Elizabeth Midford/History

Elizabeth was born to Francis and Alexis Leon Midford in 1874, a few years after her older brother Edward.

Since his birth a year later, she was betrothed to her cousin "Ciel Phantomhive", the future Earl of Phantomhive and Queen's Watchdog. As the House of Midford is a family of knights and her future role as the Watchdog's wife is a dangerous one, Elizabeth was trained in swordsmanship and fencing from a young age and proved herself to be a prodigy in this regard.

When they were young, Elizabeth, "Ciel", and his aunt Angelina Dalles regularly played together at Phantomhive Manor under Rachel Phantomhive's supervision. They were sometimes joined by Vincent Phantomhive.

On one occasion, "Ciel" was fencing with her mother. He said that he was scared of strong wives, so he was glad that Elizabeth was the one who would marry him. Because she wished to become a wife that he could protect, she wanted to quit training, but her mother would not allow her to, for both "Ciel"'s and Elizabeth's sakes.

On December 14, 1885, "Ciel"'s and his twin's tenth birthday, Elizabeth finished "Ciel"'s present—a handkerchief hand-embroidered with an ornate "C"—when her maid Paula burst into her room and informed her about the brutal murders of the Phantomhives. Later, Elizabeth wept at their graves, while overhearing a group of ladies, indifferent to their deaths, gossip about trivial things.

One month passed, and Ciel suddenly returned with his new butler, Sebastian Michaelis. She was greatly relieved to see him, but then she realized that she had overgrown Ciel. From that point onward, Elizabeth sought to be a wife capable of protecting him.

When Elizabeth won her fencing match and received new shoes as a reward, Paula commented that she had grown even taller. Dismayed, Elizabeth asked for a pair of low-heel shoes instead so that she could "smile and walk beside" Ciel, who was trying hard to be seen as an adult.

Black Butler Arc
One morning in 1888, Elizabeth arrives at Phantomhive Manor and decorates it and the staff with ribbons and other girly accessories, much to their obvious dismay. She states that she is preparing the appropriate setting for a dance party and asks Ciel Phantomhive to wear the clothes she has personally picked out for him.

Later, Ciel emerges in the ballroom, dressed in the outfit she selected, and she is elated. However, she notices his Phantomhive blue ring, and she is greatly dissatisfied that he is not wearing the one she has chosen for him. Without his consent, she snatches the ring from Ciel's thumb and disparages its worn condition and unfit size. Ciel heatedly demands it back, causing her to burst into tears for being yelled at. Out of frustration, she throws the ring, and it shatters to pieces at the impact. Infuriated, Ciel raises his hand to slap her, but Sebastian Michaelis stops him in the process by compelling him to grip onto his cane. Sebastian explains to Elizabeth that the ring was a very important, one-of-a-kind, family ornament, and she is appalled when she learns of its significance. After calming down, Ciel tosses the remnants of the said ring out the window, and he declares that he remains the head of the Phantomhive household, with or without the ring. Subsequently, he dries her tears and dances with her, and she muses how the experience is like a dream. Later that night, Elizabeth is soundly asleep and would be picked up the next day by her mother.

Red Butler Arc
Elizabeth shows up to one of Aleister Chamber's parties, where she compliments the outfits of other ladies. She then spots a particular girl whose dress she deems cute. She searches for the "girl" to admire "her" attire, but she loses sight of "her." Later, Elizabeth finds the girl again and attempts to speak to "her," but a gentleman leads the "girl" away and directs a waiter to serve Elizabeth a glass of lemonade. Later, she maneuvers over to the "girl" in another attempt to speak to her, but gets distracted by a bizarre magic act.

While outside on a balcony, Elizabeth detects movement and is unsure if there was someone on the rooftop.

Sometime later, Elizabeth attends Angelina Dalles' funeral. She stands before her casket while mourning her death. Her attention is then drawn to a latecomer at the door—Ciel, who is carrying a red dress. He places the dress on Angelina's corpse, and Elizabeth observes as rose petals, from a carriage maintained by Sebastian, drift into the church.

