Space Cadet

Let me preface this by saying, in many ways, Undertale lives up to the hype. Toby Fox was clearly trying to make a statement with the game, and Undertale achieves that goal very well.

However, I've found that, depressingly, it got a bit *too* meta for me. And in trying to be 'meta', the game seems to have sacrificed some storytelling integrity. I'm going to try to articulate this as best I can.

*NOTE: This applies to the Pacifist Route and Ending. The No Mercy Route is a whole 'nother post.*

At first, Undertale (Pacifist Route) has a wonderful plot. Although there's some screwy meta stuff involving SAVEing, its otherwise a unique RPG, with surprisingly complex and memorable characters. Your goal, of course, is to escape the Underground. You are hindered at every step by minions of ASGORE, with Asgore himself built up as the big boss.

Right before New Home, Alphys drops the bomb: You need both a human SOUL and a monster SOUL to cross the barrier. This is the ultimate dilemma for the pacifist run. Do you stick by your principles, but remain trapped forever in the process? Or do you choose to take Asgore's life, thus allowing you to go home. The subsequent reveal of the backstory in New Home is done wonderfully, explaining the reason for Asgore's actions and the current state of affairs. Hanging over it all is a sense of guilt: If you just gave up, if you just surrendered your SOUL, the monsters would be able to go free.

It's all magnificent storytelling, and the battle with Asgore is all the more memorable for it. It's a final boss with great emotional impact, and the final decision you make regarding him a near-perfect capstone to the story...

Or it would be if he WAS the final boss.

If you decide to Spare him at the end of the battle, suddenly Flowey comes out of freakin' NOWHERE and kills him. He then declares 'kill or BE killed' right before absorbing the six human soul and crashing your game.

Simply put: What. The. ****.

We had this fantastic, layered conflict, and suddenly Flowey turns it right on its head. What's worse is, in my opinion, there was not *nearly* appropriate foreshadowing for this. We knew Flowey could SAVE, sure, but there was pretty much *no* hint that he had bigger plans and ambitions. The flower comes *this* close to outright being a Giant Space Flea from Nowhere. That's how jarring it is.

It feels like the game took this great story, tugged it out from under us, and replaced it with the ending to an entirely different one, for the sake of being 'meta.'

(And the fact Photoshop Flowey made me lose a night's sleep has nothing to do with this.)

The True Pacifist Ending, able to be obtained after defeating Photoshop Flowey, does little to make this better. When fighting Asriel I had to pause and ask myself, 'Wait, WHY am I fighting this guy again?' That's...not a good thing. I just couldn't connect him to the overarching plot (aside from his obvious backstory importance). He just...suddenly came and was a problem to be resolved.

Hell, Flowey/Asriel wasn't even responsible for setting the original problem in motion to begin with. That honor goes to Chara, the Fallen Child. In that sense Flowey/Asriel isn't even the Big Bad. The Big Bad is the 'cause of all bad happenings in a story.' Flowey/Asriel is responsible for jack shit in relation to Frisk's story until the final section. It's like...they were tacked on and forced to be the final boss because Toby wanted to make a meta-narrative statement. That's the best way I can describe it.

In my opinion, Chara/the Fallen Child should have been the final boss of the True Pacifist Route somehow, not Asriel. Especially given the revelation in the True Lab that Chara poisoned themselves as part of a larger Thanatos Gambit to destroy humanity. *Chara* was the ultimate 'man behind the man', not Asriel. In the end, even Asriel was just another of Chara's victims, Chara's plot eventually leading him to be re-incarnated as Flowey. And as stated earlier, Flowey was by all indications harmless aside from trolling us until the very last part of the story.

I just feel like in the attempt to make the story 'meta' via Flowey, Toby sacrificed the much better story that was present up until that point. Flowey/Asriel were a good character, don't get me wrong, but I think he was utilized in the wrong way. Why are people so eager to rescue Flowey/Asriel? Because his situation doesn't seem *fair.* Toby seems to be trying to play Asriel off as the 'Big Bad whose now reformed and is going to bittersweetly stay behind', which is fair enough except, again, *Asriel isn't the Big Bad.' He doesn't *do* anything until Asgore/the 'presumed final boss.' Even worse, Asriel was essentially punished for being the better person then Chara, resisting Chara's attempts to kill the other humans in the village, in the process getting himself killed and reborn as Flowey.

In a game where the message is 'don't kill or be killed', where the Pacifist Route earns you the best ending...The fact that Asriel is 'punished' for following the game's message naturally rubs a lot of people the wrong way.

