Part 136: Mission #68: Punchline

I don't know that you're ready for this update...in fact, I'm pretty sure you're not....

Mission #68: Punchline



: Alisa, can you hear me? We're ready on our side! Hurry up and get out!
: Okay. Father, we're done here. Let's go! Once this block sinks, MIDAS will be lost forever.
: ... You're lying, Alisa.
: !
: I've lived with you for 10 years. I can see it in your eyes.
: ...Father.
: You have no intention of leaving MIDAS, or escaping.
: Even if it was disassembled and sent to the ocean floor... ...Someone would find it, and this nightmare would start all over again.
Well, by that logic, Alisa would also have to kill herself, to make sure no one ever got the information from her, but it's not like that's going to happen.
: ...You're saying it has to be destroyed.
: Yes. MIDAS must be destroyed... without a trace. There is no alternative but to detonate MIDAS ourselves. But someone will have to stay behind and activate MIDAS...
: Then I will do it.
: Father!?
: This all started because I couldn't stop the JDF. I'll take the responsibility.
: No! I've lost too many people that are important to me.
Who? Who did Alisa lose? I mean, Isao's fine, Kazuki's fine, Emma's fine, who is she talking about?
: What kind of parent would wish for the death of his own child? You are my daughter, even if not by birth. I cannot sit by and let you die.
: Father...
: Don't worry. My fate isn't sealed yet. Now let's go. They're waiting for us.
...



: Father... Maybe I...
: Save it... We have to meet up with Kazuki!
: !
: Lukav!



: I find your intervention offensive.
: Damn!
: Father!
: Alisa!



And Lukav kidnaps Alisa....I guess we've come full circle.
: Surely he would sacrifice himself to destroy MIDAS. But as long as you're with me, he can't do that. And I still have a use for you.
I've got to admit, that's a pretty solid plan.



: The entire city's going to sink!
: It's taking too long. Did something happen to her?
: ....Ca..you...ear me, Kazuki?
: What're you doing!? Hurry it up!
: Alisa was taken by...Lukav.
: Isao, you're saying Alisa was captured by Lukav!?
Way to crack the code, there, Emma.
: What were you doing!? Weren't you with her!?
: Lukav's at... MIDAS... Hur...ry...
: Hey, what happened!? Answer me! Hey!
: Kazuki, this place won't last long, either!
: Kazuki, could you hurry it up!?
: What about Alisa!?
: At this rate, we're not going to make it to the lowest section.
: You're telling me to leave Alisa!?
: I'm telling you to chill out! Trust me, you'll see Alisa again!
: Let's go, Kazuki! Ryogo probably has a plan.
: ...All right. I'm trusting you, Ryogo. You better not let me down!
: Leave it to me, man! Let's go!



Ocean City isn't doing so well.



The roads start disintegrating...



And pieces start falling off.



The question I have, and I feel like I asked this at the end of last branch too, is why exactly they built in a self-destruct feature into Ocean City. I mean, it seems pretty dangerous to have various sections of the city rigged to explode at a moment's notice.



Ka-boom!



Almost there...



Seems like this would cause an immense amount of ecological damage.



Now, up to this point, this cinematic had been exactly the same as the other branch, but, befitting the grand finale nature of this branch...



...and sinkhole opens in the middle of the city...



...and the Final Battle Tower rises from the ashes.



: Nothing can be done. Your friends have fled. MIDAS is mine.
: I won't let you get away! I'll stop you myself!
What're you going to do, pout him to death?
: It's over. Join me. Together, we can rule the world. Your friends can be your underlings. I'm especially intrigued by Kazuki.
I'm sorry, Lukav, but Kazuki's not interested. He got all of his experimentation out of his system in college.
: Forget it!
: Fool... So be it... Then I will use you to the fullest extent. !



: We're right in front of Alisa! Just as I said!
: Lukav! You're not getting away Alisa or MIDAS!
: Get? You're mistaken. MIDAS is already mine. You think you can lay a hand on me?
: Alisa! Damn...
: Kazuki, you've done well to come this far. Now you must leave.
: ...
Who can save us now?



Isao motherfucking Takemura will. He knocks Lukav down, allowing Alisa to get away.
: Alisa, run!
: What!?
: Ahhh! Kazuki, what are you doing!? Get Alisa!
: Alisa, over here!
: Kazuki!



Lukav reacts to this news as any of us might, by throwing Isao's wanzer across the room. Still, I think it'll take more than that to kill Isao...



Lukav anticipates such a miracle, and decides to not take any chances.



See you around, Isao...
: You pest!
: !
: Dad!
: How dare you insult me so!? You will pay for your insolence with your lives!
: ...No mercy. You better come at me full force, or you're going six feet under!



Time for the very last battle with Lukav. Kazuki, Ryogo, Dennis and Linny are up. I will get Linny to activate Body Smash, damn it! Against us, Lukav and his winged wanzer, and four of those giant missile wanzers. It's going to be a long fight...



Kazuki knocks a pilot out of his wanzer...



And Ryogo kills him.



I'm glad that Linny is here to prove that given a crappy enough pilot, even a beam rifle can suck.



On the other side of the map, Kazuki is charging Lukav. Damn the beam cannons! Full ahead!



Why won't Body Smash activate?



The destruction of Lukav begins in earnest.



Forward, Kazuki! Your indomitable spirit shall prove an invincible shield against Lukav's deadly lasers! Your actual shield will probably help a bit too.



Endgame.
: Fool, while MIDAS exists, humans will make the same mistake. The world will ultimately come to an end. I was its only savior... I was...



Splendid. Time to clean things up. Ryogo, engage maximum annihilation mode....now!



More.



More!



MORE!



Acceptable. Now clear out the last two wanzers...



And the other one?



Finished.



Excellent. Ryogo wins MVP.



: Now we just need to sink MIDAS.
: ...Yeah. But the losses were great...
: ...
: Emma, it's getting dangerous here. Get on! and let's go!
: What is it? We have to go!
: ...I'm staying.
: What're you talking about, Emma!?
: Lukav was right. Someone will find it if we just sink it. I created it. It's only appropriate that I destroy it.
Listen, we killed the final boss, and Kazuki's dad already filled the role of last-minute sacrifice, does anyone really think Emma or Alisa is going to kill themselves at this point, making the last 68 missions just a cruel joke?
: Don't be ridiculous! I didn't do all this to let you die! I won't let anyone else die!
: Kazuki...
: Don't worry! I figured out a way to destroy MIDAS! So you won't have to stay behind! Or did you lie to me when you said you'd always be with me!?
Come with us, Emma! Your life isn't over yet! As long as you are alive, you can make amends!!
: Alisa, Kazuki... I...
: Come with me, Emma!
: Kazuki!
: Dennis, get us out of here!
: Roger! Hang on everyone!



All right, time to get the hell off....wait, why is Alisa not on the transport?



: Kazuki! Alisa's... Alisa's...! No! Alisa!
: Dennis, stop!
: I can't the ground is collapsing!
: Who cares! Stop!
: It's no use! I can't!
: Alisa's out there!
Game, you can't do this, I mean, we beat the last mission, you can't just kill Alisa now, not after the party trekked all over the Pacific Rim to rescue her.



: Let me out!
: Stop it, Kazuki!
: Alisa! Alisaaa!
: Nooooo!



Game, I am calling your bluff. You don't have the balls to-



Uh....



Shit...Alisa's toast. Mission failed.

Next Time: Things go off the rails completely.