The Beginning After the End is easily among the top manhwas reigning over the fans’ hearts. The series has appealed to fans for its extensive world-building and its refreshing portrayal of common Isekai tropes. Most fans of the series would agree with the fact that the plot progression has worsened over time. The charm has diluted, with no signs of any potential comeback. The main character, Arthur Leywin, has become the culmination of all things wrong with the storyline.
From a character with endless potential to a laid-back (in the worst way possible) protagonist, Arthur’s character arc is beyond disappointing. Not to say that he is up to no good, but it won’t be long before we could describe him as that. He still has many redeeming factors and his past pretty much explains all his shortcomings, but it’s about time his initial potential gets utilized.
Arthur Leywin is Wasted Potential in Every Shape and Form Possible
In his previous life, Arthur was a cold-hearted king with a narrowed focus on power. He was closed off from the world and lived through many painful experiences all by himself. Falling apart from his two best friends added to his misery, leaving him to fend for himself emotionally. His second life was a second chance for him to make up for the losses of his previous life.
The memories and knowledge from his past life already gave him an edge, and in the initial chapters, he makes full use of it by training hard. His maturity and experience instilled confidence in his analytical and decision-making abilities. Moreover, as a king, he had a solid grip on politics and leadership, which could really prove beneficial in his second life.
All these possibilities were completely ignored as Arthur experienced what could be described as a downfall. Just like the knowledge he carried over to the second life, his emotional scars were still there as well. They explain his inhibitions quite well, but at this point in the story, it’s not unnatural for readers to expect him to finally grow out of his previous self, as he initially planned on doing in The Beginning After the End.
Here’s how Arthur’s Character Arc Deteriorates in The Beginning After the End
Arthur went from an isolated and lonely individual to someone who deeply cared about his loved ones. He was willing to risk anything and everything for them. This was a great sign that he was growing, but then this care and affection put him in a trance whenever emotions were involved. His experiences, leadership qualities, and decision-making abilities are rendered useless as he makes the worst decisions possible.
His equation with Tessia or Cecelia was contained with multiple examples of it. For a character who has so much knowledge, he’s quite easy to manipulate as we saw when he was turned into an Asura. He didn’t have much choice given Kezess’ powers, but that’s the best moment in The Beginning After the End for him to showcase what he’s truly capable of. It wouldn’t be as problematic if he just committed to something wholeheartedly, but what happens is that he is constantly rocking back and forth between his past self and a diluted version of his present self.
Moreover, his criticisms can be debunked in the face of his tragic experiences, which makes the concept of character development completely useless. Under the guise of protecting those he cares about, he has stopped pushing himself and just goes with the flow, falling back to the same point where it all started for him. His goals are clear to everyone including him, for instance, he needs to get a hold of his emotions or be more assertive as a leader, but he just lets things play out as they would without him.
The Beginning After the End is available to read on Tapas Official Website.
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