Slayers - Xellos/Zelgadis
Dec. 23rd, 2005 02:54 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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ship_manifestoTitle: I Hate to Love You
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kaylbunny and chrissy_sky
Fandom: Slayers
Pairing: Zelgadis/Xellos
Spoilers: for Next, Try, Premium, and fifth novel. Small ones though, but it reads on the assumption that the reader has already seen the series.
Slayers is a popular anime series that parodies the fantasy adventure genre. The story revolves around the main character, Lina Inverse, and the various journeys she has with her friends.
This essay is an interpretation of a relationship between two characters that are not what is typically considered a canon couple. While we argue with canon, these are only our opinions. It is understood that not everyone will agree with this essay. Please keep that in mind.
Juuinkan Xellos Metallium (surname debatable)
Whether as a mysterious priest, trickster, servant to his master, or tentative friend, Xellos has attracted the adoration of a rather large amount of fans. He would no doubt find this highly amusing. Xellos is, above all things, a Mazoku (race of evil). His loyalty to his master and creator, Greater Beast (or Beastmaster) Xellas Metallium, is unwavering. Showing a playful side to his character, he often plays tricks on Lina Inverse and her friends. They don’t really appreciate his sense of humor, and are frustrated by it, which probably amuses him more. Like the rest of his race, he does not like the Ryuzoku (race of dragons), and enjoys teasing and tormenting the golden dragon Filia. Xellos tends to be unashamedly sneaky when accomplishing his own ends (he kisses Lina twice in order to make her forget questions he didn’t want to answer). He often answers questions by cheerfully saying, “Sore wa himitsu desu!” (That is a secret!)
1012 years ago, Xellos fought in the Kouma War, in which he killed many Golden Dragons, nearly annihilating their entire race. This was definitely near the dawn of his life, and it seems to have left an impression on him. His accomplishments during that time support his cockiness as well. A high level of egotism is general to all Mazoku. The more they believe in themselves, the more powerful they become. Even a small amount of disbelief in themselves could be fatal. Mazoku are astral beings, though they appear to us in earthly forms. Xellos’ body, the only one which we ever see, is described in the novel The Silver Beast (1) as “looking twenty years old and seemed of medium stature—neither too short nor too tall, neither thin nor fat—with a head of silky black hair cropped just below his chin. He wore black robes common to all priests and held a priest’s staff that looked right out of the discount bin. [Lina] considered his features fairly handsome, though there wasn’t anything remarkable about them save for the rather out-of-place smile on his lips.” (Page 65.) In the anime, his appearance does not change much except for becoming a little taller and having purple hair (which has become his trademark of sorts—the color purple).
“Juuinkan” literally means priest of the Greater Beast. In the Mazoku hierarchy, it is natural for a Mazoku Lord to have one priest and one general (though none seem to follow this rule anyway). Xellas decides to do something rather amazing and creates her servant, her only servant, with the powers of both priest and general. This makes him incredibly powerful (again supporting his attitude). Though we don’t often see it, since Xellos is loath to fight when it could mean revealing the plot before the writers are ready, when he does show his power, it’s obvious there’s no need to question his superiority.
Since the Kouma War, Xellos has been assigned to destroying copies of the Claire Bible so that humans cannot learn its secrets. In that time, one can wonder how much of it he spent among humans, since he seems to fit among them fairly well. In recent times, Xellos has been sent on missions to destroy fellow Mazoku—Gaav and Valgaav—both times while using Lina and company as bait. But occasionally he does helpful things as well, such as giving Lina those power amplifiers. He’s not truly evil or truly good—Xellos is just Xellos.
Zelgadis Greywords
Not much is known of Zelgadis’ earlier years, only that he traveled with Rezo the Red Priest (his grandfather) for years as the man searched for a cure to his blindness. Zelgadis’ wish was to become stronger, and Rezo granted it, though at a terrible price. He transformed Zelgadis into the being we see him as now—a chimera. 1/3 human, 1/3 golem, and 1/3 brow demon. The brow demon seems to be in some close relation to the Mazoku, though there isn’t much definitive proof of this. People, in fan fiction, seem to suppose this, but there are also a few instances in canon where it seems apparent (like his almost orgasmic reaction to being called a “heartless sorcerer swordsman”). Zelgadis hates his form and wishes to be returned to normal, though as yet all his attempts have been unsuccessful. Unfortunately for Zelgadis, most of his grandfather’s research (his “legacy”) was destroyed when Copy Rezo brought forth Zanaffar. Though there are other sorcerers who study chimeras, none know as much about them as Rezo did, and until they catch up to his league Zelgadis is more or less stuck. This does not stop him from continuing his search.
Though Zelgadis holds himself aloof from the group, he does care about them, even stating at one point that he’s “stuck with them.” Lina, Gourry, and Amelia are the first (relatively normal) people to accept him since his transformation, and are the only friends he has, so he holds a great affection for them. Nonetheless, he often seeks to be alone, finding their cheerfulness and hyperactivity irritating. He can sometimes be a mean person, and though he has a good heart he will stop at nothing to accomplish his goals.
Zelgadis is a powerful sorcerer, majoring in shamanism magic, and is an exceptional swordsman. He also has varying talents in map-making, lock-picking, and gun-shooting.
The Relationship
This is not a typical couple. It is based on the unobvious, and built on the potential of what could be. Listed below are some instances in the show that may or may not be construed as proof, or subtext.
- In episode two of the second series (Next), Xellos first appears to the group whilst Lina is torching a group of bandits for information on the Claire Bible. Xellos proclaims to be a humble priest in search of the manuscript, saying that it was stolen. Of course, a second later it immediately becomes apparent that this is a lie. Zelgadis stands in the corner and scoffs at Xellos’ explanations, irrationally angry over the priest’s presence, to the extent where he storms off. Xellos appears to be mildly amused by his reaction, but otherwise unconcerned.
