Black Clover’s most recent season ended in March 2021, but the series has pleased fans with almost 200 episodes and epic arcs that would put most shonen series to shame. The series has a power system based on magic and this is shown through the abilities of “magic knights”.
The magic knights are essentially protectors of the kingdom, chosen for their magical prowess to work in squads led by different captains. Black Clover has excelled in thrilling viewers with different forms of magic used in fresh, entertaining ways. Of the different arcs in the show, the royal knights arc stood out for one primary reason; a tournament arc for the ages.
What is a Tournament Arc?
The famed “tournament arc” has been a staple of Shonen anime for decades, as iconic to the genre as “the power of friendship”. Seasoned anime viewers know what’s in store as soon as a “test”, “exam”, or “festival” is introduced. Tournament arcs may vary by name, but they typically include the same ingredients: epic fights and huge character development. There are also plenty of other features they could share.
Tournament arcs present a unique opportunity that other arcs fail to provide. The arc is a perfect time for tertiary characters who have spent time in the background up to then to become fan favorites or, at the very least, give a good show. This is also a good chance to pit characters against each other who would have no other reason for battling, like teammates or characters from different circles.
A good tournament arc introduces new characters, builds on the characters previously introduced, affects the story moving forward with lasting consequences, and gives fans the fights they didn’t even know they wanted. In some cases, the arc will introduce a new concept or further develop a current concept in the series. The royal knights arc in Black Clover accomplishes each of these feats and more.
What is the Royal Knights Selection Exam?
Before the royal knights arc begins, viewers have already been introduced to one of the biggest antagonists of the series thus far, the Eye of the Midnight Sun. This faction of rogue mages fosters a deep hatred for the Clover Kingdom for mysterious reasons yet to be fully explored by that point. Their immense power is threatening enough to convince the Clover Kingdom that an elite unit of magic knights will need to be created to defeat them. So begins the Clover Kingdom royal knight selection exam to choose the lucky members.
The exam mostly consists of small battles between teams each composed of three members from randomly selected magic knight squads, in which they’re tasked with destroying a crystal from the opposing team while protecting their own. At first glance, this sounds like a fairly bland tournament arc, but the devil is in the details.
Some Old and New Faces
Many of the new characters are introduced in a way that deepens other characters by showing different aspects of their personality or abilities. Of the new characters who are introduced, Zoro is one of the most important characters, as the arc gives a glimpse into his background and his reasons for despising the magic knight system. He also plays a prominent role in the next arc.
As far as character development goes, the previously established characters experience stronger development. Much of Noelle’s main struggle throughout the series has been overcoming her hatred from her siblings and her fight to earn recognition as a competent, royal magic user.
At the beginning of the story, she lacks control over her abilities and her family looks down on her. When she overwhelms one of her older brothers in the exam with skill and power, it’s a cathartic moment for her. On top of that, it shows how much she’s changed so far, and it’s the first big step in helping her blossom in the next arc.
Finral is one of the show’s comic reliefs, and he’s often the butt of a joke, but this arc places him in the forefront in a more serious fashion. Similar to Noelle, Finral has had a strained relationship with his younger brother Langris for a long time, although it’s mainly from his brother’s end. His brother has acted superior to him for ages. A couple of arcs ago, Finral finally answered his brother’s disrespect with a challenge and this exam brings it to fruition.
Fatal Sibling Rivalry
Viewers finally get to see the fight they’ve been anticipating for several arcs and it’s a glorious one. Finral’s teleportation magic is almost the opposite of Langris’ erasing magic, which allows the user to erase matter with something as simple as waving their hand.
In the end, Finral loses the match and his brother wounds him so severely that he ends up in a coma clinging to life. The exam also does a great job of leading into the next arc by building a special team to fight the Midnight Sun.
The Sum Of All Its Parts
The royal knight selection exam has some of the best fights of the Black Clover series. The fights reveal the strengths and weaknesses of different magic styles and abilities. They also highlight how certain abilities can beat others if they’re used more strategically or efficiently. There’s fire magic alongside earth magic, trap magic against elemental magic, teleportation magic alongside battle magic, and plenty of other interesting magic matchups. It’s a great primer for the next arc, which is the longest arc of the series, and sees practically every magic knight of the series so far showcase their magic.