In search of his friends, an anxious Doc approaches a person of interest with clues to their whereabouts. As he nervously attempts to swipe the book in her possession, he is approached by Inquisition guards on patrol. Unable to smooth talk his way out of the situation or rely on his armor as he is questioned about the mysterious pot he’s been dragging along, he sees his opportunity and makes his escape. After successfully retrieving the book within the chaos, he looks straight ahead, only to be greeted by this:
Before we begin, we should briefly go over the usual Spoiler Alert disclaimer and what this article is about. When I started planning this series, I had always intended to cover material I skipped over last time with an emphasis on specific characters, storylines and topics of interest that caught my eye that wouldn’t fit in a normal review or my previous formats. Naturally, this meant including spoilers I’ve been wanting to talk about for quite some time. While talking about them opens the possibility of fewer overall reads, the fact is it’s unlikely I’ll have this opportunity again, so I might as well pour all my ideas out now and leave as little regrets as possible.
Lately, I’ve had a few people express interest in my work, but can’t on account of those aforementioned spoilers or hoping to jump in at some point. For those of you familiar with the biweekly AniTAY podcast hosted on the main site, there’s a running gag internally as I’ve been running this anniversary retrospective. “Hey! Dark Aether posted a new article! Y’all should go read it! It’s a shame I won’t be able to (spoilers/not watching/reading/etc.).” I sympathize. After all, I write and edit these posts and even I struggle to maintain a writing schedule, let alone summarize my ideas in two minutes!
However, if you are one of the few reading this and thinking “man, I wish I could read this article, but I don’t want to ruin it for myself!” know that I was thinking of you when I wrote this piece. In fact, if you are one of those people, that’s great! If you take nothing else from these articles but have developed some curiosity by this point, do yourself a solid and check the real thing out on your own, then come back when you’re ready. I’ll still be here, the Radiant isn’t going anywhere — I think.
As Radiant celebrated its 10th anniversary last month, I wanted to do something special to mark the occasion. This isn’t a think piece or an analysis in the traditional sense, but rather a particular feeling I’ve been trying to convey for the past few weeks as I read through the current arc. While this won’t be entirely spoiler-free, rest assured I’ve avoided most of the major plot points and specific character arcs. I may reference a few key events and conversations, but aside from two marked spoiler warnings noted with beginning and end marks, I’ve omitted the finer details.
Per usual — say it with me folks — reader discretion is advised.
Chase (Prologue)
Our tale begins at the Artemis Institute when an alert is sent during a robbery in progress. When Seth and his friends are notified of the crime, leading to a possible suspect, they set out on their trail accompanied by Yaga before being ambushed by a large kraken. Having lost the trail, Yaga points out that their target never changed directions midflight, pointing to one logical destination — Bome, capital of the Estrie Kingdoms and Inquisition HQ.
Hopping aboard an airship in route to Bome, the group manages to avoid detection until an unexpected guest arrives. Time soon runs out, for unbeknownst to them, a shadowy figure has been monitoring them from a distance. When they do finally make landfall, more chaos ensues, and the hunt begins for the horned sorcerer as the entire city becomes a labyrinth of distrust and deception.
Radiant’s Bome Arc is the third major story (fourth if we count the prologue) in the series by Tony Valente. Taking place from volume 11 onward, this makes it the longest arc with seven completed volumes as of this writing. It’s also somewhat of a departure for the series as the story explores uncharted territory. Whereas previous arcs were defined by a sense of direction, a situation requiring intervention and finding hope within the darkness, Bome begins under a different set of circumstances, spiraling from one crisis to another.
Revisiting my earlier essays and having finished volumes 11–16 (and being keenly aware of some of 17’s content ahead of its North American release), there’s a clear progression that’s been taking place in the decade since 2013. Each subsequent arc delves into heavier themes as the world’s mysteries are unraveled, characters transcend their initial archetypes by continuously being thrown into uncomfortable positions and making difficult choices, and the broader ideals of shonen like heroism, friendship and humanity are deconstructed and reinterpreted through its unifying theme of becoming human.