I dread seeing the responses others have to my stuff, because I’m afraid it will be poorly recieved. I procrastinate, because I believe things have to be ‘just right.’ Its awful, and I know its a problem.

Right now, I’m going through a ‘Oh god what am I doing’ phase. July, frankly, wasn’t as good a month as I hoped it would be. I don’t think I ever mentioned this, but I’m taking a summer class to make up for a failed credit (since one of my teachers last quarter was a jerk). And then there’s the fact that I got sick towards the end...

That said, did Terezi ACTUALLY remember what happened in the other timeline? That wasn’t really clear...

Okay, first, no, I am not posting a reaction. Or more specifically, I’m not putting up a ‘play by play’ like I have in the past. But that said, there’s a lot to process from this upd8, especially in relation to a particular theory of mine. I’m probably going to make a full post about it and (cross you fingers) put it up later.

FINAL FANTASY is a registered trademark of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.

FINAL FANTASY XIV © 2010-2015 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Sorry you guys haven’t been hearing much from me lately. I’m recovering from a flu (Yes, in the middle of summer. I don’t know how its possible either). I’m barely awake as it is right now...

Before that, I’ve been working on this. I found out about something called ‘post-text’ Let’s Plays, which is what I did for this. The end result was...like a video version of one of my Tumblr posts, with some meta stuff mixed into the reaction. Which is a good thing, I guess? I dunno, it was interesting either way.

That aside, you can blame the flu for the lack of Homestuck and Gravity Falls activity. For Homestuck...I’m just not feeling it guys. I’m really not. At this point, I just want to ride it out and see what happens. There’s just been too much...randomness, I guess? Either way, I don’t feel nearly as passionate about it as I did before.

For Gravity Falls, I’m trying to do something different. My current method is just too time-consuming. even by my standards. I’m going to try doing something with video that still falls under fair use, likely with some post-reaction and analysis stuff following it.

Overall, there’s definitely going to be a gradual shift to a focus on videos for me. I’ll still be posting meta-stuff here, naturally, but I’ll think more about that when I’m less ill and tired. X_X

In hindsight, I could have picked a better thumbnail. But I couldn’t test this for cutscenes and the like. It turned out alright, though. (Although the first video is missing sound thanks to a miscalculation. >_<;)

Anyway! Here’s a ‘live text reaction’ to part of Final Fantasy: XIV’s main scenario. This was really fun to make, and so I really want to find a way to pull this off with other games at some point. Hopefully some of you find this interesting.

I have two videos up right now. The remaining videos, covering up to the end of the “A Realm Reawoken” storyline, will be up tomorrow. Then, I hope to get “Through the Malestrom” done sometime this week. And perhaps more.

I don't think enough people play F!Robin enough to notice how, well, *interesting* she is. And that seems like an oxymoron, given 'the Avatar is boring' complaint’, but its true. F!Robin is far from 'generic', or even 'boring.'

Many of her unique Supports (in other words, those she doesn't share with M!Robin) show that she's actually playful, sassy, and rather aggressive. Take her C Support with Chrom for example. Partway through, Chrom admits he doesn't see her as a 'lady', and after he repeatedly sticks his foot in his mouth, it culminates in this exchange:

Chrom: It's just my image of a lady is someone so prim and proper...perfumed, and pretty... Nothing like you at all! When I look at you, I just don't see a "lady." Does that-- ...Er, Robin? What... What are you doing with that rock? Robin(F): I'm thinking a sharp blow to the head might help fix your eyesight. Chrom: N-no, wait! It was a just a joke! Ha ha...ha? ...Gotta go!

She's also a bit of a troll, enjoys teasing people, and when combined with the aforementioned playfulness, you get stuff like her Support with Yarne (one of my personal favorite Supports):

Robin(F): Ha! Caught you at last. Let's see that furry mane of yours... Yarne: HEY! Don't touch the hair, lady! Robin(F): But it's so soft and fuzzy! I just can't help it. Yarne: I told you...I'm ticklish...hee hee...behind...ha ha...the EARS! S-STOP ALREADY! Robin(F): Oh, come on. Don't squirm so much. A little petting now and then isn't going to kill you. Yarne: I'm a proud taguel, not a blasted pet! Robin(F): No need to get all uptight about it... Yarne: I'm the last surviving member of my race! Of course I'm uptight! Robin(F): See, that's exactly what I'm talking about. A little petting will calm you down. Yarne: No! Absolutely not! Do you hear...

