Part 186: J Base Revisit

And they one-up themselves, too, in J Base.

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Welcome back!





Geographically, this view's looking to the east. Meaning the sun should rising in this shot.

Unless the planet spins backwards, I guess.



: Attention Colonel Mullen! Gaia's main body is heading toward J Base. Prepare invasion defense!

: Why? Why has Leen chosen a time like this?!





Despite the new music, this is still just the same as the last area.



Justin ties Feena in HP.

I'll remind you again that Feena is up about 80 HP from where she usually is, on account of Time Gate. Justin is a goddamned tank.



And Rapp picks up Halvah from patching up everyone's wounds. All he needs is one more water level for Alhealer+, and he's all done with magic.

Liete still has a bit more catching up, needing two water and four fire to gain her last three spells.



It's also around here that I just say screw it to the random encounters. I already fought everything in Luzet once.



But before long, we make it.

Back to Zil Padon for shopping. At least the NPCs had nothing new to say that time.

Anyway, back to J Base, plus another Devil Robe.



Gaah, there's so many variations of the Garlyle Forces theme.



Before Gaia, I joked that these defenses seemed excessive. Now it seems as though they're not enough.



Inside, morale is getting low. But we're not here to chat with the grunts.

.... Okay, we are, but not this time. For now, we get another voiced out cutscene. Skip down to "cutscene ends" if you don't want to hear "LEEEEEEEN!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_RnuvOMWLk (Polsy link)



: At this rate, we can't move!

: Mullen! What in the world is happening? Where is Leen?





: No, it can't be!



Dammit, I can't un-see Mullen as having giant googly eyes here.



: What?

: I repeat! All systems of J Base are under the control of Lieutenant Leen!

: Wh-where are you?! Return immediately! Leen!



Yeah, this is kind of a big important scene for Leen. The game certainly expects you to be listening to her theme, seeing as it starts playing here and all.

: I know you're there. Feena... and Justin, too. I can feel you there.

: Sister...

: Leen?

: Now that we are about to repeat a tragedy of the past, I want to tell you something.





: The real power to save the world... that power rests in Feena and not in me. That power is you-- Justin.



: It's just.... Your power is still very small, and hard to grasp.



: That is why I will buy you time. I will buy you just barely enough time to save this world!



: Perhaps... to live means to repeat many mistakes. Gaia was also born from one of these mistakes.



: Yet, if I am able to lessen the sins of those who may torment you...

: I... I can feel proud of even these cursed wings.



: What are you saying, Leen?! I should be the one saying that!



This scene. This line in particular, makes me think back to Sue's departure, and how that scene was arguably stronger for not being voiced out. With just the sprites and music, it's very easy to imagine the voices hitting all of the right emotional notes without going overboard.

Why does this particular line make me think of that? Because Mullen's delivery here rather... misses the mark.

Seriously, look at that screenshot again. See Mullen's pose, his portrait, and even the punctuation in the text box. Hear the voice in your head reading it out, filling it with emotion.

Then go watch the video.

Anyway...

: The people of the world mustn't repeat the same mistakes in the battles that lie ahead. They must walk a new path, fighting to create an unsoiled world! And... the person who can do this...





: Wait! Leen! What am I supposed to do?!

: Colonel Mullen... please hear me out to the end.





And with the monitors cutting to static, the cutscene ends.





: ... There should be a door part way up the stairs that leads to a room. Outside that door is the steam cannon that will be used to stop Gaia's attack. Leen... Leen is probably there.

: Mullen! You come too! You're the only one that can stop her!



: You IDIOT!! Your DUTY!? Don't you realize what Leen is sacrificing!?

: SILENCE! I have my own way. I don't answer to YOU!

Hmm. Enemy commander, willing to sacrifice in the name of duty....

If this were a Fire Emblem game, Mullen'd be that one late-game chapter boss that the game tries to make you feel bad about killing even though there's no way to get them to join your army.

: There is a door part way up the stairs that lead to this room. That is where Leen is.



Yeah, on second thought, Mullen isn't a dork, he's a full-fledged asshole. Let's go piss him off by saving his girlfriend.



So here's the door that Mullen was talking about.

However, we're not going to go through there just yet. Instead, we're going to backtrack all the way through the base, back to the hangar? Why, you may ask?

Because there's more fucking NPC dialog back that way. Yes, if you ignore Leen and go chat it up with the grunts, you get unique fucking dialog.

I mean, there's dedication, there's OCD, and then there's this fucking game.

But enough of that. Let's actually do what a reasonable player would be expected to.



Leen's proving to be very capable at hacking the Gibson.

: If you want Lieutenant Leen, go through the door down there.



By which he means that door way up there.



You can take a wrong turn for another view, though.

... All right, enough faffing about.





Time for our next FMV, which plays through the end of the update. You really ought to watch this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9RAlirlgFk (Polsy link)









This is another of those FMVs that the attract mode spoils.





Interesting that Leen's Icarian magic is still green, even though her wings are red.







The cannons begin moving into position, aiming at Gaia.







And here we get to see the beast's face close-up.



It lunges....



And takes a cannon to the mouth for its trouble.



But that's not enough to keep Gaia down.





Justin seems fine, too.







Leen rides the final cannon down.



And takes aim.



Gaia, though, is having none of it.



And, suddenly...



Leen's light is extinguished.



But the cannon still fires.



To great effect.





But at what cost?



See you next time.