Law of Cycles

This section may contain major spoilers!

Please refrain from reading if you are not yet familiar with all the latest media released.

“She’s gone. The Law of Cycles says it has to be this way.”

“It’s the fate of all magical girls though. I’m sure you understood that fact when you first got your powers. We’re supposed to bring hope. But once it turns into despair, we have no choice but to disappear… forever.” - Mami Tomoe, Episode 12.

The Law of Cycles is a concept wished into existence by Madoka Kaname. It’s only directive in the universe is to erase Witches before they are born. Which it does by absorbing the despair of Magical Girls from their Soul Gem at the moment it would transform them into a Witch.

The Law of Cycles and Madoka Kaname together make up the existence known as Ultimate Madoka.

General Info

The symbol of the Law of Cycles, seen in the Rebellion manga

In episode 12 of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Madoka Kaname wished to erase all Witches before they were born. This wish took form in the concept known as the Law of Cycles.

From its creation, Madoka is able to visit all Magical Girls in their final moments, absorb their despair, taking on their burden and allowing them to pass on peacefully.

The Law of Cycles is omnipresent, but not self-aware. If a pocket dimension is created, as it is in Rebellion, the concept will not be present there, unless it were allowed to influence the pocket dimension.

The Law of the Cycle can be split from the existence known as Madoka Kaname and has been done at least twice so far, both times occurring in Rebellion.

The first was in a plan by Madoka Kaname, Sayaka Miki, and Nagisa Momoe to infiltrate the barrier the Incubator’s set up around Homura’s own Labyrinth. Through that, Sayaka and Nagisa were responsible for the Law of Cycles, and ensuring it could be returned to Madoka safely after they completed the mission.

The second occurred after the completion of their mission. When Homura split Madoka Kaname from the Law of the Cycle. This is later confirmed by Sayaka’s conversation with Homura, where Homura states she tore off a piece of the Law of Cycles.

Observations

• When Madoka is split from the Law of Cycles, what remains appears as Ultimate Madoka, but with her eyes faded out. It might not be wrong then to infer that the Law of Cycles is the physical body of Ultimate Madoka, while Madoka Kaname herself is more akin to the one piloting it.
• It appears that girls who were taken in by the Law of Cycles were allowed to overcome their grief, and can now harness it as their Witch Forms.
  • This idea is likely part of the inspiration for the Doppel System in Magia Record.
• "Law of Cycles" is probably a mistranslation, since it's connected to the buddhist concept of a "life circle".
  • On the other hand, it can be seen as a pun, as 'Madoka' can be rendered with the word 'cycle'.