Octavio Luna Kan
Octavio Luna Kan (オクタビオ・ルナ・カン, Okutabio Runa Kan) is the main antagonist of the light novel El Aleph and a former primary ally.
He is a strong indigenous orphan from Antigua who leads a massive network of informants on the streets, and temporarily joins the Speedwagon Foundation as an investigator after proving his usefulness. Together with Joaquín Ruiz-Jorruda, the two are known as the Huérfanos de la Tormenta (
Appearance
As a child, Octavio Luna Kan has puffy, matted hair, and extremely thin limbs.[9] He grows to become a tall and muscular teenager with particularly long legs and a loud voice.[1] He has tanned skin and his height exceeds 185 cm, making him unusually tall for a Mayan. His height and features make him resemble a Uruguayan football player instead. Octavio's jaw and cheekbones are chiseled as if they were sculpted with machine-like precision, and he has a well-toned chest. His eyebrows convey the disposition of a bold and brave king.[1] Octavio's eyes are dark like obsidian[1] and similar to the eyes of a forest beast,[5] like a hawk.[1]
After joining the Speedwagon Foundation, he wears a black suit with the Foundation's wheel logo and sunglasses.[1][9] In late 1974, Octavio has sunken eyes and wears filthy clothes like burial shrouds.[7] When Octavio is an adult in 1986, he has long, bristly hair. He also has a beard and his face exudes a more profound presence. His left leg is a titanium prosthetic.[8]
Personality
Octavio is a confident and courageous man with an insatiable ambition for fulfilling his dreams. He and Joaquín dreamed of leaving the constant bloodshed in Antigua and having the opportunity and freedom to adventure outside the borders of the country.[3] However, he still loves his hometown[5] and is proud of his heritage.[1] He quickly agrees to J.D. Hernández's proposal of assisting the Speedwagon Foundation with tracking down Fabio Ubuh, later thinking that Fabio is an embarrassment to his people after learning that he is also K'iche'. Octavio is loyal to his K'iche' faith and claims that he's close to the gods.[3]
Octavio believes that if he tries hard enough, he could change everything.[1] He is persistent in achieving his goals, begging Lisa Lisa to recruit him and Joaquín as members of the Foundation.[3] Although she denies at first, she understands their worth and gives them a challenge. Octavio and Joaquín eventually surprise her as they quickly succeed in their tasks by making use of all their skills.[1] He shows quick wit, such as negotiating with a corrupt police officer to not shoot him,[10] swiping the key from Alhorn's guard before he is imprisoned,[11] communicating in Morse code with Joaquín from afar using only a glass shard to reflect light,[11] and figuring out how to reach Dos Santos by following the movements of La Casa Verde's roots and recognizing which roots are dormant.[12] He is extremely determined to take down Dos Santos with him, to the point of falling unconscious by overexerting himself while keeping Dos Santos in a chokehold.[13]
As a teenager, Octavio is a nice man who would throw himself in front of a car to save a puppy. He has a "cool way" of smoking, he is excellent at telling jokes, and he is popular with girls. If he had a more fortunate childhood, he could have starred as a younger Clint Eastwood in Hollywood.[1] His bravado isn't undeserved, as Octavio is respected as being #1 on the streets and has followers that listen to his commands.[1][5] He's protective of his allies even if it causes harm to himself, as he carries Hernández on his back while hopping on his single injured foot in an attempt to escape from Hopscotch's power. Although he claims to hate lying and has done violent things to avoid having to lie, he is good at acting, managing to obtain information by crafting elaborate stories to appeal to people's emotions.[1]
Despite all his merits, Octavio throws caution to the wind, acting both impulsively and fearlessly. Octavio rebels against Hernández's orders and devises a plan to ambush Fabio, regardless of the man being a serial murderer with an unknown power. Although he succeeds in capturing the killer, he is injured by a bombardment of flies and forced to let go of Fabio.[5] Octavio is obsessed with gaining power, especially upon learning about the Arrows, as he feels as if a new pathway has opened up for him.[1] He is uninterested in paying attention to the Speedwagon Foundation's lessons, yet wants to learn the Ripple.[9] He also considers betraying the Speedwagon Foundation by providing Alhorn with information in exchange for being shot with the Arrow.[11] He loudly greets Joaquín when he and Sasha are covertly trying to escape Alhorn's fortress, disregarding everyone's safety. His reckless behavior also nearly costs the lives of many innocent hostages, as he starts a fire in Alhorn's fortress in an attempt to lure Alhorn outside with the Arrow, which eventually would cause an explosion due to the flammable materials inside.[12]
He has a troublesome, narcissistic nature and is obsessed with being in the spotlight. He'd get angry if one of his friends gets too clever or threatens to steal his thunder. He tends to call people petty insults, and his pride results in him getting into fights.[1] When he was younger, he couldn't make friends as he didn't want to play with anyone until he met Joaquín.[9] He is also demanding and impolite, ordering the Speedwagon Foundation investigators to let him speak with their boss after they treated his wounds, and then being rude to Lisa Lisa by calling her an abuela (grandmother). However, his disrespectful attitude to Lisa Lisa was to hide that he was flustered and embarrassed with himself for thinking about how beautiful she was despite her age.[3] He also feels envious upon learning that Joaquín was chosen by the Arrow, while he wasn't.[6]
Lisa Lisa states that he and Joaquín are like the binary system given human form; Octavio rushes toward any possibility like the number 1, whereas Joaquín is a bottomless receptacle of knowledge like the number 0. Ever since he was a child, Octavio hasn't paid attention to lectures and relies on Joaquín to listen for him. He hates the countryside, thinking that it is depressive,[1] and despises doing menial tasks.[9]
After living in the eternal darkness of El Aleph for several years, Octavio's desire to be number one and his ambition to go as far as he can overtakes his morals. He becomes the leader of the Selva Cartel, where he cultivates cocaine and commits inhumane acts, such as abducting foreigners and demanding ransom, smuggling cobalt to sell to military organizations, and murdering anyone who invades his territory. He justifies his actions as being necessary for both setting an example and providing for his community.[8] According to one of his cartel members, he is a fan of theatrics such as purposely letting one intruder escape from their territory so the intruder could warn others not to go back there.[14] While he admits to being grateful to Lisa Lisa and Hernández, he has no qualms about killing them if they get in the way of his business.[8] He believes that having the Arrow is necessary for his survival, as one ability user can be strong enough to go against a whole army of regular humans, which he thinks will be necessary in World War III and for overthrowing South America's current regime. He sees himself as a king, and lives in order to fortify his authority, wealth, and faith. Despite being aware of all the evil he committed, he feels that there is no other way for him to live anymore. Lisa Lisa is reminded of Straizo, Wamuu, and Kars upon seeing his nature. Nonetheless, she thinks that Octavio is fragile, as he let his mind be consumed by darkness.[15]