(That's their C-Support, by the way, minus literally the last line.)

Or pretty much her ENTIRE support with Lon'qu (Another favorite of mine):

Lon'qu: What in blazes are you doing, woman? Why are you...throwing...figs?! Robin(F): If you can't get close to a foe, you must engage him at long range. Basic tactics, really! I'm surprised you'd be unfamiliar with them.

Lon'qu: I never imagined you'd continue your fruity assault while I slept! Robin(F): But it was the only way I was ever going to hit you... Lon'qu: And how reckless of you to be sneaking into my tent at night. What if you'd been seen? Imagine what people would've thought! Robin(F): Oh, it's all right. I know exactly when and where everyone sleeps. I made sure I wouldn't be spotted. Lon'qu: I honestly cannot tell sometimes if you are a genius or a complete dimwit.

And as a bonus, a few lines from a couple other Supports:

Brady: That isn't snot, it's tears! I don't need ya wipin' my nose like a sap, see? Robin(F): But you never cry, yeah? Brady: You ain't nearly as nice as everyone says you is.

Robin(F): Your eyes get so big and earnest when you're telling a lie. Did you know that? Severa: ARRRGH!

Yet despite that, she has strong overtones of being maternal figure of sorts in the army:

Nah: So you ARE going to keep coming out with me for my exercises, aren't you? Robin(F): Of course. I've grown quite fond of them, and of you... You're like the little sister I never had...and I guess the big monster I never had, too!

Robin(F): I'm not so sure...but we can leave it there. Hold on a moment, and I'll bring your meal out here. Gerome: Didn't I make myself clear? I don't need your help in this matter, or any matter. I'm capable of getting my own meal. Robin(F): Good heavens, but you are a stubborn one. All right then. I'll leave  you be. ...But I expect to see that plate clean. I won't have anyone wasting food. Not even the "lone wolf." Gerome: ......

To the point it gets lampshaded in her Support with Noire:

Noire: It's just that you're so strong and kind and charismatic. You're a true leader, both on and off the battlefield. You have this kindly maternal aura that cocoons everyone who comes near. But you also have a calm, commanding presence that makes people feel safe. You're like a mother to this whole entire army, Robin!

And works herself to the point of collapse/near-collapse on two separate occasions in her unique Supports:

Noire: Robin. You're awake! Robin(F): Huh? Noire? Was I sleeping? ...Wait, where am I? Noire: You're in the nursing tent. You collapsed all of a sudden. The healers say you have thin blood or something. Robin(F): Was it you who found and brought me here? Noire: Yes. I haven't left your side since you arrived. I've spent a lot of time in this tent, so I kind of know how things work. Robin(F): Thank you for taking care of me. Noire: Aw, you don't need to thank me. It was an honor. Robin(F): I've been working hard lately--perhaps the exhaustion is catching up to me. Still, I'll have to find a solution, I don't have the luxury of being ill!

Laurent: You look exhausted, Robin. Drawn, haggard, and deathly pale. Robin(F): Um, thanks? I guess I have been feeling a little worn dow-- Whoops! Laurent: And now you can barely walk without stumbling. This simply MUST cease! You have worked yourself to the very brink of total exhaustion. Robin(F): Oh, don't exaggerate, Laurent! I just slipped on a pebble. Laurent: I'm not exaggerating. You're looking more Risen than human lately. Robin(F): It's just that... I have so much to do. Everyone is counting on me.

The personality difference between M!Robin and F!Robin were really highlighted in the Drama CDs. Or more specifically, how much M!Robin lacked personality in comparison to F!Robin. Drama CD 1 featured M!Robin and was a comedy-focused story called 'A Volatile Ylissean Romance' that can be summed up as 'All the girls want to marry M!Robin' (No, literally, that's one of the plot points of DC1).

Drama CD 2, "A Dauntless Plegian Storm," featured F!Robin, takes place right after the battle in Chapter 10: Renewal, and is darker and more serious. In one memorable scene, F!Robin calls out the cycle of violence between Ylisse and Plegia and gets into an actual argument with Chrom (translations provided by azurillturtle):

Robin: The two kingdoms have been at war since ages past. Why continue to repeat something so meaningless? Are they trying to destroy each other? Even though war breeds nothing but sadness. [breath growing shorter] This… earth where such beautiful flowers grow… is stained with blood… Chrom: [darkly] It is because they have behaved aggressively since ancient times. Ylisse has always been threatened by Plegia. Robin: Even so! Continuing these attempts to destroy each other is sheer folly from both sides! Chrom: [whirls around, speaks sharply] Robin! Chrom: Are you saying that Ylisse is also at fault? Are you siding with the Plegians? With those dastards who killed Emm!? Robin: T-That’s not what I... meant... Chrom: [accusingly] Then what did you mean?

