Hey Ya'll! So this isn't really a story, as it is more an information guide/research notes concerning how I believe human soul magic works from the Undertale world. However, while I posted this in the section of Undertale considering it is the origin of this general idea, this research is NOT only limited to the Undertale world, and in fact can be applied to ANY series or franchise you may be fans of, movies, books, other games, and anime alike... In fact I highly encourage it because one thing I love to do the most with this research is apply it to the characters of my favorite shows, animes, and movies; thinking what it would be like if said characters became aware of the nature of their souls and gained access to said magic.
I give a huge shoutout to Camilla Cuevas, whose personal Undertale animation series, Glitchtale was one of the main inspirations for the creation of this concept, and while a bit of the information provided below may hold reference to some of her own ideas, a lot of it is also quite different from her interpretation as it is stemmed from my own research and perspective as well as referenced from multiple other Undertale comics and animations.
Soul Trait Magic
1. Determination: The most powerful of all the soul traits. Despite being classified technically as a trait, DT contains a much more unique chemical makeup that differs greatly from the others. While it has been determined to be the most common attribute found in a human soul, many of its magical properties have yet to be fully discovered even to this day. In a basic structure of a human soul, each trait makes up a portion of the entirety of the soul, like pieces to a jigsaw puzzle. However, DT initially could not be found as one of pieces. Later studies revealed that DT actually makes up the outer layer of the soul itself and also resides between the edges of each trait, acting as a type of glue; essentially it is what holds all the other traits together and keeps the soul intact. This discovery alongside the uncharted strength and power DT appears to possess are believed to be the reason why human souls are able to persist even after death.
Even though it is the most common and essential component in a human soul, it is incredibly rare for more than at least one person per lifetime to possess DT as a dominant trait, hence why knowledge on its full potential is so limited. Even studying pure DT extract has only provided so many answers. However, it has been proven that even people with differing soul traits are able to momentarily break past their own limits by tapping into their own DT. As a result, scientists at one point attempted to inject willing participants with pure DT extract, attempting to use it as an enhancer. At first, the experiment appeared to be a success as the initial results were that the subjects obtained a massive boost in power, physical strength, and durability. Unfortunately, these changes did not come without consequences: over time the subjects' bodies began to deteriorate due to being unable to keep up with the foreign levels of DT added to their systems, breaching far past their physical limits and causing them to slowly tear themselves apart from the inside bit by bit. The power from the DT also kept the subjects completely conscious throughout the entire process, forcing them to experience the extensive and excruciating pain of their bodies breaking down; not even the strongest pain medications and sleeping drugs would have any effect. Due to the severity of these effects, DT was declared to be too unpredictable and dangerous to tamper with artificially and all experimental procedures involving it were shut down.
It is not easy to even identify an individual who has DT as a dominant trait, not only because such a soul is one or two in a million, but also because there are certain requirements the individual must fulfill to meet this standard. Not only must the individual be exceptionally determined and have a great amount of tenacity, but they must also have an incredibly strong will; very often without any true reasoning or logical explanation, they are somehow just able to break the rules or the limitations of the rules of their world. They are able to deny or change fate; even if it is impossible, they just do it. They even have the ability to stand up to or possibly do damage to god-like entities through sheer will alone. Essentially, people with DT as a dominant trait have the power to do the impossible, not because of any special abilities or skills, but just because that is who they are, they are the embodiments of limit breakers. In the simplest of terms, they are able to do it because they "have to," and because they "have to," they can. Ironically, these terms are commonly used in the opposite fashion to describe the motivation of most of humanity's actions: they do it because they can, and because they can, they "have to."
(Legend tells of a human whose Determination was so strong, it granted them the power to control the timeline itself. However, it is uncertain whether this is true or not.)
Color – Red
Power – The will to keep living/The resolve to change fate
Known Abilities –
· Wielders can summon a blade to their liking made entirely out of red magical energy/The blade is remarkably strong and durable, allowing it to cut through any material no matter how hard/Wielders can also use it to send blasts of powerful red magical energy at opponents.
· Wielders possess an iron will stronger than any other individual, which allows them to surpass any kinds of limitations or expectations, most commonly in hopeless or dire circumstances/Wielders gain more power and can be especially difficult to knock down, much less defeat the stronger their will becomes.