Abilities
Octavio is a strong warrior with powerful attacks, rapid reflexes, and a thoroughly durable body. His endurance and pain tolerance are extremely high and his willpower allows him to recover quickly from his injuries.[3] He shrugs off his injured legs during the Hopscotch battle and hops with powerful force all the way to a water tank in the corner of the plaza he was in to find the Stand user.[1] He's also a clever tactician; after ensuring that Joaquín followed Hernández into the underground passage to help him, he stages an ambush at the other end of the tunnel so that Fabio would have nowhere to escape.[5]
As a street fighter, Octavio usually fights dirty such as jabbing his enemies' eyes and breaking their teeth. He has sharp fighting instincts and determines his movements by simulating his enemies' potential counterattacks in his head.[10] He typically fights with his legs, using vigorous kicks that could beat several armed soldiers.[12]
Stand
Original Stand
Octavio naturally awakens a Stand as a child living in an orphanage. Wishing for a friend, the Stand ability allows him to create Joaquín Ruiz-Jorruda as his friend with a completely independent self based on traits he wanted a friend to have. While the body is actually his Stand, it has its own flesh and spirit, and is visible to everyone. Lisa Lisa assumes that this ability can only be activated once in a lifetime.
El Aleph
Wielding the Stand El Aleph, Octavio can envelop his surroundings in darkness forever, instantly making it night within his Stand's range. Nearby organisms will feel lethargic and are put to sleep. He can also summon nightmarish creatures from other worlds.
Personal Skills
Networking
As the leader of a massive back-alley network of local orphans, homeless people, and peddlers on the street, Octavio has several informants who could gather any information he needs in his city.[5] Octavio and Joaquín tease information out of people, shut down any lines of questioning, and form a three-dimensional image of the town's rumors by bringing together the scraps of information like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. His network also helps him investigate neighboring villages.[1]
Morality Viewing
According to Octavio, both he and Joaquín are capable of perceiving the light and darkness within people, allowing them to know whether one is righteous like an angel or evil like a demon. He claims that they're usually correct and that it must be gifts they received for being orphans who are very close to the gods.[3] This ability helps them succeed with gathering information and completing their first mission for Lisa Lisa.[1]
Weakness Detection
When Octavio's senses are sharpened, he can instinctively tell exactly where his enemies' vitals and weak points are. He honed his perceptiveness through his experiences surviving on the street in his homeland.[12] This allows him to prevail when he is outnumbered by himself against a gang of around ten thugs, as he waits for the right opportunity to strike one's weak point and then individually takes out the rest of them.[10]
History
Background
When Octavio was a young child, his father passed away during war. At some point before Octavio had even turned ten years old, his mother and brother also passed away in a car crash. Octavio was in the car as well, but was sitting in the back seat and managed to survive.[9]
Since he had no relatives that could take care of him, he was placed in a missionary-run orphanage. Octavio fell into a depression, often having tantrums, wouldn't eat, or would sleep nonstop. One day, the nun in charge of the orphanage took him to the chapel and comforted him, letting him know that it is normal to feel sadness, but eventually he'll be able to store those feelings away deep inside him. One night, Octavio couldn't fall asleep and sneaked out to the Cerro de la Cruz. He tried playing with a soccer ball he found made out of balled-up cloth and strings, but it was boring playing alone. The nun had told him to make friends, but he felt out of place at the orphanage, and the other kids wouldn't approach him. Suddenly, Octavio sees another young boy, smaller than him, standing on the hill with him in the darkness. The other boy, Joaquín, approached Octavio, but didn't say a word. Octavio felt that he could understand what the boy wanted to say, so he allowed Joaquín to be the goalie. Octavio later learned that Joaquín was mute and would be joining the same orphanage as him.[9] However, Joaquín was actually not a real human, but created by Octavio's Stand ability which had just awakened.[15]
The two were eventually thrown out of the orphanage after refusing to join a seminary. Octavio ended up making a name for himself in the streets, becoming the leader of a back-alley network of other orphans, homeless people, and peddlers. J.D. Hernández, an investigator from the Speedwagon Foundation, hired Octavio and Joaquín as informants to help him catch the Monstruo of Antigua.[5]
El Aleph
Guatemala Arc
Battling the Monstruo of Antigua
At night on April 20, 1973, Hernández passes by the ruins of the Convento Santa Clara and meets up with Octavio and Joaquín. Octavio informs him that the killer is on the move. Before leaving, Hernández tells Octavio and Joaquín not to engage with the killer if they find him, although Octavio retorts that he could be really useful in a fight.
Knowing the path that the killer would take, Octavio stages an ambush at the other end of a tunnel and has Joaquín follow Hernández inside to bring him back to safety. Octavio manages to catch the killer and pins him down while Hernández, other Foundation workers, soldiers, an old homeless lady, and merchant children rush over to the scene. Before Hernández could yell at the locals to leave, a massive swarm of flies covers the entire sky. The killer flicks his wrist, sending the flies raining down like artillery toward Octavio. Octavio is shot in the shoulder and back, but manages to crawl away and take cover, letting the man go. Lisa Lisa takes off her disguise as the old homeless lady and defeats the killer with her Ripple.[5]
Joining the Speedwagon Foundation
Hernández has Octavio and Joaquín treated by the doctors in the Speedwagon Foundation as they offer far better resources, quality of care, and surgeries than any normal hospital. Octavio recovers remarkably quickly after several days, mostly due to his willpower. He demands to speak with their boss afterwards and Lisa Lisa agrees to see him.
