Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-67.70.92.41-20151228204640/@comment-27402462-20160226210555

1. You can injure someone even if they are using their aura. It's happened enough times in the series already with Yang losing her arm, characters getting knocked out, getting brusies, and other stuff. Where does it say that a person can't be hurt if they have aura? Sure, they can use it to protect themselves, but it's just like using a shield; shields only cover so much and can only take so much damge before giving way. And I pointed out that Emerald made it look like Mercury wasn't expecting it, meaning he would be caught off guard and would not actively be protecting himself in any way using aura.

2. The screenshot you provided doesn't provide a solid case for him smiling. It kind of looks like it, but it also looks like a stoic face when you look at it other times. Besides, it doesn't matter if he's smiling. Like I said in another comment, he might have known of her semblance (or heard of it from Neo or seen her fights), but anticipating and being able to defend against it are two different things (and in my personal opinion, Yang was probably the most vicious in her attack on Mercury than she has been with anyone else. That point blank charge that went right through his chest was a devastating blow).

And you admitted he was surprised when she came at him. Why would he be surprised if he knew it was coming or knew exactly what to expect? It's not like he had to put on a show and act like he was surprised because the announcers and the students themselves didn't stop themselves from revealing their semblances. My take on it is that he very well could have known about her semblance, but didn't put much, if any, effort into devising a way to circumvent or defeat her in this state, possibly because he didn't have the time to do so because of running errands for the plan, didn't think it was necessary (if the outcome didn't matter, then it wasn't necessary), or, just like with his match with Pyrrha, wanted to test the waters to get to know her fighting style or see how well he'd do against her with what he already knows and has to offer.

Also, I honestly can't picture as to how Mercury could take on Yang in her empowered mode. Mercury had the edge in quick movements and tacticalness and their strength level seemed evenly matched, but her  semblance boosts her power and speed to incredible proportions. The only thing Mercury could have done was somehow knock her out before it turned on (out of ring or consciously).