The Nature of Innocence and Exorcists

[Holy_War]

Any theories on the true nature of Innocence? In the beginning, it seemed to be put forward as a simple tool that certain people are capable of using. However, recent events contradict this.

One topic that interests me is the ability to synchronize with Innocence. It's well-known in the storyline that the Black Order has performed morally questionable tests of numerous kinds in an attempt to find and create Exorcists. From the experiments Linali witnessed, which were trying to use the relatives of known Exorcists, to the Second Exorcist Project, during which they transplanted the brains of dead Exorcists into theoretically immortal dolls, the Black Order desperately tries to find and make Exorcists, but it's clear that they don't know the real reason why Innocence synchronizes with some and not with others. It's not in the blood, or the brain.

This leads me to wonder whether the Innocence chooses their accommodator based on, for lack of better phrase, personal preference. Perhaps there's no real scientific explanation. Perhaps each individual Innocence chooses their accommodator because that person is someone they'd fight with. They choose based on personality, not blood relation or anything like that.

I think a good piece of evidence supporting this is the Second Exorcist Project. Before Alma and Yu regained their memories to a sufficient amount, the Innocence refused to truly synchronize. However, once Alma and Yu remembered, their Innocence synchronized.

Of course, this hinges on another aspect of Innocence that's started to emerge. Whether or not the Innocence is sentient.

As I said before, at first it was insinuated that Innocence was simply a tool that only certain people could activate and use. However, ever since Suman, it's been increasingly suggested that each Innocence has it's own personality, "style", and connection with their accommodator.

This is first suggested when Allen, in chapter 50 (A while back!), wonders whether the Innocence is trying to kill Suman, and is "punishing him as if it were God Himself." In chapter 62, Bak says that each Innocence has a style that suits it best. At the time, it was probably thought to be referencing the Innocence the same way one would reference wood, steel, and ceramic. Like saying you would make a battering ram out of wood, and a deadly sword out of steel, and a cup out of ceramic. But in hindsight, it could mean that each Innocence is different in that each one has a different personality.

Ever since then, the evidence for Innocence being separate, intelligent beings in their own right has been piling up. From Linali and Allen's Innocence saving their accommodators (In rather unique ways), to Allen's Innocence taking control of him by wrapping the Clown Belts around his limbs and using him like a puppet, to Linali's Innocence "accepting her resolve" (Or "sensing her readiness", depending on your translation preferences").

But I think that what truly cinched the deal was Timothy's Innocence, Divine Possession, which took the form of an Adult Timothy and not only conversed with him, but also took over his vacated body and ran about.

So, the real question I'm asking here is... What do you think the Innocence is? A tool? A being? And why do you think certain people are chosen to be Exorcists?

This is my first thread, so I apologize if it's incomprehensible.

[ritzmei]

innocence are really this magnificent something that very unexplainable..even the researchers in their laboratory haven't understand the innocence well..well leastwise we know someone can use this innocence for good..well their holder the exorcists..well being exorcists also a very big deal.why the innocence cannot synchronize to other human being..what is so special to those chosen?

THE HEART..the mysterious heart..

[Holy_War]

I'm starting to think that a person is chosen because the individual Innocence likes that person, and sees that they are strong-willed and determined enough to do what has to be done. In all the Exorcists, we see determination, a will to fight, loyalty.... And those that seem to loose those traits, or are simply incapable of fighting, like Suman, become Fallen Ones, unable to synchronize with the Innocence.

Perhaps people are chosen, not because they're scientifically special, but because their personality is such that they can cope with the hardships that being an Exorcist can bring?

[Orpheus 2]

It has been a while since I last posted. Busy with college work.

Anyway, back to the discussion. For how the Innocence chooses its host, it may have something to do with their personality or inherent traits of the host.

For example, Allen's demeanor is likened to that of a clown since he loves both humans and Akuma. In this way, his Innocence chose him because that what the it wants for a host. For Tiedoll, his love of nature and beauty. Sokaro for his bloodthirsty nature and so on.

[Rhode]

Hi all, new member etc

are you guys sure that it isn't the other way round? What if the innocence changed the exorsists? Ie, rather than tiedol loving art and getting arty innocence (and excuse me if I getthe names wrong) what if he has an innocence that shows the beauty of art hence how he grew to love art? Then (ohh forgot his name) rather than loving to attack and being visious, what if his innocence is [personality] visious and the exorsists who can either accept and grow similar to or reject and become a fallen?

Loads of examples. Though it really changes perspective if you consider the possibility that the innocence changes you to how it is, else you suffer as Sumon did?

[KidWicked13]

Hell, the Earl even discusses how he thinks the Heart is somewhat autonomous and has actively taken measures to protect itself. Plus there's the Innocence's documented actions, which have been mentioned already so I'll not drill them into the ground.

