Ray

Ray (レイ, Rei) is one of the main protagonists of The Promised Neverland and a former orphan from Grace Field House which he escaped from.

History
Ray was born on January 15, 2034, from Isabella, immediately after his birth, Ray was removed from his mother's hands, and a year later in 2035, he being sent to Grace Field, growing up along with Emma, Norman and several other children. During his time there, Ray has been an introvert and preferred to read a book under a tree when the rest play. Growing up in Grace Field, Ray is the closest to Emma and Norman, as the two often seeked to play and spend time with him. The two wished for Ray to socialize more and not have his head stuck to a book all the time.

Being one of the minority of people who do not suffer from Childhood Amnesia, Ray eventually learnt about the secrets and evil-doings of Grace Field and Isabella, like the meaning behind the litany of tests he had to seat through, the gates surrounding the orphanage, the meaning behind the numbers on his neck and how Isabella is actually his birth mother – a theory which is later confirmed true when Ray asked her with an approving smile on his 5th birthday.undefined After which, Ray made a wager with Isabella and became her spy.

Introduction Arc
Taking a litany of tests, eating scrumptious homemade food and having a good time – Ray went through the same routine everyday in Grace Field, an orphanage where he lived since the day he was born. Under the loving parental care of Isabella and the companionship of Emma, Norman and the other orphans, Ray spent a pleasant childhood in Grace Field.

When the day came for Conny to be sent off to foster parents, Ray and the other orphans bade farewell to the toddler. Some time after Conny left with Isabella, Emma found Conny's beloved stuffed toy on a tabletop in the house, Ray remarked how Conny might not have traveled far from Grace Field, and thus advised Emma to return the toy back to Conny.

Some time later, Ray was loitering through the orphanage's hallway and noticed the saddened Emma and Norman returning back, he questioned the two, and stared at them as they did not answer him.undefined During the next few days, Emma and Norman remained silent and secretive about Conny's death and the existance of demons. Ray noticed their suspicious behavior, as he one day followed the two to the orphanage's forest and demanded for their odd behavior for the past few days. After the two let the cat out of the bag, Ray expressed how he also suspects Isabella and the orphanage. When Emma wanted to save every single orphan, it greatly bothered Ray as he viewed her goal to be impossible to achieve. Nonetheless, he joined the two and help in figuring out a way to escape from Grace Field. The three learnt and gathered every possible information they could get about the outside world and to aid in their eventual escape.

Isabella eventually got Krone appointed as Grace Field's second caretaker (as the orphans's "Sister"), an additional obstacle for Ray, Emma and Norman to deal with. Krone tried to get in the way of the trio, much to their dismay.

Jailbreak Arc
Ray, Emma and Norman eventually recruited Don and Gilda into the team as additonal help and told them about the secrets behind Grace Field, Isabella and the existence of Demons. Along the way, the five faced obstacles and issues whilst working together, such as the interference of Isabella and Krone ; suspicions of Gilda being on the enemies' side ; and Don's unhappiness towards the limited trust Ray, Norman and Emma had on him and Gilda, whom they did not tell the entirety of their plan and motives to. Ray was also the spy who worked for Isabella behind his friends' back, as figured out by Norman. When Norman questioned his motive, Ray explained how he already knew about the orphanage's secrets a long time ago, and how him serving his mother as her spy is all pre-planning for him and his friends' escape. Isabella eventually cut ties with Ray and no longer have him as her spy, as she proceeded to foil their escape plan by herself by fracturing Emma's leg and prepared Norman to be shipped out. Isabella's success in rendering their plan useless greatly affected Ray, as he struggled to think of solutions to prevent Norman from getting shipped out as well as aiding in Emma's fractured leg. Nevertheless, Ray failed to do so in time as Norman was soon shipped out. The team and the plan began to fall apart, as Ray became depressed over the failure of the plan and the loss of his friend. Hence, Ray gave up and excluded himself from Emma, Don and Gilda and no longer aid in their escape. Months passed as the remaining four orphans resumed their daily routine in Grace Field and maintained the innocent demeanor they once had.

