Part 122: Episode CXII: Our Only Hope

Hey, remember when Final Fantasy X had a plot and wasn't an eternal spiral of poorly designed mini-games and tedious diversions? Maybe we ought to get back to that sometime... It's a good thing Sin has waited patiently out at sea for the party to get their shit together and progress with the plot. It wouldn't look too great if the protagonists allowed a village or two to get razed while they were out catching butterflies and watching home movies.



There is only one marker left on the map that will take us from the Endgame and into the final act of Final Fantasy X. Time for a return trip to the Yevon capital of Bevelle to possibly go beat up the fantasy pope in hopes of... Eh... I think we're just completely winging it assuming Mika, century old undead bureaucrat who wants nothing more than to maintain the status quo, knows the first thing of use in defeating Sin. But we won't know until we try, ya?


Music: Time of Judgment



We are dumped back on Bevelle Highbridge aka the same area we previously fought Seymour: Round 2 and escaped from Bevelle. What? Did you think they were actually going to design a new area for the return visit to this city? Pfft. Keep dreaming.





Of course, we are still on Yevon's shitlist after the whole wedding crash, being branded as traitors, and murdering our way out of the city business. So the cops warrior monks are less than thrilled to see the party shuffling back in like they own the place.



Hey, remember how Cutscene Bullets were treated as a deadly threat the first time in Bevelle? Well, throw cutscene consistency in the dumpster. The entire party may as well be making jerking-off motions in the face of a pair of rifles trained on them this time.



"You'll regret showing your face here! We'll strike you down in the name of Yevon!"
"Blah, blah, blah. Yeah, so? Guys?"
"If they want a fight, let's give 'em one!"
”What are you guys even trying? We just got back from practically one-shotting Omega and... his son...? I'm still not clear on how that whole thing worked. Point is... we've taken down 40 of you guys, including ghost versions. Give it a rest, dudes.”



“Stop!”



Yeah you morons, stop! First of all, you have rifles. You do not “charge” the enemy when you have a firearm. That's kind of the entire point of long range weaponry. Secondly... what is the Katamari branch of Jehovah's Witnesses Yevon doing here...? I cannot even remember the last time we saw her. Guadosalam?



"Lady Yuna is not to be harmed! She's no traitor! That is an evil rumor spread by the Al Bhed!"
“WHAT?!”
"Maester Mika himself told me."
"Then... what are we to do?"
*gruff voice* "Stand down!"
"As she says!"
”B-But the claims against Yevon might be false... But they still attacked and killed dozens of our men!”
“The one in the black dress with the boobs set Steve on fire. Just lit him ablaze right there in the middle of Maester Seymour's wedding! He was a single parent with three children. They're orphans now!”
“I said to stand down.”
“This is un-fucking-believable! Are you hearing this, Lou?”
“Yeah... Yeah I'm hearing a load of shit getting piled in my ears, Frank. You know what? We don't get paid enough for this. Fuck it! Fuck the whole thing! The Crusaders don't have to put up with this kind of crap.”
*grumble* "Mail me my last paycheck."



And with that, the party is no longer on Yevon's shitlist. After finishing up the events here, the player can enter Yevon's temples again to finish up any missed Destruction Sphere puzzles if they neglected 'em the first go around. But, we've sorted all that out already and are frankly ridiculously overpowered for the rest of the plot critical path. Such is the way of JRPGs.



"I... Truly, I do not understand it myself. All Yevon seems to be in a state of confusion. Why, yesterday they called me out of the blue and made me captain of the guard!"
"Short on believers?"
"Yes, the chaos in the temples is worse than I'd imagined. And all the priests do is blame each other.”
”Maester Mika barely leaves his room. Maester Kinoc was apparently attacked and assassinated by Al Bhed infiltrators.”
*glare* “Excuse me...?”
“Maester Kelk resigned his post and returned to Mt. Gagazet. People were sent out to try to change his mind after everything that has happened. But nobody could find him. It's unbelievable he'd abandon his responsibility like that. I always knew the Ronso were cowardly.”
*glares* “Stupid hat lady should talk less.”
“And nobody has any idea what has become of Maester Seymour since his wedding. Have you seen your husband, Lady Yuna?”
*glares* “I cannot say I have. No...”
“It's horrible! I worry what will become of Yevon. But no! I must be the rock that stands against the swirling tides, right? Lady Yuna, I must tell you, your courage has been a great inspiration to me."
"Yeah, that's great, but we came here to see Maester Mika. Is he here?"
"Yes, I shall arrange an audience. Please wait in the courtroom."

Shelinda runs off...



