A cross section image of the Blasting Rod as seen in the anime adaptation.
The Blasting Rod (
Appearance
It is simply described as a bent silver rod,[2] although its form is far more elaborate, where it is shown to have intertwining tendrils at the tip of the rod.[3] The rod's outer color is still silver, however, the rod appears to have a greenish-blue color in the inner parts of the wand where the tendrils come to intertwine. It is most probably derived from the crystal-like object that the tendrils surround. It appears clear like glass when its magical nature is strengthened.[4]
Principles
The Blasting Rod is based off of a similarly named magic staff, supposedly owned by Charles Henry Allan Bennett, a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and a friend and mentor to Aleister Crowley.
According to Aleister Crowley's own accounts, Allan Bennett constructed a magical wand, made of lustre — a long glass prism with a neck and a pointed knob such as adorned old-fashioned chandeliers. The wand in question was mounted in a wooden handle painted or carved with various power words, which he carried around with him.[5] One day while he and Allan Bennett went out for a walk, a group of people were ridiculing the use of wands. According to Aleister Crowley, the ridiculing prompted Allan Bennett to make use of his wand and blast one of them, which put the individual into unconsciousness for fourteen hours before coming to.[6]
Aleister later revealed that Bennett disguised the Blasting Rod's power as a trick which sends a target's refined magical power out of control to render them unconscious without harming them, in order to avoid jealousy from Westcott and Mathers. The Blasting Rod's true power is to amplify the effects of magic (including power, range and size) to ten times what the target thinks it is. Additionally, subsequent uses of the magic together with the Blasting Rod will be further amplified due to the target's expectations affecting the basis for the amplification (i.e. if they subsequently imagine it will be 10 times as powerful, it will be 100 times as powerful).[7]
Given the Blasting Rod's connection to a target's imagination, it works well with Spiritual Tripping, which is also rooted in a target's imagination, using gestures to drive images into their head and create illusionary weapons with the same destructive power towards them they imagine real ones would have.[7][8]
Chronology
Toaru Majutsu no Index
Daihasei Festival Arc
- Main article: Daihasei Festival Arc (Index)
The rod is first seen after the failed attempt of Oriana Thomson and Lidvia Lorenzetti to take over Academy City using the Croce di Pietro. It is shown on a screen during the moment where Aleister pondered to himself about the possibility of taking action personally, after the events of the arc.[2]
World War III Arc
- Main article: World War III Arc
The rod's physical form and power is first featured after Fiamma of the Right's defeat at the hands of Kamijou Touma. Aleister Crowley arrives before Fiamma of the Right after being angered due to Fiamma's actions during the World War III, and especially having seen the power that Touma possessed inside him after he previously ripped of his right arm. The battle between Fiamma and Aleister is short-lived, as Aleister using the rod easily overpowers the weakened Fiamma even with the use of his Holy Right, although he survives the attack.[1]
Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index
Magic God Othinus Arc
- Main article: Magic God Othinus Arc
Along with declaring his magic name, Beast666, Aleister uses the Blasting Rod to attack the Magic Gods of the layer of the world that not even Magic God Othinus's powers could touch.[9]
Aleister Crowley Arc
- Main article: Aleister Crowley Arc
On December 11th, Aleister made use of the Blasting Rod during his battle with Kamijou Touma,[7] but in the final stages of the battle it was knocked down by the Reading Thoth 78's recreation of Mina Mathers.[10]
Processor Suit Arc
During the battle against A. O. Francisca on December 12th, Aleister made use of the Blasting Rod's power coupled with a Spiritual Tripping Big Bang Bomb to annihiliate her Mimetic Predators.[8]
Concept Art
Design evolution
According to Haimura, he designed the rod to have a plant motif associated with it like other magic wands in the series.[4]
Gallery
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 22 Epilogue
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 10 Epilogue Part 4
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index II Episode 13
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Aleister Crowley and the Blasting Rod design comments, from the Rainbow Spectrum. Retrieved on March 10, 2011
- ↑ Fra. Petros Xristos Magister Allan Bennett Biography.
- ↑ Crowley, Aleister. Confessions of Aleister Crowley.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 18 Chapter 4 Part 2
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 19 Chapter 4 Part 9
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 10 Epilogue
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 18 Chapter 4 Part 9