· If on the verge of death, wielders can will their souls to remain intact, refusing death itself as long as they feel strongly enough.
2. Bravery: An offensive trait that specializes in close-range type magic. Because this trait possesses an upfront nature, the mechanics of the powers of BV follow an ideology of charging in headfirst and facing obstacles directly. As a result, most individuals who possess BV as a dominant trait are often impulsive and headstrong. Ironically, these factors actually play a primary role in why BV takes so long to master; unlike other forms of magic, the full power of BV can actually be harnessed right away. But because of this, there are even greater risks of either losing control or overusing too much magic and burning out; BV also relies heavily on stamina, so its power dissipates when running low on energy or feeling fatigue. Therefor, people with BV as a dominant trait can only truly tap into their full potential by learning how to hold back and build their control up, thus allowing them to use their magic both more effectively and efficiently.
Color – Orange
Power – Move
Abilities –
· Wielders can summon a blazing aura of orange magical energy around their bodies, which gives them both great mobility and strength. With enough training and experience, wielders can lessen their auras to singular parts of their bodies as well as control the levels of power they output.
· Wielders can channel orange magical energy throughout their bodies, allowing them to be impervious to any attacks as long as they keep moving while their bodies remain orange/Wielders can also transfer the magical energy from their bodies into mobile objects or even hand-held objects that can be thrown or wielded, thus turning them orange, which can be used to hurt enemies that come into contact, but only if they are standing still/If enemies move through orange objects, they remain unharmed.
3. Justice: This trait deals in long-ranged type magic, and while it has a sharp and focused nature, it is actually the most unstable soul trait. People with JT as a dominant trait have a high sense of right and wrong and passionate convictions regarding those values. These characteristics are what make JT so powerful, as it is the second strongest trait after DT. However, because the concept of this trait is pretty single-track-minded, it is very common for those who do possess JT as a dominant trait to see the world in black and white or even develop tunnel vision. As a result, it is very likely that they end up questioning their beliefs or even misguiding their ideals. Because of these factors, JT is the easiest trait to either lose or become warped; it is very uncommon for either of these cases not to happen to individuals who have JT as a dominant trait at all. That said, if said individuals are able to regain their dominant trait, they usually develop a better perspective and understanding of the world being made up of different shades of grey, which in turn makes their magic even stronger than before and easier to use. As such, those with JT as a dominant trait who are able to accept the complexity of moral ethics earlier in their lives are said to have the most talent for wielding JT.
JT is tricky to learn to use properly, as it requires specific intent and visualization on who the target is in order for those with it as a dominant trait to shoot successfully; the person who is shooting must visualize the target of their fire while specifically referring to them in their mind as "the one who is receiving the attack." If referring to their target specifically as "the one they are firing at," their attacks are more likely to misfire, as there is less certainty of hitting the target with the latter mindset. If they visualize themselves firing magical blasts without a target in mind at all, the bullet they are charging will explode in their face.
Color – Yellow
Power – Shoot
Abilities –
· Wielders can shoot bullets of fast yellow magical energy at enemies/The longer a wielder takes to charge their blast, the bigger the bullet becomes/If skilled enough, wielders can manipulate smaller bullets to their every command.
4. Kindness: A defensive trait that primarily serves for protection. People with KD as a dominant trait are not always easy to spot at face-value, as kindness in general comes in many forms. Because of this, KD was originally thought to have been one of the rarest traits, as it was assumed that those who possessed it as a dominant trait were mostly gentle and pure-hearted individuals. As a result, scientists associated these characteristics specifically as the primary factors of KD for quite some time. However, the theory was eventually scrapped after a few consecutive individuals that did not perfectly match the criteria personality-wise were found to have KD as a dominant trait regardless. As such, further studies with an expanded perspective led scientists to find that the trait was far more common than previously anticipated.
KD is an especially valued trait due to its healing magic. Despite the name, it is not a replacement for doctors or medicine; KD can be used to seal cuts, gashes, stabbings, and even full impalements. However, it can only "close" the wounds, not completely "heal" them, which means the patient will still require proper medical treatment. As such, KD also cannot be used to fix broken bones, nerve damage, head trauma, or illnesses. Records show of one magician with KD as a dominant trait who was able to develop enough skill to stop internal bleeding, however attempting to block internal injuries is very risky, as there is a great threat of blocking important points of blood flow throughout the body and causing further damage, which is why it is not a common practice.