However, I don't feel the Innocence is truly sentient. It does act on its own, but it never really operates beyond one desire: punishing the wicked. Hell, the Innocence tolerates gruesome and horrible experimentation because the experimenters are trying to make more Exorcists to kill more akuma. Also, the Innocence actively tries to kill the Third Exorcists, who despite being part akuma, are still good guys.

Does it help Lenalee and grant her the strength she needs to save her friends, or does it give her power so she'll continue to fight? Is it controlling Allen like a puppet so he can continue killing Akuma despite his broken bones? Does it take Yu's life force as a response to his will, or is it so that the Innocence may cut down an evil Noah? Why did Chaoji's Innocence seemingly activate right after his soap box about how Akuma and the Noah are evil and must die?

As to why it chooses those it does? Maybe it operates based on that person's willingness to smite evil. Every Exorcist shown seems to have a particularly strong reason for fighting. Yu desperately wants to kill someone (a lady if i remember right). Allen wants to save the Akuma, no matter the price to him. Lenalee wishes to protect her friends. Miranda wants to be useful. Zakolo's just bat shit crazy and likes to kill. Yeeger wants to prevent the travesty that occured when his class was murdered by an akuma (in the anime anyway). Timothy's Innocence fully activates after he expresses a desire to fight to protect his friends and the nuns.

Conversely, Suman's Innocence chooses to destroy him after he gives in the the Noah and tells Tyki where the other Exorcists. Cross's Judgement starts to falter, as well. Granted we don't know exactly why, but it can be reasonably assumed that Cross didn't particularly care for the Order or stopping evil during the story.

[Holy_War]

*cough* Kanda doesn't want to kill the woman. He wants to find her. But I get what you're saying with everything else.

[Crown_Clown]

Well im not very sure about Innocence choosing the person because they are strong willed. For instance, Innocence totally ruined Suman's life. The very existence of a Fallen One points to the fact that Innocence has a very will of its own and when that will is not satisfied by its owner. it destroys him.

That goes the same for an unstable person. Like initially Allen was very unstable. He reacted very easily to the stimuli around him it clouded his judgement of his purpose in life and that's why in turn his Innocence synchronization rate was relatively low. When the user mistreats, his/her Innocence, like going over the synchronization rate, it's syncro rate in the end is also heavily affected, e.g., Lenalee.

The very use of Innocence is like a battle between the user's will and the Innocence's will. Luckily for Allen and Lenalee, their will was rebuilt into a stronger one and hence, instead of altering themselves, and losing their initial wills entirely, they compromised. They changed their wills by merely making them stronger ones and hence, managed to overwhelm and finally, transform their Innocence into one of their own free will.

[Manda]

KidWicked had some interesting points there, but the arguement about sentience really doesn't hold water since a sentient being is simple a being who is aware of his/her/its surroundings. Which, by technical definition, the innocence applies here. So yes, scientifically the innocense is a sentient being. Take a person with extreme determination and a narrow mind. They will react in the same manner. If they believe that that is the sole reason that they exist, and that this is their job, then they will go to absolute extremes to pursue this. This also brings to mind another theory about the true nature of Innocence itself. I will discuss this later.

As for the innocence changing a person, or choosing a person by triats, etc, I am not so convinced of this. You see, when it comes down to it, it takes a working knowledge of christianity to piece together some of the puzzle that is D.Grayman and how it works. I'm not a devout religious fanatic or anything, but I have researched this in an attempt to understand all the research that was put in D.Grayman. This opens up a lot of theories.

Anyway, since the Innocence was created by God it is a strong possibility that the Innocence is therefore controlled by God to some extent. Kind of like how the Penacostals believe that they are being controlled by God when they are speaking in tongues. Kind of like an angel, in a way. That way, when a person sins against god to such an extent as Suman did, then they are punished as God would punish them. The Innocence was not just attempting to ruin Suman's life, it was attempting to kill him. To reap his soul if you will, for his sins.

The significance of Suman had little to do with what he actually did, but more to do with the fact that his Faith in God was lacking. By begging for his life, selling out his fellow exorcists, and doubting God's power, he denounced God in order to spare his life [The Innocence is a tool of God]. As I have mentioned before in a theory about the Earl, remember the story of Jobe. Despite all the horrid things that God allowed to happen to him, Jobe remained in love with God, and his faith did not faulter therefore he was rewarded. If Job had faultered in his faith, he would have been punished severely.