It also helps that the series’ presentation is still gorgeous. I mean, see for yourself:
As well-crafted as Valente’s artwork and storytelling is, one of the key reasons Radiant continues to maintain its momentum is its commitment to change. Not just in its narrative, mind you, but the foundation of what it means to be a shonen story in the modern day. With ten years of stories to process and my previous retrospective in the rear-view mirror, it makes sense I turn my attention to the current arc to see what the future holds.
Right off the bat, Radiant’s Bome arc is a story of growing escalation. Set pieces are bigger and much more dynamic, the setting is by far the largest expanding from the sky to the various architectural layers and underground channels across Greek-inspired infrastructure and the story further meditates on themes like identity, power and trust through the political machinations of the Inquisition and the unsettling ideologies by the newly introduced Dormitors.
But what gets me about Bome isn’t a particular story beat or visually stunning piece of art. Instead, it’s something I noticed early on in my first reading. Sure, there’s fights and escalation, tension and tragedy, even a darker tone counterbalanced with its more upbeat humor and belief in the inherit goodness of others — typical shonen stuff. To label it as such, however, would be missing the point. To quote my previous retrospective:
“It’s a story about defining one’s humanity in the face of adversity, in a world that will not accept them. It’s about a boy who learns the hard way that all actions carry consequences, even with the best intentions. It’s about the people who keep him from sinking into darkness and becoming the monster that the world thinks he is.
And it’s a story about Seth and his companions as people, not just fighters.”
Within this context, where does Bome fit in? Part of the reason I had difficulty writing this piece and ended up delaying it is because I didn’t have a comparative example to reference or a great way to break it down like I’ve done in the past. Instead, I opted for something simpler. It’s a feeling that I have difficulty describing, a combination of isolation, dread, longing and reassurance.
Call it writer’s intuition, a gut feeling or running on “vibes,” take your pick. Because in the face of overwhelming terror or quiet awe at something spectacular, what is human nature if not the drive to understand the world around them? What is humanity if not the heart to reach out to one another? And what are people if not driven by their most powerful instinct of all, emotions?
Our Responsibilities (Isolation)
Arriving in hostile territory as a wild Nemesis runs loose, Seth finds himself public enemy number one as the Inquisition seizes the opportunity to capture their highest priority and the resident Dormitors are alerted to his presence. Having made enemies with the two rival factions before even getting a word in, it doesn’t take long before both send in experienced veterans to take control of the situation. When the heat finally dies down and he manages to fend off his pursuers off momentarily, an unsettling feeling sinks in as he thinks about his friends wandering the unfamiliar city. For now, he can only pass time in his thoughts, all alone.
From optimist dreamer to reluctant hero, Seth’s transformative journey to becoming human takes an interesting detour in Bome. Driven by a personal duty to retrieve an object that was entrusted to him and concerned about his origins and the dark entity growing inside him, the courageous boy of Island 21 finds himself at his most vulnerable as the hunter becomes the hunted. While outmaneuvering his pursuers in big blue skies before crashing near the top level of the city, his greatest survival weapon is not his perseverance or even his new magic — it’s patience.
Not just because the two most powerful factions in Bome are hellbent in taking his head. Instead, he finds himself chasing something beyond the Radiant:
“I know why you feel like you have to keep charging forward. It’s because your regrets catch up with you when you slow down.”
For those unfamiliar, this quote originated from season 1 of the Radiant anime. Just as Alma laid the groundwork for her apprentice and adopted son to seek greater knowledge, it’s a fitting representation of our protagonist’s journey and full circle moment as his confidence and pride at the beginning of the series — the pride before the fall as one would say — becomes clouded when self-doubt and regret begin to sink in. Despite being a social extrovert, cracking jokes against adversaries and smiling in the face of adversity, Seth’s inability to be honest about his fears and doubts at the start would become that downfall in Rumble Town when faced with an ultimatum.
