zephyrthejester

[zephyrthejester]

Gee, I wonder what Prushka leaving Riko behind and ascending into a white light while Hanezeve Caradhina plays is supposed to be a metaphor for.

I just don’t know, you guys.

“Keep going, Riko. Slowly... Take your time... Don’t look back. No matter how dark the Abyss becomes, you’ll be fine. You’re very bright, after all... A ‘Flower of Dawn’ wilts and falls in the afternoon. But you must push forward. You know, Riko, I... I’ve always wanted a friend like you. Riko, I... Want to go on adventures with you.”

These are totally the words of a person who will stay alive.

Right. Prushka’s definitely dead and gone by now. Or, knowing this series, alive and gone. All I know for sure is that there’s no getting her back. Not as she was.

Man, I wasn’t even all that attached to her, but this hurts. Freaking... Bondrewd’s gotta die. I don’t care how. He’s gotta pay. He’s hurt way too many people to be forgiven.

I think this might be the best place I’ll get to stop at for a while, so I’ll end today’s session here.

RIP Prushka, you were too innocent for this world ;_;7

Timestamp: [0:57:40 / 1:44:53]

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[zephyrthejester]

Ah, great! Twist the knife in further, who don’t you?! It’s a lovely little flashback scene of Riko and Prushka having a heart to heart while looking for Reg.

Prushka’s questions had Riko coming clean about all the thoughts running through her head. Riko first felt the desire to become a White Whistle herself so she could get clearance to go to the Sixth Layer and beyond, and find her mother... But since that early dream, so much has changed. So many mysteries complicated that once simple goal.

Who wrote that letter that came with Reg when he was found on the surface? Who or what is truly waiting for Riko at the bottom of the Abyss? Why does the Curse of the Abyss exist in the first place? Who made Reg and why?

In the end, though... The only thing Riko truly wants is to adventure with Reg and Nanachi forever. Of course! How could it have ever been anything else? All the mysteries and danger are just excuses to stay together.

Man... This gives so much extra weight to Nanachi’s internal dialogue earlier, and Prushka calling out that she wants to adventure with them. This is the true power of love, dangit... Don’t let any masked psychos tell you otherwise.

(And no, I don’t feel safe mentioning *that* part of this conversation on this blog. All I’ll say is that the very fact Prushka even had *that* nick-name phrase in her vernacular is disgusting and makes me hate Bondrewd all the more. There aren’t many innocent explanations for why she’d know about *that.*)

Wow, I... I didn’t think about that. What would come after reaching the bottom? The story wouldn’t end-- not for them. The three of them and Riko’s mother, Lyza... They’d be able to live together. Adventure together in the final layer for as long as they could.

Not sure I could imagine any sort of a happy ending in whatever nightmarish eldritch hellscape the final layer must be, but sure, dream on, I guess???

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[zephyrthejester]

It doesn’t matter that he’s leaving them behind. It doesn’t matter if he gave away his schemes to Nanachi. He’s won, and he’s content with the fact that the kids can’t win against him. In fact, they have to come to him if they want to progress. So why bother enforcing their every action?

The big problem is how close to “completion” Prushka is right now. This may be a race against time...

...

............

oh no. I don’t like this. And I don’t even know what’s going on.

I would say I need an adult, but the only adult around is a freaking psychopath.

Odds of Prushka meeting a horrible end have increased to 99.99%!

HOORAY. Everything is wonderful and not at all horrible and awful.

Man they didn’t even make her go unconscious before starting to cut into her, and despite it all she still loves Bondrewd so very much.

Father of the fucking year over here. Gendo Ikari who? Shou Tucker who? SHOU TUCKER FUCKING WHO?!

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[zephyrthejester]

He says this, and then he knocks his daughter out. This man is a walking paradox, and nothing but contradictions.

Bondrewd is such a freaking great character, man.

The crazy thing is, I can’t even tell how literal or figurative that statement is supposed to be.

OKAY WOW. My mind is freaking melting. I guess I should thank him for being so frank about what he’s doing?

His tail somehow knocked Reg out, and he fired darts that induced the effects of the Third Layer’s curse in Riko... And now he’s telling Nanachi a whole bunch of stuff. Let’s take this bit by bit.

First, all the Umbra Hands are himself. Yeah, Sure. Clones. Why not. No worries about losing the ones that died today, he can probably make as many as he needs. I wonder what he has to give up to make them, though...

Second, it is Bondrewd’s belief that the Abyss does more to people than just curse them. It is also capable of “Blessing” them. The elevator machine that Bondrewd put Mitty and Nanachi in-- both brought about the two extremes of the Abyss’ potential. Mitty was struck with the purest form of the curse, and Nanachi, the purest form of its blessing. The key element that made it happen, however... Was spiritual connection between the two. Love. And after all this time, Nanachi has been the only successful experiment.

