Vil and Leadership

Idia describes Vil as a “tank,” saying that Vil is “physically and mentally resilient, and it’s worth noting how little stress affects his blot accumulation.”

Idia explains, “The tank stands at the head of the party and engages enemies, all while calling the shots for everyone else,” and we get multiple examples of Vil’s leadership in the game.

Trey reveals that Vil was nominated into the position of Housewarden by the previous dorm leader, saying, “Earning people’s trust and being given that kind of responsibility is no small feat at THIS school,” but Vil responds, “Oh, I didn’t do anything special. Simply comport yourself with dignity, and the rest will fall into place.”

Vil says that “the Pomefiore member most adept at mixing poisons gets to serve as dorm leader,” so it is possible that the previous Housewarden’s nomination alone would not have been enough for him to secure the position if he were not also the best at potion making?

Rook says that one of the reasons why Vil commands such respect is because “he never slacks off, whether he’s learning to training.” 

Vil begins the Beanfest event by forming a group in order to seize the initiative, approaching Savanaclaw students who accuse him of trying to use them for protection.

Vil beats them in a physical fight (“I’ll have you know my personal trainer is a former kickboxing world champion”) and they agree to form a group with Vil as their leader.

The Savanaclaw students are secretly less than pleased with this arrangement.

Vil saves Silver from a group of opponents and they are joined by Octavinelle students who then turn on them, stealing Vil’s weapon and threatening to sacrifice them to the opposite team.

The Savanaclaw students from the beginning ally with the Octavinelle students who turned on Vil (“At least this way we won’t get bossed around near as much!”), but it is then revealed that Vil had anticipated the betrayal from the start, having seen through their obvious acting.

Vil explains, “In a sense, show business itself is an elaborate theatrical stage. Most people in it are acting, whether or not the cameras are rolling. Once, it turned out a costume l’d found ripped was sabotaged by the veteran actor who had kindly shared some acting tips with me. Spending time among wolves in sheep’s clothing put me in the habit of gauging others’ true intentions. Spotting betrayals is trivial for me.”

Vil takes back his weapon back by force (Silver: “That was a brilliantly executed roundhouse kick”), sends Silver to Malleus and deals with the traitorous Octavinelle and Savanaclaw students by himself.

Vil is seen taking charge during Vargas Camp, instructing both his and Azul’s clubs in how to map out the mines and overruling Azul’s efforts to mine for magestones to end the task before Azul is ready.

Vil’s orders are followed without question by his club members during the event, though when students begin to disappear Grim suggests that they were scared of him. Vil responds, “I don’t yell at them, you know. I simply give warning when they don’t do their jobs.”

Vil is seen helping a lost child during the Halloween event, and during Fairy Gala is it Vil who comes up with the idea of secretly exchanging the Fairy Queen’s crown with an imitation. 

When there is trouble in the school store during New Year’s Vil takes command to teach “what proper manners are,” impressing Deuce and Kalim with how he gets everyone too and in a proper line (Kalim: “Vil has such a commanding presence! I get why people do exactly what he says”).

Vil also takes the lead during Book 6, making both himself and Leona team leaders.

Grim says that Vil’s speech for Founding Day included a scary look when he said, “”And let none of us bring shame to Night Raven College,” but “everyone from Pomefiore was still starin’ up at him in adoration.”

When Vil’s father asks what Vil is like when he’s at school Jamil says that everyone in Pomefiore seems to really respect him. Azul says, “When Vil orders them to clean, everyone drops what they’re doing and gets right to it,” and Ace follows with, “Lots of my classmates stand up straighter and quiet down whenever they see him!”

Ace also says that Vil will stop and fix your uniform when he sees you in the hallway, and “I think a lot of teachers see him as a housewarden they can count on. Not like some of the others…”

Vil says that he is no longer fit to be the leader of the VDC team after his overblot but the team does not let him resign, as none of them were gravely injured in the fight.

Ace says, “After the way you ran us through the wringer training us to get here, there’s no way we’re letting you pull out because of a few bruises!”

Vil gathers the group together after the VDC to apologize for betraying they trust in Book 5, saying, “I realized we would lose, and my solution was to curse my rival. It was the ugliest possible thing I could’ve done,” and that he is truly sorry, catching Epel by surprise (“I’m not used to Vil apologizing like that.”)

Vil takes responsibility for the team’s poor performance in the competition (“Some leader I turned out to be”), as his actions “had a direct, negative impact” on the group, and pays the cash prize that the team would have won while acknowledging the irony in doing so after telling his manager that his feeling cannot be bought with money.

When Ace bemoans having to endure Riddle’s wrath after the events of Playfulland, Vil offers him the advice of “own up and apologize…accept the consequences of your actions with aplomb.”

Vil also apologizes to the Spectral Soiree group for the trouble he caused when possessed by a ghost.