One month after the Jack the Ripper incident, Elizabeth and her mother, Francis Midford, arrive at Phantomhive Manor. When she vigorously hugs Ciel, Francis scolds her for being unladylike. Sebastian guides them through the manor; once they reach the horse stables, Francis and Ciel engage in a hunting competition. Elizabeth tries to accompany Ciel on his horse, but he does not allow her to, stating that it would be too dangerous for her, and he then asserts that he will win the competition. Afterward, she tells Sebastian that she is relieved Ciel has returned to his normal self; she was worried about his condition because he was so close to Angelina. She says that she does not want unhappy memories to befall Ciel, and, for that reason, she strives to cheer him up with her own methods, but they are, for the most part, ineffective. Sebastian assures her that Ciel appreciates her, and she thanks him.

After the hunting game, Elizabeth, Ciel, and Francis have lunch. Suddenly, a bear appears, and it intends to attack Elizabeth, which prompts Ciel to shield her with his body. The bear is seemingly taken out by Francis, who compliments Ciel for his courage.

Subsequently, they return to the manor, where Elizabeth, Francis, and the Phantomhive servants celebrate Ciel's thirteenth birthday. Francis tells the Phantomhive household to take care of Elizabeth and Ciel in the future, much to Elizabeth's delight. Afterward, she, Ciel, Francis, Finnian, and Tanaka observe the snow.

Circus Arc
In February 1889, Elizabeth goes to Phantomhive Manor, while Ciel and Sebastian are at Kelvin Manor to investigate the Noah's Ark Circus kidnappings, and she refuses to leave until she sees Ciel. That night, Dagger, Beast, Jumbo, Wendy, and Peter arrive at the manor to capture Ciel and kill any witnesses. She sleeps through most of this, but she is awoken by a loud noise (Mey-Rin shooting Peter through a window). When she gets up to investigate, Tanaka tells her it was a sound in her dreams and convinces her to go back to bed, lest she catches a chill.

Later, Ciel and Sebastian return to the manor, and Elizabeth declares that she would like them to have new clothes so they can go on a boat ride. As a result, Sebastian calls the tailor, Nina Hopkins. Elizabeth observes while Nina takes measurements of Ciel and comments that her designs are cute. However, when Sebastian insults one of Nina's designs, she kicks Elizabeth, Ciel, and Sebastian out of the room.

Subsequently, Ciel is called back in for another fitting, and Elizabeth watches. Nina decides that the shirt he is wearing does not have the right silhouette and rips it off him. Ciel and Sebastian then endeavor to cover the mark, in order to prevent Elizabeth from seeing it.

Afterward, Soma Asman Kadar, Agni, and Elizabeth introduce themselves to each other, and Soma decides to consider Elizabeth his new little sister. They go to the dining hall, and Soma reveals that Ciel has recently been very sick. She remarks sadly that Ciel never tells her anything, but Sebastian points out that by spending the day with her, Ciel is more relaxed than he had been in a while. She says that it would be nice if that was true.

Phantomhive Manor Murders Arc


Elizabeth attends Sebastian's funeral, where she, along with Soma, tries to comfort and console Ciel; she says that Sebastian is a liar, for he promised that he would never leave Ciel by himself. After Sebastian reveals he is still alive, she jumps on him and hugs him with the Phantomhive household servants. Subsequently, Sebastian tells Elizabeth that he would like to rectify what she has previously said—he asserts that he does not tell lies.

Luxury Liner Arc
Elizabeth and her family plan to travel to New York on the luxury passenger ship Campania for three weeks from April 17, 1889. Her father has Elizabeth invite Ciel on their family trip. Thus, Elizabeth heads to Phantomhive Manor and relays the offer to Ciel. He declines it, stating that he is busy, but after noticing her disappointment, adds that he can make time if they go somewhere close. Happy, Elizabeth hugs him, saying that anywhere is fine as long as they are together, and then leaves, promising to bring him back a lot of souvenirs.

On April 17, Elizabeth, Alexis, Francis, and Edward board the first-class passenger deck of the Campania, where they encounter Ciel and his servants, Sebastian and Snake. Ciel claims that he wanted to surprise Elizabeth, who tears up and passionately hugs him. Francis scolds her for displaying indecent behavior, and Edward agrees with his mother. Afterward, Elizabeth, her family, and Ciel eat together on the ship. Although Edward is supposed to be her escort to a dinner party, Elizabeth asks Ciel to be her escort, and the latter accepts the request.

