Magical powers are aplenty in The Seven Deadly Sins, but what is Ban’s “Snatch” ability and what kind of powers does it give him? Created by Nakaba Suzuki, The Seven Deadly Sins is a manga that was adapted into an anime series by A-1 Pictures and Studio Deen. The show is loosely based on Arthurian legend and takes place in a setting similar to medieval-era Britain. It follows a septet of knights (the titular Seven Deadly Sins) who disbanded after they were framed for plotting to overthrow the Liones Kingdom. Ten years later, they reunite to help Liones princess Elizabeth to reclaim her kingdom from the clutches of the tyrannical Holy Knights.
The Seven Deadly Sins are so called because they each committed a crime relating to one of the cardinal sins. One of the Sins is a knight named Ban who was found guilty of the sin of greed after he achieved immortality by imbibing water from the Fountain of Youth and was wrongly accused of destroying the Fairy King’s forest. Thanks to his immortality, Ban’s blood has healing properties which he has used to heal other peoples’ wounds. It also means that Ban is unaffected by fatigue or hunger and has survived more than 30 executions.
Immortality isn’t the only thing Ban has going for him, either. Like other members of the Seven Deadly Sins, Ban has a powerful weapon known as a Sacred Treasure. Ban’s Sacred Treasure is Courechouse – a four-section staff with the ability to both extend its length and heighten Ban’s physical and mental capabilities. Alongside his immortality and Sacred Treasure, Ban also possesses a magical ability called “Snatch” that allows him to execute several impressive techniques while in battle.
As its name implies, “Snatch” gives Ban the ability to steal things from other characters in The Seven Deadly Sins. This applies to both material objects like weapons or physical qualities like stamina and speed – the latter of which weakens Ban’s opponents in the process. Rather gruesomely, Ban can also use his “Snatch” ability to steal vital organs and body parts from his opponents by ripping them out – a technique he demonstrated when he forcibly extracted the majority of demon Melascula’s multiple hearts.
With its focus on stealing, Ban’s “Snatch” ability relates to his sin of greed but it has more altruistic aspects too. For example, “Snatch” means Ban can give his life force and strength to another person which he put into action when he selflessly transferred his immortality to love interest and future wife Elaine. However, as The Seven Deadly Sins has proved, there are limitations to Ban’s “Snatch” ability as he can only steal so much of someone’s physical abilities before he is overwhelmed with power.