Part 83: Part Eighty-Three: Laguna's Last Dance

Part Eighty-Three: Laguna's Last Dance


Following Laguna's daring/stupid antics in the science gulag, we cut to this lab area.


Luckily, this game doesn't involve a stealth section, so Laguna was in prison with his machine gun and there's no guard upstairs.



Before you get control, the guys at the console start talking about...something. Listening to the moon.


I believe you can just leave outright, but if you push over to the console, there's some incidental dialogue.



Doctor's Assistant: You would need a system to move it. And you are researching that now?

This is interesting. What is Lunatic Pandora?

Doctor's Assistant: How do you come up with such bold ideas? I could never come up with such brilliant ideas.

Someone is lookin' for a promotion.


The true inspiration process.


What was built where?

Doctor's Assistant: So much money was spent on building it. Now why couldn't they give some of that money to this lab?

Nobody is actually talking to Laguna right now, so they're not explaining it, but Esthar built a base in space to look at the moon.


You may not have noticed it in his earlier lines, but Odine has some kind of accent. I'm not sure exactly what it's supposed to be, but it involves the letter z.


There's a third bit of plot-relevant dialogue here, too. We sort of knew this already.

Doctor's Assistant: I have a daughter myself. It disturbs me to hear such a story. How do you think their parents feel?
Doc Odine: They will be proud to help ze research! Zat iz all zat matters.

Odine is a pretty classic type of scientist character, a guy who's only concerned with his research and isn't at all interested in ethics.


Before we leave, there's one more exchange to get, which has nothing to do with the story.

Doctor's Assistant: My friend's bugging me to return it...
Doc Odine: I don't know!


Laguna, so interested in Weapons Monthly news, cannot refrain from saying this out loud.

: (Darn it!)


...And so, we have to book it outside.


Oh hey, Moomba and Prisoner #2 are waiting for us.

Moomba: Grrr... Grrr...


After growling out his appreciation, Moomba runs off.

: (Darn it! I promised him a meal and a nap when we get out. Well...I guess he's better off running...free.)

Laguna's a pretty considerate guy.


But, we don't have a lot of time to consider the moomba, what with the doctor's assistant showing up.

Prisoner #2: It's ok... He's also an 'Adel Resistance' member. He's Dr. Odine's assistant. All the hot info about the lab comes from him.

There are a couple of lines from the assistant when you're listening in that take on a bit different character after you hear he's a resistor.


Hi.

Doctor's Assistant: You made quite a bit of noise down there... Well, this may be a good time to leave this facility.
Prisoner #2: Did something happen to the doctor? Or did Adel stop funding this lab?
Doctor's Assistant: No, it's Dr. Odine. He... He's done it again. He's found a new toy he prefers over a big one like Lunatic Pandora...

We have yet to actually learn what Lunatic Pandora is, but we know that it's big and it could potentially be used as a weapon.



Ellone!

Prisoner #2: You know her?
: Know her...? She's really the only reason why we're here.
: ......

Of course Ellone would be tied up in something special. By the way, this is likely around the time when anyone started learning Ellone has special powers. I don't think anyone ever actually talks about that, but it makes sense when you think about it.



Laguna went from zero to yelling at this guy immediately.

Doctor's Assistant: Dr. Odine would probably know her whereabouts.
: So look for Odine, right? We're going back! Thanks for all your help. Better go some place safe now. Adios!

As usual, Laguna's about to rush into things without thinking about them.


Before he can, though, Prisoner #2 gets his attention.

Prisoner #2: If you're looking for that girl, Ellone, you'll eventually need help.

Now it's time for the pitch.

Prisoner #2: Facing Esthar...and Adel with only the 3 of you will be difficult. Why not let us help you? We'll provide you with all the information you'll need.
: It's not a bad idea... We don't know anything about Esthar.

They both have a good point. Improvising might be one of Laguna's strengths, but this is some pretty heavy stuff.

: I never want to go through all this again. I'm sure Ward feels the same way.
: ......

It was a lot of hard work for these guys to get to Esthar. On the other hand, if they fuck it up, they probably won't get another chance.



: We'll accept your help. And in return, we'll help you 'Anti-Azel' movement or whatever.

Laguna's pretty lax about planning, but he does know how to take advice when it comes down to it.


On the other hand...



: Start listening more closely, 'cause it's getting embarrassing... ...is what Ward would say. Can't you see it in his eyes?

...he is still Laguna.

: Yeah, sure, I always see it! But...who cares!? I speak with passion, from the heart! That's what matters most.

