William Blake

William Blake
Manga Anime
Kanji	ウィリアム・ブレイク W・ブレイク
Romaji	Wiriamu Bureiku
AKA	"Wallaby" Willy (Derogatory) Urizen Albion Scarmiglione (Malebranche) Cane Dad (by Enid)
Personal Information
Gender	Male
Age	27
Birthday	November 28
Height	5'11 (No Heels) 6'4 (With Heels)
Weight	167 lbs
Blood Type	O-
Likes	Visual Arts, Occult, Religious Criticism, Satire, Travelling
Dislikes	Religion, Political Abuse of power, Watching Leftists and Rightists Argue, Getting haunted
Professional Information
Occupation	Guild Executive (Former) Leader of Malebranche (Current) British Library Operative (Current) Artist
Affiliation	The Guild (Former) Malebranche (Current) The British Library (Current)
Ability
Ability Name	The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
Reference	The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
Debut
Manga	Chapter 15
Anima	Episode 12
Voice Actors
Japanese	Koki Uchiyama
English	Gideon Emery

William Blake ( ウィリアム・ブレイク Wiriamu Bureiku ) is a character appearing in Bungou Stray Dogs and a former Executive of The Guild. After the Guild's defeat, Blake had become the second in command of Dante Alighieri's Organization, Malebranche. However; after ousting Dante over political alignments, Blake is now the leader of Malebranche, using its resources to assist Beatrix Potter and her organization, The British Library Collection. His Ability is called The Marriage of Heaven and Hell.

Appearance

Blake is a man of above average height. He has slighty tanned skin with peach undertones. His eyes are gray, lined with long bottom lashes. He has thick, wavy black hair with clumps of it covering the right half of his face while the left parts are mostly brushed back. He is never seen without his glasses and cane gun.

His main outfit consists of a white dress shirt unbuttoned at the top, and a lapis lazuli necklace around his neck. His shirt is covered by a beige waistcoat and a navy blue tailcoat with ruffled linings on each breast and sleeves. His trousers are black, and he wears knee high button up boots. His boots often have 4 inch heels to them, bringing his height up to 6'3".

Personality

Blake is known for his smug, vain and highly esteemed attitude. He's often found with a sharp look in his eye and a judgemental glare. He comes off as well-put together and snobbish, and overall, he is intimidating to those who aren't too familiar with highly esteemed individuals. When speaking, he is curt, but at most calm and civil. He speaks in a distant and cold tone, and often with highfaluting words. Blake also makes awful unsolicited comments on occasion, and will not hesitate to say his judgements of others. He is often making smug remarks with a smile, and always ready to retort regardless of reaction. He's often found wither with a blank expression, or with a smug smile tugging the corner of his mouth.

While Blake comes off as mostly that, a good part of it is but a front, most especially his unnecessarily cold demeanor. Blake is actually a little more expressive, especially when being casual or in danger. He comes off as quiet, but he is in fact, when prompted, actually quite wordy. Excite him enough, and he'll talk. In an argument, Blake is quick to retort. None of it changes the fact that to a good extent, Blake is emotionally closed off to most others. His front is reinforced with the fact he's a chain smoker, which adds to the image. However; his chain smoking habit is more of a coping mechanism during agaitated and nervous times.

There is an exception to his coldness and distance; however. Blake has a rarely seen side of himself wherein he is caring and genuinely open to others. Needless to say, this is reserved for people who have in one way or another, touched his emotions and have successfully brought out his vulnerability. With these small exceptions, Blake shows a more gentle and genuine side of himself. While he doesn't get as wordy as when he's being smug, he makes sure his actions speak louder than his words. Anyone close to Blake's heart that speaks of his genuinety is met with disbelief. Blake prefers it that way, as his genuine love and care are earned. Most often preferring it isn't spoken of.

