In Black Clover, strength often looks loud — overwhelming magic, inherited power, and prodigies who dominate the battlefield. But not every story of growth follows that path. Some are slower, quieter, and built on persistence rather than talent.
Leopold Vermillion is one of those characters.
Overshadowed by powerful siblings and burdened by the expectations of a royal name, Leopold’s journey isn’t about instant dominance. It’s about effort, identity, and choosing to move forward even when the gap between you and others feels impossible to close. Through failure, rivalry, and relentless training, Leopold proves that growth doesn’t need to be gifted — it needs to be earned.
Loud, Reckless, and Immediately Familiar
Leopold Vermillion enters Black Clover loud, reckless, and overflowing with energy. He’s hot-headed, impulsive, and the type to rush in headfirst without thinking things through. At first glance, he feels familiar — almost like Asta in a different form.
And that familiarity is exactly why they click.
Unlike many royals in the Clover Kingdom, Leopold never looks down on Asta. He doesn’t dismiss him for being magicless or a peasant. Instead, he finds him interesting. Worthy. Someone to compete with. From the start, Leopold treats Asta as an equal — and that alone sets him apart.
He becomes Asta’s rival not out of arrogance, but out of shared hunger. Both want to grow stronger. Both refuse to stay where they are.
The Weight of the Vermillion Name
Being a Vermillion means expectations.
As royals, the Vermillion family is known for immense mana, overwhelming power, and natural excellence. Fuegoleon is a respected captain and leader. Mereoleona is raw, terrifying strength incarnate. Against siblings like that, Leopold often looks… smaller.
Not weak — just overshadowed.
He’s the youngest. The “cute little brother.” The one surrounded by giants. And because of that, people naturally see him as average.
But Leopold sees the gap too.
He hears the comparisons. He feels the difference. And instead of denying it, he does something rare — he accepts it and works anyway.
Effort Over Ego
Leopold is talented, but he is far more effort-driven than gifted.
Compared to his siblings, his strength doesn’t come easily. He trains relentlessly. He throws himself into battle. He reflects on his failures instead of running from them. When Fuegoleon is critically injured, Leopold is shaken — but he doesn’t collapse. He keeps fighting.
That moment matters.
It shows resolve. Not bravado. Not pride. Resolve.
He doesn’t resent those stronger than him. He doesn’t blame fate or privilege. He treats strength as something to reach, not something to complain about.
That mindset is rare — especially for a royal.
Failure as Fuel
Leopold fails. A lot.
He couldn’t protect his brother during the Eye of the Midnight Sun attack. He struggled during the elf reincarnation arc. He fought opponents he couldn’t defeat yet. And each time, he walked away knowing one thing:
I’m not strong enough — yet.
There’s nothing embarrassing about that. And Leopold knows it.
Failure doesn’t humiliate him. It motivates him. He reflects, trains harder, and moves forward. That’s why his growth feels earned. He doesn’t come back suddenly overpowered. He builds himself up piece by piece.
That slow burn is what makes his progress believable.
Asta as an Equal, Not an Idol
Leopold respects Asta deeply — but not in the same way he admires Fuegoleon.
Fuegoleon is a role model. Asta is a rival.
Asta represents something revolutionary to Leopold: proof that effort can challenge the world itself. A boy with no magic, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with nobles and captains. Someone his age. Someone he can laugh with, compete against, and grow alongside.
That equality matters.
Leopold doesn’t see Asta as beneath him or above him. He sees him as someone worth chasing — and that says everything about Leopold’s values.
Becoming Leopold Vermillion
Leopold takes pride in his family name, but he doesn’t hide behind it.
He knows he’s different from his siblings. And instead of trying to become another Fuegoleon or Mereoleona, he finds a method that works for him. His fire magic mirrors his personality — passionate, explosive, burning with determination.
When he finally breaks through his limits, it doesn’t feel like destiny.
It feels like earned growth.
He isn’t a blazing inferno yet. He’s a growing flame. A baby tiger learning how to roar.
Why Leopold Is Underrated
Leopold is a side character — and that’s exactly why people overlook him.
But his quieter moments matter:
- fighting even when afraid
- training without guarantees
- accepting weakness without surrender
He doesn’t demand attention. He earns it.
His struggle reflects real life more than flashy prodigies ever could. He’s constantly catching up — not obsessively, but naturally. He knows where he wants to go, and he refuses to stop walking toward it.
What Leopold Represents in Black Clover
Leopold embodies:
- persistence over privilege
- self-belief over entitlement
- growth through reflection and action
He proves that not starting strong doesn’t mean you won’t finish strong.
Black Clover would lose something vital without him — a reminder that progress doesn’t need to be loud, immediate, or perfect. Sometimes it’s just someone showing up again and again, refusing to quit.
Final Thoughts
Leopold Vermillion is not a prodigy. He is not the strongest. He does not win easily.
And that’s exactly why he matters.
He’s a hardworking, determined, persistent fire — one that grows brighter through effort rather than inheritance. A character who reminds us that identity is earned, not assigned.
A baby tiger now — but one day, a roaring flame.
This character arc reflects one of Black Clover’s core themes — that effort matters more than destiny. I explore that idea more deeply in my pillar analysis here:
What Black Clover Is Really About: Themes, Fate, and Why It’s Worth Watching