Phil (フィル, Firu?) is a supporting character of The Promised Neverland. He is a 4-year-old orphan who formerly resides in Grace Field House under the parental care of Isabella. Phil is close friends with Shelly, who he is often seen around with, and Emma, who he admires and look up to. Along with Shelly, Carol, Eugene, Milly and Charlie, Phil now resides in a new orphanage under the care of a new caretaker after Grace Field House was burnt down.[4]
Plot
Introduction Arc
Taking daily tests, playing a game of tag, eating scrumptious homemade food and having a good time – Phil went through the same routine every day in Grace Field, an orphanage where he lived since the day he was born. Under the loving parental care of Isabella, Phil spent a pleasant childhood in Grace Field.
Phil dreamt of seeing a steam train.
On October 12 2045, Phil woke up from his bed and went to play with Emma and the other orphans as they ran along the hallway. Phil later went to join them for breakfast before going to take a test in the house's test room. Afterwards, he joined the orphans to play a game of tag, as he was soon caught by Norman. Later that night, Conny had to be sent off to foster parents, Phil and the other orphans gave a tearful goodbye as they bade farewell to her.[5] On the following day, Phil carried on his usual routine in Grace Field, later during play time, Mark informed Isabella of Naila's disappearance, Isabella then went to search for the lost child, which took her only a short amount of time to do so as Phil noticed her coming back from the forest with Naila, who was sleeping within her arms.[6]
Aware that Emma and the other older orphans are doing chores within the house, Phil and his best friend Shelly came running to Isabella to ask when will they finish. Isabella said how it would be the last day for them to do chores since a newly appointed caretaker shall be taking over the job for them.[7] After some time, Phil and Shelly once again came to talk to Isabella, this time asking her to join them outside to play, Isabella rejected their invitations, saying that she needs to have a talk with Krone first. Phil and Shelly later came rushing to the big oak tree in the fields in hopes of seeing Emma, Norman and Ray but was led down as only Gilda and Don were there.[8] Phil was later seen among several other orphans drawing diagrams in the orphanage's cafeteria, as a few went up to Krone to showcase their work.[9] Sometime later that day, Phil was once again playing a game of tag with the other orphans in the forest, as Krone soon joined the bunch, catching Phil, who was with Emma and another orphan during then.[10]
Jailbreak Arc
Emma suspected Phil to be Isabella's spy.
Ray pointed out how Phil has the highest score on the test among the children, was one of the last five to be captured by Krone during tag and is always asking for where Emma is. As Emma wondered about, figuring out who could be Isabella's spy, she thought of Phil and Shelly, and how the two frequently asked for Norman's and her whereabouts respectively. Emma comically bent down on the ground refusing to suspect the two to be Isabella's spy, much to the annoyance of Ray.[11]
Emma could be seen training Phil and the other orphans to ran, as her secret intentions were to strengthen their speed and stamina as preparations for the escape.[12] After taking yet another test in the examination room, Phil joyfully ran up to Isabella after she announced how his scores had improved, as Isabella hugged and congratulated him.[13] Several days later, Phil was walking along the hallway of the orphanage, as he heard a commotion coming from the orphans' dormitory. Phil went inside, only to notice Krone shuffling through one of the drawers. Phil asked the caretaker what is she doing, which she replied how she was just searching for something. Phil later proceeded to the cafeteria, as he went running around as Ray stopped him by holding onto his head.[14] As the orphans were laying out the meals on the cafeteria's table, Phil happily stared at them, as he later went to Krone's room with Maya to inform her to come down for the meal. Isabella blocked the two from entering her already empty room, as she put on her usual kind and motherly facade and told them how Krone will not be joining them for lunch. Phil later went to eat with the other orphans, like the moment before they start to eat, Krone was meeting her death, as a demon stabbed her with a Vida, taking her life away.[15]
Phil was later told by Emma about the secret of the plantation, but he responded by saying that he suspected there was something odd. He was put in charge of the rest of the orphans when Emma and the others escaped.
After Emma, Ray and the other older orphans escaped, Phil -following Emma's orders- seek to distract Isabella from finding them, as he brought the rest of the orphans.
Search For Minerva Arc
Phil is shown briefly: he is shown playing with other kids and looking in our direction. Phil was shown to be alive and well in a new farm. He updates the audience on the various changes: Carol talking, his test scores improving, everyone getting along, the split up of the remaining children to the 4 other plantations and not knowing mama's fate.
Phil witnesses one of the kids he looks up to "graduate" the farm (his name is Simon). All his siblings are genuinely happy for him but Phil is mortified. He feels terrified and wonders if this is how Ray felt all those years.
Phil is shown thinking about Emma and her situation. A girl asks if he is alright and after a few seconds pass he smiles brightly and says that he is.
The plantation gets a visitor. He approaches Phil and asks for his name. Phil with a terrified expression answers the man. The man (Andrew) tells Phil that he would like to have a word with him.
Phil is mentioned by Andrew to Emma. He tells her and everyone listening that Phil and he had a talk. Emma looks horrified as does Don.
Appearance
Phil is a child with black hair and blue eyes. The number "34394" is tattooed across the left side of his neck. He wears Grace Field's standard white uniform.
Personality
Relationships
Emma
Norman
Ray
Isabella
Shelly
Short hair caretaker
Phil getting suspected by the caretaker.
Knowing the truth behind the orphanages, the caretakers, and how the orphans that are shipped out were killed, Phil henceforth considered his new caretaker as an enemy and chose to distance himself from her. As Phil often aced in the orphanage's exams, and how he is often seen in a sad and depressed mood, the caretaker started to grow suspicious towards the young boy. One day, Andrew came to interrogate Phil on the whereabouts of Emma's group. It is unknown what happened to Phil since then.
Andrew
Phil appeared to be extremely afraid of Andrew. Whilst in Andrew's eyes, Phil is nothing more than one of the many orphans who he referred to as "cattle children". When the new caretaker suspected Phil and Andrew came to investigate, Andrew greeted the much surprised and horrified boy and asked to have a talk with him. Afterwards, the fate of Phil remains unknown after his confrontation with Andrew.[16]
Gallery
Trivia
- Kaiu Shirai considers Phil as his favourite character in the series.[17]
- Phil's dream, when he gets into the human world in the future, is to ride a steam train.[18]
- The following are Phil's rankings in some of The Promised Neverland's official popularity polls.
- Announced in Chapter 75, Phil achieved the 4th position behind Ray in the Color Illustration Character Poll which was held on The Promised Neverland's official LINE account.
- In Shounen Jump's popularity poll results announced in Chapter 88, Phil is in 7th place.
- In Shounen Jump's 2nd popularity poll results announced in Chapter 102, Phil is in 4th place with a total of 2094 votes.
References
- ↑ Cast Announcement on @Yakuneba_staff Twitter (Japanese)
- ↑ Cast Announcement on Anime News Network (English)
- ↑ Dub Cast Announcement on Anime News Network
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 100
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 1
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 2
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 5, pages 14-15
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 6, pages 3 and 8
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 7, page 4
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 9
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 11, page 2
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 12, page 15
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 15, page 8
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 22, pages 10 and 14
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 23, pages 1, 8 and 13
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 100, pages 12-13
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Questionnaire #4
- ↑ The Promised Neverland 100th Chapter Commemoration Questionnaire #8
