Episode 282

Operation Purify is the 282nd episode of the Fairy Tail anime, and the 5th episode of the 2018 series.
Gray and Erza reveal the details of their secret mission. Meanwhile, the Avatar cult prepares to wipe out an entire city of innocent people to bring their purification plan to fruition. The fellow members reunite to ensure they put an end to it.
==Summary==
Natsu, Lucy, and Happy are confused about Gray's undercover mission. Erza explains to Natsu over the Lacrima as they ride out of the Avatar lair that Jellal had asked her to investigate the Avatar cult and it's relation to Zeref. However, she ran into Gray and the two of them hatched a plan to infiltrate Avatar. Gray tells them that he wanted to help but that he was also interested in the Book of E.N.D because his dad wanted him to destroy it. Natsu asks why he didn't tell Juvia all of this. Erza tells them that she made him keep it a secret so that the plan would be successful. Erza says that she feels bad for Juvia and that she didn't intend for the mission to be so long.
At first, it was to be an internal investigation but then they learned about the Purification Plan. Gray explains to them the plan to wipe out an entire city in order to summon Zeref. Gray tells them that they have to stop that from happening. Natsu asks why Erza and Gray didn't just wipe them out to begin with. Gray tells him that Avatar is a much larger organization then they thought. They had to wait until today to make their move because that's when different branches of Avatar were going to be gathered. Gray apologizes to Lucy for the way he treated her. Lucy, in turn, apologizes for slapping him. Gray tells them that he still considers them to be his friends. Natsu, Lucy, and Happy all agree to help them with their plan to stop the Purification Plan from happening. 
Alok stands at the head of the Avatar army. Jerome asks Briar why Gray had to stay behind with Gômon. Briar tells him that it doesn't matter because every member of every branch has gathered here for the plan. Alok announces that they will begin the Purification Plan on Malba City. He offers up the 30,000 souls to Zeref. The army charges towards the city but as they near it they see that Gray, Happy, Lucy, and Natsu have gathered in front of the city gates. Natsu uses his fire to blow some of them back. Lucy summons forth Taurus to help. Briar tells the army to keep attacking but one of their followers tells them that they are also getting bombarded in the rear by Erza. 
Gray and Natsu both attack the army using both fire and ice. Lucy uses her whip to catch one but is left open for attack. Gray calls out to her but Lucy tells him not to worry. That's particularly strong in this form. She kicks those guys butts except for one which Gray takes care of. They continue to attack the Avatar army with Natsu and Gray showing off. Mary is distraught about how their attack on Malba is going. Briar tells them that only they can put an end to Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Gray, and Erza. Jerome says that he'll deal with Erza while the rest of the gang he leaves to Briar. Erza continues to plough through the soldiers. They try to fight back using magic but Erza re-equips herself and continues to take them out. She asks them if they are still gonna fight when Jerome makes a slash at her. She blocks it easily. However, because the sword is covered in dark magic it causes Erza's to fall to pieces. 
He tells her that his sword corrodes everything that it touches. Erza tells him that he sword cuts without being noticed as Jerome falls to the ground. Briar goes after Gray. She's very upset because he lied to them. She asks if everything he said about E.N.D. was a lie too. Gray says there was some truth there but that he won't destroy it this way. Taurus's stomach starts to feel funny and then Lucy's as well. Mary approaches them and tells them that her spells have been known to eat through a person's body. Mary asks if they are friends of Gray's from Fairy Tail. She sees that they aren't as powerful as she thought. Lucy continues to fight against the spell when suddenly the pain just stops. It's because Wendy and Carla have arrived to help. Mary tries to attack Lucy from behind but Lucy punches her in the stomach. Happy asks Wendy and Carla why they are here.
Briar continues to throw attack after attack at Gray. She uses her split magic to separate herself into four Briars. One confesses that Briar fell in love with Gray a little bit. Juvia appears behind Gray and tells Briar that this makes them romantic rivals. She attacks Briar and Gray freezes them after. Juvia reunites with Gray and gives him a hug. Gray says he's sorry but they'll talk about it later because they have to finish taking out this army. They ready themselves to attack. Wendy, Lucy, Erza, and Carla all fight against the army and take many of them out. Alok watches the fighting below. Natsu approaches him. The soldiers ask how eight of them can beat 2,000 soldiers. Natsu responds that that's because they are Fairy Tail wizards. Alok tells them that this was to be expected. Natsu says that they'll go beyond his expectations.
==Characters in Order of Appearance==
==Battles & Events==
*Erza Scarlet vs. Jerome (started and concluded)
*Lucy Heartfilia & Wendy Marvell vs. Mary (started and concluded)
*Gray Fullbuster & Juvia Lockser vs. Briar (started and concluded)
*Natsu Dragneel vs. Alok (started)
==Magic, Spells, and Abilities used==
===Magic used===
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***Summoned the Golden Bull, Taurus
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===Spells used===
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*Body Anomaly Reversal Magic, Raise (状態異常回復魔法レーゼ Jōtai Ijō Kaifuku Mahō Rēze)
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===Abilities used===
*Flight
*Hand-to-Hand Combat
*Swordsmanship
*Whipmanship
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*Axemanship
*Shockwaves
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===Armors used===
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*Ataraxia Armor
===Weapons used===
*Sword
*Spears
*Axes
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*Labrys
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===Items used===
*Miniature Communication Lacrima (小型通信 Kogata Tsūshin Rakurima)
*Celestial Spirit Gate Keys
**Gate of the Golden Bull Key
==Manga & Anime Differences==
*The following parts occur only in the anime:
**Briar charging up her shockwaves.
**Erza's Ataraxia Armor's name is revealed in the anime as opposed to the manga where it was nameless.
**Lucy's Taurus Form transformation sequence is shown.
*Mary's explanation of Virus is given additional miscellaneous scenes in the anime.
==Navigation==
Category:Episodes