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(Please remember to use the singular 'they' when referring to Crona on the wiki.)
Black Blood (黒血, Kokketsu) is an artificially made blood cell invented by Medusa. She created Black Blood for acquiring Asura and to cause the evolution of a new world. The Black Blood, when infecting a person, fills the infected's soul with madness and imbues them with great power. It can solidify, heal wounds, and be used as a weapon.
Properties
The Black Blood, as its name suggests, takes on the shape of normal blood cells, only pitch black in color. Since its primary function is to make whoever it infects into a Kishin, the Black Blood induces insanity in the person who is infected by it. The madness of the Black Blood has different effects, depending on the user. Maka enters a sort of crazed and demented euphoria, Crona becomes more violent and Soul, who rarely uses the Black Blood because of the consequences, is constantly persuaded to use the Black Blood's power by Little Ogre, whom can be considered the embodiment of the Black Blood in Soul's veins. He desires to take over Soul's body in the Black Room.
The main purpose of the madness is to erase all fear in the users, which prevents hesitation or weakness of will during battle. It is possible for a person to have their blood completely replaced by Black Blood. Likewise, Demon Weapons can be melted into the Black Blood, which in turn, turns them into a Dark Weapon. The madness of the Black Blood can be potent, but with enough strength of will, it can be controlled. However, using too much of the Black Blood's power beyond one's capabilities risks the person being devoured by the Black Blood and the insanity it produces.
If a person manages to control the Black Blood, they have full control of the abilities the unique substance offers. One of the Black Blood's properties is that it can hyper-densify to the user's will. When a user is cut and the Black Blood bleeds out of the wound, the user can will the Black Blood to harden and take on the shape of sharp objects, such as blades or needles. This is used as a counter-attack. It can also take on the form of a protective armour for the body. However, without the user's will, the Black Blood does not harden, meaning that this property is not an automatic function of the Black Blood.
The Black Blood also grants the user almost complete invulnerability. The Black Blood can harden the entire body, making it impervious to slashing or crushing attacks. Crona and Maka both exhibit this characteristic of the Black Blood, shown when Maka is stabbed by Crona, but is not even slightly affected by the attack. Which was also shown when Maka first fought Crona. If the user is wounded, the Black Blood can harden and staunch the wound, preventing it from bleeding and healing the wound incredibly quickly. A great amount of strength is needed to break through the user's Black Blood, but it is possible to do so.
The user's speed and strength is also enhanced by a great deal when using the Black Blood. Crona, who is frail and rather unathletic in appearance, can move incredibly swiftly and can stop strong physical attacks with one hand. This makes the user a formidable opponent in battle.
The Black Blood also has a speculated infectious property. Black Blood can very easily be infected from one person to another. Ragnarok, a Weapon made up of Black Blood, immediately infects Soul after injuring him with his Weapon form. The Black Blood can also infect people via Soul Resonance. However, because of the Black Blood's highly dark properties, individuals who have a Soul Wavelength that dispel darkness (like Maka's Anti-Demon Wavelength) can only be infected by the Black Blood temporarily. Creatures made up entirely out of Black Blood can also fuse with other Black Blood users.
The power of the Black Blood is immense, but if a large amount of a person's Soul Wavelength (like a Soul Menace attack) is applied to the user, then the user's bond with the Black Blood is temporarily broken, leaving the user unable to use Black Blood for some time. Therefore, Wavelength-based attacks are one of the best ways to fight against Black Blood users.
Despite its supernatural qualities, the Black Blood also seems to fulfill all the properties of real blood cells. Crona has had all of their blood replaced with Black Blood and hasn't died, so it clearly can carry oxygen through the body. Also, when Medusa gave Maka pills to spread the Black Blood through her body she told Stein they would be able to help her circulation and her recovery time. She mentions in her head that she wasn't lying and Black Blood would do that, implying that it may be possible for Black Blood to be used for medical reasons, not that Medusa would have explored any of those.
Users
Crona and Ragnarok
Crona in the Black Blood armor, after fusing with the Black Clown
The characters Crona and Ragnarok are the first known users of the Black Blood in the series. The child of the creator of the Black Blood, Medusa, Crona is the main test subject for the Black Blood, and Medusa uses them to make a new Kishin. Crona's normal blood was completely replaced by Black Blood when they were only a small child. The Demon Weapon, Ragnarok, is melted into the Black Blood that is injected into Crona (making him a Dark Weapon), which creates a seemingly permanent symbiotic relationship between the two. When trying to understand the Black Blood, the first step is to understand that Crona, Ragnarok, and the Black Blood are separate entities, existing in the same body. Crona is the body, the receptacle of the Black Blood and Ragnarok. Ragnarok is contained within the Black Blood, and thus, is the main controller of the substance.
