Part 55: Update Fifty Two: The Sunken Desert

Update Fifty Two: The Sunken Desert

Welcome back, folks! Last time, on Chrono Trigger, we completed Robo's sidequest in the Future; today, we're going to do the final sidequest before starting the endgame proper, so let's bounce.



In fact, that endgame is why I ended voting early. There's some really cool shit left to see, and this sidequest is part of it. Not the dungeon itself; that sucks. But what comes after the dungeon, that's the real prize here.



We're in 600 AD for this one, and we're stopping by Fiona's Villa. I don't think we've stopped here before; there's not much reason to. Mostly because there's not a ginger Ogre in there, but also because all Fiona had to say was that she wanted her husband to come back, and we were trying to end that war to get him back.



There's also a pretty fair chance I just plain-ass forgot to stop by here.





Anywho, he's back, Fiona is pleased, and now we have dialog relevant to the sidequest at hand.



Look on the table.



When we told that woman to plant that sapling with hope, we created the future that made this possible. If we had told her to burn it, in addition to being assholes, we couldn't have done this sidequest.



Monsters, you say? Marco, do you have anything to add here?



This is the kind of thing we specialize in. Thankfully, we brought someone who can utilize water (or ice, rather) to help crush these desert making monsters.



This is the main clue that I haven't been here; I didn't rob them blind. Two Mid-Ethers is the take here.



Before we drop inside, Robo is equipped with the Blue Gemstone.





We drop into the dungeon, and this screen is half of it.



There's a lot of goddamned treasure here, too.



Seriously, there's close to a dozen chests in here.



And some monsters, too. By that, I mean these guys and the boss.



1,000 HP on these guys, with no weaknesses, but high Defense.



Granted, magic is pretty damned effective, but that's not their gimmick.



Water attacks lower their Defense to normal levels, allowing you to beat on them normally. Though, isn't this part of the strategy Luffy used to defeat Crocodile? But he found it on accident, and with his own blood.



So let's blast these fuckers with a special space laser.



That was Omega Flare, one of just two Triple Techs Janus is involved in; it requires either him, Lucca, or Robo to be equipped with the Blue Gemstone, and requires Shadow Bomb, Flare and Laser Spin. It deals a shitload of Shadow damage to the enemies.



After the fight, Robo and Lucca pick up a new Double Tech, but it requires use of Robo's Proximity Bomb and has the same range limitations. All that should mean to you is that it'll be a goddamned pain in the ass for me to show off.





Heading south, there's another chest.



I'll take this moment to talk about these guys normally.



For an idea of their Defense, Robo hit them with a critical strike and still did less than 400 damage.



So let's soften them up and see what he can do normally.



After showing off how beastly the Wonder Shot can be.



It's capable of some really great damage, but you'll get more reliable results just using her magic. Or another character's physicals.



Anywho, back to Vilepillar defenses.



Hitting them with water brings their Defense to normal.



It's all about as exciting as it looks.



On the other side, there's another fight, but also some armor I don't think I'll be using.





This is the second half of the dungeon.



Chests just litter the room.



Before we can go too much further, however, the earth starts to shake.



They're called Graboids, Lucca. Sheesh.





...That ain't no damned Graboid I've ever seen.



That jerk's gonna pop up randomly around the room; touching him initiates a boss fight.



...I'll be goddamned. That is a real word.



Lucca, I think you forgot who you're traveling with. We'll be fine.



Most of the time, I don't see why they throw cash in these endgame dungeons, but there's a decent enough reason for it here.



Which we'll get to later.





Two more over there, and the screen randomly shakes to show that the boner-thing is tooling around the room.



And he's caught us over here.



And so begins our next boss fight; Melphyx, the desert making skeleton monster.

To see the fight in motion, click here!



There are three targets in this fight, and each must be defeated to win this fight.



The Upper and Lower halves will absorb energy from the Core.



Which means, simply, they're stealing its health.



Let's soften them up a bit.



All parts are immune to water, with the top and bottom immune to all elements.





This is a dud from the Wonder Shot.



Robo's best form of attack is the Rapid Fire Fist.



There's 5,000 HP up top, 4,800 on the bottom, and the Core has a measly 1,000 HP.



There's no real danger in this fight. It's kind of pitiful.







Also, don't blast the Core with magic outside of Water.



It absorbs those elements.





Sand Cyclone is a recolored Nereid Cyclone, like Heckran used way back when.



It doesn't seem to be any stronger.



Actually, I lied; there is one threatening attack here, but it doesn't come up often.