It’s a weakness that Seth continuously must overcome as the dark monitor inside him literally feeds off his negative emotions. Rather than continue running head-on into problems, he learns to actively slow himself down and listen. While spending time training with Myr during the Sorcerer Knight arc, the gift his new mentor provides is more than a spell or a transformation, but the courage to listen to his heart, the voices closest to him and the world itself.
Across these stories leading to Bome, Seth’s character progression toward becoming human evolves. Having learned to better understand his surroundings along with managing the shadowy presence, he takes counsel from his allies more frequently, he non-verbally shows concern and relief for his friend’s whereabouts in their absence, and in keeping with the creation and destruction theme of the previous arc, his application of Fantasia further reflects his development as he becomes more in tuned with nature itself, refusing to use his new power to obliterate the obstacles in his path.
Despite all this progression, it didn’t erase all of Seth’s self-doubts or completely wipe away the threat of the entity taking over. That’s because for all his attempts to move forward, the good deeds he has accomplished up until this point and his insistence that destroying the Radiant will change the world, he still doesn’t see himself as the hero of the story.
Now, for obvious reasons, I can’t spoil why exactly that is, partly because it ties to two other characters whose arcs I’d like to discuss independently. What I will say, however, is throughout several conversations with other characters outside the main group, it provides a lot of insight into the kind of hero Seth wishes to be. As one of those characters listens in on his concerns of becoming like the monsters he’s defeated while the other hears about the duty he’s been entrusted with, his true measurement of a hero comes from the inner demons he contends with every day, opening up about his trauma and fear of not living up to his responsibilities.
While the man vs monster trope is one as old as time itself — it’s one of my favorites btw — Seth’s patience and willingness to show vulnerability show’s a kinder, gentler side to traditional media’s portrayal of this theme. By rejecting the temptation of overwhelming power and continuously showing not only the importance, but the necessity for change, Radiant’s Bome Arc is a beautiful progression of his journey that launched a decade ago and triumphant callback to shonen’s humanity.
But for the Ancient Greeks who frequented the theater, this is only Act 1 of the story. To keep this in non-spoiler terms, as Seth is approached by the metaphorical ferryman offering safe passage into the “underworld,” he refuses until he is given some discomforting news. Like a modern-day Orpheus, he prepares for his descent into the abyss, unaware that time is running out. Before that story can play out, we need to go back several hours earlier and see what events transpired back on the surface…
Darkness (Fear)
Meanwhile, Mélie, Ocoho and Doc find themselves stranded in the heart of Bome. As one group is forced into a make-or-break situation, another learns of Bome’s history through the teachings of the officer’s academy. On the rooftops overlooking the city, two Dormitors on a mission speak of events prior, one driven by grief and vengeance. At the king’s palace located on the highest level of Bome, a royal guard ponders the future, only to encounter a brush with death that will forever change their destiny.
As the sun sets and the evening festivities get underway, the guide of the Dormitors appears in front of the gathered spectators. Making his demands known, the remaining Inquisitors respond in kind, setting the stage for disaster…
As discussed in the prologue in this piece, at the heart of Radiant is a story about individuals. While Seth and his companions workaround their current predicaments, other stories unfold as the pages flip to different perspectives. One minute, we’re following along with the Dormitors as the roots of their organization begin to sprout in the open and behind closed doors. The next, two high ranking Inquisitors assess the situation and make do against a threat they can’t defeat by saving as many people as they can.
Before you ask, yes, there are considerably more characters to keep track of this time, and no I will not be going over each one! However, if there was one unifying theme that ties these stories together, that would be the emotion known to trigger our flight or fight response — fear.
Up until this point, Radiant had largely avoided the darker nature of its mainstream contemporaries, preferring to keep most of its conflicts and horrors grounded in individual, societal and philosophical conflicts. These are still at the forefront of Bome — even more so now with conflict between the Inquisition and the resident Dormitors — but as the story sinks further into the depths of the city, the true nightmares come out to play. Whereas many horror-focused shonen emphasize the external horrors at first, Bome internalizes it through character reactions, psychologically as a response to trauma or by painting a bleaker destination as opposing factions put their grand plans into motion.
