Aleister Crowley is the head of the science side in A Certain Magical Index. This person is shrouded in mystery, and is the one who manipulates Kamijo and his friends from behind the scenes with some dubious plans. In this article, we will explore the charm and mystery surrounding Aleister.
Aleister Crowley Profile
Source: A Certain Magical Index ©Kamachi Kazuma/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-INDEX
Aleister Crowley is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Academy City, where the protagonist, Kamijou Touma, and his friends live. He is also the world's greatest scientist and the leader of the scientific side, which is opposed to the magical side. Dressed in green surgical gowns, he is described in the story as a "human" who appears as both a man and a woman, a child and an old man, a saint and a prisoner. He's an outlier even in a work full of eccentric characters.
Acquainted with the Highest Bishop of the English Puritan Church
Although he's the head of the scientific community, he's also aware of the existence of the magical community, and is a familiar face with Laura Stewart, the highest bishop of the English Puritan Church, with whom he frequently does business. Apparently, he even sent Academy City-made bathtubs, rather like a midsummer gift.
Windowless Building
Source: A Certain Magical Index ©Kamachi Kazuma/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-INDEX
He usually stays upside down inside a "life support machine" filled with a weakly alkaline nutrient solution, housed in a "windowless building." He never leaves. In fact, he can't get out by normal means. The "Windowless Building" produces even the air necessary for life inside, leaving it without any entrances or even exhaust vents. This means that only those with the ability to teleport can enter or exit.
A Building Without a Scratch
Incidentally, this "Windowless Building" is covered in a special armor called a "computational shock-diffusing composite material." It is completely unscathed even when hit by a nuclear missile. Even when One-Way Street launches a vector attack utilizing the Earth's rotation, the damage is limited to something like, "It's a little noisy outside..."
An estimated lifespan of 1,700 years!?
Source: A Certain Magical Index ©Kamachi Kazuma/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-INDEX
Thanks to the "life support system" mentioned above, Aleister relies on machines to perform most of the activities normally performed by humans. Specifically, he is so dependent on machines that even the slightest movement like moving his eyes is recognized as an action. According to him, "There's no need for humans to go out of their way to do things that machines can do." With an estimated lifespan of around 1,700 years, they are said to be the healthiest humans in the world.
He has complete control over Academy City
Source: A Certain Magical Index ©Kamachi Kazuma/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-INDEX
By using a satellite floating above Academy City and scattering 70-nanometer silicon "airborne links" throughout Academy City, Aleister can access all kinds of information while remaining secluded. This means that most of what happens in Academy City is in Aleister's hands.
Aleister's "Plan"
Using Kamijou Touma, who was brought in from outside—or rather, the Imagine Breaker—and Accelerator, whom he developed over 50 years—he is carrying out a plan known as "The Plan." While details are unknown, it appears to be something even beyond Level 6 (absolute ability). Contrary to his expectations, Hamazura Shiage, who was supposed to die in the Plan, survived and became an irregularity that disrupted the Plan, so he has sent assassins to correct it. Another key element of the Plan is a mysterious entity known as "Dragon" or Aiwass, who manifested as a production line for Hughes-Kazakiri (though technically it's not). Since there's still much we don't know about him, there's not much to write about him, but he doesn't seem to be very cooperative with Aleister.
Aleister's Mysteries
As mentioned above, Aleister is shrouded in mystery.
- Despite being on the Chemistry side, he is acquainted with one of the leaders of the Magic side
- Estimated age: 1700 years old
- A suspicious plan
These are perhaps the biggest hints in the story of A Certain Magical Index. Let's examine these mysteries one by one.
The True Identity of Aleister Crowley
Source: A Certain Magical Index ©Kamachi Kazuma/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-INDEX
His true identity is Aleister Crowley, the magician once said to be the greatest and most powerful in the world. His powers are so great that he is said to be a "legendary magician" whose abilities would not be out of place in the New Testament. He was active around 70 years ago, but it is no exaggeration to say that thousands of years of magical history were rewritten in those 70 years, and it is said that 50% of today's magicians are influenced by Aleister. Crowley was a member of the world's largest magical society, the Golden Dawn, and later took on the name "Silver Star." Just as he called himself "Master Therion (Great Beast 666)" in real life, in this work he goes by the magical name "Beast 666," which is equivalent to the Great Beast Therion. Incidentally, he is described as "the worst magician" and "a weirdo."