Later on, after Lina and Xellos follow the leader of the gang they’re trying to steal the manuscript from, Zelgadis reappears mysteriously and kills the leader (though accidentally). He takes the copy of the Claire Bible and walks away, apologizing to Lina though she can’t hear him. Then Xellos appears in front of him, in the midst of flames.
Xellos moves faster than Zelgadis can follow, stealing the manuscript right from his grasp. Angered, Zelgadis sends a spell at Xellos, which he easily deflects. Zelgadis becomes even angrier and prepares another spell. Xellos opens his eyes, seemingly startled at the amount of strength Zelgadis is capable of. When Zelgadis unleashes the spell, Xellos is no where in sight, and the manuscript falls to the ground. Before Zel can read it, however, Xellos sets it on fire. Xellos’ parting words are a repeat of his “That is a secret!” motto, and Zel, thoroughly frustrated, collapses. Before this, no one had been able to get so completely under Zelgadis’ skin.
At the end of the episode, when asked how he got into the bandits’ castle, Zelgadis copies Xellos: he holds up a finger and says, “That is a secret!”
- Two episodes later, when Xellos reappears, Zelgadis’ first reaction is to grab the priest by the collar and demand furiously where he’s been. Xellos pretends to be nervous and allows the chimera’s hold. Seconds later, Zelgadis grabs him again and threatens him not to run off. Xellos makes a light amused sound at this, but neither says he’s going to stay or leave. Obviously he doesn’t go too far though, since he appears shortly after Lina and Gourry have defeated Halcyform, making Seigram think twice about attacking them.
- In the sixth episode, when Martina returns to get revenge on Lina, Xellos sticks around just long enough to be mysterious and totally unhelpful. When he begins to walk away, Zelgadis is very angry and shouts, “Hey! Wait!” He follows and looks around the tree that the priest disappeared behind, only to find a strange green rabbit that meows in Xellos’ place. When Xellos reappears after Martina’s curse begins to take effect, Zelgadis is very angry that he’s back. (The poor boy can’t make up his mind, huh?)
- When Lina goes in search of the fabulous dragon cuisine, the gang stops at a restaurant and order said meal. Amelia seems concerned that Xellos is sitting at the next table.
Amelia: [cheerfully] Xellos-san, won’t you eat with us?
Xellos: [surprised at first, then smiles] That’s alright.
Amelia: But—
Zelgadis: Leave him alone.
Even though he hates him, and doesn’t really know him, Zelgadis seems to understand that Xellos wants to remain apart from the group. Later, when Zel is used as an anchor, Xellos (watching in a tree nearby the lake) says, “oh my, oh my,” looking slightly bored (or concerned, which has been argued in the past).
- Xellos appears to protect Phil so that Lina can attack Kanzel and Mazenda, most likely under orders from his master. Zelgadis is actually HAPPY to see him. HAPPY.
- In episode fifteen, Xellos is telling the story of Joe, in a low and creepy voice, and Zelgadis is carefully turned away from the table, yet is strangely sitting beside the priest. He then goes onto say that he thinks the power that could turn people into dolls/puppets would be like the Claire Bible. Zelgadis remarks that that could be possible, but he thinks Xellos is making it up. Xellos makes an “ooh!” sound in a tone that’s borderline flirtatious.
Later, when Zelgadis refuses to wear a costume, all Lina has to say is, “I guess you don’t mind letting Xellos get to the book first, huh?” to get Zel in the bunny suit.
- While Lina, Gourry, and Amelia are fighting over the last meatball in the next episode, Xellos and Zelgadis sit beside each other, not participating in the madness. During the cut-away, after they find a new table, Amelia is sitting between them.
During the brass rackets tournament, Zelgadis first notices Amelia is missing, then Gourry points out Xellos is gone too. Zelgadis looks back to where Xellos was sitting, in a lingering glance, the close-up of his face only making this more pronounced. After Xellos and Amelia enter as the next team playing against Lina and Rudo, Zelgadis cries, “XELLOS?!” and stomps his feet in frustration.
After Amelia gives Zelgadis the trophy and he finds out it’s not a clue to the Claire Bible, he attacks Xellos, hitting him on the second try, again surprising the Mazoku. In his words, Xellos “didn’t see that one coming.”
- In the Amazon village, Zelgadis rescues a girl that looks (as some fangirls have claimed) a little like Xellos. But Miwan does bring some interesting reactions out of Zelgadis because, as we later find out, she is a he. It can be debated that he was attracted to her, and subsequently asked her to go with them, because he was feeling the need to prove his masculinity, since Lina and Amelia have him dressed as a woman. (Or because she looked like Xellos. Either way.) The moment he sees “her” again after the rescue, he’s just overheard Martina calling Xellos, “so cute!” which makes him glare and gnash his teeth. Zel then sees Miwan and decides to go talk to her. They discuss living false lives and how easy it is to change the future. Zelgadis seems to be talking from personal experience.
Later on, he’s looking at his own reflection, and pondering his own false life. Though what he considers false about his life is left hanging, as Miwan chooses that moment to run passed. Perhaps his chimera form, or something else?
Also, during the fight, Zelgadis ends up with all his clothes off, and Xellos mysteriously disappears only to reappear after it’s all over.
- Xellos mentions that he knows where they can find an original copy of the Claire Bible, and Zelgadis angrily manhandles him again. Presumably the last time he does so. [Sob.]