If an exorcists faith deterializes, I believe that the Innocence will no longer sync with the exorcist period, causing a "Fallen One". I distinctly remember the discussion about Suman and a "Fallen One" is a person who is not syncronized with his/her/its innocence. The Innocence rejects the body/soul of the user [or potential user] and the person is delivered for God to judgement. This is the ultimate judgement, and the person is delivered to the gates of hell. Suman was lucky to have survived, but there is reason behind this as well [Think about Jesus on this one...He died for our Sins, so we could live on as Sinners and still return to Heaven].

So all in all, I think its a good possibility that the Innocence is simply working as a hand of God. An extention, if you will, of his/her/it's divinity to help his children protect themselves. It is my firm belief, having drawn this conclusion from a study of philosophy, that God does not act directly to solve the problems of Humanity, but instead grants them the tools to acquire victory with their own hands. If they prove to be faithful, and devote, then they will be victorious. [Suman did not turn out to be devote in the end.]
Therefore, a person is chosen by God, not the innocence itself.

Thinking on the premise of how the Innocence evolves into a weapon itself, I am curious as to several theories, but the one that makes the most sense involves more of the persons own, said, personality traits/abilities. The most obvious, I think, is the case of Allen. He was picked up off the street, having been abandoned by his own parents due to a deformed arm [which was as far as his innocence had evolved, why? I think this has to do with his direction in life. He had no skills so far to accomadate it, therefore it remained as it was]. He was raised by Mana as a circus performer/Street performer. This gave him many skills that are not noted by many people. Intense dexterity, agility, and stamina. He learned to do stunts, and perform in ways that many people cannot. Circus performers are actually very talented and flexable folks you know. Anyway, I believe this is why his innocence became the CrownClown. It required this physical traits, and training to attain this form, and if Allen had not lived his life the way he had, the outcome may have been very different. The same goes in the case of Miranda, and her strong desire to turn back time.

This could also draw an argument with the hand of divinity. Once again, it could be God's plan that these people were subjected to all these things in order to test their faith and worth to wield the Innocence. This has more to do with fate, and a path that was divinely woven by God before you were even born. If a person was predestined by God, with the hope that they would one day be able to wield this power and be his faithful diciples, he would simply need to lay down the path for them to develop the skills that they needed in order to wield the innocence he chose for them. This would explain the Earls knowledge of the different, unique innocence. [Like how he referred to Allen's Innocence as the White Clown of Augustine. This suggests that this Innocence had surfaced before. When you think of St Augustine, he began life very much like Allen. He wanted to save everyone's souls, and see to it that they all returned to heaven. In the end, he realised that not everyone can be saved, and in the end -toward the end of his life- some of them will be sent to hell. Perhaps this reference was indeed foreshadowing in the fate of Allen.]

Hmm hmm hmm. Some things to consider atleast.

[KidWicked13]

Sentience issues aside, I stand by my point about Innocence reacting to the host's willpower.

I'm not quite clear on why the Innocence chooses who it does, but I think synchro rate and whether the Innocence stays with its host is determined by how willing the Exorcist is to fight.

1. Allen's Innocence changes when he decides on his path. Before his encounter in Asia, he has no real idea what he's doing. He wants to protect people, but he feels conflicted over the Akuma. He resolves that both mankind and Akuma souls must be saved while protecting Bak and Fu. That is when his Innocence fully awakens as the Crown Clown.

2. Lenalee's Innocence allows her to push past her synchro rate when she is resolved to kill Eshi and protect her friends. Even though she's overexerted herself, the Innocence protects her several times, maybe because it senses that while she isn't 100 percent commited yet, that she may be. Plus there's her boots' evolution into a crystal type, which comes after she accepts her place as an Exorcist. She realizes that she needs to fight to protect her loved ones, and allows herself to stop resisting the Innocence. She embraces her role completely now, casting aside her hatred of God and the Innocence and the Dark Boots respond by granting her a much more powerful weapon.

3. Suman actually proves my theory best in my mind. when he becomes an Exorcist, he does so for his daughter's continued treatment and health. So one could say tha while he detests the Order, he does have a very powerful reason for serving them: the love of a parent for his child. When Tyki threatens to kill him, he loses all will to keep fighting. All he can think about is seeing his daughter. His will to continue being a living weapon vanishes, and so he fell...

4. Miranda's Time Record first activates after recieving the very first comment of appreciation she can recall. To one who has found herself unneeded and uncared for, what is better than a purpose? She's been feeling worthless her whole life, and her Innocence gives her a purpose. She has a reason to live now. She commits herself to fighting the Akuma because it's something she is good at. Something that makes her matter.

5. Alma's Innocence awakens when he learns that the Order is planning to kill his one and only friend (and reincarnated lover, which may have subconciously contributed to his attachment?). So, Alma musters up the resolve to kill the Crow hunting Kanda and his Innocence awakens.

So the evidence seems to support the theory that while not necessarily causal, a host's will to fight contributes in some way to the functioning of their Innocence...