Warning! Spoilers head for Black Clover chapter 331!
Lucius Zogratis’ unexpected murder of Damnatio in Black Clover has the potential of actually being the worst thing that could’ve happened for Asta in regard to his prospective acquittal and execution.
Chairman Damnatio Kiro of the Clover Kingdom’s Magic Parliament was originally the main driving force who behind Asta’s execution, as he designed the trial in such a way that the prospect of a conviction was likely. But the fact that Asta recently saved Damnatio’s life during the devils’ initial invasion of their world in chapter 319 of Black Clover undoubtedly contributed to the possibility of the chairman acquitting Asta of charges. Way back in chapter 217, Damnatio lured Asta to the Magic Parliament Courthouse under false pretenses, ostensibly just asking for eye-witness accounts of the Great War that had just transpired. But the chairman soon made it evidently clear that he planned on either convicting Asta for being a devil or the Black Bulls for recruiting and harboring one. However, later on in chapter 282, Asta performs a devil union with Liebe right in front of Damnatio to protect him and the entire Clover Kingdom from a rampaging demon unleashed by invading devils.
Because of Asta’s ability to maintain control when fused with a devil while protecting Damnatio himself and the entire Clover Kingdom, Damnatio most likely changed his mind about convicting Asta. But now that Lucius Zogratis just killed Damnatio at the end of chapter 331, some other parliament figure who either did not witness or wasn’t directly affected by Asta’s heroism will likely take over and not feel compelled to exonerate him. This development would undoubtedly complicate matters once Black Clover finally resumes after its previously announced three-month hiatus. Although Lucius and the devil Adrammelech are in the Clover Kingdom, it’s likely that they will retreat back to the underworld to regroup before unleashing the final attack. After Asta murdered the King of Devils Lucifero, Adrammelech pulled out the deceased devil’s heart for a currently undisclosed reason. It’s likely that Adrammelech will have to return to the underworld to do whatever he’s planning to accomplish with Lucifero’s heart, and with his cover as the Wizard King blown, Lucius will likely follow him.
This development would also allow the Clover Kingdom to recalibrate and focus on other matters during what mangaka Yūki Tabata and Shonen Jump have confirmed will be the Black Clover‘s final arc. In addition to most likely making William Vangeance the next Wizard King to replace Julius on an interim basis, the Clover Kingdom’s Magic Parliament could use this respite to resume its trial of Asta and the Black Bulls with the next chairman who will replace the recently deceased Damnatio. It makes sense, as Julius’ earlier order to exile Asta and the Black Bulls to temporarily suspend their prospective executions is now null and void. For Julius wasn’t Julius to begin with but actually one of the Zogratis siblings in disguise the entire time.
Hopefully, Black Clover will resume this plotline in some capacity once the series resumes in three months. Although the devils are intriguing, the prospect of an unfair trial, as made evident by how Damnatio purposefully hid Asta’s situation from those who would help him, is just as appealing. Luckily, the likelihood of it happening is high, for why else would mangaka Yūki Tabata have chosen Black Clover’s fake Wizard King Lucius to kill off Damnatio and not his adviser Marx Francois?
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