Quote Originally Posted by Marik
I'm not really a fan of Gray's, so I didn't care much for the latter half of the episode.
I think this arc showcased just how adaptable and powerful Gray's Ice Make magic is.

As a base character (design and mannerism) I've always liked him more than Natsu, but Gray suffers from his non-main-char styled power. Ice Make magic denies him the ability to keep unlocking any sleeping powers like the Dragon Slayers, and while he can pretty much make anything static he wants, their appearance don't differ enough to give us a surprise (unlike Lucy finding new keys/spirits, or Erza's armour wardrobe).

"Pumping out more power" doesn't make him any more destructive either, so his potential is really capped by the author's imagination (of the tools Gray can make, as well as the scenarios he's put into so he can use them in a cool way).