Three days later, at the dinner party, Elizabeth leaves Ciel to get him some cake. When she returns, she discovers that Ciel has disappeared and looks for him. Eventually, she catches sight of him going somewhere, which prompts her to follow. She reunites with him on a staircase, where she tries to give him the cake, but he silences her, saying that it is dangerous where they are and that she should go back to Francis. Not wanting to be left alone, Elizabeth pursues him to the bottom freight storage. She overhears Snake telling Ciel about how good the food is, and asserts that the cake is better than the food. Ciel, then, learns, to his dismay, that she has followed him. She states that she wants him to eat the cake since it is the kind that Ciel likes and she has gotten the biggest piece. She shows him the plate, only to realize that it is empty. A Bizarre Doll, who is behind her, has eaten the cake and is about to bite her, but Ciel saves her in time. Subsequently, a great number of Bizarre Dolls begin to emerge from their coffins.

Soon after, the Bizarre Dolls break out of their coffins, and Elizabeth, Ciel, and Snake run, but the exit is blocked. Ciel orders Snake to assist Elizabeth as she climbs to the top of the luggage. After a struggle with the Bizarre Dolls, all three are on top of the luggage. Ciel and Snake, then, discuss the Bizarre Dolls, the details of which frightening Elizabeth, and attempt to distract them, but to no avail.

Elizabeth, Ciel, and Snake are jolted when the Bizarre Dolls claw at the luggage with their teeth and nails. Ciel vows to protect Elizabeth. Then, Sebastian arrives and attacks them, while Ciel shields Elizabeth. Once the Bizarre Dolls are all eliminated, Snake, Ciel, and Elizabeth, who is aided by Sebastian, descend from the luggage. Sebastian uncovers where Rian Stoker is hiding; pressured, Rian reveals to them that there are two freight storages on the ship, and the front freight storage has ten times as many Bizarre Dolls as there were where they are.

Ciel sends Sebastian to look after the rest of the Midford family. After Sebastian leaves, Ciel forces Rian to start leading them to his room, where there is a device that, according to Rian, can render the Bizarre Dolls inactive again. An employee stops them in the turbine engine room, and Elizabeth, Ciel, Snake, and Rian perform the phoenix pose in order for him to allow them access to the elevator.

While they are in the second boiler room, the Campania crashes into an iceberg, water surges in and the watertight doors begin to close. Snake and Rian manage to pass through the door in time, but Ciel goes back to rescue Elizabeth, to her shock. Ciel grabs her hand, reminding her that he has made a promise to protect her at all costs, and tells a reluctant Snake to proceed without him and that he and Elizabeth will escape via the duct. Snake has his snake Keats guide them through the duct. Ciel starts to climb a wall, instructing Elizabeth to take off her dress, which is impeding her movement. She refuses to, saying that she wants Ciel to think of her as cute until the very end. Ciel, then, tears off her dress, stating that if she dies, everything will be over and she will never be able to wear the dresses she loves again. She apologizes, and he gives her his coat, saying that he will ask Nina to make her a new dress next time. They both apologize to each other. Then, Ciel coughs, which worries her; he claims that he choked on some water and urges her to climb.

Elizabeth and Ciel reach the second-class restaurant, where Sebastian helps them down from the duct. Sebastian informs them that Elizabeth's family is rescuing the other passengers, and Elizabeth thanks him, saying that it is just like her mother to do so and that they will be fine, as long as they are together. They are about to go on, but then Grelle Sutcliff and Ronald Knox arrive. While Grelle raves about Sebastian, Sebastian, Elizabeth, and Ciel attempt to run, but Grelle stops them, attacking Sebastian, who protects Elizabeth and Ciel. Elizabeth asks Sebastian who Grelle is, and the latter tells her to stay away from Grelle. During the fight, Grelle accidentally slashes a window with their Death Scythe, causing water to rapidly enter the ship.

The torrent of water separates Elizabeth and Ciel. A horde of Bizarre Dolls approach Elizabeth; Ciel's leg is wounded, and so he cannot go to her, and his gun has run out of bullets, while Sebastian is busy dealing with Ronald, who has taken Grelle's place. Crying, Elizabeth tells Ciel that she wanted him to think of her as cute until the very end. Subsequently, from a decoration on the wall, Elizabeth grabs two swords and begins killing the Bizarre Dolls, to Ciel's and Sebastian's shock. She kills the Bizarre Dolls behind Ciel, as well, confessing to him that she did not want him to see her in such an "uncute" state, but adds that this time, she will protect him. She, then, declares that she is the daughter of the head of the British knights, Alexis Leon Midford, and the wife of the Queen's Watchdog.