Color – Green
Power – Block
Abilities –
· Wielders can create a shield made out of green magical energy that can block attacks/The size of the shield can range however big or small the wielder wishes/ Wielders can even create dome shaped force fields that can protect multiple people at once/The shield works both ways, blocking any attacks attempted to be made from the inside as well as the outside.
· Wielders can close any open wounds on their own or other people's bodies no matter how large or how deep said injury is.
5. Patience: A more passive trait, as it mostly consists of restraining magic. As the name implies, this trait possesses a calm and paced nature, which means people with it as a dominant trait are usually cautious, controlled, and take their time before taking action. Along with these characteristics, the powers of PT act in an opposite fashion to the powers of BV. PT is not difficult to control even for beginners, but in a similar fashion to BV, those who have PT as a dominant trait become full masters of their magic by learning how to make a move or strike at the right moment. As such, many people with PT as a dominant trait have been known to become the best fighters among most magicians; it is also very common for those who have PT as a dominant trait to excel in the art of assassination. One specific magician who was blind and possessed PT as a dominant trait was known for developing a unique ability that allowed them to "see" to an extent, in which they channeled their magic to their eyes, which made anything that would move visible to them, although they in turn had to be standing still for it to work.
Color – Cyan
Power – Stop
Abilities –
· Wielders can create binds made out of cyan magical energy that can completely restrain enemies.
· Wielders can channel cyan magical energy throughout their bodies, allowing them to be impervious to any attacks as long as they stay still while their bodies remain cyan/Wielders can also transfer the magical energy from their bodies into the ground and nearby immobile objects, thus turning them cyan, which allows them to remain unharmed from any moving attacks/Wielders can even transfer cyan magical energy into hand-held weapons, which can be used to hurt enemies that come into contact, but only if they are moving/If enemies stay still, cyan objects will pass through them without inflicting any damage.
6. Integrity: A heavy trait that incorporates gravity-manipulation magic. One of the greatest misconceptions of IT is the assumption that people with it as a dominant trait are completely honest individuals who rarely lie at all, but this is not actually the case; what truly defines those who possess IT as a dominant trait is that they are the most honest about who they are as people. People who have IT as a dominant trait are true to themselves and do not try to change or pretend to be something they are not just to please others or prove themselves. As a result, they value their personal beliefs and morals greatly and try to live their lives according to their moral code as closely as possible. There can be a downside to this characteristic, however; since individuals who possess IT as a dominant trait feel so strongly that their morals are correct, they may end up imposing their ideals and standards upon others. Another aspect that derives from this attribute is that said individuals can become too honest, hence much like JT, it is fairly easy for IT to become warped, but it can be much harder to actually lose, though this aspect usually depends on the person. Honesty itself is an incredibly morally-grey subject, and humanity struggles with it even to this day, considering it is in humans nature to lie as a means of self-preservation, hence why this trait can sometimes be a heavy burden to bare.
While the powers of IT seem much more straight-forward compared to the other traits, it takes a great amount of concentration and practice to fully master. Many people with IT as a dominant trait have taken advantage of their long periods of training by experimenting and discovering a multitude of different applications in which these abilities can be used. As a result, most people that possess IT as a dominant trait are known to be incredibly creative and curious individuals as well as excellent strategists. There was one magician that had IT as a dominant trait, who became good enough to fluidly move one or more objects any way they wished as though they were simply levitating them by constantly changing the direction of gravity of said objects in various directions repeatedly. However, this ability was only able to be achieved through an intensive amount of training and focus, so it is not a common practice among magicians who possess IT as a dominant trait.
Color – Blue
Power – Push and Pull
Abilities –
· Wielders can change an object's or their own body's field of gravity whichever direction they want.
· Wielders are able to concentrate a condensed amount of blue magical energy from their feet and release it, allowing them to make powerful jumps. The greater the amount of magic they use, the higher they are able to jump/Wielders can also concentrate condensed amounts of blue magical energy into their hands and use it to attract any objects less than their own weight towards themselves.