Early on, we get a glimpse of one character’s most painful memory as they relive the event while their companion can only watch in horror. During an outbreak in the streets, another endures the onslaught of several untamed beasts as their body is internally eviscerated to give the rest of their group a fighting chance. At about the midway point, a familiar face makes their return as they reveal their true nature, before proceeding to effortlessly slaughter the foes standing in front of their goal while the sorcerers watching from above are faced with an unwinnable situation.
Of course, there are plenty of external horrors this time around too. The leviathan kraken hiding in the clouds from the beginning of the arc, cannibal witches, and the lord of the underworld meets eldritch being among others. But the greatest fear comes the ongoing conflict between the Inquisition’s falling reputation and the Dormitor’s increasingly aggressive tactics.
The Shepard (Judgment)
At the beginning of the story, we learn that the Inquisition has been developing countermeasures to detain Nemeses without the need for Sorcerers or Fantasia, which ends horribly with several non-infected being disintegrated upon contact when one escapes — not accounting for any previous losses likely incurred during its capture. Further on, they attempt to reassert order and display unity with an assembly of ranked officers, a promotion ceremony and a parade of detained prisoners and Nemeses, only to be caught off guard in calculated plot by the Dormitors. Last, they redouble their efforts against the horned sorcerer which ends with — well, you get the idea.
Given the change in setting, their history, population management and fears are given further context. At the academy training the next generation of Inquisitors, we learn of the doctrine that has been in circulation since the organization’s founding. While the religious symbolism and parallels to the Christian definition of “Original Sin,” as well as certain witch-hunting text and tactics are beyond the scope of this piece, for the common citizen in Bome in constant fear due to the frequent Dormitor attacks and the Inquisition’s crumbling foundation, it contextualizes what they’ve been having to contend with as the power struggle draws further divisions. As everyday people are caught up in the crossfire and their institutions fail them, who will be left to save them lest they devour themselves first?
***Spoilers begin***
Perhaps the greatest fear on the Inquisitor’s side lies with one of its most notable figures, General Torque of the Thaumaturges. Believing that the world needs a Shepard to guide humanity, he maintains that an individual with the correct alignment of discipline, self-control and moderation is the one most qualified to usher in the new age. But as the Inquisition slowly loses sight of the people by acting on their hubris, he reveals the extent of his conviction and why he cannot stray from his chosen path.
As Torque references the history before the Patrem Inquisitor, he tells a detained prisoner before him that he intends to make an example of their death, as well as hunt down the remaining Sorcerers who bear their mark, for they are the last remnants of that bygone era when magic was at its highest point. Though not much is known about the events prior to the start of Radiant — a story that will be told in the upcoming prequel Fabula Fantasia — the outcome of that war was presumably so catastrophic that it fundamentally changed the foundation of the world.
From his perspective, that era had spiraled so far down into hysteria that the only appropriate response was to eradicate the root source of magic altogether by eliminating the lineage of the First Sorcerers. Even as individuals within the organization indiscriminately abuse their power and authority and Torque himself knows about the state of affairs when confronted with the fabrication they helped create, he continues knowing more sacrifices will be made.
Once again referencing the Shepard analogy and religious symbolism, the forbidden knowledge he came to possess of the pre-Inquisition era was so horrific, so disturbingly bleak that putting down the First Sorcerers and suppressing the remainder would be more merciful than the possibility of another full-scale war–
But can peace be achieved through a lie?
The Guide (Wrath)
On top of bridge with a full audience in view, Adhes of the Dormitors proclaims his vision of the future he envisions — a world where Sorcerers are more than just survivors. Throughout his tenure as the guide of the Dormitors, Adhes reformed the organization’s more primal methods, leveraging espionage and organized terrorism to reach their objectives. Believing the Infected to be the next step in human evolution, his words are only matched by his ruthlessness and cunning as he captivates his followers while simultaneously invoking fear at the slightest insubordination, often violently lashing out when his standards are not met.
