Summary

King Grey's past life as a powerful king filled with revenge left him empty and unhappy despite his achievements.
A mysterious voice urges Arthur to seek the light and avoid the path of darkness to create a brighter future.
Sylvia plays a crucial role in guiding Arthur away from his past mistakes as King Grey, helping him rewrite his fate.

King Grey’s reincarnation in The Beginning After the End is shrouded in mystery. His death is abrupt and his second chance at life as Arthur Leywin places him in an unfamiliar world where he learns a thing or two about friendship and familial love. As the anime releases more episodes, clips of King Grey’s past are shown, making them seem like a warning about Arthur’s future in the series.

Unlike other reincarnation stories, The Beginning After the End, particularly the anime, clearly integrates Arthur’s past life to drive the plot forward. It’s not just a dramatic backstory; it’s a central force behind Arthur’s journey in Dicathen. As Arthur grows stronger, obtains more power, and meets new friends and enemies, his past life as King Grey could reshape his future actions and decisions. But will it lead him down the path of good or bad?

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By Cathlyn Melo

This article contains spoilers from The Beginning After the End webcomic.

Exploring King Grey’s Past Life

An Exhausting Life of Power and Revenge

King Grey’s life is completely different from his current life as Arthur Leywin. In his past life, the world felt dull and gray, weighed down by the hatred in his heart, his thirst for revenge, and his lust for more power. Sure, he succeeds in making it to the top as the powerful and formidable king capable of seizing kingdoms and winning duels one after another, yet his heart remains empty.

Despite King Grey’s accomplishments, nothing seems to bring him genuine happiness and contentment. He spends his entire life striving to be the strongest, but fame and glory fail to fill the emptiness within him. He is still unhappy, alone, and empty. This may be the cost of his wrong decisions, clinging to hatred for all the misfortunes and tragedies he encountered when he was younger.

"We all make mistakes, but the hardest part is admitting them and moving forward so they don't happen again." —Arthur Leywin

As it turns out, King Grey abandoned his childhood friends from the orphanage due to various circumstances. He ends up fighting on the wrong side, leaving his friends behind. Before he can realize the truth, he ultimately faces the consequences of his actions. Despite this, King Grey moves forward, carrying the burden of his past mistakes. This marks the beginning of his path to seek darkness, leading to his sudden demise.

Is King Grey’s Past a Warning to Arthur’s Future?

A Mysterious Voice Tells Him to Seek the Light

arthur shocked face — Arthur is stunned while looking up at Sylvia. (The Beginning After The End)

Before King Grey opens his eyes as Arthur Leywin, a mysterious voice tells him that he needs to seek the light in his new life. Instead of following the same path of darkness as he used to in his past life, Arthur is urged to live his life anew if he truly wants to forge a bright and colorful future free from regret. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, especially for Arthur, who is fully aware of the heavy cost of power, isolation, revenge, and hatred.

"In your new life, seek the light." —Mystery Voice

In fact, at one point in the past, King Arthur declared his desire to retire from his post after realizing the extent of his mistakes. He also argues that his kingship is nothing more than a title because he’s only being used as an agent of war and a mere tool of violence. There’s no deeper meaning in his existence, questioning his worth and purpose in the process. While King Grey becomes the strongest, he realizes that he doesn’t truly have the power to shape the world.

Sylvia Is Essential In Changing Arthur’s Future

She Knows About Arthur's Past Life

It’s confirmed that Sylvia knows about Arthur’s past life as King Grey, but the reason behind her awareness of his identity remains a mystery. In the four months they coexist in a cave somewhere in Elshire Forest, Sylvia takes it upon herself to remind Arthur not to let grief and rage corrode his mind, almost as if she’s warning him about the mistakes he made in his past life.

Instead of urging Arthur to exact revenge against the bandits, Sylvia pushes Arthur to learn from his misfortunes and face the future with a smile, believing that only then will he truly find victory. In many ways, Sylvia seems like an instrument guiding Arthur on the right path. She corrects Arthur’s ill intentions and replaces them with better, more noble ones. Even after death, her only wish for Arthur is to embrace the joys of childhood and become a much better man she can be proud of.

"I promised someone very important to become a better person and to cherish the people around me." —Arthur Leywin

From time to time, Arthur falls back to his old habits as King Grey, isolating himself and letting negative thoughts fill his mind in The Beginning After the End. However, with his awareness of the past, on top of Sylvia and the support of his parents, it becomes easier for him to move forward and rewrite his fate. It’s not a walk in the park, but at least Arthur now has the drive to break free from his past, thanks to some key figures like Sylvia and the owner of the mystery voice, who are instrumental to his journey to seek the light.

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