Blake himself is also quite comical. He's smug, he's distant, but it doesn't mean his comments aren't meant to be offensively funny. He also is deliberately impersonal, often "forgetting" some details and information of his own allies just to annoy them. He finds some fun getting on people's nerves, which show a side of Blake's more mischievous side. Blake's more comical side is mostly him channeling his more fiery personality when he was younger. He has a small mischievous streak, and he also likes to act like he did not do them as well. Even with the people he's close to and is said to love, they are not exempt from his comments and mischief when he needs to say something they need to hear or whenever he feels a little playful.

However; should one really pay close attention to Blake, it would be quite evident that he is incredibly repressed and doesn't really show any sign of weakness or general vulnerability. It has been a defense mechanism he's had for most of his life, and as a result of convincing himself that he doesn't need much to live. In some of his interactions with others, he displays signs of distress when being confronted with the prospect of being on his own. Even in times of severe stress, Blake forces a front and staves off any form of breakdown, causing him to become extremely agitated and snappish.

Ability

Blake's ability is called The Marriage Of Heaven and Hell ( 天と地獄の結婚 Ten to Jigoku no Kekkon ) It is initially mistaken to simply be an Ability of triggering seismic phenomenon of varying degree, from small tremors to earthquakes with the exception that these are focused in a specific area. Blake has the capability to control the power of these tremors as he sees fit.

However; at full capacity, Blake can shatter the earth and his immediate surroundings to bring life to a golem, mostly a huge one he rides on while it destroys all in its path. The golem is not indestructible, and depending on how large it is, is active for a set amount of time. The longer Blake pushes his golem's life, the more brittle it becomes, and the weaker Blake himself becomes, even completely shutting down physically from the life force he's put into his golems.

Making golems require life force, while causing earthquakes do not. So as a result of this, Blake resorting to using his golems is but a last resort. He will not risk constant total shutdowns and possibly a coma if he pushes himself too far. The life force put into these golems, are so far limited to Blake. He has not, and does not intend to try to use another living person's life force as a "battery" for these.

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is actually a combination of two Abilities, which Blake himself had inherited. His father had the Ability to animate inanimate objects and injecting temporary life force within them; and his mother the an earth-based Ability. Blake cannot use these two Abilities separately, and animating the inanimate is limited to only the earth and creating golems out of it to do his bidding.

Due to how powerful, taxing and destructive Blake's Ability is, he sparsely uses it unless he feels the utmost need to. As a result of such sparse use, and for personal reasons, Blake is often mistaken to be a Non-Ability User.

Background

William Blake was born in Soho, Westminster, London as the third of seven children. He was far apart in age with his two older siblings, while closer in age to the younger ones, The Blakes were wealthy, sponsored by the Order of the Clock Tower. Blake's parents, James and Catherine, were of influential position within the Organization as well as powerful Ability Users, and worked in coordination with the British Government. Due to their positions, they were never home to really care for their younger children, leaving Blake and his younger siblings to their two older brothers; leaving a rather troublesome family situation. Blake would have grown close to his older siblings, but were soon taken by the Clock Tower as apprentices. The remaining 4 children were sent to Great Queen Street, under the care of another member of the Clock Tower.

As a child, Blake displayed high intelligence as well as a developed talent for visual arts, which his guardian decided to hone. Resulting from this was Blake's private tutoring while his younger siblings were sent to school. While Blake was developing well skillfully and intellectually, he was devoid of love due to his familial situation. Developing a temperamental attitude and a witty mouth as a child, Blake had begun to develop into a problem child. Arising from his temperament were signs of an Ability, as he could cause miniature tremors, and when he was not contained, would cause the ground to crack. This news reached his parents, greatly pleasing them that one of the children had started showing signs of an Ability. He was taken to a satellite base of the Clock Tower where his parents often frequented and approved of grooming him to fit the organization: he has big shoes to fill in, after all. He was further privately tutored, as well as having his Ability honed, to little result. Blake was then quickly transferred over to the care of former Clock Tower Executive John Milton, who was in charge of caring for young Ability Users who had unstable Abilities. The first time Blake felt genuine love and care was under Milton himself, who treated Blake as if he were his own son. Down the line, Milton had taken in two other very young Ability Users, William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, whom he had come to see as his brothers. During these years, down the line he met Agatha Christie and Phillip Pullman for a few years, befriending them both, Pullman moreso than Agatha; as Milton was adamant that Blake, Wordsworth and Coleridge pay him frequent visits in the hospital.