- When Xellos comes out as a Mazoku, the only ones who are really upset are Martina and Amelia. Zelgadis seems to just shrug it off, as if he expected something like this, not even appearing to be a little angry, though he could possibly be internalizing it, which is worse. [Gourry, of course, knew the whole time!] In fact, he only gets angry when Xellos still refuses to tell them the whole plot. Lina has to keep Zel from attacking him.
- During the battle with Gaav, after Xellos runs away, Zelgadis proclaims he’s going to help Gourry fight the Mazoku Lord “because, unlike Xellos, I’m human.” Xellos’ retreat obviously made him angry.
- The next time our boys meet, it’s in the Slayers Premium movie (or so I assume, since Gourry still has his Sword of Light, and we all know that in Try Sirius takes it back to his world). Xellos’ appearance is merely a cameo, and he’s just there observing the group’s newest adventure, which probably means he wasn’t ordered to be there.
Amelia and Zel arrive together, and Amelia starts shouting adamantly that she won’t leave Zelgadis behind so she can go pig out on octopus cuisine. Xellos watches them with a smile and giggles. When Amelia freaks out over all the restaurants being closed, Xellos appears to explain things. They go up to a rooftop to look over the city, and Amelia almost falls over. Zelgadis nonchalantly holds onto her cape so she doesn’t and keeps talking to Xellos. Zel seemed surprise to see Xellos there, but not overly angry. It can only be assumed that Zelgadis has come to accept Xellos and his ways by this point.
- In Try, there are two instances when Xellos is hanging around Zel and Amelia rather than Lina, Gourry, and Filia—when he’s on a mission to kill Valgaav, and being with Lina is the guaranteed way to do that. The first time being in the middle of their first battle with Val; the second when Lina was on the next island. (The slacker.)
Though there are fewer “hints” between them in Try, that in itself says a lot. It’s not important what they say and do, but rather what they don’t. And, Xellos was pretty busy with his mission (when he wasn’t slacking off), so it’s understandable. (If there is something else in Try that we’ve forgotten, please let us know.)
- Also from the fifth novel, while Xellos is explaining things to the group:
“I have a question,” Zelgadiss snapped.
“You? Oh, anything.” (Page 149)
- Then, Lina pokes some fun at Xellos, completely making him lose his cool:
Xelloss sighed. "I see," he murmured. "Quite a gay and merry bunch we have here, it would seem."
[Lina] scoffed and pointed a finger right back at him. "You're the only one who's gay."
"N-not at all!" Xelloss stammered. "I'm perfectly straight! Perfectly straight!"
His protests weren't convincing, to say the least.
Zelgadiss had had enough of our shenanigans. He turned away, and I got the feeling he thought we were a squabbling bunch of cretins. He had this I'm-gonna-keep-my-distance-from-these-cretins sort of look about him.
"A-anyway, I've had enough," Xelloss blustered. "I'm leaving!" With that, he stomped out of the barn. (Page 152) (Though the novels are not series canon we decided to include them because they’re neat.)
But, how can this couple actually WORK you ask? They actually fit together remarkably well—they’re both bastards, of varying levels, distance themselves away from the rest of the group. Zelgadis is a human touched by darkness, whereas Xellos is a being of darkness who hangs around humans all day. Though there would be the initial misunderstandings and residual anger to work passed, once they did, they could form a unique understanding—which appears to already be in the making—an understanding that doesn’t need shouting proclamations. It wouldn’t always be a happy or easy relationship, but no relationship is.
The Obstacles
It can be debated whether Zelgadis and Amelia are a canon couple. Throughout the anime, it is obvious that Amelia fancies herself in love with Zelgadis, though she never admits it out loud. She strives to help him find a copy of the Claire Bible, even going so far as to use her status of Princess of Seyruun to pull strings that would allow her to enter the Brass Racquets tournament (though, interestingly enough, Xellos was the one to suggest it).
In Try, the group head to a holy temple of Marriage and Love that can only be entered in pairs, determined by coloured balls that a disguised Gillus informs them will find the best suited couples. Amelia protests to being paired with Gourry, and spends the walk to the temple arm-in-arm with him, acting like a spoilt child and snapping at anyone who talks to her; though she admits that it isn’t fair for her to do so.
Zelgadis seems to take her affection in stride, though he never makes any overtures towards her. At most, he seems to regard her as a little sister. They work well together in battles, and trust each other to watch their back. At times, Amelia is surprised at how harsh his attitude can be, and he notes that she is enthusiastic, like a child.
And there is where we think lies their problem. Amelia is a bubbly, outgoing person who likes to be around people. Zelgadis is the complete opposite. Where she is social and naïve, he is introverted and cynical. In the very last episode of Try, Zelgadis has one of Amelia’s bracelets around his water bottle, perhaps as a gift from Amelia, a reminder that she’ll always be there waiting for him.
But he doesn’t stay. To stay in one place, even for love, seems completely out of character. He has his own quest, and maybe after he finds a cure to his curse he will settle down. Until then, we imagine he’d travel, staying away from the prying eyes and crowds of people that he hates so much. In the end, it all comes down to whether he’d set aside his discomfort to stay with her, and from the last episode we see that he isn’t ready for that.
It’s easier to explain why people ship Xellos and Filia. In the last episode of Try, Xellos turns to Filia and says ‘That’s the Filia I know’. In the dub, however, it was changed to ‘That’s the Filia I love’. What happens in dubbed anime is still considered canon, though it’s very rarely close to the original Japanese version. It’s also common knowledge that American companies alter scripts to hint at straight couples, because of their bias against slash/yaoi. Whether you watch the sub or the butchered dub version, you can see that Xellos is trying to goad her into action, as he does throughout Try.