This is one of those scenes that I really wish could have been included in the game itself. It probably wasn't because M!Robin practically worships the ground Chrom walks on, and lacks the assertiveness to even *try* something like this.

Drama CD 2 does an excellent job of showing many sides of F!Robin's character, even though she spends a good chunk of it conked out by illness (the main plot deals with trying to find a cure). Like her more playful side (Where they're discussing visiting the local village for help, and doing so without attracting the Plegian army still pursuing them):

Chrom: Robin.  It’s fine.  Get some sleep.  I’m going to pay a visit to that “village”. Robin: [breathing heavily, panicked] Chrom!  Wait!  If anyone is to go, we’ll need a plan.  Ah, um… let’s see.  Please call Stahl.

[sounds of someone getting dressed] Chrom: Honestly, even at a time like this… you’re really something. Robin: [giggles] How is it?  The two of them look just like a married couple on a journey. Stahl: [unconvinced] R-really? Lissa: Ehehe!  It’s fun wearing something different! Frederick: I see.  Even if Lord Chrom hides his lineage, his royal dignity cannot be concealed, and word will spread.  And so the one to visit the village must be Stahl, who is completely unremarkable!  As expected, Robin!  What a magnificent plan!

In one of the more intense scenes, where the group left behind while Chrom and the others are looking for the herb to heal her believe Plegian soldiers are approaching their hideaway, its made clear that underneath it all, Robin's sense of self-worth is absolute rock-bottom:

Robin: Plegian soldiers… are approaching, aren’t they? Lissa: Um... well… Virion: No, those footsteps belong to the villagers coming to visit.  It’s fine, Robin.  We’ll go talk to them. Robin: [small laugh that turns into ragged breathing] Virion… you’re quite skilled at lying.  But… thank you.  I know.  You’ve done enough. Virion: Robin… Robin: Lissa… Virion… leave me… and run. Lissa: Huh? Virion: [muffled noise of surprise] What are you saying?

Robin: The enemy is approaching.  You can’t bring me along.  I’ll only be a burden. Lissa: [gasps] No! Virion: [gravely] Are those your orders as tactician? Robin: Ah… [laughs breathlessly] It’s nothing that grand.  I just… don’t want to… cause you all any more sorrow. Lissa: [small voice] S-sorrow? Robin: [breathing hard, about to cry] Lady Emmeryn has died.  If I die as well… You are all too kind.  You will be overcome with sorrow. Lissa: [about to cry] Robin… Robin: I don’t want to burden... Chrom and the others… with any more sadness.  So… so… please pretend that I… a person without memories… who doesn’t even know her past… never existed to begin with. [breathing hard] Please… forget about me. Lissa: [gasps, shouts] Don’t say that, Robin! Robin: Lissa… this is where we part ways.  Please tell Chrom… I escaped alone… and concealed my whereabouts. [swallows] “She fled from battle.  She gave in to fear and departed the battlefield.” [gasping for breath] And then… everyone will immediately forget about me.  I think… I think that’s for the best. Lissa: [crying] No!  I don’t want to! Virion: Robin… you… Robin: I’m a hindrance… so forget about me… and run away, quickly… Lissa: [screaming] No!  I’m staying right here!  I’ll protect you until the end, Robin! Robin: Lissa… [small laugh] T-that is a problem…

Robin: But… I really… am sorry. [sobbing] Lissa, Virion.  I… really am hopeless… but even so… I don’t want everyone to forget about me!

(This is actually one of the few things she does share with M!Robin. But while F!Robin covers it up being aggressive, M!Robin deals with it by being the army's doormat.)

Another place where the contrast between the two Robins shows is, surprisingly, Smash 4. Compare one of their victory poses, for instance:

M!Robin has a blank expression, while F!Robin is smiling in that 'Hah! I won!' sort of way. In fact, one of her potential victory lines is "Ha! Checkmate!" (M!Robin's corresponding line is "The key to victory lies within"). F!Robin, in short, *exudes* personality in Smash, while M!Robin is, well, pretty boring. And plain. Its an interesting contrast, really.