This subjugating through fear has its limits as certain members adopt a survival of the fittest mentality. During a kidnapping attempt to retrieve a person of interest, one member abandons their partner when things go south, noting Adhes would “finish them both off if they came back empty handed.” Another abhors the group’s violent shift while a third loudly protests for the opposite, calling their new methods a mockery of the previous leader’s warrior pride to the point of labeling their recent plot “cowardly.”
Though most of the inner circle still holds their leader in high regard, if not out of intimidation rather than loyalty, as the most feared of all Sorcerers due to their direct connection with the Nemesis, they know that there is very little waiting for them out there. Some stick around for protection from the outside. Others as a convenience until a better offer shows up. And some just revel in the violence by inflicting as much pain and suffering in the name of liberation. Whatever brought them to the Dormitors in the first place, many of them found themselves believing in the cause or no place to return to.
***Spoilers end***
It begs the question, which side?
Just as Piodon had posed this question to Seth toward the conclusion of Rumble Town, Radiant revisits it in broader terms through the lens of fear. Despite being on opposing sides looking out for their respective factions, both Torque and Adhes reject the idea of coexistence, for doing so would be admitting their own fears and insecurities.
During the interrogation scene, the prisoner in Torque’s custody further taunts him as they realize what he fears is magic itself. As the story points out the Inquisition’s vain attempts to bypass magic altogether, whether hunting the Nemesis themselves or enlisting Sorcerers into their fold under pressure or by force, their lack of control of these factors reflect Torque’s unwillingness to look outside his own strength. In other words, what he truly fears is a future he cannot control — a world with unrestricted and unlimited imagination.
For Adhes, the alternative, the worst possible outcome isn’t annihilation or death, but non-existence. As both the Infected and non-infected looked down upon the Dormitors with indifference when they extended their hands for help, they were turned away, if not killed, before finding solace with the Nemesis and cursing the world for its cruelty. Though it is unlikely the Infected will be replaced anytime soon, it hasn’t stopped people from trying, perpetuating the cycle of division, violence, and yes, fear.
That paranoia eventually comes back to haunt them both. Sometime after the most recent Dormitor attack, the city is thrown into further disarray as the aftermath is felt by the residents and members on both sides are left gravely injured. Further distrust spreads among their organizations, leading to at least one falling out on one end and a direct confrontation on the other.
Given everything I’ve outlined, I fear — pun not intended — I may be giving you the wrong impression. While Bome does indeed feature a much darker tone compared to its predecessors, I highlight all this not because the story has suddenly left behind its more positive attributes or altruistic themes. As the old saying goes “the night is darkest before the dawn.” In Radiant, the dawn this time comes in the form of an emotion more powerful than fear. It’s one that can create or destroy in equal measure, give individuals the extra push in their hour of need, and arguably the most definitive of humanity.
Child of the Forest (Love)
As the royal guardswoman who evaded death recognizes her illness is no common infliction, her companion attempts to lift her spirits. She plays along with the king and requests an audience on their behalf with a high-ranking Inquisitor through connections. But during the Dormitor’s surprise attack, the two guards see how powerless they are, unable to protect anyone. Unsatisfied with the situation in Bome and ashamed by their own weakness, they confide in each other as they attempt to hide the sick guard’s deteriorating condition.
During a covert operation, two Inquisitors serving out a sentence speak of future dreams once they receive their official pardons. Hoping to leave behind the Inquisition, one plans for a more peaceful life out in the country while the other wants to take their loved ones as far away from Bome as possible. In a hospital ward, a boy visits his mother with his new classmate. At the site of ancient ruins, a conflicted Dormitor reminisces on the departed with a stranger. On the streets during a deadly rampage, a sorcerer puts his trust in his friend. In the aftermath, they gesture to them when they are unable to stand or speak.
“It’ll be okay.”
Love as a concept is a tricky subject in any medium because it represents the strongest commitment to change, and in an industry often dictated by repeat business and appealing to the largest demographic, it makes change a risky proposition. Done well and it’ll elevate your story tenfold, but implemented poorly and it becomes another question of the week dragging along the abyss known as the “forever title.”