On January 2046, Emma and Ray – fuelled by the thirst for vengeance of their presumably dead friend – re-enacted the escape plan and revealed how the fact that they had given up during the last few months were all just an act.

Appearance
Ray has dark, somewhat messy hair that slightly cover's his left eye, he wears the standard white uniform. He has dark eyes and a slender appearance wearing usually a tired like look. Ray stopped wearing the standard uniform when he arrived at the shelter where he found new clothes. He began wearing long, black pants, a black shirt, and a long white-colored coat together with the old brown shoes he wore at the Grace Field House.

Personality
Ray's strengths are his cunningness, sharp wits, and his manipulative nature, he is also rational, logical and highly intelligent, Ray is an academically inclined young boy who excels in the orphanage's daily tests, he also uses his intelligence to decipher problems and to come out with solutions.

An outspoken person with little patience for inconvenience and silliness (like Emma's), he frequently loses his temper or is often left dumbfonded when people such as Emma displays reckless behaviour and intentions, noticeably when he considered Emma as an "airhead" when she intended to rescue every orphan from Grace Field.undefined According to the data Krone obtained, Ray is a person who gives up easily. This was specifically proven when after the plan of saving Norman got foiled, Ray lost hope and excluded himself from helping the others to devise another plan to escape.undefined

Ray also seems to be rather aloof and introverted, as he often excludes himself from playing with the other orphans and prefers to read a book instead. However, he is able to interact well with his fellow siblings and is fiercely loyal to them. Even if there are times when they do not get along, he still deeply cares about their well-being and would go to great lengths to keep them safe.

Ray is also noted to be extremely courageous and audacious. He willingly risked his life by lighting himself on fire in order to allow the plan of the orphans' escape to run smoothly; he sacrificed his life to lure the man-eaters away from the other orphans; he has the nerves to blow up B06-32 (a shelter vital to both the orphans and the man) in order to get Yugo to cooperate with him and Emma.

Intelligence
Ray is an extremely intelligent and cunning strategist. He is a highly studious boy. Ray gains knowledge of the outside world from the books that he reads hence act as a trump card for the group during and after their escape from the Grace Field House. Ray is also extremely perceptive, as it is revealed that he realized years ago that the "orphanage" is, in fact, a farm, with the children as livestock, without ever having to actually see the reality with his own eyes (like Emma and Norman) in order to realize this fact. Ray was also the first human (possibly aside from those working for the demons) to discover the demons' physical weakness (their middle eyes) and managed to get Emma to slay a wild demon before it ate him. Hence showing his capability in quick-thinking under pressure in a life-and-death situation l.

Enhanced Stamina
Ray has proven himself to possess incredible stamina. He, together with Emma managed to follow Yuugo for hours without slowing down or losing track of him when they followed him to Goldy Pond.citation needed Ray was also able to outrun a wild demon for several minutes before Emma killed it.citation needed

Culinary Skills
Ray was shown to be an excellent and talented cook when he and Pepe helped Yuugo to make Yakisoba for his food stand. He was also fast at cooking them.undefined

Emma


Ray has a rather complex relationship with his close friend and adoptive sister. As their personalities are arranged to contrast with each other's; with Emma being a jovial, gullible and sociable person and Ray as more of an edgy and sharp-witted introvert. He often displays a brusque, casual attitude with her, which belies their deep bond and care for each other. Despite his blunt exterior, he is always looking out for her, and will not hesitate to comfort or reassure her when he senses that she needs him to. Like typical siblings (or at least friends), they do not always agree and Emma's nature and opinions sometimes get on Ray's nerves. Since their escape from Grace Field, Ray has been an aid in her plans, and has gained more respect for her as their leader.

Norman
Growing up together for almost their entire lives, Ray has been close friends and brotherly figures with Norman in Grace Field. Of all the orphans, Norman is the closest to him besides Emma and often hang out with one another ever since they are toddlers, most noticeably when Norman and Emma wanted Ray to spent more time with them than to have his head stuck to a book all the time, the three also went to explore the gates which surrounds and guards the orphanage.