Octavio is angry about Fabio tarnishing the reputation of his people, claiming that he could have been the savior of the city rather than Lisa Lisa if the man didn't summon those flies. Octavio slowly introduces himself after Lisa Lisa asks for his name, offended that she doesn't know it already. He disrespects Lisa Lisa by calling her an abuela (grandmother), before deciding that he'll just call her Lisa Lisa like the others. Octavio asks how Lisa Lisa pulled off those techniques at her age but Hernández admonishes him, claiming that they made a deal that the boys wouldn't get involved any further after the killer is captured.
Lisa Lisa asks Octavio and Joaquín if they want money to keep quiet or if they would rather learn her tricks. Octavio reveals the duo's ambitions of wanting to leave the war-torn city so they can experience an adventure beyond the borders. He begs Lisa Lisa to recruit them as investigators for the Foundation but she isn't swayed by their story, and refuses to bend the rules the Speedwagon Foundation has about not involving itself with humanitarian aid or recruiting local hires. Octavio and Joaquín persist but Hernández rejects them in Lisa Lisa's stead. Octavio then reveals that both he and Joaquín possess a special power that allows them to perceive the morality of people, which they believe they acquired from being close to their gods. Although Lisa Lisa questions whether he's speaking the truth, she picks up on their worth and resolve, and presents them with a challenge if they want to join.[3]
Their first task from Lisa Lisa is to investigate whether there are more people hiding abilities like Fabio's. They use their massive network of informants to amass information from anyone they could find. They also craft sob stories to appeal to people's emotions, such as an eccentric old lady who refused to answer anything. Their second task is to discover how Fabio had acquired his ability. They travel to the maquiladora where he worked and interview the landlord of the apartment where he lived. They realize that Hernández and his team already investigated the same areas and wonder if this is a competition Lisa Lisa set up to see which group would find the truth first. They think back to Fabio's backstory and decide to find the trafficker that scammed Fabio. Octavio knew that most traffickers had bad intentions, robbing customers who couldn't pay and then leaving them in the forest, such as what happened to Pedro Ochoa and Enrique. Octavio and Joaquín's informants expand their search to neighboring villages and they gather together all the rumors and secrets they heard. They eventually learn that the boss of the trafficker in charge of Fabio's home village changed right before Fabio's plan to cross the border. Since then, the organization got a lot shadier, demanding exorbitant fees, forcing people to walk through dangerous areas, and shooting them with arrows.
The duo hands their report to Lisa Lisa four days after she gave them the challenge, before the deadline elapsed. They found one of the trafficker gangs stationed in the forests northeast of Guatemala City and know its general location, so they offer to accompany Lisa Lisa there as official members of the team. After reading the report, Lisa Lisa gives them a speech about fluorescent lights flickering at an imperceptible rate. She compares herself and the boys as living beneath the light, but there are some who live beneath the flickers of darkness. It's the Speedwagon Foundation's duty to capture the flicker of darkness. She asks if they're ready to hide from society by becoming members of the Foundation, and finally asks what the biggest lie they've ever told is. Octavio responds first by saying that he hates lying so he's done violent things to avoid having to lie. Joaquín grabs a notepad and writes down that saying he hasn't ever lied is the biggest lie he's ever told. Lisa Lisa appreciates his answer and accepts them as members.[1]
A Game of Hopscotch
Accompanied by Lisa Lisa, Octavio, and Joaquín, the research group led by Hernández travel by car to their destination. They pass by Mayan ruins and Lisa Lisa gives them a history lesson while Octavio dozes off. They reach their destination, arriving at a small settlement where the human traffickers are rumored to be. However, the place appears to be deserted. They decide to investigate anyways since they came all this way. As soon as Octavio exits the car, he steps on the prongs of a half-buried rake, severely injuring the toes of one foot.
Several of the Foundation investigators begin to fall in holes. Joaquín notices chalk drawings of shapes on the ground and makes noises while pointing to them. Hernández understands what he's trying to say, deducing that anyone who steps inside of a shape drawn in chalk will fall into a hole. However, Octavio reveals that he's already stepping inside one but hasn't fallen. Joaquín copies Octavio's posture with one foot up causing Octavio and Hernández to realize that this is a game of hopscotch. As the group stands on one foot, Hernández orders them to focus on getting back to the car before thinking of a rescue plan. Suddenly, they see a large number of shapes being drawn on the ground by an invisible evil spirit, covering the ground with patterns. Making matters worse, a rusty sickle is thrown at Hernández's thigh, making it difficult for him to keep his balance. Several sickles, hatchets, knives, and rakes are sent flying toward the investigators, causing more of them to fall into holes.
Octavio's uninjured leg is struck by a knife but he manages to stop his fall by slamming his hand outside the lines of chalk. He grabs Hernández and carries him on his back, managing to hop on one foot with the weight of two people. Meanwhile, the evil spirit draws underneath their cars, creating a hole beneath the car Lisa Lisa is sitting in. However, she manages to save herself by using the Ripple on her muffler alongside acrobatic techniques. Lisa Lisa informs them that there is no need to retreat. Instead, they now have more data about these abilities. She thinks that the ability can't spread its power over a wide range, so the user must be hiding nearby. Octavio and Joaquín both understand what she means, thinking the user might be hiding in the water tank in the corner of the plaza. Octavio hops to the water tank while ignoring his injured feet and discovers that his assumption was correct once he takes off the lid of the tank. The girl, named Izahela Mena-Mena, collapses from exhaustion and they find that she was assisted by other children who were throwing the weapons.
