The Blue Exorcist: Section 13 Explained

Key recommendations

• Section 13 was created to make clones of the Demon Kings and give Lucifer a vessel, leading to the elixir research.
• The facility was destroyed during the Blue Night, leading to the formation of the Exorcist Cram School.
• Mephisto Pheles stored Section 13 in a separate dimension, keeping it for investigation but risking damage to the clones.

Section 13 is an experimental facility created by Mephisto Pheles to prevent Lucifer from destroying the world. The main purpose of this research facility was to specialize in mass cloning production; later researching the elixir as a human vessel was not enough to sustain Lucifer's body.

Section 13 no longer exists in the current timeline a The Blue Exorcistas it was destroyed during the Blue Night. As a result, the Exorcist Cram School was rebuilt in its place to hide its existence. Section 13 contains vital information about why the Illuminati and the Blue Night exist.

What is Section 13?

To subdue Lucifer's wrath, section 13 was created to produce a vessel for him

Section 13 was a restricted area within True Cross Academy to research methods that would prolong the life of Lucifer, the King of Light, in Asia. It was a restricted area within the Academy, so the asylum was created to cover the research facility. Section 13 had been conducting experiments for decades before Yuri Egin was taken in. However, Section 13 and the asylum were closed after the Blue Night as Satan's rage killed many and destroyed the facility.

In Section 13, researchers conducted illegal human experiments to create an elixir of immortality. In addition to elixir production, the facility also produced serial clones of Demon Kings. Section 13 was created as a last resort to convince Lucifer not to destroy the world. In Chapter 86, Lucifer has reached his limit and cannot bear the pain and suffering of feeling his vessel deteriorate.

By this delusion, I convinced Lucifer. Then I set up Section 13 with the Asylum as a front. I assembled the world's leading cloning researchers and proceeded with the research.

As Mephisto Pheles mentioned, he created Section 13 with the Asylum as a front. Thus, he gathered the world's leading cloning researchers and proceeded with the cloning experiment. Mephisto has always been on the side of humanity since he and some of his brothers taught humans to fight demons about 100 years before. In so doing, he preserved the balance of the world; however, to prevent Lucifer from destroying the world, Section 13 was created.

As mentioned above, the asylum was the front for Section 13. The asylum would take in orphaned children who were related to demons or had a mashou. Mashou refers to a wound or disease caused by a demon. If a person wants to become an exorcist, they must participate in a mashou ritual. After suffering a demonic injury in a controlled environment, the individual will see demons for the rest of their lives. As for the children the Asylum took in, the Asylum would train them if they had the proper qualities to become an exorcist, as Lightning mentioned in chapter 85.

Lightning and Suguro Ryuji could investigate Section 13 under the guidance of Mephisto Pheles. Here, they discovered the exorcists' former training home known as the Asylum. Fujimoto Shiro and Arthur Auguste Angel, the current Paladin, hail from the Asylum. However, the Order of the Knights of the True Cross shut it down 16 years prior due to the Blue Night.

Lightning and Ryuji could lead this investigation because Mephisto Pheles stored Section 13 in a separate dimension to preserve it in its entirety after the Blue Night. In the current timeline, the Exorcist Cram School was built to eliminate all traces of Section 13. To do this, Mephisto Pheles preserved the space, dividing it from the original timeline; however, time continues to pass at the same rate, and as a result, the remaining clones at the facility have stagnated for ten years. However, if the clones are exposed to the open air, their deterioration will accelerate.

Mephisto Pheles is one of the eight demon kings known as Samael. Because he possesses the power of Time, Mephisto can manipulate it at will. As mentioned above, Father Fujimoto and Arthur Auguste Angel came from the Asylum. This is because they were products of mass cloning and human experimentation. However, Angel is unaware of his heritage as he suffers from amnesia following the Blue Night.

What additional goals did section 13 have?

Section 13 also produced vessels for Amaimon and Satan

• Section 13 was tasked with creating a suitable possession body for Lucifer.
• The possessed body was insufficient to support Lucifer in Assiah, who began researching the elixir.
• Section 13 trained rookie exorcists in the Asylum to cover the research facility.

As mentioned before, Section 13 mass-produced clones of the Eight Demon Kings. Section 13 was originally created for Lucifer and the quest was to give him a body to inhabit Assiah. Since all demons originate from Gehenna, they exist in a spiritual form without substance. Furthermore, this means that they do not experience the same senses as humans.

Since Lucifer was the eldest son of Satan, he was also the most powerful of the Eight Demon Kings. Because of this, finding the most suitable body for him was a challenge, as the vessel would quickly deteriorate, leaving Lucifer in immense pain.

I'm at my limit. It all came to nothing.

Section 13 was tasked with creating a suitable vessel for Lucifer and an elixir to stop the deterioration of the human body. However, since most of the bodies created were not suitable for possession, further research with the elixir was later implemented. While Section 13 was primarily used to give Lucifer a human body, it also allowed the other Eight Demon Kings to receive one, just as Amaimon received his human body.

Although not primarily the main purpose, the Asylum was a means of training future exorcists from the orphans who lived in the home. Mephisto was one of the demons who helped humans in exorcising demons. As a result, the Asylum was also a means of recruiting more exorcists. However, after Section 13 was closed and the Blue Nights took place, the number of exorcists likely decreased, as seen in the Cram Exorcist School.

Does Section 13 have ties to the Illuminati?

Inspired by Section 13, Lucifer created the Illuminati to further his research

Section 13 has no ties to the Illuminati. However, after Satan destroyed Section 13 during the Blue Night, Lucifer founded the Illuminati. Lucifer was still looking for a human vessel who could inhabit Assiah; his father, Satan, had also been looking for a vessel.

In competition with Mephisto, Lucifer offered to present Satan with a human body before Mephisto. Lucifer knew many people in Assiah who worshiped him with great respect. Using this belief, Lucifer continued human experimentation and elixir research. The individuals who survived the Blue Night followed Lucifer to continue and help him with research, and with this came the production of the Far East Laboratory which focused on elixir research.

The Blue Exorcist is now available to stream on Crunchyroll.