Third, these events that transpired helped “complete” Prushka. These events were a trial she had to go through, and only the trio of kids could make it happen. Yes, indeed. Prushka only loves her father all the more. She’s so very glad he’s alive. Her heart is filled to bursting with love for her father.

Love, you say.

It is absolutely freaking wild to see an anime villain espousing the virtues of love. They don’t get to do that! “The Power of Love” is a PROTAGONIST THING, thank you very much! And despite it all, I think Bondrewd’s endgame, his master plan, is to forge a great bond of love between himself and another... Then turn the elevators upon himself and Prushka. But who does he intend to receive the Blessing, and who will receive the Curse?

He’s WEAPONIZING THE POWER OF LOVE. THAT MONSTER.

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[zephyrthejester]

Why’d I have to be right?

The strange red-masked, white-coated Umbra Hand stepped forward to comfort Prushka... Then retrieved Bondrewd’s white whistle and helmet.

...Either this was the real Bondrewd all along, or “Bondrewd” is more of a title that shifts around.

Yeah, I’m placing my bets this is simply the real Bondrewd. There was no telling what his face would really look like, but... Even though I theorized his experiments would make him more inhuman like Nanachi, I think I kind of like that he has more or less retained human features.

There are things to be said about symbolism such as “He looks as monstrous as he is.” But it’s always more powerful a statement when the biggest monster of them all is as human as the rest of us.

Huh, what? Oh, fine, I’ll say it. As is tradition.

OH NO HE’S HOT

SON OF A--

LAsT TIME I EVEN WONDERED WHERE THE HELL HIS TAIL WENT GOD DAMMIT IT WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE THE ENTIRE TIME

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[zephyrthejester]

Oh, son of a bitch. I get it.

It’s a body double. Some sort of artificial construct, or a clone, or something. It has to be. “Bondrewd” just devolved into repeating the same statement at the end there.

This can’t be the real Bondrewd. Because whatever this thing is, it’s just heaps of flesh under those clothes now.

Because we know so little about the laws of the Abyss, its Relics, and Bondrewd’s scientific progress, they could totally pull off this being a fake body.

I would say “Stop, stop, he’s already deaaaad,” but naw, fuck ‘em up Reg

Wait. Oh gods. No. That’s the point of this. This is what Bondrewd wanted. He made Prushka watch all of this. To see these strangers she just met brutally “murder” her beloved father. Bondrewd wanted to show her that these people are enemies. The point of all this was to ensure Prushka remained on his side.

STOP, STOP, HE’S ALREADY DEAAAAD

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[zephyrthejester]

Why is Bondrewd just letting himself take every wound and punch and kick? Reg managed to throw him into the water, and now he’s sinking down. Reg even grappled on to him and started choking him.

WHY. If Bondrewd is half the fearsome delver Ozen was, the only rational explanation for this is that he’s freaking humoring them. But how could he possibly recover from this? His loyal followers are dead. His armor has been damaged. He’s been infested by ravenous insects. Now he’s sinking deeper into the depths and being choked to death. And all he’s doing is praising them.

HOW COULD THIS BE TURNED AROUND. HOW.

They’re winning, the kids are winning, but I’m just panicking. Reg and Bondrewd sank so low, the effects of the Sixth Layer took root. And with a grapple upwards, Reg is going to induce the curse upon Bondrewd.

You know, the one that turns you into a flesh blob.

I mean. That’s nothing if not a beautiful bit of poetic justice, but,

THIS IS ALL TOO EASY AND I’M SCARED.

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[zephyrthejester]

I think the most unsettling thing about this confrontation so far is how unperturbed Bondrewd seems. By all means, that squad of Umbra Hands should have been nigh irreplaceable. Decades of experience and loyalty gone in an instant.

And yet, he’s carrying himself with the same demeanor he’s always had. An amicable pleasantness and a tone of voice that’s conversational. He’s congratulating the kids like he’s proud of them.

What is even going on under that mask? Inside that head? He’s impossible to read.

Where did Riko even find those

While Reg dropped a freaking bomb in Bondrewd’s face and then had him distracted, Riko used a little crossbow to shoot a dart at Bondrewd’s torso. And it was way more than a dart. It was, evidently, filled with wee little larva that are totally gonna grow up to eat Bondrewd from the inside.

...That’s cool. Yeah, fuck him up!

Why does this feel too easy, it’s all too easy, Bondrewd isn’t even *trying*, what’s going on, when it the other shoe gonna drop, this feels so wrong

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[zephyrthejester]

Some of the Umbra Hands may have met their gristly, grisly end, but we all knew Bondrewd wouldn’t die so easily.

