Part 116: Mission 46 - A Beautiful Dystopia - Part 2
Deus Ex Machina
Pilot Skills:
Double Movement
Prevail L9
Support Attack L3
Break Morale Limit
Counter
Predict
All Attack L3
Command L4
Mech Features:
Override
30% HP and EN Regen
All Canceller
Deus Ex Machina’s voice actor: Tessho Genda (other roles: Gu-Landon in SRW OGs, Kirks in Masoukishin, Ryujinmaru in Wataru, Sleggar and Dozle in the original Gundam, and a ton more)
Now that’s a big boss: stats are massive all across the board, 200k HP plus a ton of defenses, Override and that Skill stat means your hit %s’ll take a big hit and, of course, he hits like a truck.
We haven’t had a boss with a properly threatening MAPW yet, and Deus comes to change that with one that blasts anywhere in 2-8 range with a 4x4 AoE (only blind spot is at point-blank range). Thankfully, his AI seems hard-wired not to use both movements on that – he’ll pop it and, then, move in to bash someone’s face in. Not that he needs to weaken a unit, because his strongest attack – appropriately named Overkill – is strong enough that it can probably oneshot anyone except our beefier guys (good news is that its range is only 1).
Confuse is the name of the game, because you absolutely don’t want to risk him tagging folks with that MAPW – especially if you don’t have Kongming boosting their dodge rates with S ranks. We need to take care of him to beat the mission, and with everyone’s morale effectively reset back to 100, you’ll need to get back to work on the newly-arrived mooks. Deus’ll give you one turn and then he’ll start closing in, so spread out and kill as much as you can (this is why activating all those skills prior to the morale hit is very recommended).
Get him under 70% for the plot to progress.
SRW UX - Linebarrel
SRW UX - LEGEND OF KAISER
Final Mission ~ Quantum Burst 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26H-WQEQ1ME
And here he comes.
Deus vs. Kurou: “You, just as humanity, cannot escape the curse that binds you.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRpv0HjlQKk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B3nlwLNGoU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWvdcqoMc9U
And while we’re at it, here’s a couple of more DKs from Kiriyama, Lu Bu and Sakomizu. I particularly enjoy the sight of a giant space baby getting judo flipped.
And when the morale’s good enough, turn your sights back to Deus. He’s likely already in your face.
SRW UX - Azure
Deus vs. Fafners: “The moment you lose your imagination is the moment you’ll cease to be there.”
SRW UX - Tales of Mirisha ~ The Brave Legend
And after more than a few overridden attacks, because I’d apparently forgotten what happened with Amagatsu…
: This strength…: It’s because you have this strength that mankind will be destroyed.
: Wh-What the…?!
: All the damage we did just vanished!
: His regeneration is off the charts… This goes way beyond the level of nanomachines!
: ‘Tis… a power in the realm of the divine!: Why are humans incapable of existing as humans ought to be…?: Why do you not embrace the paradise that was granted to you…?
*BLAAAAST!*
: Gwaaaaaaah!: Do you wish to live? Does death frighten you?: That is imagination… That is life.
: Aaaiieeee!
: Stop! Don’t kill them!: Th-This pain… This anguish, this is what life is?!: Why are you so set on opposing God that you’re willing to suffer like this?!
: Sh-Shut up, Kurusu…!: …?!: “The paradise that was granted to us”… What a load of bull!: A world where people are fighting nonstop, where they’re kept up at night for fear that they might end up dead…!: What the hell kind of paradise is that?!: B-But…!
: He’s right… We’re not puppets to be controlled! We’re humans!: Peace will lead us to destruction?! I…: I’ll never accept anything as ridiculous as that!
SRW UX - Dunbine Flies
: Shou…!: Aura Power… that which can actualize human beliefs…
: Yeah! If wanting to live is the essence of life, then so is the wanting to have peace!: Because Shou… Because humans all have the capacity to give form to those wishes!: …: Give form to…their wishes…: I won’t be beaten!: You wish to face me, human…?
: It is useless…*Flash!*
: Aaargh!
: Shou…!
: He defended himself with a compressed warp field…!
: Not even Shou Zama’s Aura Power could pierce that barrier…!: No, there’s still something we can try!
: Kouichi?!*Kouichi moves over to the Dunbine.*
: Shou, I’ll go in right after him!: He’s using a compressed warp field, so if I can hit him back with the exact same thing…!