The Speedwagon Foundation takes Izahela and the other children into custody and they learn from her testimony about a man named Alhorn being the leader of the traffickers, who used an Arrow on herself and several others. At night, Octavio feels restless from Lisa Lisa's speech about the Foundation's next mission being to capture Alhorn, excited that he has a new opportunity for gaining power. Never seeing Octavio in this state before, even Joaquín feels excited about the potential that awaits them.[1]
Peru Arc
Tracking Down Alhorn
While on the road or at their lodgings, Octavio and Joaquín have to go through physical training and studying, though Octavio frequently complains about the latter. In 1974, Octavio and Joaquín are in San Juan de Lurigancho, Peru, working as salvage dealers as a cover job for their investigation. However, Octavio hates it and wishes he never left home. He complains about the heat, flies, gossiping housewives, and having to walk in gravel-filled shoes. Octavio would often spend whatever money they earned on food and drinks, and give away the rest to beggars, since their primary motive wasn't to earn money but to gather information from the locals so they could locate their target.
At their base in Lima, Hernández emphasizes the importance of desk work and urges Octavio to emulate Joaquín's dedication. Octavio is more interested in learning the Ripple power that Lisa Lisa used. Hernández explains that it isn't just a simple trick but a profound martial art technique, but Octavio feels that they should learn it since they are fighting users with powers while they're unarmed. He notes how Lisa Lisa uses it all the time in her daily life, such as how he saw her use it to cook a raw egg yolk in seconds with just her finger. Just then, Lisa Lisa arrives at the base to begin the briefing of what they learned from Fabio and Izahela.[9]
Octavio and Joaquín decide to investigate at the barriada, where Lisa Lisa lost communication with her special investigators. Octavio feels that the place isn't good enough for a criminal like Alhorn to run his grand operation. Still pretending to be salvage dealers, they pull a cart full of scrap around to blend in with the locals. While looking around, they witness cats acting territorially aggressive. At night, when Joaquín had gone to buy groceries, Octavio is attacked by a group of about ten thugs in the area. Octavio is knocked down at first, but guards his vitals then strikes each one individually by first knocking down the most vulnerable one. He then jabs their eyes, punches their mouths, and stomps on their faces. A local police officer then arrives, but not to break up the fight. From the officer's demeanor and attire, Octavio quickly deduces that this isn't just a regular cop, but the one who ordered the ambush on him. The officer confronts Octavio, hinting at wanting protection money and implying that he's aware of Octavio's activities in the area.
Octavio, trying to gain an upper hand, mentions the Arrow and Alhorn's name, but this causes the officer to draw his gun and threaten Octavio. However, Octavio, using his wit, tries to negotiate, hinting at possessing valuable information that the officer and Alhorn would be interested in. He takes a gamble, mentioning Fabio and Izahela's abilities, hoping to pique the officer's interest. The officer decides against shooting him, and instead forces Octavio into his patrol car, presumably to take him to Alhorn. Octavio had been projecting his voice during the negotiation, ensuring Joaquín overheard everything if he happened to be nearby.[10]
Negotiation Attempt
After the patrol car drives up to the summit of San Juan de Lurigancho, Octavio is forced out of the car and sees a massive building which is Alhorn's hideout. Octavio is handed over to gatekeepers by the corrupt policeman who brought him. He's then escorted through the massive compound, which seems to be a repurposed factory. Eventually, he's led through a lavishly decorated hallway to a grand room. Alhorn interrogates Octavio, who reveals he's from Guatemala and has encountered a man who controls iron flies and a girl who uses chalk to make holes. Alhorn doesn't seem to know who Fabio is, but is aware of Izahela and asks whether Octavio could see her chalk. Trying to navigate the conversation, Octavio hints that various organizations are after Alhorn. He emphasizes that he's not just another informant but someone who wants a mutually beneficial deal, since he put himself at risk to provide Alhorn with information. Alhorn tries to gauge Octavio's true intentions, as he's wary of Octavio's potential to betray him, likening him to a dog that might bite the hand that feeds. Nonetheless, Octavio tries to assert his independence, stating he doesn't want to be a mere pawn but seeks a life of his own. He subtly flatters Alhorn, suggesting he has the physique of an athlete, and tries to steer the conversation towards his desire for the Arrow.
Seemingly growing tired of the discussion, Alhorn invites Octavio to follow him. They move to a different part of the room, where Octavio is hit with a strong stench of rotting fruit. He sees three large objects covered by a blanket, which Alhorn flips off to reveal that they are all humans being grotesquely tortured. He starts torturing one of them in front of Octavio. Octavio wanted to stop him, but feels intimidated by Alhorn's piercing gaze and nauseous from the horrific display. Alhorn orders Octavio to tell him exactly who is leading the investigation and what organization he is part of, since Octavio is next in line to be tortured.
Before Octavio could even think about fleeing, Alhorn's subordinates shove him to the floor and restrain him. He is dragged away and thrown into a solitary cell. Octavio reflects on his predicament and acknowledges that the situation is his own fault, especially since he was even ready to become a traitor. However, he reveals that when he was shoved into his cell, he managed to swipe the jailer's key on habit and successfully unlocks the door. Upon his escape, Octavio cautiously navigates the compound, avoiding detection by hiding and using the environment to his advantage. He picks up a large shard of glass from a shattered window, believing it would be useful. He then discovers a laundry room and changes into a soldier's uniform, allowing him to blend in with Alhorn's men.[11]
Prison Escape
As he continues his exploration deeper into the stronghold, Octavio stumbles upon a heavily guarded prison block within the compound. Octavio deduces that it might be where Alhorn keeps his "targets", potential victims for the Arrow. Octavio hears Lisa Lisa in the back of his mind, not forgetting that her special agents could be among the prisoners, but the sheer number of guards makes it impossible for Octavio to act. While searching for alternate solutions, he scans the windows in his surroundings and faintly sees the silhouette of a hazy figure moving in the darkness, about 20 meters away from the citadel. Feeling hopeful that Joaquín ended up following him, Octavio tries to communicate with the person. It would be too dark for Joaquín to see Octavio, but Octavio devises a plan recalling the games they played as children, where they communicated using signals. Using the shard of glass he picked up, he reflects light in a series of dots and dashes, sending a message to Joaquín. The message indicates that he has located prisoners in the top of the south building, who need to be rescued immediately. After a few moments, Joaquín answers "OK" using his flashlight.[11]
Octavio starts a fire inside the citadel, hoping it would draw out Alhorn with the Arrow. He then reunites with Joaquín, who managed to rescue Sasha Loggins, one of Lisa Lisa's special investigators. He learns that her partner passed away. After revealing his plan to them, they suddenly feel an explosion, caused by Octavio's fire reaching a gas cylinder. Sasha, infuriated by Octavio's reckless plan, berates him with a flurry of insults for not thinking about the hostages. They speed back to the jail and put the immobile hostages on gurneys. Despite the chaos, they manage to reach the bottom floor, only to be confronted by guards at the bridge's entrance.