While fighting the Bizarre Dolls, Elizabeth remembers her past, as well as the lessons Angelina taught her. Once she is done killing all the Bizarre Dolls in their vicinity, she tries to attack Grelle, but Sebastian stops her, apologizes, and says that he will take over from there. Soon after, Grelle and Ronald leave, in search for Rian. Elizabeth, then, learns that Ciel has hurt his leg and cannot walk. She offers to carry him on her back but immediately becomes embarrassed. She, then, bursts into tears, to Ciel's and Sebastian's astonishment; she admits that she is afraid that Ciel would no longer want her as a wife because she is "scary," and Ciel assures that it is not the case. Subsequently, Snake reunites with them, and they decide to meet up with Elizabeth's family.

They head to the first-class deck, where Edward is. Elizabeth runs to him, and they happily embrace. After noticing that Elizabeth is carrying a sword, he realizes that she must have fought and comments that the situation must have been hard for her. When Edward encourages them to get into the lifeboats, Ciel asks Edward to allow Snake to take his place on the lifeboat, for he has some business to finish on the ship, to Elizabeth's and Snake's shock. Edward gives his consent, and Elizabeth asserts that she will stay with Ciel, which leads Sebastian to strike the back of her neck in order to render her unconscious.

The Midfords are in lifeboats, with Elizabeth, Edward, and Snake sharing one, by the time the ship heavily tilts and breaks in two. A rescue ships comes at dawn, and the Midfords return to London.

On Easter Day, Elizabeth and Edward head over to Phantomhive Manor, in order to celebrate the holiday with Ciel, Sebastian, Soma, Agni, Baldroy, Finnian, Snake, Tanaka, and Mey-Rin, and Nina; Elizabeth has all of them wear bunny ears.

Elizabeth plans to have an Easter Egg Hunt. She presents the Easter eggs her father designed and the one she made and asks Ciel if he deems a certain flower pattern on the aforementioned egg nostalgic. He agrees, to her confusion. She, then, selects one egg, in particular, saying that the person who finds that egg, among all the others in the manor, will be the winner of the Egg Hunt. Charles Grey and Charles Phipps barge in, and Elizabeth is impressed with the eggs the latter has painted. Subsequently, they announce their intent to take part in the competition. Sebastian establishes the rules of the game and has the participants divide into teams of two. Elizabeth, then, signals the start of the game.

Ultimately, Ciel and Sebastian retrieve her egg, which she has placed on one of the candle holders of a chandelier. They go to the feast held outdoors, where Elizabeth and the other participants are waiting, and Ciel gives her the egg back. Elated, Elizabeth congratulates him and wishes that the egg will bring him happiness. When he walks away, she pensively removes her bunny ears, thinking about how they have celebrated Easter together many times, but it is the first time she has ever made her own egg—and, thus, it was strange for him to state that he finds the egg she made nostalgic. She wonders what happened to him in the one month he was gone.

Public School Arc
Elizabeth attends Weston College's opening ceremony for the 1889's Inter-Dormitory Cricket Tournament. When the party commences, Lawrence Bluewer's sisters swamp Ciel. Nevertheless, Elizabeth quickly silences them all with her presence, announcing that she is Ciel's fiancée. At the same time, Edward starts shaking Ciel—he has his sister, but he still gets all the girls. Elizabeth immediately punches her brother, telling him to stop hurting Ciel.

While Ciel talks with Soma and Edgar Redmond, Elizabeth holds on to a knocked out Edward, realizing she may have overdone it. Furthermore, although Sebastian does his best to remain unnoticed, Francis recognizes him. Elizabeth also notices who he is, and she quickly informs her father and brother of his true identity. Frances Midford realizes that they are both here on the Queen's business. Edward comments that he did not recognize Sebastian at all, stunning Ciel. Edward adds that when Elizabeth is around he does not see anyone else. Sebastian asks them all to keep his and Ciel's secret. Elizabeth hugs Ciel, energetically telling him she will be cheering for him a lot. Piqued after seeing Elizabeth favoring Ciel, Edward responds that the "eternal losers of the Blue House" could never win. Elizabeth's father then announces that he hopes to see another "Miracle of the Sapphires." After he narrates the entire story, Ciel cannot believe that his predecessor was in Blue House. Alexis Leon Midford tells Ciel he possesses the blood of a genius game maker—it is sure to be an exciting match.

