Aftermath
-Wait, Brahne is alive? Um. Ok. She was found on the beach in her escape pod, barely moving. I don’t quite understand how that’s possible when she caught the full brunt of Bahamut’s megaflare in her face, but whatever.
-These are Vivi’s thoughts. He wanted this. He wanted Brahne’s death, and Kuja’s death, but now seeing Dagger crying he’s not sure.
-Dagger standing over Brahne’s fading body. This is really sad. It feels like she’s back to her old self.
-Brahne is remorseful. She knows she led Alexandria into ruin.
-She dies. In a state of self-awareness, clarity, and perhaps even grace.
-I feel very mixed about this. On one hand, I recognize that she changed very recently, was presumably a good queen for a while, and a loving mother. On the other hand, she committed war crimes and possibly genocide against the Burmecians/Cleyrans.
And that disparity is fine. I don’t need to come down on one side or the other. The atrocities she committed can’t be outweighed by her prior acts, and I don’t think the game is making that argument. I don’t think it means that Dagger is wrong for still wanting to save Brahne, for loving her.
-The party returned to Alexandria, bringing Brahne’s body with them.
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Alexandria – Queen Brahne’s Grave
-Steiner! Beatrix! Doctor Tot!
-Both Steiner and Beatrix feel guilty for this loss. Both swore loyalty to Brahne and Alexandria, and each feels that they should have done more.
-Long live Queen Dagger.
-Brahne was still beloved by the city. They remembered many good years despite recent erratic behavior. A wreath for her grave.
-Lack of music here is effective. Just chirping birds.
-DAGGER IS SO FUCKING BADASS
-Dagger swears to become a great queen. Walks away from the grave, sees her shining city in the background, and…. Ugh the CHILLS
Is it just me, or is the city framed here as if it’s a crown?
-She’s not queen yet though. Three days before the coronation. A lot can happen in three days. K-U-J-A spells “a lot.”
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Tantalus
-Tantalus reunited! And Ruby!
-Wonderful music. Is this the same music as from before?
-Ruby’s theater is a hit.
-Zidane is down in the dumps.
-Blank and Vivi run into each other. Literally.
-We learn that Beatrix, Steiner, and Freya barely survived Alexandria castle. The Tantalus members had to carry them out of there to safety.
-Perspective switch to Vivi.
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It’s So Big!
-An Eiko ATE. She’s in Alexandria castle.
-So mean! The chefs see her on the way in, keep asking her if she’s hungry. She keeps nodding.
Then “TOO BAD.” Poor Eiko.
---
Vivi in Alexandria
-One townsperson thinks Dagger is too young, that Beatrix would be a better queen.
-It’s Hippaul! Hiya, bud! His mom wants him to exercise more, so time for a race. Hippaul is (Level 1). Makes me think this will be an ongoing mini-game.
-The race is just button mashing. X and A alternately. I don’t love it. Got Hippaul up to level 54 before my thumbs started hurting and I stopped. Some nice card rewards.
-Just checked the flavor text for Memory Earring. There’s a rubbed out engraving on it: “…ndria’s tragedy.” Alexandria’s? Why would the jewel of the summoners say something about Alexandria’s tragedy? Perhaps something to do with the mystery of how Dagger ended up in Brahne’s care.
-Ilia’s grandmother is still sewing a dress. I hoped we’d have a new interaction with her because the Moogle Suit we got indicated that she wanted it for Ilia, but nothing new.
-lolol – a boy and girl are standing around a fountain, each wondering where the other is and whether they’ve been ditched. That’s happened to me before at Grand Central’s information booth.
-A dude named Ryan wants to join the Knights of Pluto. They’re not well respected, but not universally despised either.
---
Long Time No See!
-Some creatures who look like rodent executioners reunite. The name Zenero is familiar – my notes tell me that he is one of the Tantalus members from the crashed airship.
-hahaha – every time they say something, they shake their arms dramatically.
-General has been training for something, but the scene fades out before we learn what.
---
Vivi in Alexandria
-Checked in with Zidane in the bar. He’s silent. Is he worried that with Dagger as Queen he’ll be out of her life entirely? She’s not like that.
-Some more Tetra Master.
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Flyin’ High
-Blank and Marcus are talking about Zidane.
-They keep acting like he’s in a serious relationship now, but I haven’t seen evidence of that. Flirting and possibilities, yes, but still.
-Ah. They do kind of acknowledge that he’s just in love. Wisely suggesting he should address this head-on.
---
Artemicion
-Strange name for an ATE. A play perhaps?
-A purple striped moogle delivering mail to the bell tower.
This game really knows how to ramp the cute factor to the max.