The reason why Medusa needed the Black Blood to be inserted mortally into Crona is possibly because it is necessary for a Meister to be constantly influenced by a Kishin's Soul Wavelength (for example, a Dark Weapon's Wavelength), in order for Kishin-scale madness to take effect personally, to such an extent that the Meister would become a Kishin. Thus by having Ragnarok inside of Crona, this is assured.
Under Ragnarok's control, the Black Blood itself both protects Crona from physical harm and provides a degree of healing, and it can be hardened to provide massive reductions in damage when hit. Another unique trait of this pairing is that even after the blood has left the body, through something like a cut, it still retains its ability to be controlled. This is due to Ragnarok and the Black Blood being statically linked, as he himself is contained within it. This means that the Black Blood can be manipulated into varying shapes and forms, like needles and blades, which allows Crona to focus on attacks using Ragnarok's Weapon form while simultaneous attacks are provided from the blood present in the surrounding environment. It also serves as a counter-attack when Crona is wounded. Note carefully that the Black Blood itself cannot move, and the ability to spike out, and pierce objects is controlled completely by Ragnarok, who is bound to the Black Blood within Crona.
Ragnarok's Weapon form is completely comprised of Black Blood. This means that it can change shape and can infect anyone that it cuts. The Black Blood cells in the Weapon form can also vibrate, acting with a chainsaw-like effect. This is achieved through the use of soundwaves, thus Crona and Ragnarok's own unique style of Soul Resonance: Scream Resonance. Also, since Ragnarok and Crona share the same body, their soul rejection is extremely brutal, and dozens of Bloody Needles erupt uncontrollably from Crona's body and the pair loses their ability to utilize their Black Blood.
After befriending Maka, Crona and Ragnarok's insanity dies down, and the Black Blood is not used that often. However, after returning to Medusa, Crona's madness is reawakened, and the Black Blood in the two appear even stronger than before, opening up to new abilities. The most prominent ability is that Crona and Ragnarok are able to manifest up to two extra arms constructed entirely from the Black Blood and three distinct versions of Ragnarok's Weapon forms for an indefinite period of time, although it is unknown through what exact means they use to achieve this apparent progression. However, they have displayed the ability to manifest flight capable wings in the past after a substantial power increase after devouring a large amount of innocent human souls, suggesting the same process may have been used to reach these results.
The pair also displayed the ability to fuse with the Black Clown. This gave Crona and Ragnarok an external armor made out of Black Blood similar to a dress Maka had fabricated on a previous occasion, when she faced Arachne. This granted Crona near invulnerability, although Black☆Star had demonstrated that it is possible to break the armor with enough strength.
Later on in the story, Crona's Black Blood evolves into a more powerful strain called Mad Blood. With it, they can flood entire cities with Black Blood and make a sphere of Black Blood so strong it can hold Death Scythes. This stage of the blood causes any one who touches even the hardened blood to go mad, making it harder to break, as shown when Maka and Soul tried to do it with a Kishin-Hunt Slash.
After absorbing the Kishin Asura, Crona's power and control over Black Blood increased tremendously, as they were shown to be able to rip a tooth from the Moon itself and overpower Black☆Star with sheer physical force during the Battle on the Moon.
However, a large amount of Soul Wavelength applied to Crona's body can break the bond between Crona, Ragnarok and the Black Blood. This makes them unable to use the Black Blood for some time, leaving them vulnerable. In Episode 44 of the anime, Crona's Black Blood is weakened by Medusa when she fires her soul wavelength into her child which leaves Crona vulnerable to being killed by their mother. Fortunately, Maka and Soul arrive just in time to save Crona and Ragnarok. However, as seen in the next episode, Crona's Black Blood was still weak when they pushed Maka out of way as Medusa sends her Vector Arrow to kill Maka, which instead resulted in Crona getting impaled. When Professor Stein was freed from the madness, he explained to Maka that Crona was still alive and he'll promise to save Crona from dying in an operation back at Death City. The operation is a success and Crona and Ragnarok live.
Maka and Soul
Soul Eater as he appears in his mind
The Black Blood is used slightly differently in Soul and Maka, since they do not share a symbiotic relationship like Crona and Ragnarok. Also, out of the pair, only Soul is infected by Black Blood, and he is only infected partially. Maka is also protected from being infected by Soul because of her Anti-Demon Wavelength. Their usage of the Black Blood has granted them invulnerability, enhanced strength and later on, a protective armour. Although the madness of the Black Blood is first evident in the two, Soul soon overcomes it. This may make the two the only users of the Black Blood who use Black Blood without falling into insanity.
