Part 13: "Welcome to the unbearable world of coochy-coochy-coo!"

This is going to be a pretty short update.

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Geo doesn't know what's going on down below, so I need to walk all the way back to Echo Ridge before



I get a cutscene telling me to go back. Condor interrupts Bud before he can say anything more, but he got the message out at least.



While I can just walk all the way back, there's also the option (that the game does not tell me about) to talk to this guy.



As a reward for having such high LP, he gives the key to a shortcut from Echo Ridge to Whazzup.



And on the other side is this Sky Hertz selling a Charge Wood ability for 5000 Z, but screw that.



This Budicus is an impostor who has nothing to do with Mu! He has disgraced our beliefs!

I didn't mention it last update (because fuck Solo), but that was probably the only part in the game where Solo's character could have been worthwhile.

You're the ones who decided to worship him!

She's right!

So hungry...

Solo has two major facets to his character: "friendship sucks" and "Mu is awesome". We've all seen way too much of the first one, but Whazzup would have been the perfect place to really explore Solo's obsession with his ancestry. But nope, they just have him bitch about friendship some more.

Their sins are grave! And so we must offer them to Mu as punishment for their sins!

O-Offer?

This is the end for you impostors!

Really, I've never understood why the writers felt they should focus so much on Solo being, well, solo.

Stop!!



Think about it: Solo is supposed to be Geo's rival, his complete opposite, but their actual relationship so far has just been Geo batting away a reoccuring pest.

Yes, MegaMan!

I knew he would come for us...

Likewise, the majority of Solo's dialogue is him trying to start an ideological debate over the True Value Of Friendship, even though Geo really doesn't give a shit.

There he is at last... I knew you would try to interfere with my plans... But I won't let you!



Yeah. Be careful, kid!

Which is the weird part. If Geo participated in those debates I could at least attribute the whole thing to a fundamental misunderstanding of Geo's character, but he doesn't. The writers knew that Geo's character doesn't center around friendship, yet they wrote Solo like Geo was anyways.



That brings me back to the beginning of this tangent. As I mentioned a while ago, the main thrust of Geo's character arc is moving on from his father's disappearance and growing as a person.

I am Terra Condor! I am no pretender, but one who truly wields the power of Mu! I will be your new ruler! I will bring wealth and prosperity to Whazzap!

People of Whazzap! You will worship me! This is the beginning of a new era for Whazzap!

So had the writers decided to focus more on Solo's ties to Mu, he would have been the perfect counterpart. You even get a nice moral out of it; Geo moved on, while Solo didn't. And which one has the better life again?



I'll show the imposters what happens to those who defile our beliefs! And you will take care of that kid in blue!

Condor picks up the trio and flies off with them. How does he do that, considering he has no hands?



Psychic powers? vv

He's got a frequency like Yeti Blizzard and Plesio Surf!

That means Hyde's involved somehow! Grr! We gotta hurry!

Unfortunately, the people of Whazzap get in the way. Mega scoffs that they're barely an obstacle, but Geo refuses to fight normal people.



Please stop the shaman!

A resident explains that the Shaman's just worried about Whazzup's future, and another points Geo towards the Whazzap Lines.

Thank you! I'll try to help the shaman!

This exchange is why I didn't bother commenting on anything the Shaman said; the game just sweeps the whole thing under the rug.

Music: Maleovent Geoglyph



The minigame for this dungeon is simple enough. Like with Plesio Wave Surf Whatever, the way to Terra Condor is locked, and to unlock it I need to find some Hertzes.



Each Hertz will tell me where to take them, as well as where the next Hertz is; unlike last time, I have to pick up the Hertzes in a specific order.



"Complicating" things is this bird, who will occasionally shriek and swoop down. If MegaMan isn't underground, he'll take damage and lose any Hertzes he's found. The bird will only attack whenever MegaMan is close to a shelter though, so it's a non-threat.



Virus time.



BubbaDances will constantly sing a song to make their allies invincibile, so they're a priority target. They can also jump in front of MegaMan and spew some flames, but that's easily avoidable by sidestepping. They drop Dance Fire cards, which shoot flame over a wide radius.



McCleavers will also jump in front of MegaMan, only they'll chase him for a bit. They drop Berserk Swords, which make MegaMan jump in front of the nearest enemy and slash three times. They're really great.



MatJinns roll carpets down the field, changing the panel's types. They drop *Insert Color* Carpet cards, which do the same thing.



