"Re:ZERO" is a deep story with many complex settings, but the most mysterious of all is the "Gospel". This time, I would like to explain the Gospel, which is the biggest mystery in Re:ZERO. The Gospel is a complex thing that not only the enemy Witch Cult's Archbishop of Sin, but also Roswaal and Beatrice, who are supposed to be allies, have, so I would like to explain it in detail, including the original source.
Basic Settings of the Gospel
First of all, I would like to introduce the basic settings of the Gospel in the world of Re:ZERO. The Gospel is particularly complex among the many settings of Re:ZERO, and there is little information available, so many people may think it is a difficult setting to understand. I will summarize the Gospels as simply as possible, including this situation.
Possible events are written in them
To explain what the Gospels are in a few words, they are "books that describe possible events." This can be inferred from the statements of Betelgeuse Romanee-Conti, Archbishop of the Witch Cult in charge of Sloth, and Roswaal L. Mathers, a powerful figure in the Emilia camp.
Proof of the Witch's Favour
Also, the Gospels are generally considered to be "proof of the witch's favour", and the Witch Cultists who worship the Jealous Witch Satella treat these Gospels as more important than anything else. In this way, their abnormal attachment and trust in the Gospels may be what makes these Witch Cultists seem like a different kind of being.
A terrifying existence
As such, the Gospels that Witch Cultists are abnormally obsessed with seem to be generally perceived by those around them as something terrifying. In fact, Subaru was warned when he carelessly tried to touch the Gospel that Betelgeuse Romanee-Conti possessed.
They are seen as a set with Satella
In the world of Re:Zero, the Witch of Envy, Satella, is also recognized as a terrifying presence, and the Gospels are also in the possession of Witch Cultists who are plotting Satella's resurrection, so they seem to be recognized as being just as terrifying as Satella.
Do replicas and the real thing exist?
Now, the Gospels are recognized as terrifying all over the world, but strictly speaking, they are divided into three types: replicas, real ones, and replicas of replicas. When the word "replica of replicas" appears, it becomes quite confusing, but I would like to explain these three types one by one in detail.
The "Book of Wisdom" created by Echidna! ?
So, what exactly are the real Gospels? The Gospels are based on a book called the "Book of Wisdom" created by Echidna. In other words, the Gospels were created by Echidna, the Greedy Witch, using all of her knowledge.
Beatrice and Roswaal have replica "Gospels"
The Gospels that Beatrice and Roswaal have are replicas of the "Book of Wisdom" that Echidna once created. From Beatrice's comment that she "doesn't want to be lumped together with those" regarding the Gospels that the Witch Cult has, you can see how special the Gospels that Beatrice and Roswaal have are.
Beatrice's Gospel is blank
However, even though Beatrice and Roswaal's gospels are completely different from those of the Witch Cult, it does not seem that Beatrice's and Rosewaal's are exactly the same.
Differences between Beatrice and Roswaal
While Roswaal acts according to the Gospel, Beatrice's Gospel is blank, meaning Beatrice cannot act according to the Gospel.
The Witch Cult's Gospel is a replica of a replica!?
And it is speculated that the Gospels held by the Witch Cult are replicas of the "Book of Wisdom" created by Echidna, which are replicas of the ones held by Rosewar and Beatrice. Since Beatrice calls the Gospels held by the Witch Cult "that thing," there is no doubt that they are replicas of the Gospels of Beatrice and Roswaal, which are replicas of the "Book of Wisdom."
Resurrection of Satella and Resurrection of Echidna
The Witch Cult and Emilia's camp each have a replica of the Gospel, but the two forces have different goals, namely the resurrection of the Witch of Envy, Satella, and the resurrection of the Witch of Pride, Echidna, respectively, and it remains a mystery as to why two forces with different goals each have the Gospel.
The original is Evangelion! ?
Here, we will explore the mystery of why the Witch Cult and Emilia's camp each have a gospel, while introducing the relationship with the Dead Sea Scrolls of Evangelion, which is thought to be the source material for Re:Zero.
The Gospels and the Secret Dead Sea Scrolls
The Gospels are one of the most difficult settings to understand among the many settings that appear in the world of Re:Zero, but I believe that the setting of the Gospels may actually have been influenced by Evangelion.
Comparing the two works allows us to consider the matter even more deeply!!
As I will explain below, there are many structural similarities between the settings of the Evangelion Dead Sea Scrolls and the Gospels, and I think that by thinking about the role of the Evangelion Dead Sea Scrolls, we can think more deeply about the Re:ZERO Gospels.
Similarities
First of all, the commonalities between the Gospels and the Secret Dead Sea Scrolls are that some kind of power once existed on Earth, and the foreign objects that are traces of that power serve as guideposts for some kind of power in the present day. By having the story progress against the backdrop of something that once possessed great power (Lilith in Eva, Echidna in Re:Zero), something that had more power than humans, it is possible to set the setting in the past timeline and add depth to the story.
Settings for the Dead Sea Scrolls
So what is the purpose of the Dead Sea Scrolls in Eva? The Dead Sea Scrolls that appear in Eva are books that contain guideposts for Lilith, the ancestor of mankind, to revive humanity in order to overcome the enemy life form Adam in the struggle for survival.
The Dead Sea Scrolls as a technique of expression
In the story, there is very little information about the Dead Sea Scrolls, and it is still a setting that is being discussed a lot, but by not revealing too much about the setting in this way, it can be said that the technique of adding depth to the story is something that Re:Zero learned from Eva.
Echidna's purpose emerges from this
From this, isn't it possible to assume that Echidna's purpose is not much different from that of Eva's Lilith? If the Dead Sea Scrolls are Lilith's instructions to humanity to revive herself, then perhaps the Gospels are a way for Echidna to show Roswaal and company the signpost for her own revival, and to once again oppose Satella, just as Lilith opposed Adam?
Is that really the case?
The settings in the two works are exactly the same, so how can you infer the setting of one story from the other? Many people may have wondered this. However, a work is never created from scratch, but is always created under the influence of some other work. In other words, in order to think in detail about a work, it is also necessary to consider what works it is influenced by.
Expected Ending
Based on these points, it seems likely that the end of Re:Zero will see Echidna resurrected by Roswaal in some way and confront Satella.
Subaru's position at that time
Subaru was brought to this world by the Witch of Envy, so his existence must have been designed to give Satella an advantage in some way. If that situation were to occur, how would Subaru respond? I think this will be the crux of the story.
The basic structure is the same as Eva
As such, we can assume that Re:Zero has many elements in common with Evangelion and that the basic structure is the same. I think it is necessary to examine whether there are any similarities in many other elements besides the gospels.
If you think about it like that, it becomes much easier to understand! !
Even with a complex setting like the Gospels, you can make it easier to understand by guessing which work the setting is based on. Of course, this method can be applied to other animations, so please give it a try.
The history of Re:Zero's theme is deep!!
In fact, this story progression of a battle over a foreign object left by a past power did not start with Evangelion. Evangelion was influenced by Hayao Miyazaki's work Laputa: Castle in the Sky, which can be traced back to British literature that Hayao Miyazaki read in the past. I won't go into the details here, but the themes discussed in all works like this are always influenced in some way.
Summary
What did you think? This time, we have considered the Gospel, which can be said to be the most difficult setting in Re:Zero, from various angles. To be honest, nothing has been revealed about this book yet, so there is no basis for saying that this theory is absolutely correct, but the method of comparing a work with works that are assumed to have been important influences is not just used here, but is also used in the analysis of various works, so please take this opportunity to try it out.
