Phase

A is a layer applied over the world, in this context referring to the entire universe or reality itself, which acts like a veil or filter, and changes how the world appears to be. Between the Connected Points
==Principles==
The world, as it is normally perceived, is not pure and untouched - various layers, or phases, exist over it and act like filters, affecting how it appears. By applying new phases over it or manipulating the existing ones, the world can be altered.
Many phases have different forms of energy locked within them, such as the Telesma present within Heaven, which can be brought out through various means. Some of them may also hold life-forms, often in the form of energy masses,Toaru Majutsu no Index: Kanzaki SS Chapter 4 Part 2 such as the angels within Heaven.
The phases are closely linked to the use of Magic. Chapter 4 Part 5
===Creation and Manipulation===
The many religions (Christian, Buddhist, Celtic, Indian, Shinto, Incan, Aztec, Greek, Roman, Norse etc) which have arisen throughout history have had the effect of applying various phases to the world. The world is said to contain as many phases are there are divine legends and religions. Chapter 3 Part 11 Extremely powerful beings, such as Magic Gods, are also capable of applying new phases and manipulating existing ones.
As the Imagine Breaker is the reference and restoration point of the world, it can be used to restore the world back to a previous state before the phases were manipulated. This later proved problematic to Touma as though he knew its purpose, he didn't know how he could use it to restore the world back to his original world other than Othinus, forcing him to cast his "hesitations" in a fight with Othinus, believing that he could "reach her". Chapter 8 Part 8
The sword Dáinsleif, when unsheathed, is capable of cutting through Phases, releasing energy stored within them and manifesting them as a figure of calamity from that mythology or religion, representing the evil imprisoned by the gods brought forth once the domain of the gods and their protection is removed. Chapter 13 Part 2 Chapter 13 Part 4
Kamisato Kakeru's power, known as World Rejecter, has also shown the ability to crush a new phase as it was being created, before being embedded into and changing the world, being a product of the conflicted Nephthys. Epilogue
Aleister Crowley, as well as devising a plan to eliminate the phases, has also devised a way to gather the sparks and spray from the phase collisions resulting from the magic he uses, allowing him to target and fire them at an opponent Chapter 3 Part 13 Chapter 4 Part 2 or contain them within his own body so they don't cause harm to anyone else. Epilogue
===Effects===
The effects of an individual phase on the world and the effects of the phases being manipulated vary depending on the circumstances involved. The recreated world may be similar to the previous one, like the Omega World being recreated by Othinus each time Touma was near death, Chapter 8 Part 5 to radically different, like the Omega World being different from Touma's original world, where people's various traumas and tragedies have not come to pass. People and events may be completely changed; for example, in the Omega World, many who had perished in Touma's original world were alive, and Sherry Cromwell had the age of a child, despite everybody else being the same age as that of Touma's original world. Chapter 6C Part 1
When the world is changed due to the manipulation of the phases, most of its inhabitants have no idea that the world has been changed, truly believing that the world is the same as always. However, if the Will of the Whole Misaka Network saying that Othinus "cheated" can be believed, Chapter 7 Part 4 it can be assumed that Othinus can assure that people would have memories of the previous world. Regardless, the only people that have continuous memories of all of the worlds as the phases are manipulated, are beings like Magic Gods, and to a limited extent, likely the living bearers of the Imagine Breaker, such as Touma. There are also beings such as the thought entity known as the Will of the Whole Misaka Network, referred to as beyond the living and the dead, and the collective entity St. Germain, who may not be directly or completely affected by the changing phases of the world, though they may be indirectly influenced.
The phases themselves are not usually perceived by most people, though there are beings who can detect them, including ones capable of influencing them. There is one particular layer, referred to as the Hidden World, where the true Gremlin reside, hidden but unable to leave, which was beyond being detected or destroyed by most - even Othinus, a Magic God, was unaware of its existence. Epilogue
====Sparks====
The distances between the phases are not even and the gaps between them change irregularly on a daily basis. As the overlapping phases contact and collide with one another, are produced. The sparks and produced by phase have a thin but widespread influence on the world and its people, affecting fortune and misfortune. With the use of magic, particularly those involving unified theories such as Hermeticism, the phases are gathered and collide even more, making sparks more frequent. The Imagine Breaker is capable of providing some protection from the effects of these sparks. These unintended consequences of magic use have also been called the "recoil" of magic by Aleister. Index is skeptical of the existence of this recoil, noting that she has never heard of it before, but Aleister claims that this is because she doesn't know how to properly use the information in her grimoires. Chapter 1 Part 2
===Pure World===
Beyond the filters lies the "pure world", described by Othinus as a world of science unaffected by religion - one which the man known as "The Silver Star" has been apparently been attempting to tamper with.
Aiwass, not originating from any religious category and subsequently the phases of magic, is described as the angel of the bottommost layer, closest to the world of pure physical laws, and as such, is at the core of Aleister's plan to eliminate the phases by establishing a means of controlling him and using his power to destroy the other filters above him, leaving only a magicless world.
