The contract between Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis, explained

Key Takeaways

• A Faustian contract binds the main characters of Black Butler to an unbreakable contract with specific conditions.
• Summoning a demon requires desperation and atheism, resulting in a painful contract seal.
• Ciel and Sebastian's unique pact forces Sebastian to remain loyal until Ciel's revenge, connected to the seal over Ciel's eyes.

With an urban gothic theme and running demonic branches, Black Butler's the narrative is very compelling and complex. At the core of this complex concept is Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis' Faustian Contract, a contract that binds the human-demon duo in an unbreakable contract that cannot be canceled once the first condition is met.

This contract is not as simple as other contracts, because this binding contract is tied to a number of complex rules that dictate its principles. However, Ciel and Sebastian's contract was even more special, due to the special conditions Ciel had set at the time of the contract. These unique conditions created a complex bond between the two characters, making them almost inseparable.

What is a Faustian contract?

Pact with the Devil

The Faustian contract is the basis of Black Butler's history, because this pact with the devil is a binding contract that cannot be broken unless the terms of the contract are fulfilled. The first step in forming such a contract is summoning a demon, which is arguably the most difficult step in the process. While it is possible to seek out a particular demon if humans are aware of its existence, it is often not necessary. More often than not, demons are called out of people's desperation.

However, this desperation must be accompanied by a lack of faith in God, which opens the possibility of summoning demons. Once the demon is summoned, the person still has the opportunity to withdraw from the contract. However, if a human gives orders to a demon,​​​​​​the two must make a pact. Before the pact is made, the humans and demons must work out the details, including how the demons will serve their new master.

The details of the agreement must be well defined, as vague and arbitrary terms can be exploited by both parties. After the details are worked out, the last part of the deal is putting the human seal on the deal. This process can be painful for humans, although it depends on where the seal is located. Ciel was sealed over his eyes, a vulnerable part of his body that led to excruciating pain for the boy.

What makes Ciel and Sebastian's deal special?

The contract binds Sebastian to Ciel's side

There have been many cases of human-demon pacts in the Black Butler universe, but Ciel and Sebastian's pact is unique because of its novelty. First, it is not uncommon for people like this to make pacts with demons. However, the intensity of Ciel's desperation to avenge his parents' killers leads to an accidental summoning of Sebastian.

Second, Ciel's situation was structured in a way that forced Sebastian to stay by his side for a longer period of time. By asking for the power of revenge instead of ordering Sebastian to kill his parents' killers, it means that Sebastian must stay by Ciel's side until he gets his revenge. In addition, Ciel has set some conditions that bind Sebastian to his side.

• Sebastian must obey Ciel's orders unconditionally, no matter how harsh his orders are.
• Sebastian should never lie to Ciel.
• Sebastian must protect Ciel until he gets his revenge.

These three terms and conditions were set in a way that forced Sebastian to be loyal to Ciel. The last stipulation of the contract ensured that Sebastian would stay by Ciel's side, as there was no other way to protect him. However, by agreeing to these conditions, Ciel gave up his soul rights. Once Ciel gets his revenge, his soul will belong to Sebastian, who will end the pact between the human-demon duo.

I want… the power… the power to take revenge on whoever did this to us!!

The importance of placing Ciel's Seal

Ciel's seal is placed over his right eye

Putting the seal on the contract may seem like an insignificant aspect, but it determines the strength of the contract. The strength of the bond is determined by how the seal looks, that is, the location of the seal is very important. As for Ciel, he asked Sebastian to put the seal on his right eye.

Despite the somewhat painful process, placing Ciel's eyes was very important. The eyes are the most visible part of the human body, which means that the bond strength is the highest. Whenever Ciel gives Sebastian an order, the demon has no choice but to obey his master's orders, especially because of the strength of their bond. While Ciel usually keeps this eye blindfolded, he tends to take it off when giving Sebastian an order, indicating the placement of the seal.

Black Butler can be streamed on Crunchyroll.