: The same…?! That’d trigger a particle annihilation between them…!
: Ooh, I get it! Both fields will neutralize each other, leaving him exposed for a split-second…!: A separate energy blast right at that moment could get through…!
: That’s a really small window, though! Can they pull it off…?: We can and we will! No one’s ever won a battle by thinking it’s already a lost cause!: Isn’t that right, Kouichi?: Yeah! This isn’t about what we can or can’t do!
: We just have to do it!
: SEEEEIIIIII!
: Get him! Gooooooo!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZCiWWe9sQA
Captions are available because why not?
: Hrrrmm!
: They did it… They pushed Deus Ex Machina back…!: Haah, haah… You guys saw that?!: That’s the power us humans have! There’s nothing we can’t do!
: Hayase, you’re…!
: He’s right… What did we get through all those battles for?!
: It was so we could protect the lives of others… and so that human hands could create a future where they may go on living as humans…!
: There’s only one solution for this, then!: Don’t be afraid, and don’t be sad!: Take the faith in your heart… and turn it to a force of justice! (Variations on lyrics for Dunbine Flies)
*Everyone maxes out morale!*
: Th-This… This is the strength of humans…?: These are the possibilities of humanity?!: And I’m about to teach you something else, Deux Ex Machina!: That justice… justice always wins!
Take out Deus Ex Machina to finish the mission, but chances are he’s too far away for you to manage that on this turn. Just pop another Confuse, bunch up your guys together so he’ll come to you and then go to town on the next turn (he’ll regen all the damage he took from Shou, but 200k is more than doable in one turn).
Bah.
“So that Earth may be safe from ‘the enemy’.”
But he only went after either dodgy or protected folks, so it’s fine.
SRW UX - In the Blue Sky ver. HD: You seem to grasp the meaning of life… but peace will have you forget that. : I sense what your feelings are… You’re a bit of a knucklehead, aren’t you?: Still, I think you can turn over a new leaf!
: It’s this willingness to resist their fated destruction that gave humans the imagination with which they weave their future…
: Come to think of it, the Dancouga was also meant to be a way resist destruction.
: Granted, that original plan went out the window a long time ago. : Well, duh! No one here buys into a plan of surviving by running off with your tail between your legs!
: And that hasn’t changed now…! It’s by standing our ground and fighting that we’ll win our survival! Let’s go wild!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUjWaH9hgb4
And here’s his absolute strongest weapon. Note that it did 1500+ damage on a 50% upgraded Dancouga WITH Iron Wall and Guard – as I said, only your bulkiest guys will survive a clean hit from this.
And now we go!
Lisa Komine - PROUD
: You remain adrift in an endless cycle, yet you do not allow despair to grip you…: But it will happen sooner or later. The faceless one will see to it.
: I’ve no idea what you’re on about, but we’re never throwing the towel!
: Display your might unto him, Demonbane! : Erase the Extra Deus Machina that the hands of man have wrought! 
: Lose your capacity to imagine death, and soon your capacity to express any and all emotions will follow. 
: Even if that’s what’s waiting for us, the strength of our hearts… the music of our souls has the strength to overcome any obstacles! That’s what I believe!
Deus vs. Alto or Fei: “Song could never exceed the fear of death as the root of imagination.”
: You know of the despair that awaits mankind in its future, so why…?
: Because what I saw is meaningless, especially considering I’m standing here right now.: Man’s will to survive is capable of overturning even the future as it’s been written… and it’s your turn to realize that!
Deus vs. Ishigami: “The events you were taught all lead towards destruction.”
: What was I afraid of? Even he is just another being in this world.: You must imagine death… It’s the only way for life to endure eternally.: Hope exceeds fear, I’m afraid. Now let me show you the strength that resides in someone who's overcome that fear!
Deus vs. Katou: “The solution you had found was the correct one. How unfortunate.”
: The sustenance of death that we offer is the gospel of your salvation…: Death is all the future holds for those who’d reject that. 
: Alright, I’ve had it up to here with your yammering!: We’re all trying to save mankind in our own way, so let’s just throw down and see who’s more stubborn about it!
Deus vs. Joe: “The righteous sun, and the righteous moon… not even those could avert the extinction of mankind.”