Nothing that can't be dealt with quickly, however.





I don't have a good explanation for what Melphyx will do when running wild. I didn't see a fucking difference in his attack pattern at all.





The Lower Half will have its Defense raised when attacked, which can be dropped again with the application of Water magic.





To end this fight, Lucca blows its head off, and Robo goes all Fist Of The North Star on the crotch.



Janus learns his penultimate Tech, which I'll get into later.





But first, Lucca, let's clean this place out.





Eh, not a terrible haul. The Muscle Ring, despite what you'd expect, doesn't raise Strength at all. It's a Stamina boost of six points.



There's also a Strength Capsule in the first area, but I just wanted to get the hell out of there.



But, back to Fiona with the good news.



Especially if you're starting with just a single sapling.



...Well, there's a possibility I know someone like that.



About what? Ice cream? Because I could go for some.



There's Moose Tracks in the freezer.



Do what you want; I'm getting some ice cream.





I leave for a couple of minutes to get ice cream and Robo becomes a plow?









I have nothing to say about these last four screenshots. Sometimes, it's better just to let things play out.



(well, that, and I'm watching Justice League Unlimited and eating ice cream; what do you want from me?)



Alright, that's done and--Holy shit.



Jesus Christ, Robo, you worked your ass off. I bet Fiona is pleased as punch about this.



...I remember what happened the last time I entered a place full of nuns.





Thankfully, these nuns aren't monsters in disguise. Or maybe they are, but we never learn about it if that's true.



Hell, this one is actively helpful.



Granted, it's selling us some great headwear we already have and for a ton of cash. I don't buy anything here, but these are nice to have if you don't have the Prism Helms.





Well, Lucca, I hope you brought your tool set. I'm gonna reckon Robo needs a-fixin'.



And it amuses me to see Janus dragging Robo down, like he actually gives two shits about the 'bot.



In the not too distant future...



Don't worry; it's the Mike episodes. You're in good hands.



"Janus, wizard who wanted to kill everyone and has never said two words to me! It pleases me to see you after so long! I hope you've been well!"



Just wait until you see the hippie infestation. It's just terrible.



Well, I just had ice cream, but I could go for a burger or two.





I know it's smoke from the fire, but this always looks like Robo's head is smoking from whatever Lucca is doing to his noggin.



"I wrote a song about it; it's called 'Mr. Plow.'"



Alright, Robo, who the hell created them, then?





There is a lot to say about this, and I'm going to hesitantly allow discussion of it.



There's not a ton of information available on what Robo is talking about here, but there is plenty of speculation.



There's a lot of spoilery shit that we can get into here, so if you talk about it, try and keep it covering what we've already seen. There's a little bit more to go in the game, and then it'll open up some more discussion.



I'm curious about something; how many cultures have the life flashes before your eyes thing when you're about to die?



It seems like a fairly common sentiment, but I'm sure some cultures don't have that system of thought.







I guess it depends from person to person, Marle. But it would seem to be a common desire to right the wrongs you've done.











That exchange fucks me up a little bit inside.



Like I said, there's a ton of speculation about what entity they're referring to here.







I'll keep my speculations to myself; it doesn't seem right to chime in on that sort of discussion.





We fade to black.



And come back to everyone snoozing. I'm not sure how Janus is sleeping, but it seems so he uses his cape as a blanket.



Lucca gets up, the only one awake.



We can't talk to anyone else, and there's only one place to go.



There's a Gate over here?



This is not a normal Gate. In any other Gate, we can go through multiple times.



However, what we do here, we have one shot at.





This is Lucca's House, in 990 AD.



I don't get it. But whatever. Who cares about stupid science anyway? Girls don't need to know about that stuff!





The one moment Lucca wanted to go and change is happening before her eyes.



If you'll remember, Lucca's mother, Lara, is paralyzed from the waist down.



Lara goes to clean up whatever machine Taban has built.





It's okay, sweetie. We'll just have to--









We can fix this issue, but we need to find the password.







Nothing in this room, but there's one place left to look.







Thankfully, it's an easy one to figure out.



L A R A









We did it. We changed history and saved Lucca's mother.





This also prompted Lucca's interest in science.



Our business is concluded here, so let's scoot and skedaddle.



We come back to the forest around Fiona's Shrine and find Robo waiting for us.





She's not the only one who thinks of others, Robo.











And with that, we've finished off this sidequest.

Next time, we'll start our run through the Black Omen. Do me a favor and BOLD a vote for who comes along on the first leg of the journey.

However, one question remains.

What if we hadn't entered the password to save Lara?