By making a story explicitly about the human experience with a set destination, it was a bridge that Radiant would eventually need to cross to retain its thematic relevance. Fortunately, it’s been there from the start, becoming more prominent with each subsequent volume since the day Alma imparted those famous words that would come to define Radiant in the decade after — “You’re not born human, you become one.”
Bome’s contribution to that running theme plays out through several relationships. From familial bonds (and rivalries) to comrades-in-arms and deepening connections, the city plays host to multiple forms of love across the spectrum. Sometimes, it’s silent and subtle as the panels get in closer and the text bubbles and the dialogue fades into the background. Other moments are punctuated with abject nightmare fuel as that love turns into obsession before giving way to reality with words and actions that cannot be easily taken back.
Even during the fighting, whether it’s transitioning from unspeakable horror to non-stop action, Radiant refuses to dehumanize its characters for climatic impact or visual flair. Instead, it brings their humanity into the foreground, minimizing the page space by framing the scene closer to character’s eye level as the outpour of emotions becomes too much to contain in one or two panels — and it’s all so beautiful.
So, with all that out of the way, let’s talk about the Sidh.
In Irish folklore, the sídh (síthe) refers to the mounds and hills where fairies call home. It is directly derived from the Irish phrase “aos sí” or “people of the fairy mounds.” In Radiant, the Sidh fills a similar purpose, albeit on a more spiritual plane of existence. It is the astral realm that connects Fantasia and its wielders together. As one character puts it, “everyone has a place here, even if they are not aware of it.” In more shonen-like terms, the Sidh performs the obligatory duties most expect from the genre. Long distance communication, world building for the story’s power dynamics and, as recently introduced, fast travel for the more adaptable Sorcerer.
To longtime fans, however, they probably recognize the Sidh for entirely different reasons. It’s the metaphorical forest Piodon hinted at as he told Seth about his full potential and their family history. It’s where Seth learned to put his trust in his friends and temporarily learned to overcome the dark monitor in one of the series’ pivotal moments. It’s also the realm of memories where one can view previous events and recall or remember oneself should they ever lose their way. And as some of you might have suspected, it’s also where I derived the name of this anniversary project!
Ignoring the dark monitor seemingly keeping tabs on Seth, the Sidh is generally considered a safe space given not many are aware of its existence. In Bome, that safety is interrupted prematurely when Seth becomes the target of multiple parties. Even separated from physical space, the story can’t help but bring the chaos outside inward as malevolent forces begin to penetrate the white space. At one point, one character gets tossed into the Sidh in the equivalent of a gladiator fending off a chimera taking the form of their greatest fear while another almost becomes engulfed by the darkness seeping in.
During private conversations within the space, there’s small visual reminders that the safety these characters share is only temporary before the story abruptly pulls them back in or they voluntarily leave knowing what awaits them in the world of the living. But it’s in these finite moments where Radiant manages to pull from that infinite well of humanity and deliver something other than a return to normalcy or a temporary reprieve.
***Spoilers begin***
To reach his friends and cover his tracks from prying eyes, Seth reaches out to Myr who teaches him how to isolate himself within the Sidh. Having him mentally focus his senses, he asks Seth to envision a safe place, reaching back out to the physical world and draw it back into the Sidh. An island that only he can manifest. A sanctuary where one may take refuge from the outside world, if only for a moment — a home.
What he uses as his template isn’t surprising, but what he creates with his memories is.
Whereas a lot of series spend pages to entire arcs building its storytelling through physical transformations and godlike power, Radiant does most of this through connections. As Bome revisits Seth’s past, he once again draws strength from memories of Alma who continues to serve as the foundation of his moral compass, this time in the form of his childhood home. Although the Callite Forest is no more, he now carries the weight of it wherever he travels through Yggdrajill’s bracelet, along with the promise he made to Myr to help their children thrive by restoring the balance of Fantasia.