The first half of the phrase refers to a passage in the Ninja Legend of Ladorio. The sun refers to Tobikage – look at its headband!
: You would reap the sustenance that is death… It is you who corrupts this world. You are a destroyer, beckoning all towards despair.
: Mankind does not need conflict. As long as there is dialogue to be had with others, humans will never lose their imagination!: I see a bright future beyond the end of our conflict… and I’ve faith in that future!
Deus vs. Celestial Being unit: “The peace that lies beyond conflict… is the way for the death of mankind.”
: How far a Machina that failed to become Human has come…: Is this the strength of a man who’s willing to die for his cause…?
: I’ll admit that I didn’t mind dying if meant accomplishing my mission…: But it looks like the local Champion of Justice wasn’t having it. Now I’m going to fight tooth and nail for my life…!
Deus vs. Factors: “I see you have acquired some measure of imagination, Machina.”
: It’s impossible for you to save mankind piloting Machinas that failed to become Human, even if they have learned to imagine.: Yikes. Those’re some powerful words coming from the top dog among not only Machinas, but the Human Machinas.
: Looking at Hayase, though, I get the feeling he doesn’t give a crap about this guy’s arguments.
: Well, sure, he’s too stupid to understand ‘em anyway!
: Sis, please, be nice…
: But it’s that attitude of his that gave us the courage to get back on our feet!
: He showed us that people still have hope inside them, even when they’re surrounded by despair!: But that’s not something machines who shut themselves inside the moon because they believe the future is set in stone could ever understand!
: The ability to constantly change and keep moving towards your dreams is a strength found in all humans…: Come, Deus Ex Machina! We’ll teach you just how strong the will of humans can be…!
: Human hands cannot overturn the tides of ruin… you may employ weapons similar to us, but that will change nothing.
: Hmph, what a grandiose speech…
: Then, open your eyes and observe, machine God!
: This is the strength of the humans who pilot these!: It won’t be the power of the machines we control that’ll defeat you! No… it’ll be the will of humans determined to stay alive!
Deus vs. Armas: “Humanity has come so far as to even create copies of Machinas…”
: If it really was the will of the planet that gave life to Heroman, then I’m sure we can demolish the destruction in our fate…: Actually, no, that has to happen, and we and our friends’ll make it so!
: Hrmm…!: The will of the planet…?
Deus vs. Heroman: “The world cannot be saved by a lone hero.”
: Regulate life as it trails its preset path. That is one of the tasks I have performed for human civilization across the generations. 
: Maybe you did, but it was together that we suffered and made it this far! That’s how we’ve come to share in the same vision for the future…!
: Mankind won’t be saved through some God’s “regulation”! Rather, it’s by supporting one another that we’ll make even fate change itself!
: First we’ll go through you, and then we’ll win ourselves the future waiting beyond your so-called fate!
Deus vs. SEED folk: “What awaits at the terminus of your evolution… is destruction.”
: The samsara, the cycle of life and death… That is the immutable order that has been instilled upon the universe.
: Yeah, and that’s why people try and live life to the fullest!: But they’re not doing it in order to escape from death…!: People are here, in this world, because they want to be with all those they love…!
Deus vs. Fafners #2: The loss of self and the loss of imagination… both are very similar in my eyes.
: The light within you will also disappear face the destruction carved into every single human being. 
: Time and again, we’ve seen the strength of man’s will to survive. : And that’s how we can tell you with absolute certainty that mankind would never surrender…!: Take a look, Deus Ex Machina! The light of our lives will blow away even your despair!
Deus vs. Arnie and Saya: “That light will fade along with your imagination.”
: Whatever path man takes, he will sooner or later be forced to accept his future…: I’ve felt all the light of life when the Wings of Rean whisked me away!: That’s how I know that life isn’t so fragile that it’ll break down if someone stops imagining their own death!
Deus vs. Aesap and Shou: “If all of mankind had your attachment to life, then…”
: A mighty will to save your lives from falling to nothingness. That is imagination and it is through it that humans may avoid their destruction.
: Hmph, do you actually expect us to live with sort of worry in our minds?
: We fight and we crush because we want to! And if we ever run out of folks to fight…: Then we’ll go and take a stab at God and the Devil too!