"Simple. Yuna has become Mika's only hope."
”The only way to save face now is to throw a scapegoat under the bus – the Al Bhed being the easiest.”
"Oh... Okay."
”I think... What's a bus?”
*grunt*
“Don't worry about it.”





"Yes, let's."

Sometime later...


Music: SILENCE



“You have obtained the Final Aeon from Yunalesca, have you not?"



“...”
“...”
"We fought and defeated her."
”Yeah, she's super dead.”
“Very much so.”
“Ya.”
“Bodied.”
"What!"



"You have profaned and subverted a thousand-year-old tradition?”
”Yeah... kinda been our thing for a while.”
“Fools! Infants! Do you realize what you've done? You've taken away the only means of calming Sin!"



"Why... Preposterous! There is no other way!"
"The grand maester, running away?"
"Spira has lost its only hope. Destruction is inevitable.”


Music: Time of Judgment



"It won't die!"
"Who is this Yu Yevon guy?"
"Lady Yunalesca also mentioned him."
”Right, Lu. Do you know who Yu Yevon?”
"Wait, gramps! Who's Yu Yevon?"



“An armor called Sin. Clad in it, Yu Yevon is invincible. And the only thing that could have pierced that armor, you have destroyed! Nothing can stop it now."





And with that, Grand Maester Yo Mika falls completely into despair and goes Hollow, dissipating into pyreflies. Boy that was... anti-climactic... What if we'd just been bullshitting about killing Yunalesca? He'd sure have looked silly.



Nope. He didn't pull a Seymour-like disappearing into pyreflies to fight another day business. He's straight up permanently dead now and we never see him again. Okay, he comes back... kinda... as a giant turtle boss fiend in an optional dungeon in Final Fantasy X-2. Way to not Send him properly, Yuna!

But as far as this game is concerned, he's done. RIP Fantasy Pope.

Shelinda runs into the chamber...



"He, um..."
"He's not here yet. How long must we wait?"
"That's odd... I'll go look for His Grace."

As Auron finishes trolling Shelinda, Ghost Kid pops up in front of Yuna and Tidus...



"Come, to my room."
"Okay."



"Oh. Uh, no one."

I think they're trying to imply that only Yuna and Tidus can see the fayth. I guess only Yuna, a summoner, Auron, an unsent, and Tidus, basically an aeon, interacted with Bahamut Ghost Kid earlier. But, everyone clearly saw Seymour's Mom back in Baaj Temple. So it's not like fayth are only visible only to special people. Or maybe they are and the optional content is all wildly inconsistently written. Either could be true!



"I see."

Some time later...




Music: Song of Prayer ~ Bahamut



*bows* "I must thank you for the aeon."
”...”
“...Yes?”
“...”
“...Trogdor? Really?”
“I... well... It just kind of came to me after much internal debate...”
“What was wrong with Bahamut?”
“Well... You know...”
“No... I do not 'know'...”
*rubs neck and laughs sheepishly*
"So, what's up?"
"So, have you found a way to truly defeat Sin?"



We're now given a choice as to whether or not we've determined a method of defeating Sin permanently. I mean... No. We haven't. At all, if we're being honest here. There's some dude called Yu Yevon that is piloting Sin like some kind of battle armor made out of a summon of Jecht. Killing him would probably sort things out. However, there's still the problem of the doom whale that can disintegrate an entire army in the way.







“Well?”

Of course, this is a false choice. The screen just fades out and we're returned to the same prompt again. But thou must knoweth a way to defeat the foul villain Sin!



Ghost Kid wants more elaboration on the plan. He's not just going to take Tidus' word that they've got this handled. Again, admitting we have no idea will just reset the conversation chain. And indeed, we have to go through both options presented to proceed. I have no clue as to why this is interactive and not just a continuous cutscene. C'mon Final Fantasy X, you already stripped away control for a solid 15 minutes during Yunalesca's business. Have your long-winded cutscenes. We've stuck it out this long.



"Hmm... Perhaps."
"You mean, it won't work?"



“He may not be able to hear the hymn anymore."
”He like heard it just fine a month or so ago back in Macalania Temple. Ask that Nora fayth there if you don't believe me. You guys are all like... friends right...?”
“Nora?”
“...Shiva.”
“'Nora'...? What is that even referencing?”
*rubs neck* “It just kind of came to me... There was a lot of debating. My first instinct was Gunther.”
“...What?!”
“Let's just drop it. He is telling you the truth.”
"I know it's a long shot... But we gotta try anyway if there's a chance."
"Yes, you must. I'm glad you're doing this. You have a good spirit, truly."
"I'm not just a dream, right?"
"A dream?"
"Uh... It's a long story."
"If it works, what'll you do then? You need more than the hymn."
"Well..."
"Well?"



