Episode 280

Avatar is the 280th episode of the Fairy Tail anime, and the 3rd episode of the 2018 series.
Natsu and friends find Juvia living alone in a deserted village. After she describes Gray's mysterious behavior and disappearance, Natsu races to Sabertooth to prevent certain tragic events from unfolding, while new Magic Council member Gajeel closes in on the Avatar base.
==Summary==
Lucy Heartfilia, Natsu Dragneel, Wendy Marvell, Happy, and Carla arrive at Amefurashi Village, where they're surprised to find that it's raining only there. Picking Juvia's scent, Natsu tracks his former comrade and found her sitting outside of her house. When she hears him calling her, she mistakes the Dragon Slayer as Gray and proceeds to hug him just to be stopped by the former. Realizing who is standing before her, Juvia succumbs to her sickness before Lucy could ask her anything. Luckily, Natsu catches her before she can hit the ground and they take her inside to her bed. With Natsu noting that he can smell Gray's scent, Juvia explains that she used to live here with Gray during the past year until one day she found black markings covering his body, possibly due to his Magic. When She asked him he told her not to worry about it and then he proceeded to leave the village occasionally after that and six months ago, he vanished. This prompts Natsu to assure the Water Mage that they will find Gray and that they'll rebuild Fairy Tail together. Outside, Wendy questions Natsu how he does he plan on finding Gray, with Lucy admitting that even she lost track of him. Natsu remains silent, causing Happy to wonder why does he have such a scary look on his face. Out of the blue, Natsu tells them that they're going to go visit Sabertooth.
Elsewhere, a group of individuals known as the Avatar Black Magic Cult gather to listen while the High Priest Alok speaks. He reminds them that they must purify the Magic world of those who dare defy the Black Mage, Zeref. Sitting among them is none other than Gray Fullbuster. With Wendy's efforts proven futile to halt Juvia's fever, She prays that Natsu and the rest of them bring back their comrade soon. Meanwhile, Natsu, Lucy, and Happy arrive at Sabertooth's guild, where they're greeted by Yukino Agria. Happy asks if Frosch is here but Lector informs them that he's out on a mission with Rogue and Minerva. Agitated, Natsu grabs Lector and hurries him to tell him where they are, to which he replies that they have just left and might still be at the city's entrance. Natsu runs off to find them leaving behind staggering Lucy and Happy.
Natsu finds the two, before and grabbing Rogue and running off with him. As they catch up, Lucy chats with Minerva, with the latter apologizing for last year's tournament, just for Lucy to assure her that it's fine. Minerva states that it's a shame Fairy Tail is gone, causing Lucy to disagree, explaining that it will always remain be in their hearts. Meanwhile, after seeing the job flyer, Natsu states that he will hijack this job, much to Rogue's dismay. Natsu then promises to return the reward money in exchange, before snatching Lucy and Happy and heads out of town. But leaving he makes Rogue swear that he and Frosch won't leave town until he returns.
As the job instructs to annihilate the Avatar, Lucy explains that it's a Black Magic cult, consisting of Zeref followers. When they wonder why Natsu would think that Gray is involved with such people, Natsu reveals that Future Rogue told him that Gray will kill Frosch after one year, much to Lucy's apparent shock. Natsu reminds her of the black patterns Juvia saw on him and hypothesizes that perhaps learning Devil Slayer Magic too quickly caused him to fall into darkness; however, Natsu reassures them that Gray will always remain a Mage of Fairy Tail. Meanwhile at the cult, the high priest prepares to enact the Operation Purify, although some of his followers believe that the Magic Council might know about their plans already. The Avatar members wonder how the plan was leaked to the council, with Gray pointing the probability of a spy being among them, while noting that he must be the first suspect in their eyes As the other members question Gray's intentions by joining them, he quickly reveals his real objective: the Book of E.N.D., while adding that defeating the Etherious is all what he lives for now.
Natsu, Lucy, and Happy arrive at the Avatar headquarters, at the same time as the Council's Custody Enforcement Unit marches towards the Avatar base, being led by Gajeel Redfox, who voices his determination to capture the entire cult, including Gray.
==Characters in Order of Appearance==
==Battles & Events==
*None
==Magic, Spells, and Abilities used==
===Magic used===
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**
*
**
*
*
**
***Summoned the Heavenly Scales, Libra
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*
===Spells used===
*
===Abilities used===
*Rain Conjuring
*Flight
===Weapons used===
*Magic Scales
===Items used===
*Celestial Spirit Gate Keys
**Gate of the Heavenly Scales Key
==Manga & Anime Differences==
*The following parts occur only in the anime:
**Recap of the forewarning Future Rogue gave to Natsu after his defeat.
*Name tags of all Avatar members appear when they are first introduced in the anime instead of when everyone gathers in the hallway sans Alok in the manga.
*Additional comments from Orga and Rufus regarding the team's arrival.
*Sting didn't bump into Lucy while questioning Natsu's behavior towards Lector in the anime.
*Minerva's reminiscing of her attacks on Lucy at the X791 Grand Magic Games included different flashbacks in the anime.
*Minerva in the manga has lipstick on compared to not having any in the anime.
*Additional banter between Frosch and Happy.
*Natsu's mention of Gray's importance to Fairy Tail and the shot of a stationary Gray aren't included in the anime.
*Minerva's and Mary's attire has slight differences between the two media.
*Briar dons black nail polish in the anime, while in the manga she doesn't have any. 
*Gajeel's name tag appears in a close-up in the anime, while in the manga appears in his first full-body appearance since Fairy Tail disbanded. 
==Navigation==
Category:Episodes