Octavio swiftly incapacitates the soldiers by breaking their kneecaps with kicks, showing off his combat skills. One soldier nearly stabs Octavio's shoulder with a machete, but Octavio dodges it, twists the man's arm to break it, and then uses the man's own machete to stab him in the chest. Blocking their escape, Alhorn's right-hand man, Dos Santos, confronts them with a wall of more soldiers.
Battle Against Dos Santos
Dos Santos summons his own ability, La Casa Verde, causing the surroundings to change dramatically. Trees burst through the floor, their roots intertwining and transforming the bridge into a dense forest. As they try to retreat, aerial roots attack them like predatory snakes. These roots ensnare people, pulling them into the air and binding them. Octavio, caught by these roots, manages to free himself with Joaquín's help. Dos Santos hovers above them, manipulating the forest as an extension of himself. Sasha and Octavio find themselves battling not just horizontally but also vertically, as the roots and trees expand in all directions. Octavio finds himself overwhelmed by the relentless assault of roots, growing increasingly fatigued as he tries to fend them off. He laments that this isn't the kind of heroic battle he had envisioned. Although he had his innate ability to identify an enemy's weak points, the roots' continuous onslaught leaves him feeling helpless. He feels reduced to a mere laborer, hacking away without making any progress.
Octavio eventually has an epiphany, realizing that some roots are passive and don't participate in the attacks. Using this knowledge, he quickly leaps from root to root, slashing roots with the machete he stole and preparing to strike Dos Santos.[12]
Lisa Lisa and Hernández arrive at the citadel by following signals left behind by Joaquín, and witness their comrades struggling against Dos Santos. Octavio desperately attempts to choke Dos Santos, using all his strength to keep him restrained. However, the roots relentlessly try to pry Octavio off and even attempt to invade his mouth. Meanwhile, Joaquín swings from root to root, trying to get closer to assist his friend. Octavio's strength begins to wane, but he is determined to take down Dos Santos with him if he happens to fall. Sasha's ability awakens, sending a bird carrying her braided cord to Octavio. It manages to reach Octavio thanks to Joaquín adding extra weight to the roots, making them sag down. Lisa Lisa and Sasha both transfer as much Ripple energy as they could through the other end of the braid. The Ripple surges through Octavio harmlessly and transfers into Dos Santos, incapacitating him and ceasing the aggressive growth of the forest. Octavio had passed out from exhaustion while strangling Dos Santos, so Joaquín carries him on his back.
Suddenly, an intense pain engulfs Joaquín and Octavio. Joaquín turns around to see that Alhorn had shot them with the Arrow to give Octavio what he wanted. He taunts them about their changed fates and promises to meet them again, before escaping from his hideout on a truck.[13]
The Unchosen
Octavio contracts a severe infection from the Arrow wound, leading to gangrene in his left thigh. To save his life, the Foundation has no choice but to amputate his leg. Devastated by the news, Joaquín later visits Octavio at the infirmary, who appears drastically different. Octavio is pale, spiritless, and expresses envy and confusion over why Joaquín had been chosen by the Arrow but not him. Despite Joaquín's daily visits, Octavio remains in this desolate state.
Joaquín's new uncontrollable ability causes his nearby surroundings to eternally be nighttime, making anyone near him feel fatigued. Deciding that staying at the Foundation would be detrimental to their mission and could potentially harm others, Joaquín chooses to leave, as if sentencing himself to exile. As he makes his way out, he walks past Octavio's room. Despite appearing dazed, Octavio demands to come along. Joaquín hesitates, but agrees. The two of them set out together, leaving the Foundation behind. Joaquín's power continues to manifest as they travel, turning everything around him into night and causing life to wither.[6]
Final Arc
Wandering in Darkness
Octavio travels in a cart with Joaquín. They avoid populated areas, traveling through desolate landscapes. Octavio struggles with the loss of his leg, experiencing phantom pain. He frequently wakes up in panic, unable to accept his amputation. Octavio's condition significantly impacts their journey. Without a home to return to, Octavio suggests heading east into the jungle, a place where they think it might not matter whether it is eternally night.[7] Joaquín and Octavio paddle up the Amazon River in a rowboat.[6] Octavio questions what Joaquín would do if he were to die, to which Joaquín admits he'd likely wish to disappear as well. The two of them reflect on their past and grow increasingly focused on revenge against their enemy, Alhorn. Their survival in the Amazon pushes them to a primitive way of living. They briefly settle in various areas, such as building a hut north of the Rio Branco and living as hunter-gatherers. Later, they settle on an area made of volcanic deposits near the lower Marañón River and live with a dying tribe. Their journey and conditions spawns rumors and tales among local villagers, painting them as devils, spirits, vampires, or supernatural beings.[7]
Their lives take a turn when they meet a revolutionary from Ayacucho who sees their unique condition as an advantage for political change in South America. Despite their initial reluctance, they're convinced to protect a coca leaf commune in the northeastern Amazon, which funds the revolution. They use their abilities to safeguard the community, mediating between the commune's farmers and drug traffickers. They enforce stable prices and fair trade, protecting the commune from untrustworthy dealers. When the elderly farm owner of the commune passes away from a heart attack, Octavio and Joaquín take over the farm's management. They are able to expand their sales channel and rapidly grow the commune into a major drug organization, eventually taking over its management and forming the Selva Cartel.
