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[R^2]

It's pretty foolish to expect basic human empathy from Kefka at this point, but man, throwing two people down a garbage chute to die?






Ifrit and Shiva trade off being the enemy for this boss-ish battle. Both are crazy-resistant to physical attacks -- Cyan does double-digit damage at most with Bushido moves -- and null six of the eight elements used to attack. Ifrit absorbs fire and is weak to ice, and Shiva absorbs ice but is weak to fire. Celes knows Blizzard naturally, and Siren taught everyone else Fire. So chipping away at them is possible, but very slow.

After being hit five times, each one of the two will switch off to the other. But if three of those five hits were magic attacks, they'll use Firaga or Blizzaga first, easily slaying a party member. So Locke and Cyan resorting to physical hits is still pretty important.






In Final Fantasy 5, Ramuh joined you because he recognized Ifrit. Now Ifrit stops attacking because he recognizes Ramuh.

[R^2]

DO YOU MIND RANDOM ENCOUNTER I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING HERE


Shiva: I can see why Ramuh entrusted you with his power...
Ifrit: Gestahl has captured many more of us. They're all here, being drained of their powers. I, too, suffered my turn in one of the capsules...
Shiva: When they finish draining us of our powers, they dump us down here to die. We haven't much time left...

You know, now that I look closely, that's not garbage strewn all over the floor. That's a ribcage, there, and a skull there...

Shiva: We and Ramuh were siblings, each of us born with a different elemental power. If Ramuh was willing to give you his strength, then we shall do the same...


Shiva's Last Words: I'm sure they will lend you their strength as well...


Shiva teaches Blizzard, Blizzara, Rasp (damages MP), Osmose (drains MP), and Cure. Her summon is Diamond Dust, a blast of ice-elemental magic.

Ifrit teaches Fire, Fira, and Drain. His summon is Hellfire, a blast of fire-elemental magic. Crazy, I know. Ifrit gives +1 Strength if someone levels up while equipped with him.


It's a long climb out of the garbage/corpse dump.


Yeah, finally.


There's a sword that petrifies enemies hidden behind one of the first set of glass tubes.


And shortly thereafter... this guy!

[R^2]

Number 024 attacks with Confusion hits and is fond of using Barrier Change to swap out his elemental weakness. But unlike most other monsters in the Facility, his defense isn't so stupidly high it's a waste of time just smacking him. So most of this battle is spent on Bushido and Catscratch.


Eventually, he does Barrier Change. His weakness is easy enough to figure out: he uses attacks of the opposite element. In this case, he starts with Acid Rain, a partywide water-ish attack.


Everyone has had plenty of practice with Ramuh by now.


BZOT there goes over half his HP to end the fight in a jiffy.

[R^2]

There are all sorts of creatures floating in the tubes here.


...is that a unicorn?




Espers: We will follow Ifrit's example... Our power we entrust to you...

Guys wait hang on, we should probably


Get out of here first, because


... because the Empire doesn't know how magicite works and we


don't want to be the ones revealing... it... to...


...god dammit.




Nice job fucking up everything, guys.


We at least have the sense to pick up the magicite instead of just letting Cid collect it for his own research.

[R^2]

Cid: General Celes! Who are these shady characters? Your underlings?
Celes: No... You see, I...
Cid: Is it true you worked your way in amongst those rebels as a spy?




Kefka: General Celes! We needn't keep up the charade any longer. Bring me those magicite crystals!
Locke: Celes! You... tricked us!?

Well, that's what you get for thinking with your survivor's guilt instead of your brain, Locke.


"The subplot where I join as a traitor, am revealed so you all doubt me, and then sincerely turn to your side of the conflict was scrapped on the editing-room floor early in production! That kind of thing doesn't happen until that stupid cat puppet shows up in the next game!"


Cyan doesn't need any more reason to doubt Celes, but Locke taking Kefka's word for it is a bit odd.


Celes: Locke... Believe me...
Locke: I.........
Kefka: NOW!




Celes: Locke... Let me protect you for once... And maybe... ...maybe then you'll believe me.

[R^2]

"So, uh... why are you helping us, now?" "And what's with that raincoat? It only rains in one city in the entire world, and you look like you're wearing a full-body condom."