There’s also the ‘thin line between love and hate’ aspect that you often see in fanfiction. Filia is a golden dragon, and Xellos a Mazoku. The two races are natural rivals, representing ‘good’ and ‘evil’. Xellos was created for the sole purpose of killing the Ryuzoku race, and happily wiped out scores of dragons with a smile on his face. It’s obvious by his actions towards Valgaav and the Elder of the golden dragons that he would have no qualms about doing it again.
For Filia and Xellos to work as a couple they would have to get over their hatred of each other and their race. Since Filia reacts badly to his presence whether she knows he’s there or not, it’s doubtful that could happen. There’s also the issue of Valgaav. At the end of Try we see that Filia has set up an antique shop, and has Valgaav with her. The whole point of her taking the egg to raise him was that he would grow up without his hatred for everyone (but especially Mazoku). Seeing Xellos may trigger Valgaav to try and destroy the world again, so the logical thing would be to keep them apart. Filia clearly chose Valgaav over Xellos.
The biggest obstacle in a Xellos/Zelgadis pairing is that no one really knows whether it’s possible for Mazoku to love at all. The creator of Slayers has never said yes or no, so it is entirely up to the fan/writer to decide. We know that Mazoku feed from negative emotions, while positive ones cause them pain. Love is said to be the most positive emotion of all, but that is also up for debate. There are many different types of love, and a lot of negative things that go with it: jealousy, possessiveness, insecurity, neediness and infatuation, to name but a few. It’s highly likely that this side of love would be appealing to Xellos.
Xellos holds his master in high regard, and possibly even loves her (but we can’t say for sure). He treats Lina and the gang with an odd sort of fondness, and only looks slightly uncomfortable and amused when Martina follows him around like a love sick puppy. Martina’s love for Xellos (as superficial as it was) shows that Xellos can indeed be around someone radiating positive emotions towards him without it being fatal. Zelgadis, with all his coldness and anti-social behaviour is highly unlikely to transform into a love-sick teenager in a relationship. I’d say that Xellos would be more than safe from Zelgadis professing his love every ten seconds, which the Mazoku would no doubt appreciate.
Why We Love It
I first got into the pairing before I had even seen Slayers. I have a habit of reading fics if they’re recommended to me, even if I don’t know the characters. Once I finally watched the anime, though, I only grew to love them more. I’m drawn to dark, powerful and sadistic characters, which both Xellos and Zelgadis are, so it only seemed natural to continue to pair them together. I just couldn’t see Zelgadis thinking of Amelia as anything but a sister, and Xellos doing anything other than teasing Filia, so it worked. I’d happily read them with other people if someone recced me something, but I’ll always come back to them. It just feels right.
Chrissy got into the pairing because she liked them better than the canon couples (Lina/Gourry notwithstanding). Zel/Xel just seems more like a realistic relationship to her, in regard to the characters’ personalities.
Lastly, the Fandom
The sole archive online only for this pairing was Silk & Stone, which had a great deal of fics, fanart, and other media. For a long time it was not updated, until suddenly it was closed. When and if that changes, it will be added to this list.
http://www.darknessrising.com/ has quite a few Zel/Xel fics in their Slayers Yaoi section, and one assumes it’s still taking submissions.
Sadly, there are very few quality Xellos/Zelgadis fics out there, but I braved the deeps of ff.net, adultff.net, and mm.org to see if I could find something good. I tried to keep the smut to a minimum if it didn’t further the plot, but I couldn’t find much (because honestly, that’s all people seem to write). If anyone knows of any good ones then let me know and we’ll add them.
Powers of Heart and Soul series by Harukami. Incomplete, but probably THE fic for this pairing. Definitely essential reading.
Poison by Tsutsuji. This fic is quite possibly the closest to perfect that Zel/Xel has ever been written. (Sequel currently in progress, same site.)
Footsie, by Shiretoko
Purple, by Xellas M
Happy, also by Tsutsuji
Things Change by Shosen. She has many other Zel/Xel fics, but this is the one Chrissy likes best (for reasons that escape her at the moment). Feel free to peruse through her other fics though—like “Because I’m Bored” for example.
Paint It, Black by Princess of Pain.
Our stuff: (Since no one is above a little self-promotion.)
Enma’s Torment Theatre by Chrissy. A YYH MSTing series. Starting from Chapter 22, it crosses over with Slayers, and shortly after Zel and Xel become a couple.
Human by Chrissy. Pre-slash. Short, but she’s gotten some nice compliments for it.
Pommel by Kaylbunny. A drabble, but very amusing.
Little Women, a Xellos/Zelgadis ficlet by Kaylbunny.
Fanart:
Bind by Eugene Chung. While there might not be much by way in fanart either for this pairing, it’s made up in the quality of this artist’s work. All her work is highly recommended. (And note that she doesn’t just do Zel/Xel.)
Zel and Xel?! by Sandara.
Sweet Yaoi by KC-chan.
More fanart, and also some fics beneath.
Other:
http://www.mugenpink.com/darkroses/slayscans.html - Doujinshi scans. First three are Xel/Zel, and the rest are other pairings.
http://www.livejournal.com/users/chrissyskyicons/5232.html?mode=reply – Chrissy’s Slayers icons.
1. Slayers Vol. 5 The Silver Beast © Hajime Kanzaka, Rui Araizumi. First published in Japan in 1992 by Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co., LTD., Tokyo. English text copyright © 2005 Tokyopop Inc.
This was written before we read the sixth novel, and so it is not included.
Authors:
kaylbunny and chrissy_skyFandom: Slayers
Pairing: Zelgadis/Xellos
Spoilers: for Next, Try, Premium, and fifth novel. Small ones though, but it reads on the assumption that the reader has already seen the series.
