Re:Zero: Lye Batenkaitos’s Powers and Abilities Explained

Re:Zero: Lye Batenkaitos's Powers and Abilities Explained

Key Takeaways

  • Lye’s power allows him to consume names and memories, putting victims in a coma-like state.
  • Lye can utilize Lunar and Solar Eclipse to absorb abilities and transform into consumed individuals.
  • Sin Archbishops of Gluttony can control Witchbeasts and potentially create their own.

As a die-hard fan of Re:Zero, I must say that delving into the intricate details of Lye Batenkaitos, one of the three Sin Archbishops of Gluttony, has been an absolute feast for my eyes! This guy is not just a character in a show, but a living, breathing embodiment of the Gourmet aspect of Gluttony.


In the anime “Re:Zero”, Lye Batenkaitos is a high-ranking member of the Witch’s Cult, embodying the aspect of Gluttony in the form of a Sin Archbishop. He makes a striking debut in season 2, episode 1 titled “Each One’s Promise”. His actions, such as stealing Crusch’s memories and Rem’s name, have significantly impacted the narrative of Subaru’s story. Since these actions can no longer be undone by his power of Return by Death, Subaru is determined to confront and defeat Lye more than any other Sin Archbishop.

To stand a chance against Lye, he must first familiarize himself with the mechanics of his own powers. Being a Sin Archbishop, Lye possesses the Authority of the Sin he embodies – in this case, Gluttony, which brings with it immense powers.

The Authority of Gluttony

The Ability to Consume Names and Memories

Re:Zero: Lye Batenkaitos's Powers and Abilities Explained

The primary and frightening ability held by Lye and those under the dominion of Gluttony is the capacity to devour an individual’s identity and past experiences. In the event that a person’s memory is swallowed, as demonstrated with Crusch, they will forfeit all recollections of their history. Despite this, they will retain sufficient knowledge to carry out daily tasks effectively, so they won’t forget how to communicate or write, and will still possess natural skills, such as Crusch’s ability to fight competently even after losing her memories.

Conversely, when someone’s identity, represented by their name, fades away, it’s as if they vanish completely, much like the enigmatic Mist of Annihilation surrounding the White Whale. Interestingly, only Subaru appears unaffected by forgetting people who lack a name, perhaps due to his unique ability to Return by Death. If Lye were to erase not just a person’s name but also their memories, that individual would fall into a coma-like state, neither dead nor alive, similar to what happened to Rem.

Lunar and Solar Eclipse

Re:Zero: Lye Batenkaitos's Powers and Abilities Explained

A Lunar Eclipse refers to the acquisition and utilization of skills and powers from individuals whose memories have been devoured by Lye. These abilities encompass combat techniques and magical prowess, although there appear to be exceptions such as Divine Protections and Authorities of other Sins not being passed on when a name is consumed.

The Solar Eclipse power enables Lye to metamorphose into individuals he has ingested, assuming their physical aspects beyond merely acquiring their experiences and skills. This shape-shifting is not solely for deceiving enemies or camouflaging; when Lye transforms into someone and subsequently employs their abilities, he becomes stronger and more efficient than utilizing them in his original form. The Solar Eclipse power is potent, but Lye dislikes employing it because he feels as though he’s gradually losing his identity while using it.

As a seasoned gamer, I’ve come to find that Lye Batenkaitos, this extraordinary in-game character, possesses a vast array of abilities and moves. Years of absorbing names and memories during the lunar and solar eclipses have endowed him with these unique powers.

Control over Witchbeasts and the Ability to Create Life

Just like Daphne, the Witch of Gluttony

Re:Zero: Lye Batenkaitos's Powers and Abilities Explained

As the Gluttonous Arch-Bishop, Lye possesses the power to command various creatures known as Witchbeasts, including the mighty White Whale and Great Rabbit, which are part of the Three Great Witchbeasts. Interestingly, these powerful beasts can be controlled by him, except for the mysterious Black Serpent, the sole member of the Three Great Witchbeasts that remains immune to his control. This is why the White Whale often seems to align with the Witch Cult’s schemes. The reason behind the Black Serpent’s resistance to Lye’s control remains unexplained.

The power over Witchbeasts originates because Daphne, the Witch of Greed, is responsible for crafting all Witchbeasts. Not only can she control them, but it’s said that Sin Archbishops of Greed can also manufacture their own Witchbeasts. Nevertheless, this ability has merely been hinted at by another Sin Archbishop of Greed; we haven’t witnessed it being utilized in practice.

Rui Arneb, Lye’s sister and one of the Sin Archbishops of Gluttony, mentioned the Three Great Witchbeasts. It’s believed these monstrous entities were crafted by a previous owner of our Witch Factor, predating us. Similarly, we possess the capability to create something similar, but we chose not to because there seemed little purpose in doing so.

The Other Two Sin Archbishops of Gluttony

Lye’s Brother and Sister Are Also Sin Archbishops of Gluttony

As a gamer immersed in this captivating world, I ponder over an intriguing question: Why does only Gluttony have three Sin Archbishops, and could it be that the other Authorities of Sin are capable of manifesting across multiple individuals simultaneously? Yet, one thing is certain – these three Sin Archbishops align perfectly with the Three Great Witchbeasts, spawned by the Witch of Gluttony.

  • Lye Batenkaitos, the eldest brother, is linked to the White Whale and represents the Gourmet aspect of Gluttony. True to this aspect, Lye is very picky about the people he consumes, picking only those whose experiences he deems good enough. Cetus, also known as “the whale”, is a constellation, and Baten Kaitos is a star in that constellation whose original Arabic name “batn qaytus” means “belly of the sea monster”.
  • Roy Alphard, Lye’s younger brother, is linked to the Black Serpent and represents the Bizarre Eating aspect of Gluttony. Unlike Lye, Roy believes in quantity over quality when it comes to consuming names and memories. He doesn’t care how valuable a person’s memories are, he will consume anyone without discrimination. His name, Alphard, comes from the brightest star in the Hydra constellation holding the same name, meaning “the backbone of the serpent”.
  • Rui Arneb, Lye’s sister and youngest sibling, is linked to the Great Rabbit and represents the Satiation aspect of Gluttony. She doesn’t pick her meals based on the quality of their memories, but rather just who she likes. Her name, Arneb, comes from the former name of the brightest star in the Lepus constellation (now known as Alpha Leporis), meaning “Hare”.

It is important to point out that, in the series Re:Zero, many of the Archbishops associated with the Seven Deadly Sins are given names derived from stars.

Re:Zero is now available to stream on Crunchyroll, Muse Asia, MeWatch, and several other streaming platforms. The release date for Re:Zero season 3, episode 9, is set to be November 27, 2024, at 7:30 AM PT.

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2024-11-25 05:34