Whatever is causing those explosions in there must be a Relic in Bondrewd’s possession. I can’t tell if the high-pitched screaming is coming from the scorpions... or the relic itself.

Uh. Uh-huh. Nanachi called it “Sparagmos, the Essence-Returning Light.”

Uh-huh.

Well that sounds like some serious shit. Apparently this Sparagmos thing is what was able to cut through Reg’s arm. Huh. I kinda figured that was just some high-tech metal cutter or something. She also said it’s what damaged Mitty’s eye.

Ohhh. Wait. Have I heard of this relic before? I feel like I must have, but I have zero memory of it. Well. If Sparagmos and Reg’s arm laser were the only things that could permanently harm Mitty, that must mean there’s some similarity... Or even a connection.

Pray tell, how does an explodey-thingie “return essence,” WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN

GAH

HUJGAUSJHABAF NO WHY

Okay. Looks like the “it” that Bondrewd wanted to see was this. All of this. All of whatever would go down.

SURE. FINE.

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[zephyrthejester]

Holy shit. Now that’s what I call using your environment to your advantage. Riko was laying in wait above... She caused an explosion in the roof, and Reg, who was simply feigning unconsciousness, pulled himself and Nanachi up to safety.

The noise of the explosion, meanwhile, roused the entire nest of Seven-tailed Scorpions. Which are making short work of the Umbra Hands. Their venom seems to be so potent, it just... makes those poor people fall apart into hunks of meat. The term “sloughing off” comes to mind. Freaking yikes.

Wait... Hey now...

Wow, yeah, I was right. Remember these drawings of nightmarish hellbeasts from the end of the second episode? I knew we’d see them in person sooner or later.

Yeesh. How anyone could learn about these things and still want to go down into the scary death hole is beyond me.

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[zephyrthejester]

Where were we? Oh, right.

Nanachi’s anger is well placed. I won’t lie, the thought of them getting revenge on Bondrewd delights me. However, even if they succeeded in such a risky plan, there’s the matters of his whistle being only usable by him, and Prushka. If they actually managed to kill Bondrewd, Prushka would never forgive them and, heck, would probably become a new enemy to contend with.

So indeed, what can be done? They need to go through Bondrewd to reach the next layer. Unless they don’t want to take him for his word, in which case they’re in for a lot of experimenting. At any rate, staying in the wilderness can’t be good.

Yo, WHAT, wait, ARE WE JUST IN THERE? WE DOING THIS ALREADY? OKAY SURE

Riko seemed to identify that they were in the “sandstone region” of the 5th layer, and it looked like she was already formulating a plan based on that. We immediately cut to Bondrewd and his gang of Umbra Hands approaching Nanachi and Reg in some sort of shelter amid some rocks. Bondrewd offered for them to return with him, where he can replace Reg’s hand...

But then a click was heard from above.

Okay, yeah. Are we-- is this-- Are we actually seeing this? They’ve lured Bondrewd into a trap? SURE LET’S GO I GUESS????

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[zephyrthejester]

Guess I should have known. Bondrewd continues to be a mystery; his intentions and reactions yet elude us.

But he is making some sort of play. He’s instructing Prushka to follow this Umbra Hand, garbed in a white coat and red mask. There is an “it” out there that Bondrewd wants his daughter to see.

WHO WHAT WHERE WHY WHEN AND HOW, SIR.

Also HOLD UP, where is Bondrewd’s tail? WHERE’S HIS TAIL!? He, uh, he kind of had a big one at the end of the show, when he noticed Mitty’s lantern went out!

I have a thousand thousand questions. But I’m gonna have to wait to get any answers, because I’ve had enough for today and this feels like a good place to leave things off.

Such disarming events happened this time, huh?

Timestamp: [0:42:20 / 1:44:53]

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[zephyrthejester]

Wow, there’s a boat dock? Look at those cranes, and the motors! I really wanna know how all this stuff was built, and by who. I know that skilled delvers can go all the way back to the surface from this Layer, but it feels like an inhuman feat...

Well. I mean. I guess humanity is optional.

I suppose this means that Riko, Reg, and Nanachi will be fending for themselves out in the wilderness... The sad thing is, it actually feels safer for them out there. Jeeze. That said, if the Umbra Hands really wanted to, they’d surely track them down with ease.

It’s all gonna hinge on what Bondrewd’s intentions are. Will he try to do damage control? Apologize, try to fix Reg up, honor Nanachi’s conditions? Or will he just shrug everything off and do as he pleases? Surely... Surely Prushka’s feelings would matter in his decision, right? Gah.

This escape is a hollow victory. The only way to the Sixth Layer lies with Bondrewd. They’ll have to come back to him. It’s the only way... Or...

Come to think of it, that’s only what Bondrewd told us, right?

Odds of new party member joining the gang has increased to 50%!

