juvia lockser requested by @freedom–seeker

.A study on Juvia. ☂

Yesterday speaking with The Gruvia Ladies (I think everyone knows who they are at this point) we got into the topic of Juvia’s character development and it made me think. I decided to write this, then. The thing that was bothering was the fact that some people might think Juvia doesn’t have anywhere else to grow outside her relationship with Gray and that it was a bad thing somehow. That’s what this analysis is about; her character development and why her link with Gray is so highlighted.

Bear in mind Juvia is my favorite character so I’m pretty biased towards her, but I’ll try to be as impartial as I can. When we talk about character development, especially in mangas,  what do we think of? The characters usually need to get to a certain level of strength/skill and develop their emotions.

Juvia already has that.

Even though Mashima misses a lot of opportunities for her character, Juvia is one of the strongest Mages in Fairy Tail. Far from THE strongest, but she is at the top.

“But Bonney, you said it yourself you are biased towards Juvia.” Well, I am biased so I’m presenting the facts: 

Then we arrive at the current Arc and Juvia is there, once more, holding her own alongside the main team.

Just because we don’t see it often, it doesn’t mean she’s weak or underdeveloped; it’s just that she already solved her problems. It got to a point where Mashima doesn’t need to say or prove she’s one of the strongest because we are supposed to know by now.

If we go analyse the sentimental part of Juvia, she doesn’t have anywhere else to develop either. When we saw Juvia for the first time, she was the gloomiest girl ever. She didn’t have friends because of her strong connection with rain, her boyfriend had broken up with her because of it and her heart was in pieces.

What happens next? Boom, she falls in love with Gray and she doesn’t hide it. Most characters do what when they think they are falling in love? Hide. Juvia? She shows her cards and doesn’t care. We can even see the difference in her expressions.

The Heaven Tower arc she follows Gray and the others and ends up involved with the whole thing between Jellal and Erza. She gets teamed up with Lucy and performs an Unison Raid with her, a magic so rare and complex even Jellal was surprised to see it. The people performing the magic need to have a strong connection and Juvia opened herself so much she was able to. 

She joins Fairy Tail, then, and during the first few days of her joining, Laxus attacks the Guild and the whole shebang. What happens next? Yes, boom again. In less than what, a month?, she goes from not having friends to sacrifice herself for them.

Instead of being the lonely girl with a broken heart and no friends, she embraced change and turned herself around.

Development achieved. With it, ends what she needed to resolve in an emotional level. We have no idea if she has unfinished business with her family because it was never brought up and probably won’t be, but so far as chapter 501, she doesn’t have family issues. So, what else there is for Juvia since she has the most obvious problems for a character to work out, already resolved? Easy: now she has the job to help develop Gray’s character; guide him through his change and help him cope with his feelings.

When they met after their fight there were times Gray was extremely rude to her even after they became guild mates. If we compare to the most recent chapters, Gray’s changes are very visible!

“Everyone helped, Bonney, don’t try to steal the thunder to Juvia.” Far from it. Each and every person that met Gray helped him to become the character he is today. But they are different influences!in his life. There is something in the way someone loves you no matter what that changes you and Juvia had been there for him for everything: the good and the bad, through thick and thin and has no intention to stop. To a character like Gray who thinks he is cursed, having someone loving him even when he thinks he doesn’t deserve it, is what he needs. I think she is helping him get to where he has to be emotionally for the last battle.

“But Bonney, isn’t it bad for a character to be so focused on another to the level where the magic is connected to their feelings?“ Everyone else does it, so why not Juvia? Natsu got fired up when Future!Lucy died. Elfman won a fight because his sisters were in the line. Gajeel got his strength back when, at Tenrou Island, his opponents said they were going to hunt Levy.

Her power comes from love and that is a strength, not a weakness, like some people might argue. It means that she can pull even further when we think she can’t just to protect the one she loves. So the "power of love” is a great thing.

Family, friends, love. 

Eveyone gets fired up with something and as it happens, Juvia’s is directly linked to Gray and to her friends, but more Gray because I think she is kinda his emotional crutch.

Besides, even if she is my favorite character, it doesn’t change the fact she is secondary and her development was never really the focus or too thought out on Mashima’s part, in my opinion. And, of course, she is the comic relief. 

Don’t get me wrong, it is one of the traits that I love about her and what makes her so unique, but sometimes Mashima places a moment or two that said comic relief makes her look like she’s an airhead and I love the character too much for it to be okay with me all the time.

I think the only thing Juvia has to work on now is her jealous side but even that is less frequent now. Besides, Mashima needs a comic and Juvia is usually the choice for it. He won’t change that ever, I think, even when it’s the last chapter, Juvia and Gray are married for ten years, she has a kid on each arm and expecting another she’ll turn to Lucy and say “Why are you looking at Gray-sama for? Do you want him?”

Anyway, I’m always waiting Juvia appear and I hope to see more of her. :) (sorry about any typos and thanks @rieriebee for looking at this first).

Juvia: New Brave Saga Gree card!

The Little Mermaid (FT x Disney): Juvia tells her best friend, Gajeel, about her newfound love for Prince Gray

@thefatedmeeting

To all of you, who, like me, misses Juvia: here’s an edit with her as a mermaid. :3

My badass girls ٩(๑❛ワ❛๑)و