: You may call yourself God, but you, yourself, are still a byproduct of human beliefs and emotions!: And it’ll be those very human emotions that’ll lead mankind to ruin, just as you are all so intent on accomplishing…: Maybe it would, but humanity’s will to live is strong enough not to accept that! We won’t stop until we’ve saved our future!: Yeah! And nothing can beat an Aura Machina being empowered by its pilot’s will to live! Get him, Shou!
: The possibilities of humanity… could it free man from the destruction imposed upon them…?: Championing all life as it carries on its trek to the future… That’s a pretty tall order, but…: I like it. Save the world, protect mankind… That sounds pretty good to me!
: Go, Kouichi! Show him that reality exceeds his imagination!: Come on, Linebarrel! Surpass all your limits!
Deus vs. Kouichi: “You may be a singularity, Kouichi Hayase, but that will not change the outcome.”
Kouichi attacking: “I’m ending this now, Deus Ex Machina!
: Without the sustenance of death, humans will forsake their lives and head down the path of destruction… Such is the will of the heavens.
: Our struggles to defend others… to spread life across the planet are not mistaken! I refuse to believe that it is so!
: And the wills of the people are not so weak that they would submit to destruction after all the blood that was poured to earn their future!
: The glorious will to carve out a tomorrow for oneself! The tenacity found even in the commonest of folk! ‘Tis through those that eternity shall be ours!
: The strength of the will… the strength of the soul is capable of remaking the very fabric of karma! May its brilliance burn into your mind as you fall! Behold— MY SOOOOUUUUL!!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t-C0NiSPBw
And I figured, what the hell, let’s have Lu Bu literally stomp the big bad into the ground!
Deus Ex Machina drops another Fei’s Disk.
: Gch… Uurrrgh!: How can this be…? Is this what toppled even Moon WILL – the possibilities within humans…?: Moon WILL…?: Now that you mention it, he also had a habit of selling humanity short.: Yeah, he tagged us as ‘flawed creatures who lacked self-control’…: Was he wrong? You understand that yours is the way of destruction, yet you do not reconsider your current actions…: That is why we…!: What, you’ll keep us alive like we’re a bunch of pets, feeding us some bites of “fear of death” every now and then? Come on, dude!: Mechanical God or whatever you are, we’re not giving up control of our lives to over to you!: Idiocy…! You are all fools.: It’s that conceit that will eventually be the end of the entire human race… SRW UX - Proud: If that’s the case, then we’ll just change that!: What…?!: …: It’s true that, at first, the possibilities within us are as tiny as they come…: Our individual wishes, by themselves, are just small, isolated, dots…: But humans are capable of reaching out to one another, running a line from one dot to the other…: And as those lines overlap… those wishes are given form and become something real!: …?!: Those wishes are without limit, growing into infinity…: And, in time, they become a force capable of changing even fate itself!: …: The lines drawn out from every individual possibility… and the aggregation of those lines gives life to an all-encompassing form… : Line…barrel…
: And nothing’ll ever get the better of us so long as that will remains strong!: That’s our justice, and the future’ll bear that out! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdTqmuEkrmA
Captions are available.
: …: You’ll force the fate carved into all life to change through the strength of your wills…: That is your answer…?*RUUUUMBLE!*
: Wh-What’s going on?!
: Space-time anomaly detected! This whole area’s falling apart!
: S-Say what?!: …: Go, humans.: Muster the strength you’ve shown us and face the end of the Yuga.: (The end of the Yuga…?)*RUUUUMBLE!*
: W-Whoaaaa!
: We can’t stay here! Emergency retreat – all units, return to your ships at once!
: …: Whatever future’s lying in wait for us…: We will find a way to live on…
: …: The future will bear that out, hm…? (These words are significant because they were the last words Flower of Steel Kouichi – the one we saw in L’s Animebarrels finale – said to Deus Ex Machina): Kouichi… Hayase…
*BOOOOOM!*
: We’ve confirmed that the Lunar Pit is destroyed. There is no way of knowing how things are inside, but…
: I don’t think even Deus Ex Machina could survive getting dragged into a space-time anomaly that size…
: We really beat that big God, then?!
: Who can say…: But, if anything, I think we convinced him to accept us.
: Hah… All that fighting, and ‘convincing’ him is the best we got? 
: You have our thanks, Eiji. I doubt we could’ve pulled this off without your resolve.
