Soul Eater Wiki
Advertisement
Soul Eater Wiki

Synopsis 
Operation: Rescue Kid commences! Thanks to witches, Spartoi members enter the Book of Eibon to locate where Death the Kid is imprisoned. But Maka Albarn and her peers must first work through the Seven Chapters of this book--starting with the genderbending pages of the Lust Chapter. Meanwhile, Death the Kid faces the Great Old One of Power, learning more about the Eight Reaper Legions--then succumbing to madness.

Salvage (Part 1) is the seventy-second serialized chapter of the manga Soul Eater. It was reprinted in tankōbon form in Volume 17.

Featured Appearances[]

Characters[]

DWMA Spartoi Book of Eibon Unit

Other DWMA

Other Witches

Inside the Book of Eibon

Noah's Gang

Locations[]

Techniques[]

Objects[]

Plot[]

Death Weapon Meister Academy[]

Soul Eater Chapter 72 - Eruka's explosive collar

The DWMA places an explosive collar onto Eruka

Four witches seat around a Magic Circle drawn onto the floor in an aged room. At the center of this circle is the DWMA library's manuscript copy of the Book of Eibon. These witches will use Calculation Magic to link this manuscript to Noah's copy of the Book of Eibon, permitting Spartoi members access to rescue Death the Kid.

Eruka Frog looks nervous at the collar around her neck, containing on it a skull the shape of Death's mask. Ox Ford directs Eruka to begin her Calculation Magic while he and DWMA members will perform additional computations. But Harvar D. Éclair cannot resist reminding Eruka that the collar around her neck is explosive: should she fail to follow their instructions sufficiently, the collar will explode.

Death Room, One Day Earlier[]

Maka Albarn apologizes. Spirit Albarn urges Death to be lenient on her—earning him yet another Shinigami Chop to the head. Death criticizes Spirit's foolishness for lending Maka his Death Scythe identification card to check out a restricted book, the manuscript copy of the Book of Eibon, when only Death Scythes were permitted access. Maka intervenes, telling Death the fault belongs to her, not to her father. Soul Eater, however, is annoyed, remembering how Maka lied to him about how frequently she borrows Spirit's identification for restricted library books, as well as approaching Medusa's dungeon cell in the restricted area of the DWMA.

Maka explains that, at the time she checked out the manuscript copy of the Book of Eibon, she recognized she was breaking DWMA rules, hence hid her identity by signing out the book with only the initial "M" (which Death the Kid had discovered when he attempted to check out that same manuscript).

Soul argues that Maka's violation is not a "big deal," as he is now a Death Scythe, which means she could check out the manuscript now with no problems. Maka interrupts that she still broke the rules, and Death agrees: he must punish her.

Before Death can announce Maka's punishment, he is interrupted by the arrival of Liz and Patty Thompson, who arrived upon learning that their peers have discovered how to rescue Kid from the Book of Eibon. Franken Stein confirms, although he warns entry into the Book of Eibon depends on a risky endeavor depending on numerous resources. Regardless, Liz demands to participate in this rescue mission, as do Soul and Maka. Stein confirms he already intended for Spartoi members to join this mission, pointing out to Death that Maka's enhanced Soul Perception abilities will be vital to finding Kid. Death remains hesitant, until Spirit suggests that this mission can be part of Maka's punishment. While still hesitant, Death agrees with Spirit and Stein's argument, permitting Maka to join this mission.

Death Weapon Meister Academy, the Present[]

Soul Eater Chapter 72 - Magic Circle empowered

The Magic Circle powers up

Near the Magic Circle are gathered members of Spartoi: Maka, Soul, Liz, Patty, Black Star, Tsubaki Nakatsukasa, Kilik Rung, Pot of Fire, and Pot of Thunder, as well as Blair in cat form.

Eruka instructs Ox to begin his computations while she pinpoints coordinates. But Eruka struggles to focus, realizing she has gone "from Medusa's errand-slave to DWMA's bitch." Upset, Eruka takes out her frustrations on the other witches empowering the Magic Circle, referring to Risa, Arisa, and Kim Diehl as "idiots." While Kim is upset, Risa and Arisa follow instructions. Focusing on incantations by Rerené Descartes, Eruka begins Magic Calculation, first analyzing the Demon Book and traversing radiation so to maintain the power at 70 magic joules.

Watching the witches' spell, Black Star recognizes that he owes Kid for having helped him get through his doubt during their earlier duel and intends to rescue his friend.

Stein then reviews with Blair, who is in cat form, that she will accompany Spartoi members as a transceiver for the team, remaining in contact with the witches, both to provide updates on their progress through the Book of Eibon and to pass along any communications from outside of the Book.

Ox and Eruka announce that all points have cleared, permitting access into the book. Kim orders Spartoi members to encircle around the manuscript in the Magic Circle. While Eruka fears Medusa may kill her for assisting the DWMA, she instructs the students and Blair to Commence Dive. Maka shouts for her teammates to save Spartoi's missing member: "Let's go get Kid!!" Her peers shout in agreement.