7. Perseverance: The most resilient of all the soul traits. While this trait utilizes trap magic, it actually has a strong and persistent nature. Because of this, it is very easy to confuse it with DT; people who possess PV as a dominant trait are known to be stubborn, hardworking, they don't give up in the face of hardship, and they push themselves to succeed. Scientists discovered however that PV does in fact have limitations, so the major difference between the two traits is that people with PV as a dominant trait have the power to push themselves all the way to their limits, but people with DT as a dominant trait have the power to push themselves even further, BEYOND their limits. The strength PV possess also translates more towards resilience rather than offense. As a result, those who have it as a dominant trait are remarkably durable and less prone to damage; it is also the hardest trait to lose.
Color – Purple
Power – Stay in the lines
Abilities –
· Wielders can draw lines made of purple magical energy that are only visible to them on any surface, which when enemies touch, will transform into a trap made of purple magical energy that instantly ensnares them/The traps can vary from nets, cages, or any trap based on what the wielder wishes it to be/Said traps, no matter what form they take, are remarkably durable, and cannot be cut through or broken easily.
· Wielders can create large purple arrowed lines upon any surface that forces any enemy standing on top of the lines toward whatever direction the arrow is pointing.
So that's the first page of my research ladies and gentlemen... That's right! FIRST page! Which means there is more to come! While writing this and doing intense research on emotions and human behavior, as well as the direction Camilla took in season 2 of Glitchtale, I realized there were many other interesting factors regarding human souls that I wanted to include.
As a result of this research, I now think of many of my favorite franchises in a completely different light as I evaluate how the characters match up to the research I have posted here, and as a result I regularly come up of all kinds of AUs revolving around the concept of soul trait magic for multiple franchises. I dearly hope this spreadsheet gives you guys similar inspiration and if any of you wish to use the information listed above in any ideas or stories of your own, I give you permission and even highly encourage you to use it, as it is one of the reasons I am mainly posting this information guide. Just be sure to let me know in advance and credit me if you do so wish, please!
Regarding the information listed for DETERMINATION, I have actually given it a LOT of thought and already even have a list of characters that potentially fit the criteria of having red DT souls like Frisk and Chara from Undertale. For example...
1. Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugou(My Hero Academia)
2. Naruto Uzumaki(Naruto)
3. Edward Elric(Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood)
4. Emma(The Promised Neverland)
5. Kirito/Kazuto Kirigaya(Sword Art Online)
6. Maka Albarn and BlackStar(Soul Eater)
7. Haruhi Suzumiya(The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
8. Tanjiro Kamado(Demon Slayer)
9. Michiru Kagemori(BNA: Brand New Animal)
10. Keiichi Maebara and Miyo Takano(Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni)
11. Syaoaran(Tsubasa Chronicle)
12. Dipper Pines and Stanley Pines(Gravity Falls)
13. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III(How to Train Your Dragon)
14. Satoru Fujinuma(Erased/Boku Dake ga Inai Machi)
15. Hikari Hanazono(S.A/Special A)
16. Ichigo Kurosaki(Bleach)
17. Takato Matsuki(Digimon Tamers)
18. Chell(Portal)
19. Taki Tachibana and Mitsuha Miyamizu(Your Name)
20. Edelgard von Hresvelg(Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
21. Alm/Albein Alm Rudolf II(Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia)
22. Ashi(Samurai Jack)
23. Shirayuki(Snow White with the Red Hair)
24. Touya Sagami(Orbital Children)
25. Yuuna Yuuki, Yuuna Takashima, and Gin Minowa(Yuki Yuna is a Hero)
I even considered characters from live-action movies like Stella Yamada from Lemonade Mouth, Melanie Stryder from The Host, and Ethan Hunt from Mission: Impossible. Technically they are not humans, but I don't know for sure if mobians have similar souls to humans or not, but if they did, possibly even Sonic and Shadow the Hedgehog.
If you guys can think of any other potential characters that may have a DT soul, let me know along with why you think they would be so! But think LONG and HARD while also using the notes above to help cause I take the criteria of the candidates VERY seriously! Also remember a very important detail: NOT ALL TIME LOOPERS MAY HAVE A DT SOUL, SO JUST PUT THAT ASSUMPTION OUT OF YOUR HEADS NOW!