When Seth utilizes the power of the forest in more combative situations, it adds an additional narrative layer to the underlying theme of personal responsibilities. Through Myr, he is reminded that he is not an instrument of destruction, symbolized by his earlier forest re-population downtown of Bome. When they meet again later in the story, he reminds his pupil that he has to continuously reject those dark impulses, especially when making use of its power. As Jill’s bracelet merges with Seth and he becomes one with nature, her legacy lives on with him. In other words:
“You’re a child of the forest now, Seth.”
With both these memories burned deep into his sense of self, Seth’s projected island takes shape, symbolizing not only his idea of home, but his inherited will from both of his families and mentors — to avoid becoming the monster and stroking the flames of fear by showing the true potential of magic through creating. As master and pupil reminisce on simpler days, they know this memory will eventually pass and Seth will awake from the dream, unaware of what fate has in store for him and his friends as he ventures back into the city alone.
***Spoilers end***
This is far from the only quiet moment in the story. A short recollection into our main party’s individual childhoods, some private conversations between former and potential enemies, a cold exchange between an estranged father and son to a devastating revelation between a pair of sisters and later, brothers, to name a few. What I’ve shared today is only the surface, but as the ongoing conflicts escalate and resolve themselves — often to explosive results — it becomes the connective thread that ties these stories together.
It’s the primary reason why Radiant can afford to shift the narrative more frequently this time, giving us a glimpse into personal lives to tell smaller stories while providing greater narrative context to the big picture storytelling. Whether it’s friends and family, soldiers of fortune or duty-bound guards, or friendly teasing and even romantic kindling, the power of love manifests throughout Bome in even the smallest of gestures.
In Search of… (Final Thoughts)
Unlike a lot of my other essays, I started this one with the ending first. Before writing Crime & Punishment, future novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky spent time on death row after being arrested as part of a crackdown on a specific literary group the tsarist regime was targeting as a potential threat to its authoritarian rule. On the day of his intended execution, however, a last-minute pardon was issued to Dostoyevsky and several others, which was later revealed to be an elaborate ruse set up by the regime.
Though his actual sentence would be handed out later — four-years in a Siberian labor camp and several additional years of mandatory military service — the thought of narrowly escaping death’s door was enough to spark Dostoyevsky to take up the pen mere hours after the staged execution had concluded. In a dash of fiery passion and a renewed spirit, Dostoyevsky wrote to his brother Mikhail:
“Brother! I’m not despondent and I haven’t lost heart. Life is everywhere, life is in us ourselves, not outside. There will be people by my side, and to be a human being among people and to remain one forever, no matter in what circumstances, not to grow despondent and not to lose heart — that’s what life is all about, that’s its task. I have come to recognize that. The idea has entered my flesh and blood… The head that created, lived the higher life of art, that recognized and grew accustomed to the higher demands of the spirit, that head has already been cut from my shoulders… But there remain in me a heart and the same flesh and blood that can also love, and suffer, and pity, and remember, and that’s life, too!” — Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Dostoevsky Letters
By now, I realize we’ve gotten off topic, if not a little disoriented by the number of twists and turns this retrospective has taken. Initially, I was going to write about the way Bome used silence as part of its storytelling and comment on how Radiant has used change as a vehicle to refine itself over those 10 years. While I still think my original topic has merit, especially in the broader shonen spectrum which has historically favored the pursuit of power, adventure and titles, I forgot the most important lesson — the one I’ve been trying to communicate throughout this essay.
Ultimately, how does one define humanity? I certainly can’t answer that, but for Dostoyevsky, it took facing death to find new meaning in being alive. In the story of Radiant, it’s personified as a tangible element that can be gained or lost, hence its emphasis in the quieter scenes, as well the larger-than-life moments. And in Bome, it’s the stories of individuals, whether it be isolation from loneliness, obligations, regret or grief, fear of the unknown and the future, or love for another that drives our colorful cast of characters, sometimes to their breaking point.