Nothing happens momentarily, until the students and Blair are dissolved into energy, zapped into the opened pages of the manuscript. Smoke from the circle blows away, as Sid Barrett hopes his students return safely.

The Book of Eibon, Prologue[]

The Table of Contents

The Table of Contents arrives

Abstruse letters circle around the field of white, as the members of Spartoi hover. Maka is impressed: "My whole life I've been reading books and wanting so badly to jump inside them." A voice calls out to her, surprised to find "a book lover." Soul calls out to the voice, revealed to be the Book of Eibon's Table of Contents, The Table of Contents, a seemingly mechanical creature draped with a cloak resembling the page of a book. After The Table of Contents struggles to get its words correctly, it asks Maka for her favorite book, learning it is Lorda Dun-Sany's Dark Side of the Moon.

The Table of Contents is impressed with this bibliophile Maka, complaining that his last guest only re-organized the book's contents. But The Table of Contents should have expected Death the Kid would be so obsessed with order, referring to the shinigami as "a fragment of a Great Old One," with "the Madness of Order." Black Star demands to know where Kid is, but The Table of Contents is more surprised at how "interesting" this ninja seems. Liz, frustrated, says that a table of contents should know what is inside the book and to locate Kid immediately.

The Table of Contents explains that the Book of Eibon is divided into seven chapters, but Kid is located beyond those seven chapters in "a deep hidden section that cannot be reached through an ordinary reading of the book." The Table of Contents warns that this hidden section houses "the onset of madness," and to enter will require "paying a price." Kilik, Tsubaki, and Patty claim that they understand these risks and are willing to do what is necessary to save Kid. The Table of Contents therefore announces it will serve as Spartoi's guide through the book. The Table of Contents then speaks in an unknown language, causing the letters in the book to draw together into a circle, opening a portal to the book's first chapter. The Table of Contents instructs Spartoi to follow through this portal.

Death Room[]

Spirit updates Death that Spartoi has dived into the Book of Eibon successfully. Spirit then bemoans how difficult it is for parents to let their children go alone on a mission. Death then makes Spirit feel shame that the Death Scythe himself would not last through the first chapter of the Book of Eibon.

Stein reminds his peers that they can only hope for their students' success while they locate and attack Noah's base, with Tezca Tlipoca already waiting instructions.

The Book of Eibon, Chapter 1: Lust[]

Soul Eater Chapter 72 - Genderbent 1

Kilik, Tsubaki, and Black Star are shocked to have changed sexes

The Lust Chapter consists of a cloudy sky and a flat surface, with tall structures appearing like twisting, branched trees rising from the flat surface upward. Yet these tree-looking structures seem flexible, whether from movement around those structures—or within them, as one being rests inside one structure.

Passing through the portal opened from the Prologue, The Table of Contents leads Spartoi, informing them that a chapter about erotic desire makes for an effective opening chapter for readers. Tsubaki comments how "titillating" the air smells, but Black Star is surprised at how different Tsubaki sounds—and that Black Star now has "big honkin' tits." The members of Spartoi realize that their sexes have changed: those who are male are now female, and those who are female are now male. While Patty is impressed how "bad ass" Liz looks, Soul bemoans how uncool the new female form appears—although Tsubaki is impressed how "cute" Soul looks. Maka expresses annoyance at this male form, while members of Spartoi think Maka looks the same, male or female.

The Table of Contents explains that the Lust Chapter transforms visitors into the opposite sex according to each person's "own interests and desires for the opposite sex." Black Star realizes this sex change is one of the prices that they will pay.

Liz then notices something moving within the twisted structures around them. Liz clutches Patty, who thinks Liz looks humorous as a man when so frightened. The being behind the twisted structured giggles, putting a stocking-covered leg out before revealing her: the Succubus emerges, tongue out, draped only in an apron. Black Star and Kilik are surprised about this "porny" and "naked apron chick," as The Table of Contents explains Noah collected this demon who seduces men and sucks out their life energy. Surprised at this demon, Maka's nose begins to bleed, as the meister "finally understand[s] what it feels like to be a guy." Soul is annoyed that guys like Maka are obsessed with big breasts.

While Soul yells at Maka, The Table of Contents meditates: the longer Spartoi remains in any one chapter, the easier it is to draw their souls into the Seven Deadly Sins, until these students themselves become part of the Book of Eibon, hence part of Noah's collection.

Noah's Base[]

Noah is of the same mind as The Table of Contents, impressed having collected Eibon's "forbidden fruit," BREW. But realizing interlopers have invaded the Book of Eibon, Noah orders Gopher to retrieve Giriko to purge these "irregularities."

Noah then chuckles, repeating of his desire to possess and his refusal to give up "the Great Old One," having already possessed "a fragment of one." Noah concludes that all that is left to collect include "the Shinigami...Asura."

