Seeing as how the ML is kinda quiet right now and all, I thought that we
might revisit this.  Even old questions like this one are better than no
discussion at all, ne?

To set everyone's memory back to how this was left, I submit the following
snipet from the old 'Re: Urd' thread:

Sam wrote:
>Chris wrote:
>>Sorry, folks, but I have to agree with Sammy Davis, Junior, here. I
>>haven't  seen anything, repeat anything, since the Sleipnir episode that
>>indicates that Urd-sama, much as I love her, is more powerful than the
>>Bell-chan.
>
>There we have it. Newcomer, Brian, if you could come up with some
>examples, that'd be nice. Good luck to you though, 'cos I went through
>about 14 volumes and couldn't find a thing.

Looking at this from a logical perspective, of course, it's up to the
"Belldandy is now more powerful" side of the argument to prove their point,
since Belldandy said twice in Ch 14 ('Sexy Sister' in DH) that Urd was more
powerful and Fujishima reminded us of this in Ch 34 ('Terrible Master Urd 1'
in DH).  While it hasn't been mentioned since Ch 34, that hardly proves the
"Belldandy is now more powerful" argument.  It is easier to argue that
Fujishima-san thinks he has made his point and sees no reason to keep
reminding us.

So, I also took a look through the manga for something that might indicate
that Fujishima-san now considers Belldandy to be the more powerful sister.

Regardless of perceptions, the fact of the matter is that nowhere in the
manga has it ever been said that Belldandy is more powerful than Urd.  I'm
not saying that Fujishima-san can't have changed his mind, just that there
is no explicit statement to that effect.

Perhaps there is convincing evidence in Volumes 13-16?  I only have up to
Vol 12.  I have no idea what chapters in Volumes 12 and under are being used
as evidence that Fujishima-san has changed his mind, but I'll give a brief
rundown of possible candidates.

Volumes 5 and earlier don't count, since the 'Terrible Master Urd' arc ends
in Volume 6.  The chapters in which the moonrock bracelets are being used
don't count since Belldandy and Urd are at the same power level for those
chapters.  If you want to argue that Belldandy can do more on the same
amount of power than Urd, I agree completely.  Skuld says Urd wastes her
power in Ch 44 ('Queen of Vengeance' in DH), and I see no reason to argue
with her.  Other than Ch 47 ('Mara Strikes Back 3' in DH), that brings us to
Ch 55 ('Miss Keiichi 2' in DH).

------------------------------------------
Ch 55 ('Miss Keiichi 2' in DH):
Belldandy pulls out an atomic energy force ball, but does that take more
power than Urd's lightning bolts?  It requires a more complex spell,
perhaps, but Urd is more than powerful enough to handle Troubador with
lightning or even a right cross.  I don't see that this chapter proves
anything one way or the other.

------------------------------------------
Ch 57 ('Fallen Angel' in DH):
Belldandy throws up a force shield while Urd tells Skuld to erase the
mandala (typical Urd, bossing Skuld around).  Then partially unsealed
Belldandy sends Garm packing.  Why doesn't Urd help Belldandy fend off Garm?
A couple points here:

1) Urd doesn't do force shields.  Other than Ch 14 which was nothing more
than a sisterly spat, we've never seen Urd throw up a shield (that I can
remember).  Belldandy, meanwhile, has used them on several occasions.
Perhaps shields are more difficult to generate than energy beams and
lightning (they certainly are from a technological perspective) and Urd
hasn't the skills to throw up a really powerful one like Belldandy uses.
That is, after all, one of the officially stated reasons she's a goddess
second-class!

2) Urd recognized right off that Garm was stronger than either of them, and
took the wisest (for a change!) course of action.  If Belldandy's seal
hadn't been weakened, the situation would have been critical.  Besides, an
all-out fight would have probably done damage on the scale of fighting the
Lord of Terror.  You will recall that Belldandy cleaned up that mess
*before* she resealed her power.  ^_^

3) Belldandy's seal was weakened by her jealousy.  Urd didn't recognize this
until Belldandy's force shield pushed back Garm, but it's clear that
Belldandy's jealousy was building up for most of the chapter and it's likely
that her seal was already weakened before Garm appeared.  After all, she had
already recognized the darkness welling up inside her (even if she hadn't
realized why it was there) and was breaking lightbulbs without realizing it.

I'd have to say that this chapter comes the closest I have seen to
supporting the "Belldandy is now more powerful" argument, but the evidence
is shaky.


------------------------------------------
Ch 60: (not in DH yet)
Belldandy declares a truce and threatens anyone that breaks it.  Urd
certainly abides by the truce, but she was letting Belldandy lay down the
law way back in Ch 14.  When Belldandy talks like that, people listen! ^_^
Mara also abides the truce, but then she has ulterior motives.

------------------------------------------
Ch 63:
Belldandy is weakening under Devil Urd's attacks, but since Belldandy is
just throwing up a shield, not counterattacking, this doesn't prove anything
one way or the other.

------------------------------------------
Chs 64-72:
The Peorth arc.  Other than demonstrations of skill, I don't see that
anything happens here to prove things one way or the other.

------------------------------------------
Chs 73-120:
I don't have them, but I'm open to any insights in them.



OK, that's what I've come up with so far.  I may have missed something, but
I'm sure you'll point it out!  ^_^

Brian Welch