The last subject to mention before I skip to the boss is today's Double Tribe.





Actually, I guess I should show what happens if you get hit too.



You don't want to eat us! We taste bad!

So hungry...

Someone in the thread wondered if the player is supposed to take Whazzap seriously or not.

I will not eat you. I am going to give you as an offering to Mu!

Wh-Wh-What!?

What do you mean by "offering"?

In Whazzap, laughter is an indication of our happiness. We look up to the sky and laugh to show our thanks to Mu. That is why I will send your laughter to Mu!

And there's only one way to do that.



I'm pretty sure you're not.

That's inhuman!

Nooooo! MegaMaaan!

Laughing will only make me hungrier...



I should have made this the thread title.

Stop right there, Terra Condor!

Geo interrupts the impromptu tickle torture.

So you made it this far. I thought I told the villagers to dispose of you...

Yeah? Well they asked me to do something about you instead!

The fools! They have no idea of the power that I wield! It matters not. Once I defeat you, they will see my true power!

Condor gloats that with his unlimited power, he'll become the ultimate leader. And with that, in world record time, the pre-fight smack talk ends.


Watch the fight!

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Terra Condor is probably the most interesting fight in the game.



Since he flies, the majority of the battle field is plain air. This is entirely cosmetic, unfortunately, so it won't force me to change my folder at all.



What could, however, is the fact that Terra Condor has both Status Guard and Super Armor. This mean he can't be paralyzed, bubbled, frozen, or flinch-locked, which could theoretically put a dent in my usual strategy if my folder weren't so overpowered.



Condor's wings are also destructible. Doing so weakens one of his attacks.



And to account for his size Condor doesn't warp around like normal bosses. He'll just do slow fly-bys, which is kind of annoying since it means that he'll occasionally be outside of the entire field, completely invulnerable.



Finally, even though he's bright red Condor is Wood elemental.

(60)

Condor's main attack is to fire waves of birdy missiles. Green ones can be destroyed, black ones can't (and are Breaking).

(70, Breaking)

After a couple salvos, Condor will fire a laser. If his wings aren't destroyed, they'll fire lasers too.

(100, Breaking)

Finally, at critical health Condor will do a flying tackle.



He'll follow it up with an onslaught of missiles.

Terra Condor is a pretty unique boss fight, so he's one of my favorites. A real shame he only has three attacks though.

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The Shaman politely pauses here to let Geo untie everyone,



and then he finishes his sentence.

I wasn't powerful enough.

Why do you care so much about prosperity?

The Shaman turns around and sighs that someone from a nation as wealthy as Electopia could never understand.

Since we in Whazzap try to preserve the old way of living, our country has only slowly made advances... While other countries were getting rich and prosperous, we were still playing catch-up. You don't know how frustrating it was to see that...

Luna realizes that the whole Budicus thing was just a ploy to attract attention.

I don't understand what you said too well, but couldn't you leave things the way they are?



I think you might have had a slightly better experience than most.

The air is clean, the people are nice, and you've got some of the best food ever!

Budicus... I'm sorry..., Bud...

Luna adds that Bud is practically a gourmet, and recalls that Whazzup's spare ribs were so amazing Bud even ignored ginger beef for it.

I got it! You should tell people that spare ribs are a local specialty! If someone even has a little taste, they'll be craving more! People will come over here from all over to try it, and they'll love it.

That's a really good idea, Bud.

I think Whazzap is a great place, too. The villagers are friendly and are always greeting each other. And this natural environment really makes you feel alive!

The Shaman is amazed that someone not from Whazzap could feel the same way as him, and thanks the group.

I feel like I've awakened from a long nightmare...



Cut to the temple.



Whazzap's residents are glad to see the Shaman safe. As for him, he's glad they were so worried about him and apologizes.

These people behind me came to my rescue! Thank you! Whazzap!



Cue time skip.



The Shaman welcomes the tourists from Netopia, who say they came because they heard Whazzap had some amazing ribs. That seems like a really silly reason to visit, but sure.

Our spare ribs are the best in the world! But you'll have to wait for dinner. Right now I'll give you a tour.

The tourist interrupts to ask a question: what's up with that big statue?



He's a hero... To all of us in Whazzap.

Except to the cows.

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Early design ideas for Terra Condor. Man I wish we got the top-middle one. That would have been so cool.


Concept art of the Shaman.


A neat little breakdown of Terra Condor's design, along with comments. I guess Taurus Fire hadn't been included yet when they made him?