As time passes, Octavio and Joaquín adapt to their new lives. Octavio gets a titanium prosthetic leg using his earnings, and Joaquín succumbs to the darkness, abandoning any doubts about their circumstances. They fully embrace their roles in the cartel, accepting their fate in a world that's perpetually shrouded in night.[7]
Revenge Against Alhorn
In Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, Alhorn runs a secret factory producing firearms for guerrillas. In the early 1980s, Octavio and Joaquín approach him under the guise of wanting to buy weapons in bulk for their cartel. However, during a tour of the factory, Alhorn quickly realizes their true intention is revenge, especially when he sees Octavio's anger and insults. To prove his weapons' effectiveness, Alhorn kills several of Octavio's men. He taunts them to bring out their ability, and initially assumes nothing happened, but is surprised when it suddenly becomes dark outside.
Alhorn summons his own ability, El Corazón de las Tinieblas. While Joaquín notices El Corazón, Octavio shows no reaction. Alhorn, realizing Octavio's prosthetic leg indicates his unworthiness to the Arrow, orders El Corazón to attack Joaquín. Joaquín dodges at the last moment, signaling something to Octavio that Alhorn can't decipher. When El Corazón tries to punch Joaquín, its efforts are thwarted as Joaquín blocks the punches with his arms, revealing dark spots on his skin. Alhorn decides to target Octavio instead, but Joaquín tries to shield him, only to be blown away. Mercury-like droplets scatter from El Corazón as it hits Octavio. These droplets swap parts of objects and organisms they touch, leading to grotesque alterations in Octavio's body. Drenched in his own blood and bodily fluids, Octavio's blood vessels are swapped with his body hair, and his hand and finger bones are swapped with his teeth. Alhorn continues deforming Octavio to torment him, swapping his right ear with his left toe, his left collarbone with his kneecap, his left leg with his right arm, and his right eighth rib with his left sternocleidomastoid muscle.
Despite the horror, Octavio yells at Joaquín not to come to him, so Joaquín manages to escape to the mansion's ground floor. Alhorn chases him, with El Corazón manipulating the mansion's layout to trap Joaquín. However, Joaquín evades capture, enveloped in a dark aura that conceals him. Alhorn cautiously tries bringing El Corazón closer to Joaquín, but leaves his own body open. Despite all his injuries, Octavio uses his prosthetic leg, now swapped with his arm, to stab Alhorn, thanking him for making the attack easier. Alhorn is confounded by Octavio and Joaquín's seemingly telepathic bond.
In a desperate attempt to regain control, Alhorn calls back El Corazón, but it gets caught by what he assumes is Joaquín's ability. A terrifying beast emerges from a whirl of darkness, biting El Corazón's neck and critically injuring Alhorn. In a final effort to survive, Alhorn uses El Corazón's power on himself, swapping his heart with his cheekbone to preserve his life functions just when the beast chews his head off his neck. Consequently, he ends up as a disembodied yet conscious head. Octavio lifts him up and demands to know the whereabouts of the Arrow.[16] Thus, Octavio and Joaquín take Alhorn's resources for themselves, using the Arrow to awaken abilities in people for their own army.[15]
Octavio's Selva Cartel drastically grows in resources and infamy. Octavio would order them to do ruthless acts such as brutally murdering any soldiers who attempted to do search and destroy operations, as well as holding people ransom. Octavio doesn't show himself in public, staying behind in a temple within the Amazon rainforest instead.[17]
Bittersweet Reunion
In 1986, Lisa Lisa, Sasha Loggins, J.D. Hernández, and the Speedwagon Foundation's Rueda Squad invade the jungle where the Selva Cartel operates to retrieve the Arrow from their leader, who they believe to be Alhorn. After a fierce battle between the Cartel's army and the Foundation members, Joaquín stops them and brings his former friends to see Octavio. He is lying on a bed made by joining two benches, and leisurely smokes a pipe. Staring at the group, he points out how Lisa Lisa has aged and wonders how she is still alive. Reclining nonchalantly, he dismisses their concerns about his inhumane acts and the cartel's activities, claiming it's necessary to make a living since he has to provide for his community. His demeanor unsettles Lisa Lisa. Octavio asks what they came for, which angers Sasha. In response, Octavio flaunts his prosthetic leg, asking if they came to apologize or give him compensation for chopping off his leg without permission. He also confirms that he was the one who gathered all the ability users together for his army using the Arrow. He continues shocking them by showing the severed head of Alhorn, kept in a birdcage. Lisa Lisa and the others are speechless, watching Octavio toy with his former adversary's head like a bored deity. Despite how it may seem, Octavio admits that he still feels gratitude toward the Foundation, as Hernández educated them and he thought Lisa Lisa was strong and cool. That's why he let them in to see him, but he demands that they leave and not meddle with his business.