This is really why the guy would want Laguna as the leader of the Adel resistance. He said himself that they're mostly just researchers, but Laguna is a guy who does whatever he feels is right and does it immediately. They already have plenty of plans, they just need a capable warm body for the action. On top of that, Laguna is pretty personable, another good feature for your anti-dictator leader to have.



Prisoner #2: I really want you to be our leader...

There's also a personal element to this offer, but a guy like Laguna is a great find if you need some dude who will just charge directly into danger. It's similar to Squall's promotion in a way, where they're maybe not the most qualified people in the entire universe, or the ideal leaders, but they're the best around right then and there.


For his part, Laguna's jumps right in.

: Well, let me go pay a little visit to Odine. Wait right here!



I like Laguna's little internal monologue here, it's just the perfect summation of his thought process at any given moment.


Before we go in, we're gonna hassle these two. The assistant doesn't have anything new.


Prisoner #2 does, though. I have never seen "special someone" used in a non-romantic sense before, which makes me think it might be a mistake.

: Huh? Yeah, something like that.
: Laguna... Pu-lease... She's like a daughter to you.
: She may be small, but Elle's still a 'lady'. Imagine how angry she'd be if she heard me talking about her like a baby. So I say 'special someone' out of respect...and fear.

Maybe "someone special" is a phrase in Japanese that doesn't translate well?

: I see... Maybe you have a point. It's not wise to upset her.
: Right. Do you remember the 'J Disaster'?
: Yes... She got upset and put fruit jam in your shoes. You were almost in tears!

Ellone with a classic prank here.

: Ugh! Just thinking about it gives me goose bumps.


And so ends that little story about Ellone that you can only hear if you talk to this guy for no reason.

Prisoner #2: We better go help her soon, before she gets angry.


Now, let's go harass Odine. Nobody can draw Death.


Apparently, Odine left while we were chatting.


But, we got something even better!


The hardest-to-find issue of Weapons Monthly deals with the ultimate weapons we've not already seen. For example, the Lionheart.




Rinoa and Irvine's weapons aren't particularly interesting, but Selphie's Strange Vision is a very useful weapon: it has a 255% hit rate. This means that, if you put the time in to get the upgrade, Selphie has a slight edge over other party members in combat.



Thankfully, Odine didn't get far, having just gone downstairs to tinker with the panel.




Oh, fuck off outta here.


This is not a good lie.

Doc Odine: ...Okay, I was lying! Ellone... I know Ellone!


...And he just books it.




This is some Scooby Doo shit.


Luckily, this car shows up and cuts Odine off.

Doc Odine: ......In O Lab!

What is O Lab?

Doc Odine: Ellone iz there.
Doctor's Assistant: (...He means Odine's Laboratory.)

Oh, I guess he's got another, non-Lunatic Pandora lab.


You can see Odine leaving in the background here.

: I see... I didn't understand a word. Kiros! It's your show from here!



Doctor's Assistant: Please be careful.

At this point, everyone piles into the car and drives off.


We cut back in here.

: This place sure is weird...


Ah, we lost Prisoner #2.

: I think he must be lookin' for us...
: ......
: Yeah, you wouldn't usually jump out of a car...

Oh, Jesus Christ.

: Whoa, it just kinda sped off. I hope he's all right.
: Besides, we're...


What is it, Ward?


Oh, for fuck's sake.


Now we have control of Laguna in the O Lab. He says this if you try to leave.


And, naturally, the door is locked.


Double's not gonna help anything.


So let's check out the furniture for flavour text.




Sitting down on the stool, it starts levitating.


Oh hey, Prisoner #2's here!


Taking the stool lift back down, he can tell us the door is locked. Handy!

As a side note, you can see on the door here, as well as outside the Lunatic Pandora Lab, the same seal we saw on those camouflage panels in the Mystery Building.



Now, back to the plot.

Esthar Soldier: !


Fuck off.


Checking out that big window, you can see into the room below.

: Ellone!!! Ellone!!! ELLONE!!!


She's down there, but can't hear Laguna yelling. This must be some kind of observation room.




Luckily, by pressing random keys on the console here, we can open the door.

You can, by the way, yell at Ellone or unlock the door multiple times, but it does nothing.


Now it's just back downstairs...



...and there she is.

Ellone: Uncle Laguna!
: See... I told ya I'd come save you...



I think Laguna picking up the tiny Ellone is cute as hell.


And, on that half-finished line, the final Laguna sequence of the game draws to a close.