"I know, right? Hello, fashion disaster!"


"...Kefka made you wear a yellow rubber overcoat with a reservoir tip?"


"...oh. We're having two different conversations, aren't we."

[R^2]

Anyway, at the bottom of the elevator is a save point and a chance to assume control again. I got six new espers (eight total counting Shiva and Ifrit), so:

Unicorn is a step up from Kirin as a healing esper. It teaches Cura at x4 and Esuna at x3, but Safe, Shell, and Dispel are slow coming. Its summon is Healing Horn, which is a partywide Esuna.

Madiun teaches Fira, Blizzara, and Thundara all at x3. His summon is the decidedly non-elemental Chaos Wave, and his level-up bonus is Magic +1.

Catoblepas, as we saw in Final Fantasy 5, is fond of petrification attacks. It teaches Bio at x8, Break at x5, and Death at x2, and uses Demon Eye to petrify enemies when summoned. It gives a 10% boost to HP gained at level up.

Phantom is a ghostly wraith that teaches Gravity, Berserk, and Vanish. Vanish turns the target invisible, making every physical attack miss but the next magic attack sure to hit (and remove the Vanish effect). Summoning Phantom adds Vanish to the whole party. Phantom gives +10% to MP gained at level up.

Carbuncle, again returning from Final Fantasy 5, also retains its shtick from that game. It teaches a variety of support magic: Reflect, Haste, Safe, Shell, and Teleport... but slowly. Summoning Carbuncle bathes everyone in reflective ruby light.

Bismarck is a whale of an esper, teaching Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder each at x20 and Raise at x2. Its summon is Breach Blast, which hits all enemies with water-elemental magic. His level-up bonus is an impressive Strength +2.

Whew! I think that's the most espers the game ever throws at you at a time, so later summaries won't be so long. Back to the escape sequence...


Cid: But I also forced her to become a Magitek knight... If I ever get to see her again, I want to apologize... for all of my mistakes...


Goddamn that screechy laugh!





Music: Save Them!


These low-res Mode 7 cart tracks were about all the SNES could handle, I expect, but they sure look like a big ol' sack of crap on more modern hardware.


There are a couple different kinds of Magna Roaders that attack while you're escaping.


Followed shortly by yet another boss, Number 128. His arm-claws are also viable targets to be destroyed, hampering his offensive power somewhat, but they eventually grow back.


Also he can Haste himself.

[Zaratustra]

I remember being stuck for ages on these bosses because you can't grind your level up or change party members.

[R^2]

The cart ride ends by crashing into a Magitek armor patrol and knocking it out. So yay for that.


This save point appearing out of nowhere was a lot easier to see on the SNES version, when its appearance was actually onscreen.


Setzer: ...Where's Celes?
Locke: ...
Setzer: Don't give me that visible silence bullshit, boy, I was going to marry that girl yesterday. Where the fuck did she go? We can talk about it later. Let's get out of here!










The two cranes extend so slowly it's amazing the airship hasn't flown away by the time they're out.


Setzer: That probably would've been a good idea... ...But it seems we're a bit too late! Here they come!
Cyan: Gah! What are those mechanical monstrosities!?
Gau: Uwao! Waou!!!

waou

such crane

very good line

I must fight boss now

waou

[R^2]

One crane absorbs fire, and after absorbing three fire attacks, roasts the party. The other crane absorbs electricity, and after absorbing three electric attacks, zaps the entire party.

Oh, and the cranes will merrily cast Fira and Thundara on each other to make those things happen.


Each crane can also grab and shake the deck to use Magnitude8, but since I've had Cait Sith equipped for a while now casting Float isn't a problem.


Since Setzer is fighting for his airship as part of the party now, you can experiment a little with his Slots command.


Line up icons that are the same to use special attacks.


In this case, Chocobo Stampede. How did he get those chocobos up here, anyway?


When one crane is gone, the other will cast Magitek Barrier on itself to provide it Protect and Reflect. But at this point, the battle is nearly won anyway.


Is that all the bosses to fight? All of them? Are we sure? Absolutely positive? I'd hate to forget any! That's it? Really? Okay, good! Back to the original "get the fuck out of here" plan!

