Final Fantasy VI Advance Part #27

Part 27: inevitable

Last time, we found a fairy.

Robin, naturally, goes up and pokes it.

Somewhat understandably, the fairy does not appreciate poking.

And it has friends.

(I like how Indy is trying to be cool here but only succeeds in getting in Aeris' line of fire.)

I had no idea there were this many...

Pfft, it's not that bad. Between you, Robin and grandpa over there, we could totally take them.

Gramps, take Robin and get out of here!

Thanks for sending away 2/3 of my firepower, jerk <

So Alfred and Robin run off, but pretty soon they come running back in.

There is no escape.

N.O.E.S.C.A.P.E.

I guess it's cute how they try to protect Robin, but she actually does more damage than any one of these clowns so it's completely unnecessary.

Oh. Plot.

A guy who's presumably Yura walks up and we hear some mystical magical sounds. By which I mean it sounds like Nobuo set his synthesizer to "random noises" and let his cat walk over the keyboard.

What is it?

I sense... incredible magic power in Aeris. No... it's more than just magic...

You see Aeris is what the ancients spoke of as Pr'Thg'n Ist. Alfred has read a lot of Robert Jordan, so he knows these things.

Ping!

But Aeris is so over that shit, so she just flashes blue a couple more times and we fade out.

And fade back in.

And it doesn't seem like Aeris has explained anything to them. So that fade was pretty pointless.

Yes.

You're all young espers from the world beyond the gate, aren't you?

Entering this world is forbidden, but we wanted to do something for our friends who'd been turned into magicite.
We all gathered at the gate. And just then, Aeris appeared...

I could feel the strength of your emotions from the other side of the gate.

When Aeris opened the gate for us, we were finally able to escape.
But the moment we stepped into your world, we completely lost control of our powers.

The same thing happened to me...
When that power suddenly stirred inside me, I had no control over it...

Free of their reins, your powers ran wild...

It seems even we espers can lose our senses and do unforgivable things. ...I'm truly sorry.

The Empire wants to make peace with you. Why don't you come with us?

I could think of so many reasons WHY IS NO ONE CATCHING ON TO THIS

...Then would forgive us?

Let's head back to Thamasa and meet with General Leo.

Right!

---

Fortunately, we don't need to walk all the way back.

Indy! It seems you found the espers. I owe you a debt of gratitude.

I am Yura.
What we have done to your people is inexcusable. We are in no position to ask for your forgiveness, but...

Speak no further. We did not seek you out to chastise you for past mistakes.
It is we who ought to be ashamed. We thought of you only as a means by which to wage war.
How close we came to bringing about a second War of the Magi!

We must put this all behind us.

Well, isn't that sweet.

Let's go back to Vector.

Meryl...

But Robin isn't just good at killing things...

Those two are hot and heavy, huh, Grandpa?

...she's also an expert at breaking up awkward jrpg romance moments.

They're young, dear...

(Well, compared to Alfred, bloody near the entire population of the world is "young".)

Before things can get really awkward, someone comes along to put a stop to this little comedy, for which we should probably be happy...

...even though it's him again.

AUDIO: Kefka

And he immediately gets run over by Magitek armour and DIES the end.

...we should be so lucky.

Anyway, he gets up again.

Uwee-hee-hee...! How about a little Magitek mayhem?

Here's the bit where I would complain about sudden yet inevitable betrayal if it had actually been "sudden" but Kefka has been doing shit like this every time we see him and the only reason no one figured it out is because they caught the dumb from spending too much time with Indy.

Speaking of Kefka, though, this is one scene where his theme actually works, since it's long enough to actually go somewhere instead of just playing those miserable couple of bars at the beginning that were probably also created by Uematsu's cat on a keyboard.

_{goddammit animate the fucking fire beam all you need to do is turn it 90 degrees it would not be difficult fuck's sake square}

so anyway the Magitek guy toasts Leo's soldiers and then the protagonists, which is utter bullshit since we all know that attack only takes off like 300 HP maximum and we're all at full health.

Leo is left unharmed, however. Possibly because he took cover behind Aeris.

Hee-hee-hee... Emperor's orders!
I'll turn all these espers in to magicite. Behold! A magicite mother lode!

Kefka does magic tricks!

And then grabs the magicite.

Spoiler: we never obtain Yura magicite. I wonder if he had any good skills.

...what? I'm supposed to be respectful of this tragic scene of murder and betrayal? Sorry, it's a little difficult with the insane clown music playing in the background.

Kefka repeats the process with the dragon and fairy and sucks up their magicite as well.

How pathetic!

And so they torch it.

Off screen, because that requires less work.

Kefka! No!

Shut up!

Leo gets shot for his troubles.

And kicked.

But a quick fade later, he's back as good as new!

We are now Leo.

Leo is pretty awesome and has pretty awesome stuff and I could put it all to much better use than he does.

Leo can't get very far. Talking to any of the soldiers

puts you up against this brick wall made of fuck you. Fortunately, Leo has a trick up his...

...well, fuck.

So, let's not to that!

We should beat on something a little less threatening instead.

And it is less threatening indeed.

Shock works wonders here, and Leo's relic, the Master's Scroll, lets him attack four times per round at 50% strength.

Either way you go about it, Kefka runs away after a couple of hits.

Leo hasn't beaten on him anywhere near enough!

Where are you, Kefka? Show yourself!

EM-PER-OR GES-TAHL...
I need you here...

And who appears in a puff of smoke?

It's the emperor himself!

Leo...

My liege!

It was the only way to get the magicite. You understand, don't you?

But, Emperor...

Don't say anything.
I understand how you feel.

Our top priority is collecting magicite now!

But my liege, then...
What have I been fighting for...?

A corrupt empire led by a greedy bastard and his psychotic clown underling WHY DOES THIS COME AS A SURPRISE

Leo...
I'd like you to take a well-earned rest...
A very, very long rest! Mwa-ha-ha!

Poof, gone!

...and there's Kefka again.

What, you thought you actually hit me?
That was an illusion - just like my Gestahl! You really are a slow one.
And always, always...

K-Kefka...!
Y-you're insane...

Hee-hee-hee...
I'll tell your "liege" I had to dispose of a traitor!

So Kefka kills him.

No, really, it says right here in the combat log.

Die, die, DIE!!!

Luckily for us, something happens before he can start desecrating the corpse.

Because he totally would, the sick fuck.

Wh-what is this!? I feel tremendous power! Wave after wave of pure, magical energy...!

The espers are mad as hell and they're not going to take it any more!

(Wasn't Hang On a motorcycle game on the consoles from the previous generation...?)

So we have a whole army of angry espers heading our way.

But I'm so happy to see you! After all, you've brought me more presents!
And they're all just what I wanted - magicite!

Kefka doesn't seem too worried!

Well, I wouldn't want to turn you down after you came all this way!
First, let's neutralize those pesky powers of yours...

There is a bright flash, and it... also erases the Magitek soldiers from existence. No big loss, right?

Now, little espers... let's see those presents!

I have no idea where he got all that power, but he starts tossing out glowing sparks and pulling in magicite. After he gets a couple...

Eh? You wanna take me on? Fine. Here I am!

Recycling Ifrit's battle sprite

Ifrit is fucked because Kefka either absorbs all his spells (tip: when the enemy absorbs "Fire", don't cast "Fira" on him next you idiot) or blocks them.

Thinking you could defeat ME? How rich!
Mwa-ha-ha!
Come to me, my magicite pretty...
Come, and help me build the Magitek Empire of Kefka!