Slayers is a popular anime series that parodies the fantasy adventure genre. The story revolves around the main character, Lina Inverse, and the various journeys she has with her friends.
This essay is an interpretation of a relationship between two characters that are not what is typically considered a canon couple. While we argue with canon, these are only our opinions. It is understood that not everyone will agree with this essay. Please keep that in mind.
Juuinkan Xellos Metallium (surname debatable)
Whether as a mysterious priest, trickster, servant to his master, or tentative friend, Xellos has attracted the adoration of a rather large amount of fans. He would no doubt find this highly amusing. Xellos is, above all things, a Mazoku (race of evil). His loyalty to his master and creator, Greater Beast (or Beastmaster) Xellas Metallium, is unwavering. Showing a playful side to his character, he often plays tricks on Lina Inverse and her friends. They don’t really appreciate his sense of humor, and are frustrated by it, which probably amuses him more. Like the rest of his race, he does not like the Ryuzoku (race of dragons), and enjoys teasing and tormenting the golden dragon Filia. Xellos tends to be unashamedly sneaky when accomplishing his own ends (he kisses Lina twice in order to make her forget questions he didn’t want to answer). He often answers questions by cheerfully saying, “Sore wa himitsu desu!” (That is a secret!)
1012 years ago, Xellos fought in the Kouma War, in which he killed many Golden Dragons, nearly annihilating their entire race. This was definitely near the dawn of his life, and it seems to have left an impression on him. His accomplishments during that time support his cockiness as well. A high level of egotism is general to all Mazoku. The more they believe in themselves, the more powerful they become. Even a small amount of disbelief in themselves could be fatal. Mazoku are astral beings, though they appear to us in earthly forms. Xellos’ body, the only one which we ever see, is described in the novel The Silver Beast (1) as “looking twenty years old and seemed of medium stature—neither too short nor too tall, neither thin nor fat—with a head of silky black hair cropped just below his chin. He wore black robes common to all priests and held a priest’s staff that looked right out of the discount bin. [Lina] considered his features fairly handsome, though there wasn’t anything remarkable about them save for the rather out-of-place smile on his lips.” (Page 65.) In the anime, his appearance does not change much except for becoming a little taller and having purple hair (which has become his trademark of sorts—the color purple).
“Juuinkan” literally means priest of the Greater Beast. In the Mazoku hierarchy, it is natural for a Mazoku Lord to have one priest and one general (though none seem to follow this rule anyway). Xellas decides to do something rather amazing and creates her servant, her only servant, with the powers of both priest and general. This makes him incredibly powerful (again supporting his attitude). Though we don’t often see it, since Xellos is loath to fight when it could mean revealing the plot before the writers are ready, when he does show his power, it’s obvious there’s no need to question his superiority.
Since the Kouma War, Xellos has been assigned to destroying copies of the Claire Bible so that humans cannot learn its secrets. In that time, one can wonder how much of it he spent among humans, since he seems to fit among them fairly well. In recent times, Xellos has been sent on missions to destroy fellow Mazoku—Gaav and Valgaav—both times while using Lina and company as bait. But occasionally he does helpful things as well, such as giving Lina those power amplifiers. He’s not truly evil or truly good—Xellos is just Xellos.
Zelgadis Greywords
Not much is known of Zelgadis’ earlier years, only that he traveled with Rezo the Red Priest (his grandfather) for years as the man searched for a cure to his blindness. Zelgadis’ wish was to become stronger, and Rezo granted it, though at a terrible price. He transformed Zelgadis into the being we see him as now—a chimera. 1/3 human, 1/3 golem, and 1/3 brow demon. The brow demon seems to be in some close relation to the Mazoku, though there isn’t much definitive proof of this. People, in fan fiction, seem to suppose this, but there are also a few instances in canon where it seems apparent (like his almost orgasmic reaction to being called a “heartless sorcerer swordsman”). Zelgadis hates his form and wishes to be returned to normal, though as yet all his attempts have been unsuccessful. Unfortunately for Zelgadis, most of his grandfather’s research (his “legacy”) was destroyed when Copy Rezo brought forth Zanaffar. Though there are other sorcerers who study chimeras, none know as much about them as Rezo did, and until they catch up to his league Zelgadis is more or less stuck. This does not stop him from continuing his search.
Though Zelgadis holds himself aloof from the group, he does care about them, even stating at one point that he’s “stuck with them.” Lina, Gourry, and Amelia are the first (relatively normal) people to accept him since his transformation, and are the only friends he has, so he holds a great affection for them. Nonetheless, he often seeks to be alone, finding their cheerfulness and hyperactivity irritating. He can sometimes be a mean person, and though he has a good heart he will stop at nothing to accomplish his goals.
Zelgadis is a powerful sorcerer, majoring in shamanism magic, and is an exceptional swordsman. He also has varying talents in map-making, lock-picking, and gun-shooting.
The Relationship
This is not a typical couple. It is based on the unobvious, and built on the potential of what could be. Listed below are some instances in the show that may or may not be construed as proof, or subtext.
- In episode two of the second series (Next), Xellos first appears to the group whilst Lina is torching a group of bandits for information on the Claire Bible. Xellos proclaims to be a humble priest in search of the manuscript, saying that it was stolen. Of course, a second later it immediately becomes apparent that this is a lie. Zelgadis stands in the corner and scoffs at Xellos’ explanations, irrationally angry over the priest’s presence, to the extent where he storms off. Xellos appears to be mildly amused by his reaction, but otherwise unconcerned.