After discovering that Isabella is evil, Norman was the only other person besides Emma Ray initially put his trust on when they strategized their plan to escape from Grace Field. Ray acknowledges and understands Norman's strengths and weaknesses – knowing how Norman is one of the smartest children in the orphanage, he sees Norman as a strength and trump card he and the others can use.

Norman is one of the people that Ray swore not to let die, he believes Norman to be more logical and less reckless as opposed to Emma and hence trusts and rely on him more. This was proven when Ray was dumbfonded by Emma's reckless intention of rescuing all of the orphans and thus Ray preferred to work and rely on Norman more. The two, however, do have opposing views on various situations, like when Ray wanting to leave the others behind to heighten the chance of their survival, while Norman, believing in Emma, wants to help find a way to help everyone escape. While they have incredible differences, they are two of the smartest children and are making their effort to escape.

After Norman was shipped out from Grace Field, Ray was devastated and greatly saddened over the loss of his friend to the degree of "giving up" and excluding himself from devising the escape plan with the other orphans. Ray (and Emma) mourned over their friend   –whom they supposed is already dead– over a period of 4 months. Eventually, Ray revealed how he still had the desire to help Emma and the rest to make their escape, partially due to his thirst in avenging Norman. Hence showing the deep bond and friendship the two had.

Isabella
What will you do now? Kill me? Mama, I want to make a trade with you.Citation needed In his early youth, Ray revealed to Isabella that he knew the orphanage's true purpose. Since his early youth, Ray worked as a double-agent for Isabella. In reality, he has been planning escaping this whole time. While they mutually converse, their relationship remains tense. Ray knows Isabella will proceed with sending Ray and his friends to their deaths. This leads Ray to determine the best way to deceive Isabella, and avoid this outcome. It is later revealed that Isabella and Ray are in fact biologically mother and son, respectively. undefined

Yugo
Ray and Yugo do not see eye to eye ever since they first met. Their animosity deepens as soon as Yugo threatens to kill him and Emma. During journey to Gold Pond, Ray is very suspicious of Yugo and never lets his guard down around him. After their escape from Goldy Pond, Ray and Yuugo have come to terms and are now friendlier towards to each other.

Krone
Ray tells his mama that Krone is acting on herself. It is currently unknown how Ray feels about Krone after she decided to help the children.

Leuvis
Being enemies at the very start, Ray sees Leuvis as a threat and an enemy. In hopes of avenging Emma who Leuvis impaled, Ray consistently attempted to kill Leuvis alongside Yuugo, Nigel, Violet and Adam, and succeeded in doing so as Yuugo shot Leuvis in his eye, "killing" him in the process.

Trivia

 * Kaiu Shirai revealed Ray, Emma and Norman's birthdays in Volume 5, though he stated how Ray's birthday is on 15 January, he later stated how Ray's birthday is actually another date.
 * Ray, unlike the other orphans, didn't experience childhood amnesia. This contributed greatly to his discovery about the truth of the orphanage. It is likely that he has hypermnesia- abnormally sharp or vivid recall.
 * The following are Ray's rankings in some of The Promised Neverland's official popularity polls.
 * Announced in Chapter 75, Ray is in 3rd place in the Color Illustration Character Poll which was held on The Promised Neverland's official LINE account.
 * In Shounen Jump's popularity poll results released in May 2018 in Chapter 88 of the Manga, Ray is in 3rd place.
 * In commemoration of the manga's 2nd Anniversary, in Shounen Jump's 2nd popularity poll results released in September 2018 in Chapter 102, Ray is in 3rd place with a total of 4651 votes.
 * One of Ray's favourite things to do is dissassembling machines. He likes to take items such as clocks apart together with Norman when they were younger.undefined
 * Posuka Demizu considers Ray to be a fast character to create as compared to Norman and Emma.undefined
 * Ray's dream when he can get into the human world in future is to see the famous Mona Lisa painting and the Sagrada familia church in Barcelona, Spain.undefined