The next day, Elizabeth watches the cricket match, sitting alongside Paula, McMillan, and the Phantomhive servants sans Sebastian and Snake. Baldroy comments that this is bad. Finnian questions him about what is wrong; he also adds that the Blue House is "going out so fast." Mey-Rin comments that Blue House sucks, but Elizabeth insists that they must cheer. Furthermore, since Mey-Rin and Finnian are unaware of the rules, Baldroy explains them in detail. When he has finally finished, Mey-Rin exclaims that the game will last so long. Baldroy reassures them that that is why he is here as chef—the food he has prepared will sustain them through the game. Later on, everyone enjoys the food immensely; Baldroy is happy they like it, but he comments that it is not the pie he made. (Elizabeth is blissfully unaware just how dangerous Baldroy's real pie was; luckily Sebastian provided Tanaka with a replacement.)

She then is present along with everyone else watching Team Blue on their boat ride, and then she laughs good-naturedly when Ciel and the other boys fall into the water. During the party, she along with Soma and McMillan surround Ciel so that they can have a good time with him.

Emerald Witch Arc
After receiving news that Ciel has returned from Germany, Elizabeth visits the Phantomhive Manor and excitedly enters Ciel's office, only to find Ciel on top of Sieglinde Sullivan. Thinking Ciel is being unfaithful to her, she lunges at him, but her attack is blocked by Sebastian. Soon after, Elizabeth sits with Ciel, Sieglinde, and Soma as Sebastian explains the situation to her. She then apologizes for misunderstanding things.

When Soma remarks that Sebastian's strict lessons are cruel, Elizabeth asserts that the difficult lessons can become fun with encouragement from everyone and that they should do them together, a suggestion Soma agrees to. When Ciel refuses to partake in the lessons, she angrily states that he must because Sieglinde is his friend. She turns to Sieglinde, next, saying that she envies her, for all English girls dream of being invited to Queen Victoria's drawing rooms and that she, herself, hopes to go someday soon. She adds that they will do the lessons together and make Sieglinde "into a splendid lady." After telling Sieglinde to call her "Lizzie" and the latter asking Elizabeth to call her "Sully," Elizabeth proposes that they commence. Subsequently, she forces Ciel to practice his balance, while the rest look on with amusement. Not long after, Elizabeth lectures Ciel for being so preoccupied with his work that he obliged Sebastian to help Sieglinde all on his own.

Blue Cult Arc
Elizabeth greets her brother Edward when he returns home one night from a Sphere Music Hall party. She asks him if the party was fun, and when Edward affirms that it was, she says that she wants to go as well. After hesitating, Edward agrees to take her with him next time. She rejoices and states that she will have to "dress to the nines"; Edward affectionately pats her head, saying that there is no need since she is the cutest in all the world.

The week after, Elizabeth and Edward attend one of the Sphere Music Hall meetings, with Cheslock in tow. There, Elizabeth notices the fortune-teller Blavat Sky and his customers. After learning from Edward that Blavat is a diviner, an excited Elizabeth runs to get her fortune told, and Edward chases after her. When Blavat is finished reading the fortune of a lady, Elizabeth requests to have her fortune told. Blavat instructs her to prick her fingertip and place a drop of blood into the cup he is holding. Edward angrily voices his objection, prompting Elizabeth to assure him that she can handle the pain since she constantly pricks herself while embroidering; she then proceeds to prick her fingertip with Blavat's needle and let her blood drip into the cup.

While offering Elizabeth some gauze for her finger, Blavat announces that Elizabeth is under the divine protection of Canopus; Canopus is a star that shines brightly at the Keel of Argo; those protected by it are independent, unique, determined, and fixated on things such as their hobbies. When he points out that she must be fastidious about her clothes and shoes, she confirms that that is the case, while the audience looks on with amazement. Blavat says that he can sense another strong obsession in her and that is her fiancé. He whispers to Elizabeth that she is "quite distressed" about her fiancé for some reason. When she asks how he can tell, Blavat claims that because she is less endowed than his previous customer, he can peer deeper into her heart; the comment embarrasses Elizabeth and enrages Edward, who shakes Blavat aggressively, berating him and his "lecherous eyes." After Elizabeth pulls Edward away, Blavat asserts that joking aside, the stars are whispering that she has a bright future beyond her anguish. He adds that she should visit him again for another consultation if she wishes to know more. Elizabeth is absorbed in thought while Edward tells her that they are going home.

