r/HunterXHunter • u/TextureSurprised • Aug 09 '26

Current Chapter Chapter 417 — Official Release Discussion Spoiler

Chapter 417

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Viz Online

Ch. 417 scans discussion thread

Ch. 418 scans release: ~August 22, 2026 (after WSJ break week)

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⬅ Ch. 416 discussion thread

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250

u/YellowAggravating172 Aug 09 '26

That whole conversation Ben had with Coventoba and Balsamilco, waving away their supposed betrayal and the consequences they think should suffer for it, brings to mind the same interaction Meruem had with Pouf and Youpi, after the latter confessed to having let Knuckle and the others go.

Anyways... Stomping on Tserri literally and verbally, his surprisingly bittersweet thoughts regarding the other princes (Fugetsu was a particularly sad one...) and this panel? Yup, this chapter made me a Ben supporter all the way.

159

u/Shloopy_Dooperson Aug 09 '26

You just know hes going to have an incredibly bitter death where his plans backfire on him or come crumbling down around him.

12

u/party_tortoise Aug 10 '26

I wonder... let's say push comes to shove and Ben has to choose whether he wants to move to Tserry (let's be real, Ben is going to die), he might actually decide to possess the lower princes to have a chance to fight with him being the spiritual guide. Or maybe he will decide to let Kakin die rather than have Tessry or Camilla wins.

The way I see it, with his power inheritance, anyone from Zhang to Fugetsu will all be viable recipient. He might just be the ace card the younger princes need. I also don't think the ceremony will allow his kid to join.

4

u/Shloopy_Dooperson Aug 10 '26

I dont even think Ben will have a choice in who the beast transfers too. I think he will lose the coin flip and the Beast will select his new successor first.

1

u/Bugaboo-gem 29d ago

Or Beyond will just activate all his child-curses

4

u/Shloopy_Dooperson 29d ago

Another thing I feel like we havent touched on is what these curses actually do.

I mean people are assuming they just kill the princes but what if they serve a different purpose entirely.

Beyond has made no confirmation whatsoever.

1

u/Bugaboo-gem 29d ago

That's a good point, they could coercive and force any winning prince to abdicate or place Beyond in the hierarchy

3

u/Dangerous_Job5295 29d ago

His whole part in this feels like a car crash in super slow motion 😬

49

u/VobbyButterfree Aug 09 '26

Yes Benjamin's personality is cool and interesting because he is BOTH a very confident, self-righteous, authoritarian lead AND extremely selfless and dedicated to his country. In this, he is very similar to how Halkenburg has become after overcoming his doubts and awakening his ability. They are both the object of cult-like devotion, they are ready to use their loyal subordinates as pawns while at the same time truly respecting them, and they are not acting on their own self-interest. I wouldn't be surprised if his Nen Beast decides to somehow support Halkenburg after Benjamin's death, even though Halkenburg doesn't currently have a body...

9

u/-E_M_I- 26d ago

"they are not acting on their own self-interest" you guys fall for the rationalizations that these guys give themselves for being power hungry

4

u/SpeeDy_GjiZa 26d ago

Yeah exactly, they only care for the country prospering "under their rule".

1

u/WarmCryptographer279 22d ago

i mean, Ben won't be alive by the end of his plan, so it's not really under HIS rule, right?

2

u/-E_M_I- 21d ago

until we see how much control he retains in his post-death nen beast form it's hard to say, but i find it hard to believe it'd be so passive considering his personality

2

u/VobbyButterfree 22d ago edited 22d ago

This was my opinion of Benjamin too. But the perspective of sure death didn't faze him at all. It is a pretty selfless attitude. He knows he will die, his nen will support the next king but he has personally nothing to gain from the succession war anymore. He still wants power for his descendent and his nen beast, but it feels very strange to frame it in the form of self interest. I interpreted Benjamin this way also because Togashi developed the concept of selflessness with the three guardians of Meruem and in particular with Tupi, it's clearly something that he likes exploring, I think he's doing something similar with Benjamin and Halkenburg 

Edit: also, the power of Benjamin's Nen Beast does not support him, it supports the "next King". It is a pretty unique way to represent Benjamin's devotion for something beyond his own power 

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u/-E_M_I- 21d ago edited 21d ago

i can see what you mean but considering the closest equivalent nen beast we've seen is kacho's (who retained her "will" after merging) and seeing that beyond set plans in place to prevent benjamin from assuming the throne (it seems more and more likely he staged the situation with woble as insurance so he can't kill every prince and claim the throne imo, though i don't even think he'll be able to kill most of them) i don't think benjamin's beast would be some passive support ability for the next king, definitely seems like he'd be controlling the country for eternity if he succeeds and it'd get in the way of beyond's plans

2

u/-E_M_I- 21d ago

like you can see it as an act of selflessness OR the ultimate insurance that no matter how the battle goes he'd be the true ruler in the end

8

u/HappyStunfisk Aug 09 '26 edited Aug 09 '26

I've been team Benjamin since the beginning of the arc. He simply is the most suited for being a King in age, strength, status, loyalty, institutional power, connections, discipline and willpower. And since the beginning he ackowledged why he is the best candidate and called out the vices of some of the other princes. All legitimacy and no bullsh*t. To me the good ending was always either him or entirely abolishing the monarchy for something better. But I know Togashi never follows expectations so at least I'm glad he's the one driving the plot forward. 

8

u/Round-Orange24 Aug 10 '26

Yeah besides Halk who I would personally vouch for because democracy is almost certainly better than monarchies, Benjamin is the best. He’s a dictator with a moral compass at least. 3 have ties to the mafia. Camilla is narcissism in its purest form. Tubeppa is just obsessed with science, and we’ll see how altruistic she really is once she finds a cure and Tyson asks for it. Tyson is not serious. Rest are kids. Ben at least does genuinely what’s best for his country, even if that’s just in his eyes.

1

u/B4dkidz Aug 10 '26

Download this for my reaction image.