Summary
InDanMachi, the Xenos, a product of continuous annihilation by adventurers in the Tower, are known as a group of sentient and intelligent monsters that wished to coexist with humans. Despite such wishes, it seems that the humans do not accept them into their community, and with plausible cause. What if, one day,the Xenos turn against humanity?
Even though they preach coexistence, the Xenos are stronger than or as strong as any top adventurers, powers that can be used against humans in the future ofDanMachi. While few, like Bell Cranel, believe that they can coexist peacefully, others speculate that one day their very existence might trigger a power struggle between humans and monsters, perhaps even challenging the authority of the gods.
Who Are The Xenos In Danmachi?
The Monsters Born By Death
The Xenos are a set of monsters born in the Dungeon with human-like intelligence and personalities. Unlike other monsters, they can speak, reason, and even show emotions. They can form friendships, show empathy, and have wishes beyond mere survival. Physically, they look no different from the average monster, yet are far stronger than the average monster. Their intelligence enables them to utilize elaborate combat tactics, defend themselves skillfully, and even retreat—a thought far beyond mindless monsters. They are also capable of ingesting magic stones from defeated monsters to increase their strength exponentially. These, combined with their natural monster abilities, make them beasts that should not be messed with. Some Xenos, such as Lyd the Dragon and Asterius the Minotaur, boast of strength rivaling even the strongest adventurers and could become very dangerous if threatened.
Despite such power, all the Xenos want is to see themselves on the surface, living in coexistence peacefully with humans. After facing death time and time again, the Xenos reincarnate while retaining some of their memories of their past lives. It is from this memory that they long to reach the surface and live peacefully among humans. Nowadays, most of themdwell in places deep inside the Dungeoncalled Hidden Villages, where they believe the dungeon was created to protect them. First contacted by Fels about 15 years ago, the Xenos had always existed in secret, with few people knowing about their existence until now. They are peaceful now, but the strength coupled with the tragic memories they have through constant cycles of death and rebirth raises a certain question: will they always be peaceful?
Xenos And Their Impact In Orario’s Society
Shaking Orario’s Foundations
Everything that was once held true in Orario’s society is shaken with the arrival of Xenos, their emergence stirring different kinds of reactions among the main characters. Many look upon the Xenos as a menace, an enemy. Adventurers have been trained right from time to defeat monsters like them, and even regular monsters do not accept them, always quick to attack them. Coexistence does not come easily, not even for most of them. Their huge strength and intelligence, even down to their ability to regain memories from their past lives, increase the fears that one day, they can become a serious threat. Some people believe that the Xenos are using peace as a guise to infiltrate society and overthrow humans, while others, like theadventurers in the Ikelos Familia, treat them as nothing more than commodities.
However, not everyone sees them as dangers to society or as nothing more than commodities to be sold. The Xenos are seen by gods such as Ouranos as another kind of life that should be given the same rights and benefits as humans. Adventurers like Bell Cranel are even supporting them.
Bell Cranel’s Role In The Xenos Crisis
Intermediary Between Humans And Monsters
Bell Cranel is at the center of the struggle in the Xenos crisis and has a massive influence in potentially closing it. His connection with them started when he met Wiene, a young Xenos, and instead of killing her as any other adventurer would, he chose to protect her. This set him apart from the rest, as the adventurers had been trained with those creatures as their aim. His concern for Weine raises the idea that the Xenos are more than just stronger monsters with blood in their eyes, and he even advocates for them. Defying the adventurer system, in which hunting monsters is the foundation of Orario,has made Bell an enemy of many, including some fellow adventurers who regard him as a traitor. Despite this, Bell fights for the living rights of Xenos, even against his own species.
Bell also serves as a bridge between the humans and Xenos. He is trying to create an understanding between the feared creatures and the adventurers that have been trained to kill them, trying to make them understand that the Xenos think the same way they do. He sincerely believes that they can coexist, seeing as he is always ready to defend the Xenos.
The Big Question: Threat Or Allly?
Can The Xenos Truly Co-Exist, Or Is Their Danger Too Great?
Although the Xenos desire nothing but peaceful coexistence with the humans, the dangers that they pose to humanity are so immense that they could very well be the end of them. The strength of the Xenos, combined with their high intelligence, is that of level-three and level-four adventurers, even the elite of the elite. Their strengths are beyond that of regular monsters, monsters that adventurers already have some trouble dealing with, and they also have the memories from their past lives, which combined with their superior intelligence, gives them the tactical advantage in the battles that they would engage in. There is also their ability to absorb the magic stones of monsters they defeat. Upon absorption, their strength increases significantly. Considering that the dungeon will spawn monsters endlessly, the power that the Xenos can attain is limitless.
It is not just about strength alone. The Xenos possess knowledge that the humans do not have. Since the Xenosare born in the dungeonand they have been residing there for so long, they have extensive knowledge of the dungeon’s structure and layout, the tactics adventurers use, and the inner workings of the dungeon. This knowledge gives them the edge in any potential conflict. They can easily start an uprising, and humanity would be defenseless against them. Xenos like Asterius are also not to be forgotten. Asterius is an estimated level-seven threat, currently obsessed with a rematch with Bell, and with his prowess, letting him loose would be disastrous.
The Future Of The Xenos In DanMachi
Unity, War, Or Seclusion?
The future of the Xenos inDanMachiis very uncertain. As sentient, thinking monsters, the Xenos go completely against the notions that have existed for a long period of time in Orario regarding the respective roles of adventurers and monsters. That they want to live in peaceful coexistence with humans goes right against the system of adventurers involving the hunting and killing of Dungeon monsters. Despite this, thelikes of Bell Cranel, Ouranos, and Felsstill provide that glimmer of hope that one day, the Xenos may also rise above and coexist peacefully with humans. Should this come to fruition, the Xenos would gradually integrate human society, changing how monsters are viewed in general. However, such aspirations require the humans to overcome their mentality that monsters are nothing but threats.
However, worse things could happen. The Xenos could take a dark turn in history. If they continue to remain accepted and hunted, their resentment could grow. Weak animals backed into a corner are said to show their true strength. What more could strong and intelligent monsters already do? Desperation might force them to retaliate, to force their niche on the surface, and potentially drag humans and monsters into a devastating war. They may even become pawns in the hands of conniving gods or other powerful factions willing to exploit them for their own cause, further complicating their future. Isolation is also a possibility. The Xenos could decide to retreat to the Dungeon for good, living as they always have in secrecy.
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