As there was little result to developing and honing his Ability, Blakes parents considered giving him a change of environment, and put him in a school where other young Ability users in line with the Clock Tower attended; but forgot about their son's temperamental problems and witty mouth. Milton argued against their decision, but ultimately lost and was forced to depart with Blake. Blake, suddenly thrusted into a completely new environment, acted out and had to get his bearings. While he eventually adjusted, so did his attitude. He began projecting and taking out whatever repression he was holding in, becoming quite problematic as far as attitude and deportment were concerned. Gradually, Blake began to learn how to control tremors, only slightly causing them, despite the panic that ensued after due to earthquakes not actually happening in that area of England. His only real saving grace were his grades, which were considerably high. Blake maintained contact with Phillip Pullman, often writing to him and checking up on him, writing promises to visit on occasion when he had the chance to.

Though, not all was lost for Blake, as he began adjusting into a normal social setting, developing good speaking skills as well as charm. He was also particularly competitive, and used his competition as way to take out frustrations. However; a particular C.S. Lewis had enough guts to contest Blake, and the two had developed a severely heated rivalry. Lewis condemning Blake for paying and doing other suggestive actions to maintain fantastic grades, and Blake spreading rumors of Lewis being the administration's lapdog simply because he had an Ability that was more prominent than others'. However; their relationship was rather more complicated than that. They had some form of respect for each other for the sole reason that neither ever backed down, and their interactions made them feel less alone. In short, they were the closest the other could really get to companionship. It did not change the fact that Blake grew an ego big enough to consider himself the only one worthy to contest Lewis, and defended him from his assailants and bullies during their school years. The same could have been said for Lewis.

While that was Blake's life in school, developing well into society, gradually being rid of his temper and replacing it with sass and smugness, it was at the cost of learning to repress his emotions and become emotionally guarded. As far as hia Ability was concerned, it simply could not properly manifest outside small tremors that he could increase in magnitude at will. However, due to the public concern Blake's Ability caused, he took to hiding it, rather than honing it. Howeveer; just as he had started his Sixth Form, there was an attack on the school, causing major damage. Here, Blake's Ability was unleashed at full force for the first time, shattering the earth and forming a golem; a fight or flight response. However; it made the news, and so did Blake's familial ties to the Clock Tower. While he was not blamed for the attack, plenty of the damage came from his Ability.

Before Blake could be sanctioned by the Clock Tower, he was confronted by his parents, who decided to vouch for him and defend him. This led to a breakdown over Blake's repressed emotions regarding his family, and instead of facing the consequences, he ran away. For a few months, he was forging documents and doing shady paperwork, showing off fake records of an identity he assumed: Urizen Albion. Without much thinking, he took the first flight to America with what little money he had on himself.

In America, Blake had a difficult time trying to get his bearings as all he wanted to do was to escape the Clock Tower and England as a whole. He was barely 16, and his only way to get around anywhere was to fix himself fake IDs. Here, he met Dante Alighieri, who was then working with the Guild. Dante has heard news of a young Ability User who has gone rogue from England, and recognized Blake from the footage. He stuck a deal with Blake, that he will have to be Dante's errand boy if he wanted to be hidden. It was through this that Dante discovered that Blake had a knack for communication and facing people, making Blake a representative for his while Dante himself did assassination work. It was through his errand boy work that Blake had discovered that Dante was of significant influence within an Organization called the Guild. Blake then struck a deal with Dante that if he continues doing work for him, Dante would agree to paying his last two years of schooling. Despite their arrangement, they lived together and developed a close bond. Dante was the first person who was able to tear down Blake's walls, and somewhat considered each other brothers. Blake looked up to Dante, and further worked for him because he owed him his life.

