Lye Batenkaitos’s Powers and Abilities Explained

Key Takeaways

• Lye’s power allows him to consume names and memories, putting victims in a coma-like state.
• Lye can utilize Lunar and Solar Eclipse to absorb abilities and transform into consumed individuals.
• Sin Archbishops of Gluttony can control Witchbeasts and potentially create their own.

Re:Zero‘s Lye Batenkaitos is a Sin Archbishop of the Witch’s Cult representing Gluttony’s Gourmet aspect. Lye makes his unforgettable entrance in Re:Zero season 2, episode 1, “Each One’s Promise”, leaving a lasting mark on Subaru’s story by stealing Crusch’s memories and Rem’s name. Ever since that moment, Lye is probably the Sin Archbishop Subaru wants to defeat the most because the actions he committed can no longer be reversed by Return by Death.

Before he can even hope to defeat Lye though, he’d need to first understand just how his powers work. Like all Sin Archbishops, Lye has received the Authority of the Sin he represents, meaning he has the Authority of Gluttony and all the inherent power that comes with it.

The Authority of Gluttony

The Ability to Consume Names and Memories

The most prominent and terrifying power Lye and anyone else with the Authority of Gluttony has is the power to consume a person’s name and memories. If a person’s memory is consumed, such is the case with Crusch, that person will lose all memories of their past. They will still know enough to function properly though, so they won’t forget how to speak or write, and will retain natural talents, like how Crusch is still a capable fighter even after losing her memories.

On the other hand, if a person’s name is consumed, people will forget about that person’s entire existence, akin to the White Whale’s Mist of Annihilation. Only Subaru seems to be immune to forgetting nameless people, possibly due to the nature of Return by Death. Should Lye consume both a person’s name and memory, that person will enter into suspended animation, not dead, just in a coma-like state, which is what happened to Rem.

Lunar and Solar Eclipse

Lunar Eclipse is the ability to gain and use the knowledge and abilities of the people whose memories Lye has consumed. This includes fighting techniques and magic powers, although there do seem to be exceptions like Divine Protections and Authorities of other Sins not being transferred upon consuming a name.

Solar Eclipse is an ability that allows Lye to transform into one of the people he has consumed. Assimilating their appearance and not just their experiences and abilities. Changing appearances isn’t just used to confuse an opponent or blend in; if Lye changes into a person and then uses their abilities, they will be stronger and more effective than just using them in his original form. Solar Eclipse is a powerful ability, but one Lye doesn’t like using because he claims that using it makes him feel like he’s losing himself.

Because of Lunar and Solar Eclipse, Lye Batenkaitos is an incredible fighter with loads of moves and powers cultivated from years of consuming names and memories.

Control over Witchbeasts and the Ability to Create Life

Just like Daphne, the Witch of Gluttony

As a Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, Lye can control Witchbeasts (also known as Witchfiends or Mabeasts in the English dub) weak or strong, even the White Whale and Great Rabbit, members of the Three Great Witchbeasts are susceptible to their control. This is why the White Whale seemed to correspond with the Witch Cult’s plans. The only Witchbeast immune to the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony’s control is the Black Serpent, the last of the Three Great Witchbeasts; although the reason for its immunity is unknown.

The power to control Witchbeasts stems from the fact that Daphne, the Witch of Gluttony, is the creator of all Witchbeasts. Apart from controlling them, Sin Archbishops of Gluttony can apparently also create their own Witchbeasts. However, this ability has only been mentioned by another Sin Archbishop of Gluttony and has yet to be seen in action.

“You know the Three Great Witchbeasts? It’s said that those, are monsters created by the owner of our Witch Factor long before us. We too, can do something similar. We didn’t do that because there wasn’t really any meaning in doing so.” Rui Arneb, Lye’s sister and another Sin Archbishop of Gluttony

The Other Two Sin Archbishops of Gluttony

Lye’s Brother and Sister Are Also Sin Archbishops of Gluttony

It’s currently unknown why only Gluttony has three Sin Archbishops or whether or not the other Authorities of Sin can manifest in more than one person at a time. However, thre three Sin Archbishops do complement the Three Great Witchbeasts, which were created by the Witch of Gluttony.

• Lye Batenkaitos, the eldest brother, is linked to the White Whale and represents the Gourmet aspect of Gluttony. True to this aspect, Lye is very picky about the people he consumes, picking only those whose experiences he deems good enough. Cetus, also known as “the whale”, is a constellation, and Baten Kaitos is a star in that constellation whose original Arabic name “batn qaytus” means “belly of the sea monster”.
• Roy Alphard, Lye’s younger brother, is linked to the Black Serpent and represents the Bizarre Eating aspect of Gluttony. Unlike Lye, Roy believes in quantity over quality when it comes to consuming names and memories. He doesn’t care how valuable a person’s memories are, he will consume anyone without discrimination. His name, Alphard, comes from the brightest star in the Hydra constellation holding the same name, meaning “the backbone of the serpent”.
• Rui Arneb, Lye’s sister and youngest sibling, is linked to the Great Rabbit and represents the Satiation aspect of Gluttony. She doesn’t pick her meals based on the quality of their memories, but rather just who she likes. Her name, Arneb, comes from the former name of the brightest star in the Lepus constellation (now known as Alpha Leporis), meaning “Hare”.

Note that it’s not just the Sin Archbishops of Gluttony, but most of the Sin Archbishops in Re:Zero are named after stars.

Re:Zero is now available to stream on Crunchyroll, Muse Asia, MeWatch, and several other streaming platforms. The release date for Re:Zero season 3, episode 9, is set to be November 27, 2024, at 7:30 AM PT.