==Background==
Throughout history, the various religions which have arisen have had the effect of applying phases to the world. At some points, the phases have also been manipulated by the Magic Gods, the majority of which eventually formed the reconciliation council Gremlin and came to reside in a hidden layer, separate from the rest of the world. Chapter 1 Part 8
After Othinus became a Magic God, she used her power to apply new phases and change the world, however as she did, she forgot how her original world was and as such couldn't go back once she wished to, leading her to recreate the world many times attempting to reach it. Her hesitations prevented her from using the Imagine Breaker to return the world back to her own original world. These hesitations and uncertainties would later build up inside of her, and she had hoped to find someone to understand her, and she believed that person could be found in her original world. Epilogue She would later settle in the current world — the world where Kamijou Touma would be born as a bearer of the Imagine Breaker.
A man calling himself as the Silver Star has also attempted to tamper with the Pure World beyond all the filters and continues to aim to do so. Aleister Crowley also attempted to find and breach the hidden layer where the true Gremlin resided, leaving the world's strength to handle Othinus, despite knowing of the dangers of her running free. His goal is to eliminate all phases, having lost his daughter as a result of the sparks from the conflicting phases, using Aiwass, the angel of the bottommost layer above the pure world of physical laws. Chapter 4 Part 5 In the past, he had attempted to suppress the creation of sparks by creating a new mythology as 'cushioning' between the many phases, but his efforts were ultimately thwarted by the church turning their followers against him in a bid to maintain their power.
==Chronology==
===Toaru Majutsu no Index===
====Angel Fall Arc====
The term 'phase' is briefly mentioned during Tsuchimikado Motoharu's explanation to Kamijou Touma about the nature of Heaven and Hell. Chapter 1
====Academy City Invasion Arc====
Fuse Kazakiri's presence is mentioned to warp the several "layers" of the world that are piled up on top of each other to blow away the magical laws in Academy City, a clear reference to phases. Chapter 8 Part 10
====World War III Arc====
The term phase is mentioned by the narration as Fiamma of the Right starts to dye the world by calling in Heaven. Chapter 10 Part 3
Aleister Crowley mentions phases, specifically the adjustment of a phase's thickness, when talking to Fiamma of the Right about the similarities between their plans. Epilogue
===Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index===
====Magic God Othinus Arc====
=====Lance of Gungnir=====
While explaining his ability to stop her magic, Fenrir clarifies to Oriana Thomson that he's not damaging another phase and throwing it into Heaven or Hell. Chapter 4 Part 9
=====Shifting and Fluctuating World=====
After acquiring Gungnir, Othinus 'ends' the world, creating a new phase over it. She then proceeds to recreate the world through multiple new phases in an attempt to break Kamijou Touma. After subjecting him to many worlds, she talks about him about phases before creating one last new world.
Failing to break Touma with the phases, Othinus attempts to break him directly, repeatedly crushing him again and again without him breaking, before becoming exhausted and trying to end him. The world created by the applied phase is then ripped apart as she throws Gungnir and when the lance is destroyed, she uses a crossbow comprised of the black world to strike Touma. However as Touma dies, he manages to remind Othinus why she was trying to return to her original world in the first place - to find someone who understood her. Realizing she had inadvertently made such a person in Touma and that there may not be anyone like that in her original world, Othinus chooses to recreate Touma's world.
=====VS The World=====
During his journey with Othinus across Denmark, Touma faces Marian Slingeneyer, who makes use of Dáinsleif to cut away phases within a barrier and summon figures of calamity to attack him.
Following Touma's attempt to save Othinus from killing herself, the Magic Gods of the true Gremlin interfere from their hidden world, a phase which Othinus didn't perceive or affect, to prevent a change occurring in Touma which would be inconvenient for their plans for his future. As they discuss the events, Aleister Crowley penetrates and compromises their hidden world, stepping into their "divine territory". On apparently being provoked by them, Aleister begins a battle with the Magic Gods, eventually escaping with a third of his body blown off but having accomplished his goal. Epilogue Epilogue With their hidden sanctuary gone, Gremlin proceeded to make preparations to enter the real world. Prologue
====Magic God Invasion Arc====
After being weakened by Aleister Crowley on entering the real world, Nephthys is left the only Magic God in the true Gremlin able to swap out the phases, due to her nature, and only able to do so once. She attempts to do so when faced with Kamisato Kakeru, who had exiled by Niang-Niang and the other Magic Gods with his World Rejecter, but the phase she creates is crushed before it can be embedded and the world changed. Epilogue
====Aleister Crowley Arc====
====Processor Suit Arc====
====Coronzon Arc====
===Souyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index===
====Post-Handcuffs Arc====
When the ghost of Kihara Hasuu was ejected from the Vanishing Tunnel and cast into the Imaginary Number District, it was noted that some from a certain world might have called it a different phase. Chapter 4 Part 12
====New Year's Arc====
On January 5th, with support from Aiwass and Coronzon, Aleister Crowley temporarily shifted phases in order to isolate himself and "CRC" from Heaven Canceller's Hospital, so they could fight as full strength without endangering those in the hospital, as well as cutting off "CRC" from the land's support to hamper some of his magic involving symbols and colors with origins in it. While doing so, he referred to how he had previously created a new mythology in an attempt to create 'cushioning' between the many phases and suppress the creation of sparks from their collisions, though he was ultimately thwarted by the church. Chapter 3 Part 13
====Hell Tour Arc====
Most of the events surrounding Kamijou Touma and Anna Kingsford's Hell Tour on January 7th took place within an artificial phase created by Johann Valentin Andreae, a false hell which was intended to act as a resurrection device to return a single soul to the living world after death. Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Part 4 Chapter 4 As well as ideas concerning the Christian hell, various hells or other realms of the dead were referenced during these events as phases atop the physical world. After Touma started to climb the staircase back to life after defeating Andreae, the false hell started to break and the maw of the real hell opened at the bottom, swallowing up Andreae and Kingsford. Epilogue
==Examples==
===Known Phases===
====Created by religions====
Name	Origin 	Description 	Usage in Toaru Majutsu no Index
 	Christianity	 	
*Heaven and Hell were first mentioned as phases during Tsuchimikado Motoharu's explanation to Kamijou Touma during the events surrounding Angel Fall.