When Blake was about 18, he was personally approached by Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, the current leader of the Guild, who had discovered that it was him who was dealing with stubborn associates and handling Dante's social work. Impressed that he could keep them in line, he offered Blake the choice to work in the Guild. It was then that Fitzgerald did not realize he was an Ability User, but having someone of Blake's skills would be considerably helpful. Blake literally had nothing to lose, and took the job despite Dante's protests. He was made as Dante's apprentice in the organization. Only two years into the Guild at 20 years old, however; Blake was given a big promotion, as he had inherited Dante's position out of the blue. The reason for this was that Dante had fallen into disagreement with Fitzgerald and other executives of the Guild, and had suddenly left. Though now holding a far higher position, Blake was put under scrutiny as he was Dante's apprentice. However; due to being suddenly cut off from Dante as a whole, separating him from Dante was easier than expected. Despite simply inheriting a title and position from Dante, Blake seemed to fit the shoe well, and became one of the Guild's more fearsome Executives, despite being mistaken to be a Non-Ability User.

Plot

Blake's current position in the Guild is it's Public Relations Executive. He converses with Fitzgerald that he should leave taking to Yukichi Fukuzawa to him, but Fitzgerald disagrees, as it should be leader to leader. He expresses contempt at his leader's arrogance, but still offers that if he needs someone to do talking; or slandering, he is always, and the only one, available. He is then dismissed, but not before Fitzgerald requests him to be on standby, as he has some orders to give.

He makes his next appearance speaking again to Fitzgerald in his office within Moby Dick. Blake is in a state of shock, supposedly from the orders given to him by his leader.

During the War, Blake's Ability was one of the ones responsible for the carnage done unto the Port Mafia; his casualties reaching near a hundred from his Ability alone. Those he kept alive, he interrogated for the location of Dante Alighieri. To no avail, none of the mafia members he had known of Dante's whereabouts. Unwilling to take the risk of being identified by survivors, every member he interrogated, he killed. Eventually, he came across Dante on his own. Dante had doubted that Blake could even possibly physically take him, as he wasn't going to go that easily. Dante's mistake was believing Blake was not an Ability User, and was trapped by Blake's Ability.

Later, Blake is seen again with a captive Dante in one of the rooms within Moby Dick. Present with them are numerous guards and Fitzgerald himself, who applauds Blake for retrieving Dante. Blake swallows a lump in his throat, nervously accepting the praise he had been given. He witnesses Dante bicker with Fitzgerald over the former rejoining the Guild. As Fitzgerald was getting frustrated with Dante's stubbornness, Blake takes the opportunity to free Dante. The latter uses his Ability to cause memory lapses in the guards, while Blake fires a warning shot at Fitzgerald. The duo make their escape from Moby Dick. They are saved from the fall thanks to Blakes Ability.

In a short flashback it shows that while Dante was being carried away by Blake, Dante and Blake speak about their tensions with Fitzgerald. Blake opens up to Dante that Fitzgerald seemed to have been taking something out on Blake, and he couldn't really understand why. Dante, full knowing it had to do with him, apologized to Blake for being the reason Fitzgerald took out his anger towards Dante and directed it unto Blake.

Soon after the Guild's downfall, Blake is seen in the Armed Detective Agency's office early in the morning the next day. Atsushi takes to the defensive up until Blake raises his hands in surrender, explaining he's just there because the internet connection is fast. Blake is further supported when Kunikida tells Atsushi to let his guard down, exasperatedly explaining that Blake is really just there for the internet. He takes his leave after recieving an e-mail from Dante, who asked to see him.

