Part 131: Episode CXXVI: Family

Episode CXXVI: Family



Previously on NieR: Automata, both our remaining protagonists were in for a fun time at the Amusement Park. It’s worth noting there’s a bug where the entire A2 segment opening conversation and Tower Systems Services announcement will repeat if A2 teleports to a different area. But that’s OK. We only need to move her forward a couple steps until...





Shut up!
Negative. This support unit is assigned to YoRHa unit 9S. As such, being concerned for said unit’s well-being is a requirement.
Ugh! Whatever.



9S, don’t be a dick to your Pod Mom. She’s only looking out for you as you rush headlong into another dungeon that will undoubtedly crush your mental state even further. “screwwiththeandroidboy.exe” is firing up as we speak.



The first floor of the final Resource Unit is empty. That is, until 9S opts to open that suspiciously placed chest. Still no machine lifeform mimics yet. Instead, we get...


Music: Alien Manifestation





A power outage and an ambush. Nothing to worry about here. It’s just a bunch of Stubbies, Flyers and Gunners with a couple beam cannon toting Medium Bipeds for flavor. I think the Monster Type was the last unique machine lifeform type in the game outside remaining boss fights. It’s the same sorts of boys over and over here on out.







I forgot to mention it since we were busy with 9S having a bad time and the twins being concerned he’s on the path to death by cop Stubby. But we did manage to upgrade Pod B (Laser) to Level 3. When charged up for a couple seconds, the Level 3 laser fires off a bunch of semi-homing/bouncing additional lasers for a gigantic clusterfuck of particle effects and beams. It’s not especially powerful or anything. But it is neat looking especially in the dark like this. So that’s fun!



One floor down, four to go! We’re going to be glossing over most of this Resource Unit’s floors since they’re entirely unremarkable.





Floor 2 features a mess of Gunner Stubbies on elevated platforms all over the room. 9S needs to hop up on the boxes and sort them all out. It’s rather tedious since they’re hanging out on all four corners of the room and a fresh wave of ‘em comes in mid-way through.





A linked electric boy drifts down to be a nuisance after all the Gunners are destroyed. But a quick hack and that’s sorted out. Ain’t got time for those villain’s lackadaisical nonsense. Got a keycard to obtain!

Going up!







The next floor features a giant X shaped elevated platform with more Gunners camping out on it alongside a company of Flyers and a half dozen medium flyers coming in waves. Additionally, the central platform and the two outer rings begin rotating in opposite directions like back in the first Resource Unit. It’s not much of an issue considering it’s mostly elevated enemies! Next!

Going up again!



Floor three is err... empty. The elevator immediately comes down. No tricks or traps. It’s just an empty floor... Look, the machines had a few days to prepare between the previous Resource Units. They had to throw this one together real quick since 9S ran over a couple hours after the last one. Give the machines a break.


VIDEO: Click here to watch the rest of the update contents! (You should probably just do this.)

Music: ENDS



On to the top floor. This one is err... a touch different than the last couple. It looks like the machines decided to build a wall to protect the Core instead of... you know... just kind of leaving it out not even protected from the elements.



As 9S approaches the wall, a lone android decked out in YoRHa assault gear drops from over the wall. Hey who actually never got a confirmation they died when the Bunker went down. The Commander definitely did. 6O was definitely there too. But you know who was suspiciously absent for that whole fiasco...?



Model 21O...



Operator?



RAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGAAAAAHHH!!



...Guess she’s not in the talkative mood.


Music: Wretched Weaponry



So this Operator model is...?
Affirmative. Operator 21O. Volunteered to undergo Type-B equipment transition during previous descent. Sent to front lines as unit 21B. Recorded as missing in action four hours later.
No...



Welp. 21O is still alive and all Logic Virus corrupted. For now she’s just hanging out behind a force field which is firing energy orbs and a rotating array of beam weapons sweeping the floor.





The upper and lower segments of the force field are actually powered by Linked Sphere type machines (the electric worms.) Like all Linked Sphere machines, they have a glowing yellow weak point in the center of their configuration.





