Highlights
- The Exceeds are a race of cat-like creatures that were initially mysterious but later revealed to be divine beings with natural magic powers.
- The Exceeds ruled over Edolas and were feared by humans, but some humans revolted against their reign and tried to overthrow them.
- The true nature of the Exceeds was revealed to be different from what was initially believed - they were not angelic beings but rather cat-like creatures with limited magic abilities.
True to its magical theme, the world of Fairy Tail is filled with mystical beings of all kinds. The Exceeds are one similar race of mythical creatures in the series, though their origins and goals were initially kept a mystery. Since Fairy Tail already showcases a number of different races and beings, these cat-like creatures seemed to fit in without garnering too much attention.
The Exceeds were later revealed to be a novel and significant part of the series, as their true origins belonged to an entirely different world. With a status close to divinity, the Exceeds were worshiped as a superior class of beings. However, the truth behind the power of these feline creatures revealed the actual nature of this race.
God-like Rulers of Edolas
The Exceeds were seen as angelic beings that ruled over the world of Edolas from the skies. Since Edolas is devoid of magic of its own, the Exceeds were viewed as a divine race since they were the only creatures to have natural magic flow within their bodies, similar to the mages in Earthland. This automatically granted them the status of superior beings, a fact that was further cemented by the Queen’s god-like power of killing any human at will.
The humans already feared these magical creatures, and those that dared to defy the Exceeds were kept in line through Queen Shagotte’s power. Eventually, the two sides lived in coexistence as the Exceeds would live in the skies in Extalia, while the humans would reside in the Royal City right below. The notion of superiority trickled down to all Exceeds, as they viewed humans as lower beings. However, not everyone in Edolas was satisfied with this structure of power.
The Kingdom’s Revolt
Since the Exceeds maintained the status quo within Edolas, some humans were not happy with this enforced arrangement. The ruler of the Kingdom, Faust, wanted to regain control of Edolas all for himself, which led to him concocting a plan for Extalia’s demise. Through the use of Anima, a device that stole magic power from Earthland, Faust was able to trap the Fairy Tail guild and its members in a colossal lacrima floating above the skies of the Royal City.
The plan was to accelerate the massive lacrima and slam it into the floating island of Extalia, killing the Exceeds and ending their reign over Edolas. The aftermath would result in an explosion of magic power, fueling Edolas’ magic needs for all eternity. The plan was thwarted by Team Natsu after they successfully defeated Faust and his Dorma Anim. However, the Exceeds’ helplessness accounted for one rattling development – the truth about their power.
Lies of the Exceeds
The aftermath of the human’s revolt revealed the true nature of the Exceeds, one covered with lies and fraud by the Exceed elders. Instead of being angelic beings, the Exceeds are simply cat-like beings that have the power of flight. Their strength pales in comparison to that of humans, as the only spell they can cast is Aera, which manifests wings on their backs and allows them to fly.
Since the Exceeds used to be weak and frail creatures, humans would belittle and bully them. To protect their kind, the Exceed elders came up with a plan to fool the humans into bowing down to them. They spread misinformation and lies about the Exceeds’ powers, claiming that they could kill any human at will. To prove this, Queen Shagotte would name a human, resulting in the person dying mere seconds later.
However, it was revealed that Queen Shagotte possessed the power to see the future, allowing her to see when a human would die. The elders gave Shagotte the title of Queen and used her powers to spread fear among the humans. The plan was successful for the most part, though they could not predict the response from humans that lived in fear.
The Exceeds' Mission on Earthland
Happy and Carla’s existence on Earthland is explained by the Exceed elders’ plan to save their kind from extinction. After Shagotte had a vision of Extalia being destroyed by a giant lacrima, the elders concocted a plan that involved sending a hundred Exceed eggs to Earthland through Faust’s Anima machine.
The new-generation Exceeds were told that their mission was to slay the Dragon Slayers and bring them back to Edolas for their magic power. However, this was another lie set in place by the Exceed elders to ensure the Royal City would allow them to send their eggs to Earthland, ensuring their survival.
After Mystogan reversed the Anima machine to return the magic to Earthland, the Exceeds were also transported with the Fairy Tail guild, since these beings had magic imbued within them. After reaching Earthland, the Exceeds found a new home within the forests of Fiore, while some went out to find the other 98 Exceed eggs spread throughout Earthland.
Fairy Tail is available to stream on Crunchyroll.