*Heaven was one of the phases that Marian Slingeneyer cut away using Dáinsleif during her battle with Kamijou Touma in order to summon a manifestation of Abaddon.
 	Christianity	 	
*Heaven and Hell were first mentioned as phases during Tsuchimikado Motoharu's explanation to Kamijou Touma during the events surrounding Angel Fall.
*A false hell modeled after hell, created by Johann Valentin Andreae for the purpose of resurrection, was involved in the events surrounding Kamijou Touma and Anna Kingsford's Hell Tour on January 7th, with the maw of the real hell emerging as the artificial phase broke at the end of this incident.
 	Various 	 	The Underworld was mentioned when Othinus explained phases to Kamijou Touma in the middle of changing the world to torment him.
 	Buddhism 	 	The Pure Land was mentioned when Othinus explained phases to Kamijou Touma in the middle of changing the world to torment him.
 	Shinto 	 	
*Yomi was mentioned when Othinus explained phases to Kamijou Touma in the middle of changing the world to torment him.
*Yomi was mentioned during the Hell Tour among ideas of the realm of the dead that are phases atop the physical world. Chapter 1 Part 2
 	 	 	The Abyss was mentioned when Othinus explained phases to Kamijou Touma in the middle of changing the world to torment him.
 	Greek 	The domain of the primary Greek gods (also known as the Olympians), who were said to dwell atop Mt. Olympus, Greece's highest peak. 	
*Olympus was mentioned when Othinus explained phases to Kamijou Touma in the middle of changing the world to torment him.
*Olympus was one of the phases that Marian Slingeneyer cut away using Dáinsleif during her battle with Kamijou Touma in order to summon a manifestation of a Titan.
 	Celtic 	 	The Fairy Island was mentioned when Othinus explained phases to Kamijou Touma in the middle of changing the world to torment him.
 	 	 	Nirai Kanai was mentioned when Othinus explained phases to Kamijou Touma in the middle of changing the world to torment him.
 	Norse 	One of the nine realms and the home of the Aesir. 	
*Asgard was mentioned when Othinus explained phases to Kamijou Touma in the middle of changing the world to torment him.
*Asgard was one of the phases that Marian Slingeneyer cut away using Dáinsleif during her battle with Kamijou Touma in order to summon a manifestation of Surtr.
 	Aztec 	The first of the five suns to successively light the world, a role carried out by Tezcatlipoca. 	The first sun was one of the phases that Marian Slingeneyer cut away using Dáinsleif during her battle with Kamijou Touma in order to summon a manifestation of the Ocelotl.
 	Shinto 	 	Takama-ga-hara was one of the phases that Marian Slingeneyer cut away using Dáinsleif during her battle with Kamijou Touma in order to summon a manifestation of the Yomotsu-Shikome.
 	Hindu 	 	Amaravati was one of the phases that Marian Slingeneyer cut away using Dáinsleif during her battle with Kamijou Touma in order to summon a manifestation of Vishnu Avatara.
 	Greek 	A region of the Greek underworld that imprisons and torments the wicked. 	Tartarus was mentioned during the Hell Tour among ideas of the realm of the dead that are phases atop the physical world.
 	Norse 	One of the nine realms, a primordial realm of ice which later became the abode of Hel, who rules over the dead who died from old age and sickness rather than in battle.	Niflheim was mentioned during the Hell Tour among ideas of the realm of the dead that are phases atop the physical world.
 	Buddhism 	 	The Eight Great Hells was mentioned during the Hell Tour among ideas of the realm of the dead that are phases atop the physical world.
====Artificial Phases====
*False Hell
====Other====
*Hidden World (Gremlin)
===Worlds created through phase manipulation===
*Black World
*Alpha World
*Beta World
*Omega World
==References==
==Navigation==
Category:Terminology