The Black Blood is first introduced into Soul's system after an unsuccessful battle against Crona and Ragnarok early in the series, when Soul is injured by Ragnarok's Weapon form. After being infected, Soul experiences nightmares of him tearing out of Maka's torso, and a dark dimension called the Black Room appeares in his soul, inhabited by an entity called Little Ogre, who constantly tries to tempt him to the madness of the Black Blood.
Soul is afraid of using the Black Blood for a while, but soon decides to face and overcome it. Thus, the Black Blood is first activated during Maka and Soul's Soul Resonance when they are fighting against Free. With it being the first time he actually uses the Black Blood, Soul almost loses control of his sanity and is on the point of completely consuming Maka's soul with his own. However, he manages to control it just in time. It is at this point that Maka starts to hear Little Ogre speaking of great power to Soul. The Black Blood infects Maka, but is then quickly purged, due to Maka's Anti-Demon Wavelength.
The second time the duo use Black Blood is in their second battle against Crona. After all of their attacks have no effect on Crona, Maka decides to persuade Soul to use the Black Blood again, appearing in the Black Room to talk to Soul herself. Maka decides to fall into the same sort of madness as Crona in order to understand his/her soul a lot more. Soul is reluctant, but then agrees. During this battle, Soul ends up having to hold onto both his and Maka's sanity as the Black Blood cells seep into Maka's blood stream, causing her to fall into a crazed state of delirium. Meanwhile Soul is shown drowning in the darkness he often referred to as 'madness'. However, he manages to hold onto both of their sanities long enough for the real Maka to see into Crona's soul. After doing so, Soul manages to pull both of them out of the madness.
Maka in the Black Blood armour
So far, the series give no concrete explanation of why the Black Blood itself was able to provoke Kishin-like madness in Maka while she was Resonating with Soul when he was using the Black Blood.
Due to the Black Blood hardening within her body, in the battle against Crona, she is able to gain an immunity against slash and crush attacks and also acquires superior strength. However; while in this state, Maka is not only quite crazy but also quite silly, as her movements, behavior, and her fighting style change drastically, and she resembles a state of inebriation. Her drastic behavior is clearly indicated by her swaying, constant giggling, and attempt to devour Crona's head, which further proves that the Black Blood has a tendency to make users unlike themselves.
Soul becomes near on the brink of using Black Blood again in the battle against Mosquito, when he uses the piano in the Black Room to initiate a Chain Resonance. Soul is seen to apparently be under the influence of madness whilst playing the piano, but he stops playing before the Black Blood could be used.
The next time the two use Black Blood is in their fight against Arachne. Whilst activating Majin Hunt, Soul accidentally uses too much of his power and ends up using his Black Blood. However, he has more control over it, and neither Soul nor Maka fall into madness. However, the Black Blood creates an armour on Maka's body, taking on the form of the black dress she wears in the Black Room. The armour proves to be quite strong, being able to resist Arachne's attacks. After using the Black Blood this time, Soul appears slightly exhausted after the battle, indicating that the Black Blood still causes him some physical strain and that he is yet to assume full control of it.
In Mad Blood, Soul's scar started to hurt as Crona fought in Moscow and began using Mad Blood techniques. Both he and Maka attempted to free the Meister and Death Scythe trapped in large spheres of Black Blood that were radiating high levels of Madness. When he touched the black blood, his wound started causing him incredible amounts of pain, and he walked out while tugging roughly on Maka's hair. As his pain increased, an image of Little Ogre appeared to be smiling, and as Soul cried out that his wounds hurt. A multi-ringed eye appeared, and it appears as though his scar has reopened from an unknown slash, with the eye at its core, while Soul looked on, dazed.
Maka donning a new dress made of Black Blood
During the battle on the moon and after Maka ends up being impaled through her chest by Asura's arm, the Black Blood within her activates and she grabs the kishin's arm, forcing him to release her. Soul draws out the power of the Black Blood and Maka's insanity dies down as she dons a dress made of Black Blood and a holds Soul in a new scythe form.
In the anime, against the final battle against Asura, Soul ends up using too much Black Blood and ends up being devoured by it and Little Ogre. He closes his soul away from his body, preventing it to be consumed completely, which results in him losing consciousness. However, Maka manages to unlock his soul and manages to rescue him before the Black Blood can consume him. After this, Soul accepts Little Ogre as a part of himself, and eats him thus giving Soul more control over the Black Blood.