[R^2]

...well, except Celes.

[R^2]

Terra: I remember now... I was raised in the esper world...

Music: Esper World

[R^2]

[R^2]

Maduin: She must have wandered in from the other world by mistake.




Young Woman: You're... an esper? What's this pendant around your neck?
Maduin: ...I'll give it to you. A charm from the esper world!
Young Woman: The esper world... So, that is where I ended up...
Maduin: Everyone is at a loss as to how you, a human, could have made it into our world...
Young Woman: You're the one who saved me, right? My name is Madeline. I was sick of living in the human world. It's nothing but a vortex of greed and hate... So I wandered out into the storm, and before I knew it, I was here...
Maduin: They say that humans and espers... can't coexist.
Madeline: So... you don't want me here, right?
Maduin: No, I'm just... not sure.
Madeline: I'll return to my own world tomorrow.
Maduin: All right... Someone can show you the way back.


The esper elder, having eavesdropped on the entire conversation, stares at the camera as if to say "Well... shit."

[R^2]

Yeah, but what are the odds of that ever happening, flashback dude? There are other espers around to talk to -- some look like wolfmen, some like fairies, some like dragons -- but none of them say anything particularly interesting.




















Two sparks, one from Maduin and one from Madeline, are left behind after they fly away.


...and the two sparks combine into a baby. It's not like they were going to show explicit dicking in an SNES game. Hell, publishers still can't get away with that kind of thing, even if it's dummied out and unlocked purely by hacking.


SURPRISE DOES THIS EXPLAIN ANYTHING

[R^2]

Gestahl: After all that time spend decoding the secrets of those ancient texts... Now it's time to reap the rewards! Grab them! Riches to any man who captures an esper! GO!

[R^2]

Maduin: You mean... the magic barrier?
Elder: I'll create a tempest to sweep all the invaders out of our realm, then I'll seal the gate. Even among espers, the power to create a magical seal is limited to a single bloodline. I am the last of that line...
Maduin: But at your age...
Elder: I may not survive. And without me, you will never again be able to open the gate.
Maduin: Madeline...
Madeline: The other world holds nothing for me.
Elder: Then it's decided. We have no other choice.
Heretofore unnamed wolfman-type Esper: This is all because of that human woman!
Maduin: Nonsense!
Esper: She could have led them here for all we know!






Madeline doesn't have to take this kind of passive-aggressive abuse! She bolts.

[R^2]

Maduin: Madeline, she...!
Elder: Oh, no... But it's already too late! I've begun activating the seal. You won't be able to return!
Maduin: I don't care!


The soldiers are sucked offscreen.




Gestahl follows suit.


Maduin: I know!
Madeline: ...Thank you.
Maduin: Will you come back home with me?
Madeline: Yes, of course...


Whoops. The fumbled infant has no way to resist getting pulled out of the gate.


Madeline either loses her grip from the shock or lets go intentionally, it's hard to say which.

[R^2]

Gestahl casually murders Madeline.

[R^2]

Music: Awakening




Terra: I'm the daughter of an esper and a human... That's why I have these abilities... But I should be okay now. I can control this power, as long as I only use it in short bursts.

This unlocks Terra's special skill -- now that everyone can use magic from Espers, she needs a unique ability. It's "Trance", originally "Trans" in Japanese as short for "transform", or "Morph" in the SNES version. She turns into her glowing pink feral form, doubling her damage output and halving the damage she takes from magic. It only lasts a little while; the longer it's not used, the longer it lasts in the battle it's activated. Once it wears off (or upon command), Terra reverts to a human.

Dissidia Final Fantasy - Terra's EX Burst
Trance is Terra's EX Mode in Dissidia.


Locke: Those espers in the research facility must've been the ones they grabbed that day. And Celes's power... came at the expense of one of them.

Popular fan theory is that Celes's power comes at the expense of all of them. Why would the Gestahl empire train a supersoldier that nullifies magic attacks when the Gestahl empire is the only force that possesses them? Celes wasn't intended as a military leader for her whole career -- her ultimate goal was to lead another raid on the Esper World, shutting down any counterattack from the magical beasts therein and allowing the Empire to capture another set of test subjects.




Locke: Hmm... Maybe we should head back and see.