Later on, after Lina and Xellos follow the leader of the gang they’re trying to steal the manuscript from, Zelgadis reappears mysteriously and kills the leader (though accidentally). He takes the copy of the Claire Bible and walks away, apologizing to Lina though she can’t hear him. Then Xellos appears in front of him, in the midst of flames.
Xellos moves faster than Zelgadis can follow, stealing the manuscript right from his grasp. Angered, Zelgadis sends a spell at Xellos, which he easily deflects. Zelgadis becomes even angrier and prepares another spell. Xellos opens his eyes, seemingly startled at the amount of strength Zelgadis is capable of. When Zelgadis unleashes the spell, Xellos is no where in sight, and the manuscript falls to the ground. Before Zel can read it, however, Xellos sets it on fire. Xellos’ parting words are a repeat of his “That is a secret!” motto, and Zel, thoroughly frustrated, collapses. Before this, no one had been able to get so completely under Zelgadis’ skin.
At the end of the episode, when asked how he got into the bandits’ castle, Zelgadis copies Xellos: he holds up a finger and says, “That is a secret!”
- Two episodes later, when Xellos reappears, Zelgadis’ first reaction is to grab the priest by the collar and demand furiously where he’s been. Xellos pretends to be nervous and allows the chimera’s hold. Seconds later, Zelgadis grabs him again and threatens him not to run off. Xellos makes a light amused sound at this, but neither says he’s going to stay or leave. Obviously he doesn’t go too far though, since he appears shortly after Lina and Gourry have defeated Halcyform, making Seigram think twice about attacking them.
- In the sixth episode, when Martina returns to get revenge on Lina, Xellos sticks around just long enough to be mysterious and totally unhelpful. When he begins to walk away, Zelgadis is very angry and shouts, “Hey! Wait!” He follows and looks around the tree that the priest disappeared behind, only to find a strange green rabbit that meows in Xellos’ place. When Xellos reappears after Martina’s curse begins to take effect, Zelgadis is very angry that he’s back. (The poor boy can’t make up his mind, huh?)
- When Lina goes in search of the fabulous dragon cuisine, the gang stops at a restaurant and order said meal. Amelia seems concerned that Xellos is sitting at the next table.
Amelia: [cheerfully] Xellos-san, won’t you eat with us?
Xellos: [surprised at first, then smiles] That’s alright.
Amelia: But—
Zelgadis: Leave him alone.
Even though he hates him, and doesn’t really know him, Zelgadis seems to understand that Xellos wants to remain apart from the group. Later, when Zel is used as an anchor, Xellos (watching in a tree nearby the lake) says, “oh my, oh my,” looking slightly bored (or concerned, which has been argued in the past).
- Xellos appears to protect Phil so that Lina can attack Kanzel and Mazenda, most likely under orders from his master. Zelgadis is actually HAPPY to see him. HAPPY.
- In episode fifteen, Xellos is telling the story of Joe, in a low and creepy voice, and Zelgadis is carefully turned away from the table, yet is strangely sitting beside the priest. He then goes onto say that he thinks the power that could turn people into dolls/puppets would be like the Claire Bible. Zelgadis remarks that that could be possible, but he thinks Xellos is making it up. Xellos makes an “ooh!” sound in a tone that’s borderline flirtatious.
Later, when Zelgadis refuses to wear a costume, all Lina has to say is, “I guess you don’t mind letting Xellos get to the book first, huh?” to get Zel in the bunny suit.
- While Lina, Gourry, and Amelia are fighting over the last meatball in the next episode, Xellos and Zelgadis sit beside each other, not participating in the madness. During the cut-away, after they find a new table, Amelia is sitting between them.
During the brass rackets tournament, Zelgadis first notices Amelia is missing, then Gourry points out Xellos is gone too. Zelgadis looks back to where Xellos was sitting, in a lingering glance, the close-up of his face only making this more pronounced. After Xellos and Amelia enter as the next team playing against Lina and Rudo, Zelgadis cries, “XELLOS?!” and stomps his feet in frustration.
After Amelia gives Zelgadis the trophy and he finds out it’s not a clue to the Claire Bible, he attacks Xellos, hitting him on the second try, again surprising the Mazoku. In his words, Xellos “didn’t see that one coming.”
- In the Amazon village, Zelgadis rescues a girl that looks (as some fangirls have claimed) a little like Xellos. But Miwan does bring some interesting reactions out of Zelgadis because, as we later find out, she is a he. It can be debated that he was attracted to her, and subsequently asked her to go with them, because he was feeling the need to prove his masculinity, since Lina and Amelia have him dressed as a woman. (Or because she looked like Xellos. Either way.) The moment he sees “her” again after the rescue, he’s just overheard Martina calling Xellos, “so cute!” which makes him glare and gnash his teeth. Zel then sees Miwan and decides to go talk to her. They discuss living false lives and how easy it is to change the future. Zelgadis seems to be talking from personal experience.
Later on, he’s looking at his own reflection, and pondering his own false life. Though what he considers false about his life is left hanging, as Miwan chooses that moment to run passed. Perhaps his chimera form, or something else?
Also, during the fight, Zelgadis ends up with all his clothes off, and Xellos mysteriously disappears only to reappear after it’s all over.
- Xellos mentions that he knows where they can find an original copy of the Claire Bible, and Zelgadis angrily manhandles him again. Presumably the last time he does so. [Sob.]
- When Xellos comes out as a Mazoku, the only ones who are really upset are Martina and Amelia. Zelgadis seems to just shrug it off, as if he expected something like this, not even appearing to be a little angry, though he could possibly be internalizing it, which is worse. [Gourry, of course, knew the whole time!] In fact, he only gets angry when Xellos still refuses to tell them the whole plot. Lina has to keep Zel from attacking him.