The Black Clown
Unlike the other users of this substance, the Black Clown is actually a humanoid embodiment of Black Blood, meaning that the entirety of its body is composed of the solidified form of this dark liquid. Due to this, it is able to manipulate this unique material body to produce various effects much like Crona and Ragnarok, by either solidifying or liquifying the Black Blood completely at will. It can also evaporate and reform itself, since it is made of Black Blood. It can also fuse with Black Blood users, transforming into an armour. It has demonstrated the ability to release Black Blood from its body at will, using attacks such as Bloody Needle. It, like the Purple-Dyed Clown, also has a madness wavelength.
It can also join in on Crona and Ragnarok's odd little symbiotic relationship by fusing with the young meister and Weapon. Apparently, they serve as a further master to this twisted creature, but this relationship seemingly extends beyond simply master and servant; as thanks to the Black Blood's unique composition, the two can undergo a merging procedure in order to drastically increase their respective powers, creating a sort of Black Blood armor for them. It increases their defence, but, as shown by Black☆Star, it can be broken with enough force.
It appears Crona and Ragnarok can control the Black Clown because it's made of Black Blood. Presumably, there's the matter of the Black Clown: it being made from Crona's blood. It obeys their every command, and spreads madness through its madness wavelength. Also, its very name, the Black Clown, all seem to imply that this creature was meant to be some sort of artificial clown, which makes sense since how the whole purpose of the Black Blood is to make its user more like a Kishin. Clowns are, after all, the embodiment of madness.
During a short confrontation between itself, Kirikou Rung and Kim Diehl, it was demonstrated that, at the very least, small droplets of Black Blood can be incinerated due to exposure to an intense flame. This may be suggestive of a greater possible weakness to the significant physical resistance offered by the Black Blood.
Purple-Dyed Clown
The Purple-Dyed Clown is a by-product of the experiment that created the Black Clown. Though less powerful than the the Black Clown, it is still a strong conductor of madness though it can on its own only effect one person at a time. It can be used to amplify other madness wavelengths making it an effective spreader of madness. It can also use madness fusion with Medusa's snake familiars, turning them into large purple beasts, making them much more dangerous.
Asura
When Asura was sealed away by Death, he had his skin torn off and his blood drained. His skin was used as a container for the Kishin. Asura was reawakened when he was injected with Black Blood developed by Medusa. Like Crona, Asura's bloodstream is completely made up of Black Blood. Although he has displayed no abilities based on the manipulation of the Black Blood, he is shown to be able to regenerate extremely quickly, even from fatal wounds. He easily heals himself after having his body nearly split in two by Maka's Kishin-Hunt Slash and even regenerates a severed arm in a split second. His most notable ability however is his ability to absorb others with black blood seen when Crona tried to absorb him but he managed to take control of Crona causing them to fuse into one being. This presumably led to a huge increase in power but it's not clear as of yet.
Trivia
- The Black Blood is very similar to the Venom symbiote from the Spiderman series, as both are vicious black liquids which seem to bond to a host, granting them enhanced powers at the cost of basic sanity.
- In addition, Ragnarok, the main user of the Black Blood, resembles the Spiderman villain Venom, who is born when the symbiote bonds to a host, surrounding them in gooey black liquid and turning them beastly. Ragnarok and Crona's bonding in particular is extremely reminiscent to Venom in their two personas, and in how the symbiotic being influences the host and manipulates their will - something especially true for Crona and Ragnarok. Not to mention how their power increases when they unite their wills into one.
- The only difference is that Venom and Black Blood are opposites in effect: while the Venom Symbiote covers the user from the outside, the Black Blood acts inside the user's veins as it is it's place as bloodcells.
- Little Ogre seemed to come in to present along with the Black Blood, though an entity such as Little Ogre has yet to be seen in Crona or Ragnarok. It is highly probable that Little Ogre is an embodiment of madness created from the Black Blood unique only to Soul, and that the madness of the Black Blood shows itself in many ways depending on the user it infects.
- The Black Blood is also incredibly similar to the "Black Goo" from Ridley Scott's Alien prequel "Prometheus." Both modify the host's strength and alter their natural attributes, as well as making the host become psychotic as the end result of the "evolution."
- It is also similar to ADAM of the Bioshock franchise. Both increase power and cause mental illness in the user. However, unlike Black Blood, ADAM also cause horrific deformities.