As the story enters the climax and all parties are seemingly converging towards the same destination, several mysteries are still unresolved, and the fate of several characters is left in a questionable state. While uncertainty is par the course for this series — and cliffhangers! — as I reread the arc all the way to the most recently published volume, I remembered the reason(s) I started writing this essay. Seth’s determination to create a better world, Mélie’s resolve to break free from her past, Ocoho’s bravery in pursuit of her ideals, Doc’s solidarity in spite of his self-preservation and Grimm’s enigmatic personality and spontaneous decision-making. These aren’t the stories of fighters, adventurers, thrill-seekers, revolutionaries, shonen protagonists or even Infected — these are the stories of survivors.
Sure, there will no doubt be more dangers to cross, darkness to navigate and tragedies to overcome, but it also means there will be new bridges to build, illumination to move forward and a place to return wherever this journey takes us. No matter the circumstances, whether separated by distance, imprisoned by forces outside their control or individual goals diverge, life is everywhere, and therefore humanity!
Despite the seemingly endless skies and hidden worlds out of reach beneath the clouds, along with the otherworldly nature of Fantasia and infections, the guiding hand of humanity — for better or worse — is a constant presence in Radiant. It doesn’t shy away from the violence or harm we inflict on each other, the reciprocal nature of fear and distrust leading to discrimination, and if you look hard enough, our habit of trying to control nature only to make things worse. But it’s in those flaws that Radiant shines a light on our capacity for warmth and understanding, making the connections we foster that much closer, every victory more profound, and each failure an opportunity towards that fated destination of becoming human.
I guess what I’m trying to say is the Radiant can wait. Even if Seth could fly up to it right now and obliterate it out of existence, it would be meaningless without something to return to. Even if he poured all his memories into the Sidh, it still couldn’t be called “home” without people to share it with. That’s why after all this time, it’s what drives him forward. Not to outrun his past, but to look straight ahead towards the future. A future where anyone can be heroes and inspire change, whether within themselves or to one another, if not the world.
For that reason, I’ll always know I can keep my head up high and retain my heart. To remain human with the people by my side. After all, you inspired me to move forward and remember that the future is still Radiant.
Where We Belong (Epilogue)
There once lived a boy who wanted to change the world. He set out on a journey to rid humanity of its greatest nemesis, taking only his master’s parting words. During his travels, he met a tracker with a split personality, a researcher with more practical concerns, a mysterious swordsman with secrets of his own, and an aspiring knight with dreams for the future. They accompanied the boy on his journey, writing wrongs and rediscovering his own origins as he searched for his elusive destination.
But the boy’s faith in his own ability and understanding of the world would be challenged. Overtime, he met the family he never knew he had, crossed paths with the one-eyed captain who defended the powerless, listened to the pied piper’s unfinished song, sympathized with the wolf tamer who knew his pain, and came face to face with the dormant power brewing within his veins. As he came to learn their stories, he grew restless, unsure of himself as the darkness inside threatened to take everything from him. Time and time again, he rebuked his own power as it tempted him with the promise of infinite strength, only to further aggravate it into swallowing him whole.
One day, the boy heard a voice calling out. As he reached out in response, he grew close with the tracker who shared a similar fate, earned the researcher’s confidence, took the odd favor or two from the silent swordsman, and gained the trust and admiration of the knight apprentice. Before long, he had found people who accepted him as he was. With guidance from the guardians of the forest, he regained his confidence as the darkness’s hold on him diminished, embracing their strength and his own humanity.
This is the tale of survivors who reclaimed the light amidst the darkness, welcoming what they could not change and cherishing the memories they had created together. For in the boy’s heart he decreed, now and forever, “I’ll always be human.”
This is a story about finding where we belong.
Originally published at Medium on August 25, 2023.
All screenshots and media captured from my computer and phone using the original source, unless otherwise noted.
Dark Aether is a writer/contributor for TAY and AniTAY. You can check his main writings on Medium, archives at TAY2, or follow him on Twitter @TheGrimAether. Not Dead Yet.
Radiant Memories is a collection of stories looking back at the Radiant universe and its 10 year anniversary. All previous posts can be viewed here. For more details, see below.
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