Quote Originally Posted by MFauli
I mean, Kumoko "dying" is already an option, isn't it? It's established that the mind can travel freely without body, like Kumoko's 3 bonus minds.
They can travel freely across mind connections. Mother and Kumoko were connected via birth, and Mother/Ariel were also connected. Kumoko's Body Mind can't leave Ariel for all we know now because there's no active connection between the two.

Healing is also not the same as transforming. You can only heal something that is damaged. If I had vestiges with that were unevolved healthy apes, healing them wouldn't do shit.

Quote Originally Posted by Ryll
- Ariel likely has Kumoko, but may also be tied to Sophia, or the guy that none of the reincarnations knew about when Shun asked.
Sophia directly reported back to "Ariel" after she killed Potimas, so they're definitely a party. If we go back and listen to their conversation, the Demon Lord says a few interesting things.

Firstly, "Poor Yamada-Kun". I refuse to believe that the true Ancient Divine Beast would address any reincarnations as that. Future Demon Lord is definitely a Reincarnator from their class, and prime candidate is Kumoko since she's eating her mind right now.

Then you have the weak "Wow, okay, just don't jeopardize the plan." Look at the real Ariel - she doesn't take shit from anyone. No way she'd allow Sophia to talk like that.

I'm sticking with Kumoko having taken over the Demon Lord.