Trivia

• Blake's cane gun is a gift from John Milton as a parting gift before Blake was sent off to Christ's Hospital. It's very well maintained to this day, and Blake treasures this over anything.
• His pseudonym, Urizen Albion, is a reference to figures within IRL!Blake's complex, self-made mythology.
• Blake has been known by others to work while listening to two genres of music: Opera and Heavy Metal.
• He has stated on numerous occasions that his glasses are for style. He doesn't need glasses at all.
• Blake's personal gadgets and technology are notably more up to date than the rest of the cast's, and it's something he takes pride in.
• He may not look it, but Blake is actually very active on Social Media.
• Blake has an artstation and website similar to Peter Mohrbacher's Angelarium, except that instead of Angels and Emanations, Blake actually shows off figures from his own Mythos coming from IRL! Blake's Mythology. If one looked closely enough, these reflect Blake's personal takes and parodies of religion as a whole.
• He may look very put together, but when working, Blake is a terrible multitasker. While he is doing reports, handling public relations, he's also on his tablet drawing and updating his social media. These bleed into the ungodly hours of the night.
• Blake often says he's "not being paid enough" when he ends up in comical situations.
• lake carries very heavy feelings about being wanted only for his Ability. He deliberately hides his Ability, makes no mention of it, and will not use it unless it's a life or death situation. Being loved by his family only for his Ability still pains him greatly.
• When Blake was recruited into the Guild, there were little to no expectations of him due to the mistake that he wasn't an Ability User. However; he proved himself a force to reckon even without The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. When he revealed his Ability during a major emergecy, he was given immediate attention due to hiding it.
• Blake can speak both American and British English and he's very adamant that there is a difference. In written and digital text, Blake uses British English.
• He is a very vocal advocate about Women's Rights and Marriage Equality, in clear reference to IRL!Blake's support for early feminist Mary Wollstonecraft and his strong support (and possibly pioneering) of the "Free Love" Movement.
• At some point in his youth, Blake had dabbled and practiced in "Black Magic", and has ended up being haunted and attacked for it by the spirits he's ended up messing with. Currently though, he is no longer scared, but irritated. With the help of his work partner Dora d'Istria, he's been getting help in quelling and quieting these spirits. He still gets haunted and talks to them on occasion. He can't fully get rid of them.
• Blake is very vehement in going against the Catholic Church, calling them out for their hypocrisy, cultish behavior as well as numerous other things. In a conversation he's had with Fitzgerald, it hints that Blake has burned down churches to make a point.
• When asked about why he wears heels all the time despite them affecting his comfort and possibly his ankles, Blake is adamant that he wears heels to "complete" his look. He also feels a lot more confident wearing them, and admits he's thrives hearing the clacking of his heels.
• After the Guild's defeat, Blake had been adamant about wearing gloves. It's revealed that underneath his gloves he wears a gold ring around his ring finger. He'd rather not let people know he has a husband and have it used against him. Also he'd never put his partner in danger.
• Blake is currently on the list of people the Order of the Clock Tower want to take into their ranks. He was supposed to be one of them, had he not run away and vanished from England at sixteen.
• Blake's siblings are: John, James, Catherine and Richard. Blake is the third, right after James and right before Catherine.
• As far as relations to his family are concerned, Blake is very bitter about his parents for only loving him for the convenience of being an Ability User. He bets that if any of his other siblings showed signs of an Ability, they'd be given attention as well. He grieves over this, only remembering he saw his siblings as children the last time. He prays they have forgotten him, as he doesn't want to see them again.
• Blake and Lewis' rivalry is pretty much a reflection of IRL!Lewis heavily criticizing IRL!Blake for being a "disastrous error".
• Blake himself mostly wears blacks and darker colors because he feels comfortable in it; it amuses him to no end that Lewis deliberately dresses in white and lighter colors to contrast.
• Back in Christ's Hospital, Blake and Lewis had one night of intense hate-sex that they never spoke of again even after ten years. Blake; being the smug bitch he is however, has started to make raunchy comments about that time to Lewis.
• Blake's online popularity has gotten him a large fanbase, and his Mythopoeia is definitely something he enjoyes developing and working on in his free time. He has actually made merchandise of these which do get sold, much to his surprise at all.
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