The Book of Eibon, the Hidden Chapter[]

Soul Eater Chapter 72 - Kid under madness

Kid succumbs to the Great Old One's madness

Kid still floats in the face of the black mass "horror" with the powerful wavelength. Kid then realizes having felt this wavelength before: this being has a wavelength similar to Asura.

The mass speaks, referring to Kid as a "fragment of the Shinigami" and lecturing Kid not to compare him to Asura, clarifying to Kid that Asura and this mass are each "a Great Old One," just like Death. The mass clarifies that the Great Old Ones are another term for the Eight Reaper Legions. This Great Old One of Power explains Asura consumed three of the eight, leaving five behind: itself, Death, Asura, Eibon, "and another of whom you already know."

Kid demands the Great Old One of Power explain where Asura is located so the DWMA may hunt him. But the Great Old One refuses to be condescended, intimidating Kid: "I am not your ally. I am nothing of the sort." The Great Old One explains the forms of madness: "Order...Knowledge...Power...Anger...Fear. Indeed, the very presence of the Great Old Ones plunges men into madness."

The Great Old One's black mass engulfs Kid, dripping down onto him. A smile forms on Kid's face, turning up into madness even as he is drowning in blackness until Kid disappears.

Then Kid emerges. His previously ripped sleeves are gone, replaced with a full suit and a cravat. Five vertical lines from the top of his lips down his chin appear. Under the influence of this madness, Kid smiles, saying, "This world disgusts me."

Trivia[]

  • Eruka's mention of Rerené Descartes alludes to René Descartes, seventeenth-century mathematician and philosopher, appropriate for Eruka to name in her calculation spell. Descartes also provided a modern formulation of the concept of mind-body dualism: the idea that the mind or soul is noncorporeal and as such does not follow the same physical.[1]
  • The book that Maka requests from Index, Lorda Dunsany's Dark Side of the Moon, alludes to Edward Plunkett, Lord Dunsany, early twentieth-century Irish baron who wrote fantasy fiction, and Pink Floyd's 1973 album, Dark Side of the Moon. This allusion is not only yet another one of Atsushi Ohkubo's numerous musical allusions in Soul Eater but yet another allusion to Pink Floyd: Sid Barrett's name is inspired by one of the band's musicians, and the title "Dark Side of the Moon" will reappear as the title to the manga's final arc.[2]
  • Eibonbook

    An excerpt of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland appears in the Book of Eibon

    An extract from the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland comprises the pages of the Book of Eibon when The Table of Contents explains the seven chapters and hidden section.[3]
  • Death claims Spirit would not get past the first chapter to the Book of Eibon, prompting Spirit to feel ashamed. As Spirit is a lustful individual, their conversation suggests both Death and Spirit have some familiarity with the Book of Eibon's contents, recognizing that Chapter 1 is the Lust Chapter.
  • Noah refers to BREW as Eibon's "forbidden fruit," a phrase closely associated with the Abrahamic story of the Tree of Knowledge. In Chapter 82, The Table of Contents will allude to the Tree of Knowledge when referring to humanity's obtained knowledge of good and evil at the cost of Paradise. The Soul Eater anime as well alludes to the Tree of Knowledge, with Medusa taking on the role of the snake and being associated with an apple, which is often represented as that very forbidden fruit offered by the snake to Adam and Eve.
  • Noah says all that he has left to collect include "the Shinigami...Asura." It is open to interpretation whether these are one or two entries on Noah's list: Asura is himself a shinigami, as a fragment of Death, so Noah could be referring to his desire to acquire "Asura the Shinigami." But based on the translation, it is likely Noah is referring to "the Shinigami" as Death and only Death, hence his desire to possess two beings.
  • This chapter clarifies how Kid is a "fragment" of the Great Old One, Death himself, and that Kid embodies the "Madness of Order."

References[]

  1. Soul Eater Volume 11: Yen Press Translation, Page 188
  2. Soul Eater Volume 11: Yen Press Translation, Page 188-189
  3. Soul Eater Volume 17, Yen Press English translation: Chapter 72, Page 156

Site Navigation[]

v  d  e
Chapters and Volumes
Volume 1 0.10.20.31
Volume 2 2345
Volume 3 6789
Volume 4 1011121314
Volume 5 15161718
Volume 6 19202122
Volume 7 2324252627
Volume 8 28293031
Volume 9 3232.5333435
Volume 10 36373839
Volume 11 4041424344
Volume 12 45464748
Volume 13 49505152
Volume 14 5354555657
Volume 15 5859606162
Volume 16 6364656667
Volume 17 6869707172
Volume 18 73747576
Volume 19 7778798081
Volume 20 828384858687
Volume 21 8889909192
Volume 22 9394959697
Volume 23 9899100101102
Volume 24 103104105106107
Volume 25 108109110111112113
Volume 1 123456
Volume 2 789101112131415
Volume 3 161718192021222324
Volume 4 252627282930313233343536
Volume 5 373839404142
Advertisement