: Please, my resolve is minuscule compared to your and your allies’ spirit.
: Minuscule it may be, but great strength is born as it all joins together.
: And I hope we can count on you to continue assisting us in future battles?: M-Me…?!
: There isn’t a single person here who’d be on your case over past mistakes.
: After all, what matters isn’t what you should do. It’s what you want to do.: …: Thank you, everyone…
: That’s the threat of the Human Machinas dealt with, but there are still many questions left unanswered.
: And despite everything we said, it doesn’t really change the fact that humans do have that Suicide Switch in them.
: Every step towards peace is another step towards our destruction…?
: Don’t go there, I say. Brooding over it ain’t gonna get us anywhere.: We’d already made up our minds to keep on fighting, come what may. Isn’t that good enough for now?
: I guess so…: One thing that still bothers me, though, is that Tokyo inside the moon.
: Oh, yeah, and you said those ruins were from the one you knew.
: Does that mean that your home is already gone, Shou?: I don’t even want to think about that. The aesthetics and layout of the buildings were the same as our Tokyo, though.
: A Tokyo from a parallel universe… I suppose it’d make sense that it’d be a bit different from the one we’re familiar with…
: But didn’t Aesap and Kouichi say that they also saw that city in their vision of the future?
: Yeah, we did…
: Then, Shou and the others didn’t come from a parallel universe, but from the future?
: Have some care before you open your mouth. You’re suggesting Shou’s world really has been destroyed.: O-Oh, right … But, wait, if that’s the case, how did that city even get there?
: I may have an answer…: It came from neither a parallel universe, nor the future…
: Huh…?!: Am I wrong, Mr. Ishigami?
: Hah… Your wit never disappoints, Master Kongming.
: Wh-What do you mean?!: I mean exactly what I said: his theory is right on the money.: The Tokyo inside the moon wasn’t from the future or a parallel universe.
: Where, then…?: It was from the world that existed before everything was reset…: In other words, it’s the Tokyo from the previous universe.: …?!
: Wh-What?!: The previous universe…?! That’s nuts!: …: The universe has already been destroyed once before, and the current one began after that happened…?
: I get it now…! That’s what General Lu Bu meant back then…!
: …: You called this world Penglai…!: And it really is… it’s the land that exists beyond death – beyond the destruction of the previous one!
: Hmhmhmhm…: They’re also getting pretty close to the truth, I see…: Karma flows in a circle, coming to fruition at samsara's end…: Come on, come on! Show me what lies beyond the end and the beginning! : Show me a brand new Yuga…!
: Cmdr. Makabe, we’ve received a message from the UX. : They’ve completed their mission at the moon and are headed back here.
: Excellent. Looks like they might just make it in time.
: The enemy Mir’s drawing closer and closer to Tatsumiya. It really wants to assimilate our own Mir, hm?
: But I doubt it’ll just listen to us even if Misao Kurusu does come back.
: Soushi, Tsubaki and Akane are all gone. How are we going to communicate with their Mir, Makabe?: …: The hope that was born onto our island. She’s our final option…
: You don’t mean…!
: …
: Mommy, why are we going to the ALVIS doctor? I’m not sick.
: Hmm, why are we going? Can you guess, honey?: Hmmm…: (Don’t worry, Miwa. I swear I’ll keep you safe…)Now, with only a handful of missions to go and not many more units to grab, it’s time to pick another three units to get maxed out. Don’t worry about that secret powerhouse or the Odyssea, since I’m going to max them out anyway; I don’t think any of the other secrets would get picked… but if the outcry is significant, I’ll do it.
Here are your options:
- Linebarrel, Vardant, Painkiller, Judah, Tsukuyomi, Glain-Neidr/Naked, Jinrai
- Destroyer Robo
- Mark Sein, Mark Fünf, Mark Destiny, Mark Sieben
- Nanajin, Oukaou
- Tobikage
- Bilbine, Zwarth
- Strike Freedom, Infinite Justice
- 00 Qan[t], Zabanya, Harute, Brave
- Liu Bei, Cao Cao, Sun Quan, Lu Bu
- Mazinkaiser
- YF-29 Durandal, Macross Quarter
- Dancouga Nova
Either post here, on in the other thread, or make a comment in a youtube video for mission 46 - whichever suits you best.
Voting will remain open until Tuesday, August 7th.