-Stiltzkin is here. Artemicion may have forgotten to deliver one of Stiltzkin’s letters.
---
Vivi in Alexandria
-Found the Synthesist Shop. I can buy a bunch of stuff from here, including Pearl Rouge, but I’d have to give up my Moonstone. Not sure I want to do that yet.
-Space is tight in the inn.
-Blank invites us to see Ruby’s play with him, but I want to explore the city a bit more. I’ll be back.
-Tom’s kitten, Mittens, ran away. I see a kitten on a roof. Now to get to it…
-There’s a sign up collecting funds to help rebuild Lindblum.
-Everyone in town seems genuinely delighted to see Vivi again.
-Gave Kupo his letter from Kuppo (the Fossil Roo hiding moogle). They’re brothers.
-Kupo got a letter from Mogrika, a new moogle. Something about a special item she uses to look beautiful. And for the first time in a long time, I have no more Mognet mail to deliver.
-Bought another set of stuff from Stiltzkin. He’s going to go travel to find out what happened with the mist.
-One of the chefs, the onionmeister, is worried about the meal for the coming coronation. Wishes that the chef from Garnet’s birthday would return. There was a Qu chef back during the play iirc.
-Someone mentions Regent Cid’s wife as a “stubborn woman.” Well. I mean, I don’t know her, but he cheated on her, so my sympathies are initially with her until I see something definitively otherwise. It doesn’t mean Cid is a terrible guy or anything, but I’m definitely reserving any negative judgment on his wife until something substantial. (I don’t really count the theft of the airship as substantial in this case.)
-The boat leading to the castle is currently out of service.
-Let’s see what this is about in Ruby’s Theater.
-Blank and Ruby don’t seem to get along that well.
-lol vivi called cinna “Uncle Cinna.”
---
Castle Alexandria
-Beautiful music here as Dagger stands in her room… oh, is it a variation on the theme of Dagger’s song?
-She wants to see Zidane. I am shocked – shocked I say! – to hear that Steiner is hesitant and thinks she should focus on the coronation.
-Hi Dr. Tot! Beatrix!
-holy crap, barrage of gems – opal, amethyst, topaz. The powers Brahne ripped away.
The act was so violating and horrible that Tot has trouble articulating it.
-Beatrix actually agrees with Steiner.
-The scene and music swap to Eiko around the castle. She’s plotting her romantic conquest of Zidane.
-lol eiko found tot – hahahaha she says he looks smart, and starts listing off the reasons. XD
-She impresses him into her service as a writer to help with the letter to Zidane.
-As Eiko walks away, Doctor Tot proves to be quite perceptive, noticing Eiko’s “horn” (what I assume to be her summoning flute).
-A flashback? Someone remembering when a woman and her baby came ashore. Perhaps this is Tot, remembering Dagger’s arrival spurred by the flute.
-HOLY SHIT
THERE WAS AN ACTUAL PRINCESS GARNET WHO DIED JUST BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF DAGGER
AND DAGGER LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE HER
…oh god. Just had a thought. Wouldn’t it be fucked up if Brahne never found out that Garnet died and Tot swapped Dagger in and was just like “she has amnesia and doesn’t remember you because she hit her head?”
-One exception to the resemblance. Dagger had a horn, and Garnet had none. Wait. Did he mean that Eiko has a horn, like a thing in her head? I thought she just had those cat ears.
-Ok. Two things, one good one bad. Good: Brahne knew that Dagger was not Garnet.
Bad: the king ordered Dagger’s horn be PAINFULLY CUT OFF WTFFFFF.
-Tot wonders if Eiko might be related to Dagger. I mean, they’re from the same town, but nothing yet to indicate that they’re blood relations closer than that.
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Dagger’s Room
-Dagger changed. She looks awesome.
-SHE FUCKING TELLS BEATRIX – tells her that Brahne is her adoptive mother and not her real mother.
-BEATRIX ALREADY KNEW
AND IS STILL LOYAL I LOOOOOOVE THIS
And oh loooord does a part of me ship Dagger/Beatrix? Yes. Not a small part either. And I don’t dislike Zidagger either! They work too. But right here, this scene? Holy hell. Sign me the fuck up.
(I know I know, there’s a 0% chance this is the direction the game will go, and yes, Beatrix as Dagger’s loyal knight no matter what is incredible as well. This was just something on my mind so here I am spewing it onto the page.)
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Around the Castle
-Oh, look at that. Eiko’s horn is right there and I just flat out didn’t see it until I looked for it.
-The letter is done.
-Tot continues to put pieces together on hearing the name Madain Sari. He thought it was just a legend before Eiko confirmed it.
---
Next time: Continuing preparations for the coronation.
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