The week after, Elizabeth lies to Francis that she received a dinner invitation from a friend and then leaves to the Sphere Music Hall with Paula. For the next couple weeks after that, she does the same thing and ultimately stops returning home. Elizabeth meets Edward at the music hall a few times; there, Edward tries to convince her to go home, but she refuses and then states that she has not grown to hate home—simply, her "radiance" lies there, at the music hall.

Some time afterward, Elizabeth, who is wearing a Canopus bracelet, stands in a room with four doors. Blavat approaches her from behind and encourages her to go through a certain door, which she does.

Later, within the Sphere Music Hall, Elizabeth sees an unconscious "Ciel" and tearfully apologizes to him for being unable to save him.

One day, Sebastian enters a room with a check-patterned hallway. Elizabeth lunges at him with a sword in each hand, but he manages to dodge the attack.

Elizabeth and Sebastian battle, with the former determined not to let him pass. Sebastian attempts to persuade her to go home, but she refuses to. He asks her why she does this even though she has always wanted to see Ciel smile, and asserts that she does not know. In tears, she states that she, and only she, cannot "go back over there." They continue fighting, with Elizabeth shattering the glass window behind Sebastian. In subsequence, Sebastian says that her strength is admirable for a human, and delivers a blow to her chest, which incapacitates her. She tries to stand, but faints instead.

Later, Elizabeth wakes up in a bedroom at the Phantomhive townhouse. She ties pieces of cloth together and uses that as a rope to climb down the window and escape.

Blue Memory Arc
On November 15, about two months after her last sighting, Elizabeth accompanies "Ciel" and Undertaker to Phantomhive Manor. She stays upstairs in one of the rooms while "Ciel" confronts Ciel and announces himself as the true Phantomhive heir to his twin's servants. Elizabeth only joins "Ciel" on the steps to the entrance hall after Scotland Yard, her father, and Edward arrived to vouch for "Ciel" and testify that Ciel is the liar.

Edward asks Elizabeth how she could withhold something as important as "Ciel"'s survival and return from them, but she ignores him and goes to take "Ciel"'s hand and stand by his side. She remains there in silence and watches how Ciel, Sebastian, and Blavat are sent to prison. Afterward, Alexis tells Elizabeth to please return home as they were worried sick. She apologizes to her father and only agrees to go home after "Ciel" assured her that he was fine and she could leave him alone.

While their father stays behind, Elizabeth and Edward drive home. At first, they spend the carriage ride in silence until Edward tells his sister how glad he is that she is not hurt. Then, he repeats his earlier question about why she did not inform anyone about "Ciel". Elizabeth says nothing for a moment before she confesses that she did not know what to do as she has never realised that Ciel was not "Ciel" despite constantly declaring her love for him. If "Ciel" had never returned, Elizabeth says, she would have most likely never found out at all.

Elizabeth stares out of the carriage window and asks herself why she has never noticed the switch. From time to time, she would have doubts; still, they would never go as far as to question Ciel's identity. She also admits that all she thought when she was reunited with "Ciel" was "Now what?"—after all, how could she be with him, let alone face him, when she had not even been able to tell him apart from his twin brother? At first, Elizabeth blamed Ciel for mocking her and her inability to tell apart the lie from the truth.

However, her initial anger of him dissolved after she realised that she was even crueler than he when she began to wonder if she would have been as joyous, had Ciel returned as himself and not pretending to be his brother. And as Elizabeth tried to imagine this scenario, the heartless thought "I wish Ciel had survived instead" crept into her mind, startling her as she had never believed herself to be such a terrible person. All at once, the world Elizabeth knew shattered around her; and although she felt that "Ciel" and Undertaker were scheming something horrible, she let them be if it meant that "Ciel" would stay alive.

Unable to continue and tear-streaked, Elizabeth then leaps into her brother's arms and declares to herself that neither her love to "Ciel" nor her conception of him is real.