Someone on Reddit said, when I pointed all this out 'Why didn't they just make F!Robin the main character then?' Besides the fact the Avatar needed to be customizable, the female Avatar being better written then the male Avatar is actually not a phenomenon unique to Awakening.

But at this point, that warrants its own post. I'm just going to leave this here as a F!Robin analysis.

Thanks. I should be fine soon enough. As in, as soon as my body stops insisting on sleeping in 10-12 hours, even through *multiple* alarms. Followed by not letting me go to sleep all night. I’m going through a cycle of feast/famine, and I’m painfully aware how screwed up it is.

It really isn’t easy for a night owl when the rest of your family are early birds and insist that you act as such as well.

[2.0] In accordance with the increased level cap, the difficulty of the FATE "Steel Reign" has been adjusted.

More like, in accordance with the update, we made Odin remind players who's boss.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comments/3bebdg/odin_in_30/cslfx33

I’m so,so, sorry for the TVTropes reference in the title but that’s really what I got from this. AHH! Didn’t see that coming.

Reaction and speculation below:

And Vriska is back out in the Lomax treasure bubble.

Though it looks to be a different area.

What Meenah doesn't say is that its more respectable then the six sweeps ghost!Vriska is. According to Hussie's Twitter, Meenah and the A1 trolls are about 19 human years, or 9 sweeps. Alive!Vriska is closer in age to Meenah then Griska was, which is what Meenah is thinking about here.

Its more subtle, but this is another callback:

Next:

That's strangely relieving, showing Vriska is open to other ideas besides the army if they are out there.

Guess what the weapon does?

Which means the B1 kids will, in fact, be released when the weapon is used? Hm. I keep bouncing between them being from the timeline we're following, or another timeline created by the other zappy John we saw. It all depends, and a lot is up in the air right now. I guess we'll have our answer in good time.

Is that an army??? How? What's going on?

Is that who I think it is?

Hey, the characters here are using the sprites from the Ministrife! Also, that’s PRE-RETCON Tavros! The one we last saw ditching Vriska back on the pirate ship!

Next:

Whelp, this is our first real 'cliffhanger' in a while. Bet there's an interesting story behind THIS. It makes me think of the trope referenced in the title. To quote:

The heroes may have The Plan, but they just don't have the manpower. So, against all hope, they have to call on the sorts of people who may not want to help or even like them.

Then the help comes. Whether or not it's successful, it's a good show of the ultimate community spirit. It's also a nice Continuity Nod if it features characters the heroes have helped in the past.

I can safely say I didn't see that coming. Knowing Hussie, we're probably going to get a perspective change next. I think...Give me a sec. 009754-009349=405. And the remaining 'true' Acts were said to be 400-500 pages long. And there aren't any horses scheduled after the 10th.

Which means...The 10th upd8 is more likely then not the END of this Act!

Whoa…

What's going to happen after that? Well, Hussie has said this is the last 'traditional' act, and I've heard people say the rest is animation/flashes, but that's just what I heard.

Holy shit, we're almost at the end of Homestuck. I don't think I'm really grasping the gravity of this. It'll probably sink in over the next couple days and then I'll freak out during one of the upd8 posts.

So, with this one, and the post addressing today's upd8, I'm caught up! ...For whatever that's worth. There's only two upd8s left in the current schedule.

Reaction and speculation below:

Ooh, the [S] page is playing 'Killed by 8r8k Spider!' This is a callback, by the way:

So, let's see what Vriska wants!

I was wondering about that:

Especially since she left before she could say what she needed Tavros to do. Guess we're about to find out.

This is a callback:

I think I know where part of this is going. Though I do wonder how the mouse got into Jake's pocket…

Yet another callback:

I know exactly what's going to happen next.

Yep, I knew it. This is also a callback:

So's the next panel:

Next:

Grab the cat? Why? Couldn't she just have him control it via his psychic powers?

Uh oh…

Oh crap.

Poor Tavros.

And Vriska mercifully put him to sleep.

That's pretty smart, actually. Gcat did a lot to fuck around with the Alpha kids, even when it WASN'T under the control of the Condense:

Next:

Translation: You weren't even thinking about his allergies when you made this plan. Oh Vriska. -__-;

No comment.

Callback. Or at least part of one:

Also, looks like Vriska is back in the LOMAT dreambubble.

Anyway, yeah, not much to say about this one. I know Hussie said Vriska was designed to be as decisive as possible, but wow. I’m not going to say anything else, for risk of this devolving into another rant or something.