- During the battle with Gaav, after Xellos runs away, Zelgadis proclaims he’s going to help Gourry fight the Mazoku Lord “because, unlike Xellos, I’m human.” Xellos’ retreat obviously made him angry.
- The next time our boys meet, it’s in the Slayers Premium movie (or so I assume, since Gourry still has his Sword of Light, and we all know that in Try Sirius takes it back to his world). Xellos’ appearance is merely a cameo, and he’s just there observing the group’s newest adventure, which probably means he wasn’t ordered to be there.
Amelia and Zel arrive together, and Amelia starts shouting adamantly that she won’t leave Zelgadis behind so she can go pig out on octopus cuisine. Xellos watches them with a smile and giggles. When Amelia freaks out over all the restaurants being closed, Xellos appears to explain things. They go up to a rooftop to look over the city, and Amelia almost falls over. Zelgadis nonchalantly holds onto her cape so she doesn’t and keeps talking to Xellos. Zel seemed surprise to see Xellos there, but not overly angry. It can only be assumed that Zelgadis has come to accept Xellos and his ways by this point.
- In Try, there are two instances when Xellos is hanging around Zel and Amelia rather than Lina, Gourry, and Filia—when he’s on a mission to kill Valgaav, and being with Lina is the guaranteed way to do that. The first time being in the middle of their first battle with Val; the second when Lina was on the next island. (The slacker.)
Though there are fewer “hints” between them in Try, that in itself says a lot. It’s not important what they say and do, but rather what they don’t. And, Xellos was pretty busy with his mission (when he wasn’t slacking off), so it’s understandable. (If there is something else in Try that we’ve forgotten, please let us know.)
- Also from the fifth novel, while Xellos is explaining things to the group:
“I have a question,” Zelgadiss snapped.
“You? Oh, anything.” (Page 149)
- Then, Lina pokes some fun at Xellos, completely making him lose his cool:
Xelloss sighed. "I see," he murmured. "Quite a gay and merry bunch we have here, it would seem."
[Lina] scoffed and pointed a finger right back at him. "You're the only one who's gay."
"N-not at all!" Xelloss stammered. "I'm perfectly straight! Perfectly straight!"
His protests weren't convincing, to say the least.
Zelgadiss had had enough of our shenanigans. He turned away, and I got the feeling he thought we were a squabbling bunch of cretins. He had this I'm-gonna-keep-my-distance-from-these-cretins sort of look about him.
"A-anyway, I've had enough," Xelloss blustered. "I'm leaving!" With that, he stomped out of the barn. (Page 152) (Though the novels are not series canon we decided to include them because they’re neat.)
But, how can this couple actually WORK you ask? They actually fit together remarkably well—they’re both bastards, of varying levels, distance themselves away from the rest of the group. Zelgadis is a human touched by darkness, whereas Xellos is a being of darkness who hangs around humans all day. Though there would be the initial misunderstandings and residual anger to work passed, once they did, they could form a unique understanding—which appears to already be in the making—an understanding that doesn’t need shouting proclamations. It wouldn’t always be a happy or easy relationship, but no relationship is.
The Obstacles
It can be debated whether Zelgadis and Amelia are a canon couple. Throughout the anime, it is obvious that Amelia fancies herself in love with Zelgadis, though she never admits it out loud. She strives to help him find a copy of the Claire Bible, even going so far as to use her status of Princess of Seyruun to pull strings that would allow her to enter the Brass Racquets tournament (though, interestingly enough, Xellos was the one to suggest it).
In Try, the group head to a holy temple of Marriage and Love that can only be entered in pairs, determined by coloured balls that a disguised Gillus informs them will find the best suited couples. Amelia protests to being paired with Gourry, and spends the walk to the temple arm-in-arm with him, acting like a spoilt child and snapping at anyone who talks to her; though she admits that it isn’t fair for her to do so.
Zelgadis seems to take her affection in stride, though he never makes any overtures towards her. At most, he seems to regard her as a little sister. They work well together in battles, and trust each other to watch their back. At times, Amelia is surprised at how harsh his attitude can be, and he notes that she is enthusiastic, like a child.
And there is where we think lies their problem. Amelia is a bubbly, outgoing person who likes to be around people. Zelgadis is the complete opposite. Where she is social and naïve, he is introverted and cynical. In the very last episode of Try, Zelgadis has one of Amelia’s bracelets around his water bottle, perhaps as a gift from Amelia, a reminder that she’ll always be there waiting for him.
But he doesn’t stay. To stay in one place, even for love, seems completely out of character. He has his own quest, and maybe after he finds a cure to his curse he will settle down. Until then, we imagine he’d travel, staying away from the prying eyes and crowds of people that he hates so much. In the end, it all comes down to whether he’d set aside his discomfort to stay with her, and from the last episode we see that he isn’t ready for that.
It’s easier to explain why people ship Xellos and Filia. In the last episode of Try, Xellos turns to Filia and says ‘That’s the Filia I know’. In the dub, however, it was changed to ‘That’s the Filia I love’. What happens in dubbed anime is still considered canon, though it’s very rarely close to the original Japanese version. It’s also common knowledge that American companies alter scripts to hint at straight couples, because of their bias against slash/yaoi. Whether you watch the sub or the butchered dub version, you can see that Xellos is trying to goad her into action, as he does throughout Try.
There’s also the ‘thin line between love and hate’ aspect that you often see in fanfiction. Filia is a golden dragon, and Xellos a Mazoku. The two races are natural rivals, representing ‘good’ and ‘evil’. Xellos was created for the sole purpose of killing the Ryuzoku race, and happily wiped out scores of dragons with a smile on his face. It’s obvious by his actions towards Valgaav and the Elder of the golden dragons that he would have no qualms about doing it again.