Octavio brings up how Joaquín's night ability is incredible, revealing that Alhorn named it El Aleph. He speaks to Alhorn's head asking it to confirm, but the head initially doesn't respond. Suddenly, Alhorn opens his eyes and greets his visitors. He tells Octavio to ask Lisa Lisa to put him out of his misery. Octavio speaks with Alhorn, showing the Foundation how the once-dominant gang boss is now merely a submissive head. Alhorn tries claiming that he's still a king even without his throne, but Octavio proves that it's clear that isn't the case. Octavio encourages Alhorn to narrate the events of their past encounter, so Alhorn agrees, as talking is all he could do now.[8]
After hearing the story, Sasha accuses Octavio of becoming Alhorn's successor in spite of all the evil he committed. Hernández confesses his confusion about the story but begs Octavio and Joaquín to surrender the Arrow. Octavio refuses, seeing the Arrow as vital for their survival and quest for power. Sasha wonders if this means they will face El Aleph's powers, feared even by Alhorn. Octavio states that the third world war is already underway, not between nations but among individuals with superpowers granted by the Arrow. He argues the necessity of being armed in a world where one person's power can match that of an army. He believes that justifies his survival-driven ideology despite crossing into morally questionable actions, including drug trafficking, bribery, and political manipulations. Joaquín is reluctant, but under Octavio's pressure, releases El Aleph.[15]
The Final Battle
El Aleph unleashes a horde of nightmarish creatures that attack everyone, including Octavio's own men. As chaos ensues and everyone is separated, Lisa Lisa confronts Octavio and Joaquín on the rooftop of the temple. She attempts to connect with them through shared experiences of being orphans and suffering from loneliness, but Octavio is unyielding. He plans to rebuild his army and expand their operations into the city. Lisa Lisa challenges them to a duel involving their abilities, and summons her own new power, The House of Earth. The House of Earth leaps toward Octavio and Joaquín and punches where they were standing, shattering the ground. Octavio is surprised to see how a dying old woman could have such a powerful ability, but Lisa Lisa claims that it's the power of her soul. Lisa Lisa points out how Octavio is able to see The House of Earth despite supposedly not being chosen by the Arrow. Meanwhile, eldritch creatures from El Aleph swarm together below the stone slabs of the rooftop, making the ground rise up like an arena.
As the battle escalates, Lisa Lisa understands that Joaquín is actually Octavio's power and not a normal human. She asks Joaquín whether he has any memories without Octavio. Octavio tells Lisa Lisa to shut up and kicks her with his prosthetic leg. Suddenly, a flock of birds swoops down and attacks him. As Sasha and Hernández arrive hanging on the birds, Sasha reveals that El Aleph's creatures are weak to the Ripple. Using that to her advantage, Lisa Lisa commands The House of Earth to draw in air and forcefully exhale ferocious solar wind. Octavio struggles to cling to a slab of stone, his face getting scorched from the wind.
Lisa Lisa reveals her discovery, shocking Joaquín into realizing his entire existence was created by Octavio's desire for companionship. She figures that Octavio must have learned the truth at some point, even if he didn't know when he was younger. He might have kept it secret from Joaquín out of concern for his feelings. Joaquín feels both angry and betrayed, as Octavio had made him commit so many evil deeds. Nonetheless, Octavio insists their bond remains unchanged. Octavio still rejects everything Lisa Lisa conveys, determined for his dreams not to end here.
A giant crane-fly like creature pierces through the edge of the arena. Lisa Lisa and Octavio both nearly fall off the cliff, but Joaquín instantly rescues Lisa Lisa, grabbing her arm. Octavio barely manages to climb back up himself. He tries kicking Lisa Lisa back down the cliff with his prosthetic leg, but Joaquín pushes him away, defying his user once again. The House of Earth pauses the exhalation of wind and launches a barrage of punches at Octavio. Joaquín throws himself in front of Octavio to protect his user. Consequently, the two are blasted away and fall into the abyss below the cliff where the horde of El Aleph's eldritch creatures are. It is unknown whether the creatures would devour their own creators or if they would disappear if Octavio and Joaquín are incapacitated. Lisa Lisa, at her limit, requests Sasha and Hernández to rescue them. She collapses as the dawn breaks, signaling the end of the endless night brought by El Aleph and the beginning of a new day.[15]
Epilogue
The Selva Cartel's operations are shut down by the Guardia Civil. Octavio and Joaquín's fates remain undocumented officially, but their memory lingers in the hearts of those involved. Sasha and Hernández also secure Octavio's Arrow and securely place it in a storage area known only to a few.
Joseph Joestar asks Lisa Lisa what happened to the orphans afterward, and she claims that they visited her several times after that. Joseph doesn't know whether she means real visits or in dreams, but doesn't press further.[4]
Chapters
Novel Appearances- El Aleph Chapter 1: I - Guatemala Arc
- El Aleph Chapter 2: II - Guatemala Arc
- El Aleph Chapter 3: III - Guatemala Arc
- El Aleph Chapter 5: V - Peru Arc
- El Aleph Chapter 6: VI - Peru Arc
- El Aleph Chapter 7: VII - Peru Arc
- El Aleph Chapter 8: VIII - Peru Arc (Mentioned only)
- El Aleph Chapter 9: IX - Peru Arc
- El Aleph Chapter 10: X - Peru Arc
- El Aleph Chapter 11: XI - Peru Arc
- El Aleph Chapter 12: XII - Final Arc (Mentioned only)
- El Aleph Chapter 14: XIV - Final Arc (Mentioned only)
- El Aleph Chapter 15: XV - Final Arc (Mentioned only)
- El Aleph Chapter 16: XVI - Final Arc (Flashback)
- El Aleph Chapter 17: XVII - Final Arc
- El Aleph Chapter 18: XVIII - Final Arc (Flashback)
- El Aleph Chapter 19: XIX - Final Arc
- El Aleph Final Chapter: Epilogo (Mentioned only)
Quotes
Quotes- “Of course we'll help! What tonto would enjoy having a murderer sneaking around town?! And if we can flush him out during Semana Santa, that's even better!”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 1: I - Guatemala Arc
- “That mosca-controlling bastard was K'iche' too, wasn't he? I don't know who the hell he thinks he is, but he's an embarrassment to K'iche' everywhere. I'm nothing like that murderous freak. I'm telling you, if those moscas hadn't attacked me, I'd have choked that son of a bitch out right there.”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 2: II - Guatemala Arc
- “I'm... O...? Oct...? Octavio!”—Octavio Luna Kan introducing himself, El Aleph Chapter 2: II - Guatemala Arc
- “We were waiting for something like this to happen. An opportunity to see what lies beyond the borders of this backwater town, this heartless, boring world... We've been waiting our entire lives. I don't know what exactly it is that you people do, but you're going after more people like that mosca bastard, right? Don't you fly all over the world solving mysteries, just like you're doing here?”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 2: II - Guatemala Arc
- “You probably never imagined that we locals would have a dream like this. But we aren't just the mobs you rub shoulders with. We aren't just reefs or islets that migrating birds fly over. Now that you've involved us, let us be involved till the end. We want to get out of here. Have you ever thought about it? The endless civil war. The streets reverberating with the constant sound of gunfire and explosions. The daily suffering of being covered in the stench of blood and mortal wounds. Spending your youth wasting away, plagued with no food for tomorrow, and unable to make an honest living. Even after climbing the ranks on the streets, I can't go anywhere or have thrilling adventures, there's just restrictions. When the sun sets and the colors of twilight blanket the town, we climb a hill and watch the stars as they rise over the horizon. But we can only see as far as the horizon. The sky may as well be a dark, featureless wall. No matter what we hope is outside of Antigua, no matter what we believe in, the view from that hill may as well be all that exists. Have you ever thought about... how suffocating a life like that must be?”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 2: II - Guatemala Arc
- “Maybe it's because we're huérfanos who are very close to God... that we got these gifts. The two of us are capable of perceiving angels and demons, the evil and the righteous, and light and darkness with our eyes and our noses. We're usually right on the money, right, Joaquín? So I'm confident that we can serve some purpose to you, señora. Let us serve as an extension of your hands, eyes, and nose.”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 2: II - Guatemala Arc
- “Well, I... hate to lie. I've even done some pretty crooked and violent things just to avoid lying.”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 3: III - Guatemala Arc
- “What the hell kind of training do you do to be able to pull off a stunt like that as an abuela?”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 3: III - Guatemala Arc
- “This is a rarity for me. A miracle is unfolding here, just for me. Right now, I'm being called upon to act and decide...”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 3: III - Guatemala Arc
- “Yeah, you can be the goalie.”
