness or respect if you could not offer them aid, and one was willing to endure fights, harassment, and even racism if it meant the other kept doing things for them that they wished to not do.
Frieren: Journey’s End introduces a concept of creature which bear no redeemable qualities as of yet. Even in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, you have some demons which break the stereotypical concept within that world. A special case scenario like Nezuko, some working for humanity’s goals like Lady Tamayo, or others repentant for their actions like Akaza. Yet in Frieren, every single Demon is shown to be a natural born calamity only capable of chaos, ruin, and human suffrage.
Anthropocentricism tends to place humans at the center of existence, and because of that we often see our lives as more valuable than that of other animals on this planet. We will kill any beast that maims or kills a human, regardless of whether-or-not we are responsible for the altercation. If demons have a similar view because they naturally prey upon humans, then it would akin to predator trying to reason with prey. We have heard many stories of people with wild and exotic pets who end up being killed by them, even raised from birth by that human. If it is within their nature, then they will fall back upon their defaults even if you attempt to program them differently.
I love Frieren’s portrayal of demons. These walking, irredeemable calamities that perpetuate harm, fear, and suffering even when attempting to understand. That sometimes efforts are wasted on those who are too prone to our destruction to care about the reasoning behind their actions or greater motives. That in the end, the best thing you can do is rage against the pain they will inevitably cause. Himmel, in all of his belief within making the world a better place and helping all those he could, had to resign himself to the nature of Demons. That Frieren, for her kindness and attempts to understand humans, acknowledges Flamme’s wisdom when it comes to Demons.
“Demons use words to trick humans, you can’t trust a thing they say. They’re monsters who learned to speak. That’s how the legendary mage Flamme defined them — it’s in their blood. Monsters who found they could lure in humans by crying “help me””.
—Frieren to Fern & Stark
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