Black Butler (Kuroshitsuji) revolves around a young boy, Ciel, who loses everything that is dear to him, and decides to make a contract with a demon, whom he later names Sebastian, in order to get his revenge.
Sebastian and Ciel's relationship has always been the driving force of Black Butler. And we're not only talking about Sebaciel shippers that made this fandom so loud and popular back in 2008. These two characters' bond lies beyond shipping, and we're going to try and look a bit deeper into it.
Is Sebastian Really Ciel's Twisted Father Figure?
Some fans watching the show feel like Sebastian and Ciel have a weird and twisted father-son relationship. And if we think about it, this actually makes a lot of sense. Ciel was orphaned quite early in his life, and he had no one else but his demon butler.
Sebastian taught the boy a lot of things such as horse riding, science, dancing, and hunting. He was the one to calm him during his restless nights and he took care of the boy, fed and dressed him. Without even realizing it, the demon has become an odd father figure to Ciel and the only person who always keeps him company.
No matter how cute it all sounds at first sight, this might actually be just a facade. The core of Sebastian and Ciel's relationship is the contract these two have made. The demon offers his service and protection in exchange for the boy's soul.
Some fans suggest that Sebastian is being this nice and caring only for the sake of making Ciel his meal later. We should not be fooled by his warm demeanor: he's just doing his part of the deal, and that's all.
Why Fans Are Torn About Rooting for Ciel
Although we can't deny that Sebastian is doing some extra things for Ciel that were not part of their deal (as the aforementioned staying with Ciel through the night), fans suggest that all of this is done for the sake of earning the boy's trust and making their contract even stronger.
He wasn't just watching the young earl sleep out of his kindness, he was looking at his future prey and dreaming of the day he could dine on his victim's soul. The demon enjoys his butler pretense and it's an entertaining game for him to serve Ciel the way he does.
With this theory comes the feeling of sympathy for Ciel. Fans say they're sorry for the boy, since Sebastian is giving him a false sense of security while actually being a manipulative chessmaster. They even go as far as to suggest that Ciel himself is probably thinking of Sebastian as his father figure and hoping that the demon will refuse to take his soul because of their bond. However, this doesn't seem likely to us.
Ciel Isn't Just Some Naive Kid in Over His Head
Despite his young age, Ciel could never be called stupid or naive. The traumatic events he's experienced made him grow up pretty early, and every word he utters doesn't sound like the one of a child. We think he understands the nature of Sebastian perfectly and knows that when the demon has the chance to do so, he'll rush to devour the younger man's soul. Making the deal with a demon was a conscious decision, not an amateur's mistake.
Ciel is driven by his desire to get his revenge and he doesn't care about his soul, he's accepted his fate and ready to face the consequences of his choice.
Some people call Sebastian and Ciel's relationship pure business. One of them wants revenge, another one wants a soul to devour, it's just as simple as that. There's no need to be disrespectful or cruel to each other; since they're forced to coexist and live together, why not make their lives better by being actually nice to each other.
However, this harsh truth doesn't mean that these two couldn't have made an actual bond along the way. We are constantly shown small signs that hint at the fact that Sebastian and Ciel actually enjoy each other's company.
They can never trust each other fully due to their personalities and their contract, but they can have fun together. Their humorous banter and small gestures that Sebastian does for Ciel are not part of the deal.
How Season Two Changes (Or Doesn't Change) Everything
On top of that, we can't forget the anime's Season 2. Despite the fact that it's considered to be non-canon, we shouldn't ignore it completely.
No matter how much Sebastian and Ciel have been through and how close they've become, the demon is eager to get what was promised to him: the earl's soul. However, he fails to do so in the anime, and the boy becomes a demon, too. Instead of trying to destroy him out of anger due to this outcome, Sebastian actually chooses to stay by Ciel's side and continue their journey together.
Why do so if you see the boy as a delicious meal only?
Since the manga keeps going, we can't be 100% sure what the finale of the story is going to be like. We think the ending will shed more light on this peculiar relationship and we hope to finally see if there's something more to Sebastian and Ciel or if their weird bond is meant to be solely based on their contract.