C'mon. You couldn't just automatically play the next part of the conversation? This is patronizing, game.



"We fight Yu Yevon."
"Yes... If you defeat Yu Yevon, it will end. Tell me, what do you know about Yu Yevon?"
”He was the leader of Zanarkand and Yunalesca's father. Back during the war with Bevelle and Zanarkand 1,000 years ago. When they were gonna lose the war, he took everyone from Zanarkand and turned them into fayth to create Sin. The Yevon Church was kinda set-up as a big scheme to revere him even after death and junk... Something like that?”
“Oh... you are... more well informed than I would have thought.”
“Yeah, this old scholar dude told me about it.”
“...Huh. Well, do you know his specific function beyond creating Sin?”
"He's what makes Sin come back!"
"Sin is his armor. It protects him."
"Yu Yevon was once a summoner, long ago. He was peerless. Yet now he lives for one purpose: only to summon. He is neither good, nor evil. He is awake, yet he dreams. But... maybe not forever."
"Yeah, that's right. Because we're ending it."
"Yes. Even if you defeat Sin with the Final Summoning, Yu Yevon will live. Yu Yevon will join with the Final Aeon. He will transform it into a new Sin. Yu Yevon merges with the aeon... Then, protected by this new Sin he has created, Yu Yevon continues the summoning."
*frown* "For eternity... huh?"
"But you know, there is no such thing as eternity if you end it, is there?"
"Uh-huh."
”Kind of the definition there.”



“Yuna, listen. When you fight Yu Yevon, we will help you. Promise me you'll summon us. I'm afraid your swords and magic won't be enough. Please, call us. Promise?"
"Yes."
”Even the ones that are not that useful anymore! Yes, I do hear from the other fayth. Ifrit is very upset he has been neglected for so very long.”
_{”Psst... Which one was Ifrit?”
“McGruff.”
*snicker* “Ah. Gotcha.”}



“When it is all over... we will wake, and our dream will end. Our dream will vanish."
"Yeah. You've been dreaming a long time, haven't you?"
"I'm sorry."
"I'm grateful."

Ghost Kid fades away...



"Oh, nothing.”
“...”
“Hey, don't make that face! Come on! We're gonna beat Sin! Let's see some cheer, okay?"
"You're hiding something."
*looks away guilty* "I'm not!"



*half-shrugs and walks off*



Yuna's bullshit detector is going off fierce. I highly doubt she'd come up with “I'm actually an artificial human conjured up by a bunch of dead people cemented on the side of a mountain that are continuously recreating their memories of their millennium old dead city in a giant simulation out in the middle of the ocean.” Since that sounds batshit insane when laid out.

Back out on the Bevelle Highroad later in the day...



"S'okay, we were just leaving."
”Ehhh... maybe don't look for him TOO hard? I mean the guy was... I mean IS really old.”
"Oh...I see."
"Hey! Maybe you could help us with the hymn."
"Hey, good idea!"



"What should I tell them?"
"A ship in the sky will sing the Hymn of the Fayth. When they hear it, we need everyone to sing along!"
"Everyone in Spira!"
"I'm not sure I understand."
"You don't have to! Just tell everyone!"
"A ship in the sky will sing the Hymn of the Fayth? So when they hear it, everyone should sing along, correct?"
”Wait! A ship that can fly? That's not possible. Unless it was using forbidden machina! The scriptures clearly state that any ma—
“Hey! Heeey! Heeeeey! Look at me! Look me in the eyes. You lookin'?”
“Umm... yes?”
"If they do, we might be able to defeat Sin!"
"Truly?"



“Yep! So can you take you scriptures and forbidden machina junk and Al Bhed racism and just toss that aside for just one day and do this thing? Just this one time. You think you can handle that?”
"That's wonderful! You can count on me! I shall tell all of Spira!"

And that concludes our business in Bevelle. So the plan is, if I understand it correctly:

1. Have everyone in Spira sing the Hymn of the Fayth.
2. Hope that is enough to lure out Sin and calm it down enough so we can attack it.
3. ?????
4. Get inside Sin and kill Yu Yevon.

I think that's it. I think that's the plan. Kind of unclear on the whole breaching the doom whale's armor and crawling around in its guts to find some kind of immortal summoner dude in the center. But hey. I'm sure Final Fantasy X will bullshit a way.

Stay tuned for the final confrontation with Sin! Somehow!






Video: Episode 112 Highlight Reel