For Filia and Xellos to work as a couple they would have to get over their hatred of each other and their race. Since Filia reacts badly to his presence whether she knows he’s there or not, it’s doubtful that could happen. There’s also the issue of Valgaav. At the end of Try we see that Filia has set up an antique shop, and has Valgaav with her. The whole point of her taking the egg to raise him was that he would grow up without his hatred for everyone (but especially Mazoku). Seeing Xellos may trigger Valgaav to try and destroy the world again, so the logical thing would be to keep them apart. Filia clearly chose Valgaav over Xellos.
The biggest obstacle in a Xellos/Zelgadis pairing is that no one really knows whether it’s possible for Mazoku to love at all. The creator of Slayers has never said yes or no, so it is entirely up to the fan/writer to decide. We know that Mazoku feed from negative emotions, while positive ones cause them pain. Love is said to be the most positive emotion of all, but that is also up for debate. There are many different types of love, and a lot of negative things that go with it: jealousy, possessiveness, insecurity, neediness and infatuation, to name but a few. It’s highly likely that this side of love would be appealing to Xellos.
Xellos holds his master in high regard, and possibly even loves her (but we can’t say for sure). He treats Lina and the gang with an odd sort of fondness, and only looks slightly uncomfortable and amused when Martina follows him around like a love sick puppy. Martina’s love for Xellos (as superficial as it was) shows that Xellos can indeed be around someone radiating positive emotions towards him without it being fatal. Zelgadis, with all his coldness and anti-social behaviour is highly unlikely to transform into a love-sick teenager in a relationship. I’d say that Xellos would be more than safe from Zelgadis professing his love every ten seconds, which the Mazoku would no doubt appreciate.
Why We Love It
I first got into the pairing before I had even seen Slayers. I have a habit of reading fics if they’re recommended to me, even if I don’t know the characters. Once I finally watched the anime, though, I only grew to love them more. I’m drawn to dark, powerful and sadistic characters, which both Xellos and Zelgadis are, so it only seemed natural to continue to pair them together. I just couldn’t see Zelgadis thinking of Amelia as anything but a sister, and Xellos doing anything other than teasing Filia, so it worked. I’d happily read them with other people if someone recced me something, but I’ll always come back to them. It just feels right.
Chrissy got into the pairing because she liked them better than the canon couples (Lina/Gourry notwithstanding). Zel/Xel just seems more like a realistic relationship to her, in regard to the characters’ personalities.
Lastly, the Fandom
The sole archive online only for this pairing was Silk & Stone, which had a great deal of fics, fanart, and other media. For a long time it was not updated, until suddenly it was closed. When and if that changes, it will be added to this list.
http://www.darknessrising.com/ has quite a few Zel/Xel fics in their Slayers Yaoi section, and one assumes it’s still taking submissions.
Sadly, there are very few quality Xellos/Zelgadis fics out there, but I braved the deeps of ff.net, adultff.net, and mm.org to see if I could find something good. I tried to keep the smut to a minimum if it didn’t further the plot, but I couldn’t find much (because honestly, that’s all people seem to write). If anyone knows of any good ones then let me know and we’ll add them.
Powers of Heart and Soul series by Harukami. Incomplete, but probably THE fic for this pairing. Definitely essential reading.
Poison by Tsutsuji. This fic is quite possibly the closest to perfect that Zel/Xel has ever been written. (Sequel currently in progress, same site.)
Footsie, by Shiretoko
Purple, by Xellas M
Happy, also by Tsutsuji
Things Change by Shosen. She has many other Zel/Xel fics, but this is the one Chrissy likes best (for reasons that escape her at the moment). Feel free to peruse through her other fics though—like “Because I’m Bored” for example.
Paint It, Black by Princess of Pain.
Our stuff: (Since no one is above a little self-promotion.)
Enma’s Torment Theatre by Chrissy. A YYH MSTing series. Starting from Chapter 22, it crosses over with Slayers, and shortly after Zel and Xel become a couple.
Human by Chrissy. Pre-slash. Short, but she’s gotten some nice compliments for it.
Pommel by Kaylbunny. A drabble, but very amusing.
Little Women, a Xellos/Zelgadis ficlet by Kaylbunny.
Fanart:
Bind by Eugene Chung. While there might not be much by way in fanart either for this pairing, it’s made up in the quality of this artist’s work. All her work is highly recommended. (And note that she doesn’t just do Zel/Xel.)
Zel and Xel?! by Sandara.
Sweet Yaoi by KC-chan.
More fanart, and also some fics beneath.
Other:
http://www.mugenpink.com/darkroses/slayscans.html - Doujinshi scans. First three are Xel/Zel, and the rest are other pairings.
http://www.livejournal.com/users/chrissyskyicons/5232.html?mode=reply – Chrissy’s Slayers icons.
1. Slayers Vol. 5 The Silver Beast © Hajime Kanzaka, Rui Araizumi. First published in Japan in 1992 by Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co., LTD., Tokyo. English text copyright © 2005 Tokyopop Inc.
This was written before we read the sixth novel, and so it is not included.
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Date: 2005-12-24 06:21 am (UTC)And, sorry about how the links are showing up, I just noticed. I started to edit it, but couldn't figure out what was wrong.
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Date: 2009-11-26 01:02 pm (UTC)Secondly, just wanted to let Xel/Zel fans know that the archives from the old Silk and Stone fansite are currently stored at the Zel Xel yaoi email group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zel_xel_yaoiml/) at google groups.
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Date: 2009-11-27 01:14 am (UTC)