What are they to each other?
Black Butler (Kuroshitsuji) revolves around a young boy, Ciel, who loses everything that is dear to him, and decides to make a contract with a demon, whom he later names Sebastian, in order to get his revenge.
Sebastian and Ciel's relationship has always been the driving force of Black Butler. And we're not only talking about Sebaciel shippers that made this fandom so loud and popular back in 2008. These two characters' bond lies beyond shipping, and we're going to try and look a bit deeper into it.
Is Sebastian Really Ciel's Twisted Father Figure?
Some fans watching the show feel like Sebastian and Ciel have a weird and twisted father-son relationship. And if we think about it, this actually makes a lot of sense. Ciel was orphaned quite early in his life, and he had no one else but his demon butler.
Sebastian taught the boy a lot of things such as horse riding, science, dancing, and hunting. He was the one to calm him during his restless nights and he took care of the boy, fed and dressed him. Without even realizing it, the demon has become an odd father figure to Ciel and the only person who always keeps him company.
No matter how cute it all sounds at first sight, this might actually be just a facade. The core of Sebastian and Ciel's relationship is the contract these two have made. The demon offers his service and protection in exchange for the boy's soul.
Some fans suggest that Sebastian is being this nice and caring only for the sake of making Ciel his meal later. We should not be fooled by his warm demeanor: he's just doing his part of the deal, and that's all.
Why Fans Are Torn About Rooting for Ciel
Although we can't deny that Sebastian is doing some extra things for Ciel that were not part of their deal (as the aforementioned staying with Ciel through the night), fans suggest that all of this is done for the sake of earning the boy's trust and making their contract even stronger.
He wasn't just watching the young earl sleep out of his kindness, he was looking at his future prey and dreaming of the day he could dine on his victim's soul. The demon enjoys his butler pretense and it's an entertaining game for him to serve Ciel the way he does.
With this theory comes the feeling of sympathy for Ciel. Fans say they're sorry for the boy, since Sebastian is giving him a false sense of security while actually being a manipulative chessmaster. They even go as far as to suggest that Ciel himself is probably thinking of Sebastian as his father figure and hoping that the demon will refuse to take his soul because of their bond. However, this doesn't seem likely to us.
Ciel Isn't Just Some Naive Kid in Over His Head
Despite his young age, Ciel could never be called stupid or naive. The traumatic events he's experienced made him grow up pretty early, and every word he utters doesn't sound like the one of a child. We think he understands the nature of Sebastian perfectly and knows that when the demon has the chance to do so, he'll rush to devour the younger man's soul. Making the deal with a demon was a conscious decision, not an amateur's mistake.
Ciel is driven by his desire to get his revenge and he doesn't care about his soul, he's accepted his fate and ready to face the consequences of his choice.
Some people call Sebastian and Ciel's relationship pure business. One of them wants revenge, another one wants a soul to devour, it's just as simple as that. There's no need to be disrespectful or cruel to each other; since they're forced to coexist and live together, why not make their lives better by being actually nice to each other.
However, this harsh truth doesn't mean that these two couldn't have made an actual bond along the way. We are constantly shown small signs that hint at the fact that Sebastian and Ciel actually enjoy each other's company.
They can never trust each other fully due to their personalities and their contract, but they can have fun together. Their humorous banter and small gestures that Sebastian does for Ciel are not part of the deal.
How Season Two Changes (Or Doesn't Change) Everything
On top of that, we can't forget the anime's Season 2. Despite the fact that it's considered to be non-canon, we shouldn't ignore it completely.
No matter how much Sebastian and Ciel have been through and how close they've become, the demon is eager to get what was promised to him: the earl's soul. However, he fails to do so in the anime, and the boy becomes a demon, too. Instead of trying to destroy him out of anger due to this outcome, Sebastian actually chooses to stay by Ciel's side and continue their journey together.
Why do so if you see the boy as a delicious meal only?
Since the manga keeps going, we can't be 100% sure what the finale of the story is going to be like. We think the ending will shed more light on this peculiar relationship and we hope to finally see if there's something more to Sebastian and Ciel or if their weird bond is meant to be solely based on their contract.
