The Earl

[NoahOfWitches]

I kinda think that the Earl is a good guy, because he actually cares about his family and he still cares about 14th. so how could he possible be a evil? (only the horns are scaring the crap out of me, I really tought there where bunny ears under the hat )

[Manda]

AHA! Perfect opening for the biggest question of them all! And one that has me more entrapped then any other aspect of D.Gray Man! Which side is really acting in the name of good?

Okay. I agree with you about the Earl, he cares very deeply for his family, takes very good care of them, and also provides all that he can to secure them. They are a very close nit family, and get this! They are the apostles of God. Well, according to them. In the bible, the only family that was permitted to survive the great flood was that of Noah, who had been sent directions straight from God to build and Ark which could hold two of every animal so that the world may be repopulated. This fits very nicely into the theory that the Earl is telling the truth when he claims that they are working for God. Why? Because when the great flood was over, God promised that he would never flood the world again. But why did he do it in the first place you ask? Because people had become greedy, selfish, disgusting creatures who had no care for anything, or anyone else. They would wallow in their own sin, and God had had enough. Therefore he wanted to wipe the slate clean and try over again. Hmm. -scratches chin!- Maybe this is a repeat of the same scenario, although God is trying a different route. Maybe, just maybe, he is letting the human's decide their own fate by sending his chosen family, who has always been faithful to him, to exact their execution. Also, quite possibly, the Noah are a version of the Four Horsemen, or maybe the Earl is even the antichrist, sent by God to orchestrate the great war, so that most of humanity will be stricken down? I know it sounds gruesome my friends, but read the bible. Its very cruel, and full of wrath. Makes me wonder is God really is that cruel o.o Pleae don't smite me!

Anyway, I can also back up this theory with facts taken straight from the BRO. Especially recent chapters where they attempt to play god to save their own asses. Look at Alma and Kanda. The entire second exorcist and third exorcist programs. I'm sorry, but those programs are just as bad as creating Akuma, arn't they? Arn't the second exorcists simply Akuma with innocence? The third exorcists can open some sort of event horizon that leads straight to hell...Isn't that a little odd? Are they just playing God, playing dangerously, or are they working for the opposite of good? Hmm... Kinda makes me wonder!

Same coin, different side of the story! Maybe the Earl really is evil, and he is just more tolerating of his family because they are his right hand generals in the destruction of mankind. Ofcourse, why would evil want them all dead? Then he can't convince them to sin, and drag them to hell. Right? Instead they just wanna kill em. o.o Confusing, but I'm sure you can theorize that he plans to drag them all to hell anyway. Spitefully destroy mankind to destroy God's beautiful and upstanding creations . And we know that for some reason, he requires all of the Noah in order to inact his plans. Therefore, he would care for them like weapons, providing for them, and taking the neccesary steps to keep them on his side (Remember the betrayal of the 14th, when he flipped sides!) to ensure that he can enact his plans. He needs them, therefore he spoils them. Happens with step parents all the time! Suck up, they like you!

So honestly, its a good question, and one that the manga has made clear over and over. It all depends on which side of the debate you wanna take.

[KidWicked13]

I feel like God noticed how outright horrid people had become and chose Adam and the Noah as those who would remain and repopulate. However, at some point, the Noah fell, and Adam ventured into God's territory (creating the Akuma and subverting death itself in a way). As a result, God gave what would become the Order the Cube of Innocence with the expressed intent that the humans would kill the Noah. I mean the Innocence are practically tailor made to counter the Noah. Maybe Adam's just too far gone to realize that he's in the wrong...maybe Nea discovered the horrid secret behind the Akuma, and defected, seeing the evil acts that the Noah were commiting?

[Manda]

Well, as I said above, in the story of Noah, God promised that he would never do that again.. Flood waters or not. He felt guilt and sorrow for killing his children, even if they had gone bad and were nasty little sinners. Because God loves us all, etc. God's promises will never be broken, just as how Jesus's sacrifice is still saving our souls today after many centeries have past.

So I am starting to doubt that theory. Plus, it conflicts with many of the other theories that have already been proven to be the case.

I have begun to think that the Earl only cares for his "family" on the side of usefulness. Funny as it is, I think of the Earl as a version of Lucifer. He is atleast claiming souls that will be damned to hell. Even if a person is killed by an akuma, they can just as easily be brought back by akuma, and once the soul is tainted with the blood of innocence, it cannot return to heaven. Therefore, the entire process would have served its purpose, even if the akuma is destroyed.

There is a good possibility that the Earl is lying to his "family" in order to win their favor. If there is divine intervention on this part, it would not surprise me. Even tho this theory could be farfetched, it is a possibility.

Also, there is the possibility that the Earl truely believes that he is working for God, and on the other hand, is truthfully working for the down below. Deception is an evil sin, and it would not surprise me one bit. Whichever side is lying about their existance is the side of evil. We just arn't sure which is which quite yet. We now what side we want to believe is Good, but who knows? [BRO probably is the Good side, since all our main characters are there...All powerful unwritten laws say it!] Sometimes we are led to believe the wrong thing, in order to gain our alliance in some incredible feat. Yeah, its terrible eh?

I would like to point out of one of my original theories here. Mayhaps God did send both of the parties of God, and they are both on the side of Good. Perhaps the Earl is the Antichrist, and he is here to deliver us the apocolypse. Think on it. Its a little farfetched, but it would explain A LOT of this with just this one little theory.

[KidWicked13]

Look at it this way:

Both sides are basically the same. They're extremists who see each other as evil. They're both willing to do horrible things to further their own goals. And their presumed intent is a morally just one. So while they're both trying their best to be good, they're resorting to very evil means to accomplish what they want.

Contrast the protagonist:

He's a boy trained to use the Order's weapon, but free of their prejudices because he knows the pain the Akuma feel. He's also the reincarnation (I'm assuming that Allen is to Nea what Tyki is to Joyd, if that makes sense) of a Noah who betrayed hs family and their goals of utterly crushing normal humans. In addition, Allen declared that he will stand against both sides if he needs to. Then his refusal to kill alma prompted Leverrier to declare his position as an Exorcist forfeit. So not only has Allen been a Noah that was thrown out of his family, he is now an Exorcist that has been seemingly thrown out of the Order...