Former Bookman Jr.

About this character

Bookman Jr is the title designated for the individual destined to inherit the role of Bookman—there can only ever be one at a time. Before Lavi's birth, this title was held by an enigmatic figure, commonly referred to within the fandom as the former (or previous) Bookman Jr. The former Bookman Jr is depicted as a bespectacled young man with long silver hair tied in a ponytail and a prominent scar running through his right eye. His hair color is identical to Allen's, and his droopy eyes bear a resemblance to Lavi's. [Spoiler] During his tenure as Bookman Jr, it is implied that he was considered by many of his clansmen—a "child of calamity" and an improper heir—to be unworthy of the title, a view however not shared by his father, Bookman. Sometime 35 years ago, he made a decisive break with his clan. Rejecting the creed of remaining a detached chronicler of wars, he chose instead to support Nea in an attempt to use his knowledge of "the truth" to influence the direction of the holy war. Although he initially aspired to become Nea's host, circumstances led him to take on the role of protector for Nea's host, Allen. [/Spoiler] [Spoiler] For around 17 years, he traveled alongside Allen. Their journey encountered a critical turning point when Apocryphos intervened. In an attempt to kill Allen, Apocryphos attached an innocence shard to him, aiming to consume his helix-energy and de-age him onto oblivion. The former Bookman Jr intervened by transferring his own helix-energy into Allen, effectively fusing their energies. This act merged their souls, resulting in the creation of a new, de-aged Allen. [/Spoiler] [Spoiler] The former Bookman Jr exhibited profound understanding of helix-energy—the very force that sustains innocence—knowledge that even surpassed the sentient innocence Apocryphos. He considered himself a friend of Nea and developed a deep care for Allen throughout their journey. Additionally, he carried a lingering regret over never having the opportunity to speak with his father again after their separation when he abandoned his duty. [/Spoiler] [Spoiler] A year after his death, Lavi was born as the next Bookman Jr. Later, during Lavi's own journey with Bookman, a life-threatening incident occurred: Lavi was struck by a stray bullet, seemingly on the brink of death and destined to return to the helix—the origin of life. At that critical moment, the former Bookman Jr's hand reached out from the helix, reviving Lavi's consciousness and indicating that his time had not yet come. Time appeared to freeze as Lavi witnessed the spectral figure of the former Bookman Jr, who assured him they would meet again. Furthermore, Allen's initial encounter with Lavi in the rewinding town evoked memories of the former Bookman Jr within Lavi. [/Spoiler] [Spoiler] In the present day, Bookman clansmen—namely, Lucia and the owner of the Zoogle Antique Bookshop—confront Allen regarding the mysterious circumstances surrounding the former Bookman Jr's death and the whereabouts of his remains. They reveal that it has long been the clan's aspiration to meet the Host in order to uncover the truth behind the former Bookman Jr's fate, and they directly accuse Allen and Nea of causing his demise. Notably, Lucia appears to have had a personal connection with the former Bookman Jr, hinting at this by remarking that Allen's hair bears an uncanny resemblance to his. [/Spoiler] (Source: D.Gray-Man chapters [Spoiler] 215, 221, 251-253.5 [/Spoiler] )

Anime and manga appearances

• D.Gray-man

  Supporting

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