Part 102: Episode XCV: Ending A - "Call Her Back"
Episode XCV: Ending A - "Call Her Back"Music: The Shadowlord's Theme ~ Version 2
Welp, Weiss is gone and the Sealed Verses (and most of our start menu) went along with him. But, he also took out the Shadowlord's Grimoire Noir powers. Unfortunately, the Shadowlord still comes equipped with the ever popular energy orbs that seem to come along standard issue with most beefy Shades.
Which means it is time for one last bullet hell section and gosh is this one a dozy. The Shadowlord just stays on one side of the room and sends endless waves of fireballs spiraling across the room. Getting hit with one will send Nier flying back several yards in the air and take off about a sixth of his health bar.
To defeat the Shadowlord, all Nier needs to do is make it to the far side of the room and stab him with his weapon of choice.
Music: The Shadowlord's Theme ~ Version 3
This blow will take off a third of Nier Gestalt's remaining health and send Replicant Dadass flying back to the other side of the room for another storm through bullet hell.
That's two!
Music: The Shadowlord's Theme ~ Music Box Version
And that's a wrap! Congrats! Time to kill your soul!
The Shadowlord resigns to his fate. After all, the only motivation he's had for trucking along the last thirteen-hundred years just evaporated a few minutes ago.
Nier holds back with the final blow for a moment and seems to briefly consider what he's doing.
That lasts for all of about five seconds before he shakes it off and lands the killing blow.
And so the Shadowlord is defeated. I don't think that did anything to really stop the rampaging Shades. Nor do I think that cured the rampant Black Scrawl. But at least we uhh...? Uhh... Huh... What did killing him even accomplish...? I mean yeah, he kidnapped Yonah and that was a dick move. Even if he did do it to merge her body with her soul and briefly make her into the only real human on the planet... But other than that...?
Oh well! Let's see how Yonah is doing. I'm glad none of those hundreds of swirling death balls hit her or Kainé.
Nier rushes to Yonah's side...
<shake>
"Oh, please! The girl is fine."
"Where are you? I can't see you!" "That is because I have lost my physical form! Doubtless my voice will be the next to go, so listen closely! Your Yonah is safe. Do not mourn her, and do not give up hope. Instead you must call her back to you." "...How do I do that?" "Use your memories. Recall the times you spent with Yonah. Present her with proof that the two of you live still, and that your lives have meaning." "I... I don't know..." "Typical. ...But take heart. I know you can do it."
"Cookies!'
"That's my magic storybook!"
"Home! ...As long as you're around."
"The Lunar Tear, of course! Okay, one more question:"
For this question a text prompt appears on screen. Who does Yonah love more than anyone else? No multiple choice answers here...
The first bit of "gameplay" in entering the main character's name is also the last bit of gameplay. Just revolutions...
Music: Dispossession ~ Music Box
"...Dad?" "Yonah!"Nier helps his daughter to her feet...
"Is this...my...body?" "Yes. Yours, and yours alone."
"You look...stronger than before. ...You look good." "Well, you haven't seen me for a long time." "Have I been...asleep?" "I think so."
"Wow... It's like I'm a princess from some fairy tale."
"I'm so happy, Yonah. I'm so very happy." "Oh, Dad..."
Kainé feels like a bit of a third wheel with this touching Kodak family moment and decides it's time to split. They've killed off half the party already. It's probably best she hall ass out of the region as soon as possible.
"Kainé?" "You two have a good life... Okay?"
"Where you gonna go, Kainé?" "Oh, I'll..." "You could...stay with us."
"Thanks, but I'll pass. You know how it is. I got my own shit to take care of. " "What do you mean?" "Personal shit...that doesn't involve you. ...Take it easy, all right?"
And with that Kainé walks off, never to be seen again. In this ending, at least...
"Dad! Look! It's beautiful!"
"For the longest time, someone kept calling out to me, wanting to see the light..." 
"And now, we can finally see it."
Nier reaches around behind his back...
"Hee hee! Thanks, Dad."The two lay down on the grass...
"It's so sunny today!"
"Yeah. It sure is."
Music: Ashes of Dreams ~ New
Once there were trees full of birds
Meadowlands vibrant with flowers
Carefree the songs out children once sang
Gilding our minutes and hours.
Clouds came and covered the sun,
The breath of a baleful unease
Turning to ashes flowers in their field
Silenced the birds in their trees.
Hidden so deep in veils of deceit,
Imprisoned in twisting spells -
Are we the plaything of fiends, or merely the dreams
That we're telling ourselves, telling ourselves?
Strive till the phantoms are broken
Fight till the battle is done;
The squadrons of night can't conquer the day,
Nor shadows extinguish the sun.
Stories of danger, fearless attack,
Specters of plague and pain.
All of these ghosts of our own delusions come back,
And we'll be haunted again, haunted again.
For though the storms are over and past,
Though the thunders rage is quieted at last
Well this nightmare's laid me down in the rags here to mourn,
Here to mourn.
The night has left us crippled with grief
As we strive to keep alive our belief,
But a loss so great, it clouds all our hopes for the dawn.
Hidden so deep in veils of deceit,
Imprisoned in twisting spells -
Are we the plaything of fiends, or merely the dreams
That we're telling ourselves, telling ourselves?
Stories of danger, fearless attack,
Specters of plague and pain.
All of these ghosts of our own delusions come back;
Have we been fighting in vain? Fighting in vain?
And that is Ending A of NIER. I hope you all enjoyed the bumpy ride! That took a bit longer than I expected, to be honest... Lousy sidequests!
But, don't go anywhere just yet! That is not even close to the end of NIER. Indeed, I tell most everyone that you haven't really beaten the game until obtaining Ending B. We've still got another entire Act of content to make it through and three more endings. Stay tuned...
The Shadowlord ~ Final Round
NIER Ending A (It's the end of the game! Of course you should go watch it!)
Music: The Shadowlord's Theme ~ Version 3
Music: The Shadowlord's Theme ~ Music Box Version
Music: Dispossession ~ Music Box
Music: Ashes of Dreams ~ New