Hacking it will not actually instantly destroy it like with most Linked Sphere types. It will instead greatly slow down the rotation of the machines, giving 9S ample time to pour on Pod Programs and Pod Fire onto the weak point. As soon as either the upper or lower segment of machines is destroyed, the force field is disabled and both segments blow up in 21O’s face.




Music: Wretched Weaponry (Instrumental)



<body sparks and crackles> Aaaaugh! Uggggh...
Operator!



Sorry, 9S. 21O has been infected for at least like a month and change now. I don’t think we’re going to be able to fix her so we’ve no choice here.



A nice little detail is that the boss title card doesn’t appear until 9S actually starts fighting back and committing to this being a boss fight. Not that it’s exactly much of a boss fight mechanically.



21O is essentially just a somewhat more tenacious, buffed corrupt YoRHa trooper we fought in scores back when the Bunker went down. She’s of the small sword wielding variety, not that such mattered much beyond range of attack. The only noteworthy straight of the battle is 21O becomes stunned and has something to say every 25% damage threshold she hits.



<pants> Please keep...... res<interference>erved <crackle> ......m-m-mission-related... Ugh... Ahh... One... af-firmation... w-w-will <interference> ...su... ffice...
Shit... Arrrgh!



A f-family... to b-b-be with... <crackle> P-Pl... ease... kiiiiii_ll... Agh... <crackle> I... just wanted a family... Ugh... Ahh... I was so lone... ly... <sob> I wanted to be... <crackle> wi-ith 9S... <sob>
<holding back tears> It's all right... It's all right... Because...
I'm going to kill you!



Well... I guess it’s good 21O didn’t try to lobotomize another Scanner unit and make a fake 9S son like that one creep early in the game. That would have been awkward to walk in on... Or the machines hadn't thought of something like that. Either way...



Music: ENDS



I bet the machine network was thrilled when it found 9S’s corrupted Operator Mom wandering around and stashed her away for the next session of Operation Ruin Hackerman’s Life.





Despite all the damage she took in battle, 21O is still up and going. She quickly scrambles to her feet.



Ugh... uhh... AAAAAAHHHHHH!! <rushes forward>



Nope nope nope! Bad hug! 9S is not into this!







Sup?



A2’s such a Good Samaritan coming along and helping 9S out of a jam like that.



<pulls out sword and starts walking toward 9S>



<gasps and tries not to shit his pants assuming androids can do that>





Welp, nice seeing you again, 9S. Gotta go. Machines and corrupted androids to kill and all that.



A2!
<stops walking> ......
2B told me... She told me she wanted you to... become a good person.



<heavy breathing>



You...



This is going about as well as you’d expect. It would have been way funnier of A2 just ganked 21O and immediately phase dashed out of there before 9S could even react. Related, I like to think the two Pods are just off screen with their arms up to their faces going “Alert: oh dear!”



As 9S tries his best to overpower a completely unimpressed A2, the Resource Unit begins violently shaking.





This results in the ground collapsing, immediately owning 9S yet again. Poor guy just cannot catch a break lately. Well, that’s one destined battle adverted for a bit in a rather contrived fashion.





Before A2 has time to figure out what the hell just happened and how 9S still managed to get owned when she barely did anything, she is interrupted by err...





This goofy thing. Tune in next time as A2 battles this rando machine with a bunch of linked machine heads for arms...? Sure, why not...? NieR: Automata continues to march towards its conclusion. Bring a bucket.






Video: Episode 126 Highlight Reel (You should watch this.)
NOTE: Skip to the important part clicking here! (Definitely watch this.)

Edit: The main video missed the last bit of 21O's dialogue since the triggers for it are really squirrely. You can watch this video to see it:
VIDEO: 21O Boss Dialogue





Resource Unit Concept Art – That’s the last we see of this kind of setting. Not to spoil anything but The Tower’s interior does NOT look like you’d expect it to...