Aleister Crowley's Tragic Past
Source: A Certain Magical Index ©Kamachi Kazuma/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-INDEX
As a child, Aleister saw superficial adults and deemed the god they worshipped "unimportant." He resolved to unravel the truth himself. This was the starting point of the magician Aleister Crowley. Discovered by Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, one of the founders of the world's most prestigious magical society, the Golden Dawn, he joined Mathers's sect and pursued his magical studies. However, he eventually came to hate magic. The reason for this was the death of his daughter, Lilith.
Cause of Lilith's Death
Aleister revered and revered Alan Bennett, a fellow magician in the Golden Dawn. Alan was also able to foresee the future through divination.
He predicted the death of Aleister's future daughter. The cause of Lilith's death was an intangible, conceptual entity known as "fate resulting from the collision of phases."
The True Nature of Fate (Misfortune)
Phase refers to "a world of overlapping layers, each with its own distinct structure." In a parallel world dominated by mythology and religious concepts, magic is the art of applying the physical laws of phase to the present world. While magical theory requires phases as targets for extraction, magic based on this theory also invites the collision of overlapping phases. In fact, the "sparks" created by these phase collisions are the true nature of fate (misfortune).
Enough to Make You Give Up on Magic
The "Golden" side tacitly accepted this theory of fatalism, and even possessed a device to prevent droplets (misfortune) and ward off misfortune that befell them. They used the "Bryce Road Treasure," an arrow-shaped ultimate Oinan spiritual accessory known as an illusion breaker. The "system that makes people slaves to fate" and the "fate of his beloved daughter," which was determined to be born in the future, were more than enough to make Aleister give up on magic.
Reason for Creating the Chemistry Side
Source: A Certain Magical Index ©Kamachi Kazuma/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-INDEX
At this time, Aleister began to hate phase, fate, and magic, and chose to make all of "Gold" his enemy. After Alan convinced him to bear the curse, he killed Alan, who was also a "Golden" magician, and this incident marked the beginning of his full-scale efforts to eradicate magic.
Creating the "Scientific Side"
He then traveled to Japan, a place he had visited once before, and founded Academy City, creating a "Scientific Side" that did not exist before, and converting all non-magicians into a faith in science. The two major factions referred to in the story as the "Scientific Side" and the "Magical Side" are merely being manipulated by the archetypes created by Aleister.
What is Aleister's Plan?
Source: A Certain Magical Index ©Kamachi Kazuma/ASCII Media Works/PROJECT-INDEX
Aleister carries out a "plan" based on his own "ideology." In reality, Aleister Crowley lived a chaotic life, receiving various evaluations, from the greatest magician to a weirdo to the worst. In Index, his life is based on a plan. This plan is considered to be his true essence, the core that connects the dots of his chaotic life.
One of his goals: Controlling the Imaginary Mathematical District
While it is unknown what he did in his past plans, in the present, he aims to summon Aiwass again or do something related to "Shinjo." To that end, he is building "plans" to control the Imaginary Mathematical District hidden within Academy City, utilizing airborne links, direct subordinates, Accelerator, and the Imagine Breaker (Kamijou Touma).
Plan to Reincarnate "Lilith" in the mortal world
Based on Accelerator's speculation and the remarks of a monk who is a true official member of Gremlins in Volume 10 of the New Testament, it was speculated that one of his goals was to bring back a loved one who had already been lost. This person was later confirmed to be his first child, "Lilith." According to Aiwass, he planned to create a "flesh vessel" for Lilith, overturn her fate of death, and reincarnate her in the mortal world.
Summary
Aleister's appeal lies in his mysterious nature. He's a hidden boss who creates the scientific side while simultaneously working to eradicate magic. Be sure to check out the original manga and anime to learn more about his plans.