- “I hate the slums, Joaquín. If I knew it was going to be like this, I would've never left home!”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 5: V - Peru Arc
- “Those people are scum among scum, nothing but a bunch of pompous madmen! What a bunch of canallas! So you're just throwing me into your storehouse, stuffing me away in your cheeks until you have your next meal, is that it?!”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 7: VII - Peru Arc
- “My name is Octavio, and I'm a lot more than my Heraclean physique.”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 7: VII - Peru Arc
- “I'd never miss a chance to show off my skills.”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 9: IX - Peru Arc
- “Hurry up and fall, you son of a bitch, or I will... Well, even if I fall, I'm not gonna fall alone. I'll keep clinging onto you just like those roots, and I'll strangle you to the last hundred-thousandth of a second before we're both crushed by the landing.”
- “Let's go to a place with nobody and nothing in it and breathe new life into it. We'll make our own order and rituals out of nothing in the silence.”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 11: XI - Peru Arc
- “And yet, I survived. Would've been better to die young and be a hero.”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 16: XVI - Final Arc
- “Now that it's come to this, we've got to go as far as we can.”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 16: XVI - Final Arc
- “We have to protect what's ours, don't we? It's necessary to set an example. We have to make a living. I have to provide for the people here. That's how it works, right?”—Octavio Luna Kan defending his evil actions, El Aleph Chapter 17: XVII - Final Arc
- “Have you come to give me compensation for this left leg now? Are you here to apologize for carelessly chopping off my precious limb?”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 17: XVII - Final Arc
- “Thanks for making it easier to stab you.”
- “In this world, every day is a matter of life and death. You don't even need to step into a drug cartel, life on this continent has always been too cheap...”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 19: XIX - Final Arc
- “We've always only been able to prove our worth by surviving each day. To survive, we couldn't dull our split-second judgments and instincts, nor be hindered by regret or guilt. To live, we abandoned our homeland and turned our backs on the Foundation. We delved deep into the Amazon, into the depths of the rainforest, into the darkness. There's no way out for us, having sunk so deeply. I know that already.”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 19: XIX - Final Arc
- “We're in a state of war. The Third World War has long begun. It's not nations fighting nations, but individuals against individuals. As that head (Alhorn) said, a modern king is still a king without a kingdom. The clock of South America will be turned back by several centuries when individuals bare their desires and wield royal power, blowing away governance systems and disparities between the rich and poor. In an era where an individual's power rivals that of an army, you can't afford to be unarmed, especially when even more terrifying things may come to life. To survive the coming república bananera era, we sell cocaine and use the power of the night.”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 19: XIX - Final Arc
- “In other words, I can own this world. Both the eternal night and the reality beyond it. Dios Mio Maravilloso! Maravilloso! Maravilloso!”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 19: XIX - Final Arc
- “Joaquín, we... we have no other way to live, damn it! You're going to abandon me here? You're really going to betray me at a time like this...?”
- “This place isn't it. It's not as far as we can go yet. It's eat or be eaten. They'll annihilate this place, and we'll be crushed. They'll tear us apart and I'll be buried forever.”—Octavio Luna Kan, El Aleph Chapter 19: XIX - Final Arc
- “...Don't look at me with those eyes! ...Just realizing it doesn't change anything. Los dos estamos solos, right?”
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 El Aleph Chapter 3: III - Guatemala Arc
- ↑ Based on his age and the year the story takes place.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 El Aleph Chapter 2: II - Guatemala Arc
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 El Aleph Final Chapter: Epilogo
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 El Aleph Chapter 1: I - Guatemala Arc
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 El Aleph Chapter 11: XI - Peru Arc
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 El Aleph Chapter 16: XVI - Final Arc
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 El Aleph Chapter 17: XVII - Final Arc
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 El Aleph Chapter 5: V - Peru Arc
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 El Aleph Chapter 6: VI - Peru Arc
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 El Aleph Chapter 7: VII - Peru Arc
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 El Aleph Chapter 9: IX - Peru Arc
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 El Aleph Chapter 10: X - Peru Arc
- ↑ El Aleph Chapter 12: XII - Final Arc
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 El Aleph Chapter 19: XIX - Final Arc
- ↑ El Aleph Chapter 18: XVIII - Final Arc
- ↑ El Aleph Chapter 14: XIV - Final Arc
