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Note: Spoilers for Black Clover Chapter 331 ahead.
The recently leaked Black Clover Chapter 331 brought forth an incredibly shocking and jarring reveal. Towards the end of the chapter, it’s revealed that Julius Novachrono, the Wizard King, is actually Lucius Zogratis, the fourth Zogratis sibling and presumed host of the Time Devil, Astaroth.
The reveal has been vexing but exciting for fans, with many praising author Yuki Tabata’s writing of the plot twist and how it was set up so well in the series. Many fans are choosing to read or watch Black Clover all over again in order to find all possible hints from either adaptation that foreshadow the reveal.
Follow along as this article breaks down all the major hints of Lucius Zogratis’ true identity in Black Clover so far.
Recent Black Clover reveal has fans combing through the series for hints
One of the long-standing theories of Black Clover has always been that Julius Novachrono could be somewhat of an evil character. However, prior to the leak, the assumption was solely based on his peculiar mannerisms and behaviors. Now, in the wake of Chapter 331’s unofficial release, this theory has finally been confirmed.
One of the major hints towards the reveal came within the Spade Kingdom Raid arc. There are various points throughout the arc when a nearby clock tower is very inconsistent with the time it displays.
Several chapters go by without the time changing at all before it advances swiftly for one or two chapters, and then it again goes back in time. Fans had initially thought it was a mistake made by the artist or the editor, but Chapter 331 seems to suggest otherwise.
Another major hint which was hiding in plain sight can be traced to the second opening of the Black Clover anime featuring William Vangeance, Gueldre Poizot, former captain of the Purple Orca squad, and Julius Novachrono against black backgrounds.
All other characters in the opening are placed against white backgrounds. It was soon revealed that the first two were traitors to the Clover Kingdom. Now that Julius’ true identity is revealed, the symbolism behind the dark backgrounds is clear in hindsight.
The next major reveal came in the section of the story where Gordon, Asta, and others visited Gordon’s family for clues on devils. Gordon’s father, Nathan, used a spell which mapped out the locations of curses, and a massive flame was seen in the Spade Kingdom Royal Capital.
At the time, this was suspected to be a clue about devils, or even a rogue devil hiding in the shadows. In hindsight, however, it’s clear that this was meant to be a hint of Julius’ true identity as Lucius Zogratis, presumed host of the Time Devil Astaroth.
Various interactions between Julius and Asta also hint at his true identity. The former tells the latter at one point that they seem to be linked by fate, likely referencing that they are both devil hosts. In the scene where Julius realizes that Asta’s sword is draining his own magic, he gives a knowing smile afterwards and says, “I see…” in a suspicious manner.
The dialogue exchange during the Julius versus Patolli fight also indicate the former’s true identity. Patolli calls Julius just a human, but also wonders what in the world he is. He also calls him the “last bastion of the laws of nature,” saying he was put there “by the world, by fate” to stop Patolli’s group.
Another major hint from their fight is the presence of black dust around Julius after he exerts a lot of his magical power. Later, once the Zogratis siblings, Zagred, Nacht, and Asta’s Devil Union forms are introduced, it becomes clear that this is a sign of using devil powers. We were being subtly teased about being unaware of the true source of his power.
Fans are also pointing to Julius’ recruitment of Yami Sukehira and William Vangeance as a major hint. He also forgave the latter despite his actions. The truth is he needed both for the Qliphoth ritual which allowed him to obtain Lucifer’s heart. The recruitment was just a way to ensure their safety and availability for his plan.
A final, but more subtle, hint lies in Yuki Tabata’s love of Tite Kubo’s Bleach series, and a cover page featuring Julius Novachrono. Sosuke Aizen, a character from Kubo’s series, is also someone who is introduced as a hero but is eventually revealed to be a traitor.
One of Aizen’s trademark poses is sitting in chairs with his head leaning against his hand. A Black Clover cover page featuring Julius shows him clearly mimicking the pose. We can only spot the similarity in hindsight. Tabata drawing inspiration from Bleach is not surprising, but using his knowledge to establish a referential hint is genius. He likens the two because of their role, cunning, and sense of morality.
In summation
Despite many of Black Clover’s detractors arguing that the Lucius Zogratis reveal came out of nowhere, there are, in fact, many hints throughout the story. These hints are extremely well-written, clear in hindsight, and form a direct thread connecting all of Julius’ mannerisms and actions leading up to Black Clover Chapter 331.
The Black Clover reveal has fans claiming it is the biggest plot twist in the new-gen age of Shonen yet.
Be sure to follow for more anime updates and manga news as 2023 progresses.
This article was modified on Thursday, June 29, at 6:46 pm.