Odds of Prushka meeting a tragic death in this film have increased to 50%!

THERE ARE ONLY TWO OUTCOMES AND WE ALL KNOW IT.

Ah, but I feel for her. A sheltered girl living a sheltered life amidst the darkest pit of despair and pain. Perhaps even more than Riko is, she is starstruck by the call to adventure...

Forgive her. She knows not what she says.

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[zephyrthejester]

Ooooof. That’s a clean cut, to be sure, but, yeah, I dunno man. I think Reg’s arm is gone for good. No one knows how relics really work. Even if Bondrewd gave the explicit order to repair it, I don’t think it could be done. Even if they wield it back, there’s no way it’d work as well as it should. If it’d even be healthy.

It’s like a ghastly reflection what nearly happened to Riko’s arm on the layer above...

WE ALREADY HAD REG’S BATTERY TO SWEAT ABOUT. THIS DOESN’T HELP.

There it is. My suspicions were correct... Prushka had been kept naive. Kept far away from her father’s experiments. A very delicate world had been crafted around her, and now... It’s falling apart. She didn’t even think Bondrewd could be capable of something like this. Given the isolationist nature of Prushka’s subterranean life, I’m certain she already felt immense attachment for Reg.

This revelation is gonna cut deep. And hopefully, disillusion her.

HOLD THE FUCK UP.

It’s clear that the black whistles revere Bondrewd. Follow his word like they’re laws. As such, they respect Prushka, too. The cry of her pet, Meinya, was enough to make them freeze in their tracks. Prushka has a higher priority than all scientific research.

SO WHY

ARE THEY BECKONING HER TO THE CHAIR

Oh my god

Oh, fuck

How many times--

how many scars hide under her hat

‘cause I’m gettin’ some “force her to forget” vibes right now

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[zephyrthejester]

Right-o, a third of the way into the movie, and we’re *already* getting an ungodly amount of uncomfortableness, shock, queasiness, and horror injected right into our eyeballs.

How nice.

Jesus christ, they didn’t even remove Reg’s arm from the elbow joint. I think... I think they torched directly through it.

That’s not gonna be fixed cleanly. If ever.

Also,

I can’t say I expected Reg’s robot limbs to be filled with blood.

If I sound calm right now, it’s because I’m panicking so much, I looped right back around on the scale.

OH THANK GOD. Just as they were about to open up Reg’s stomach, Nanachi stormed in, hopped across their heads, and put herself between them and Reg.

Wait what do you mean that doesn’t magically solve everything. Why does it feel like they’re gonna just dissect her too. What kinda blessing are you talking abo-- LEAVE NANACHI ALOOOOOOOONE

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[zephyrthejester]

There it is! Nanachi has made her play. With visions of Mitty, Riko, and Reg flowing through her head, she tells Bondrewd that she’ll stay and work with him...

BUT! It is conditional! Bondrewd must not harm Riko or Reg, and must guide them on their way to the Sixth Layer!

Oh, Nanachi. Precious Nanachi. It’s clear to see in her eyes... She’s sacrificing herself for her family. Surely she knows its a matter of time before Bondrewd turns his eyes upon her for another experiment. It’s inevitable. But if this sacrifice means something, then it’s okay with her.

Nanachi is too good and pure for this world ;_;7

areyoukiddingmerightnowwhatthefuck

This would be funny. If the implications weren’t so horrifying.

WHAT DID YOU DO TO REG, YOU EFFICIENT FREAK

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[zephyrthejester]

“Having souls that love each other is what makes people family. Blood just helps in that regard.”

Holy shit, listen to Bondrewd! These are some straight up “power of love” statements that would fit any ol’ protagonist or Good Guy™.

So, speaking objectively, what is Bondrewd? Who is Bondrewd?

A mad scientist, to be sure. But maybe, just maybe, he actually has other’s best interests at heart. Maybe, he believes his research benefits all of mankind. Maybe he’s doing this not for himself, but for others, in the future. Maybe he’s building a lasting legacy, doing his noble part as a delver to chart the Abyss and all its secrets.

The problem therein, I think, is that he has a very twisted morality when it comes to what sort of scientific experiments are okay to perform. Just because you *can* take some orphans and turn them into flesh blobs to study their properties doesn’t mean you *should*. Some questions are best unanswered forever, I think.

So long as the possibility exists that he’ll pull something on our heroes, he cannot be trusted.

Also, it REALLY DOES NOT HELP SELL HIS SINCERITY when he makes this impassioned speech about love while staring at his big wall of Flesh Lamps. Seriously.

(On another note, even on top of what Bondrewd is saying about how he defines family, he confirmed he has a distant blood relation to Prushka, so they are actually related... I wonder what happened to Prushka’s parents.)

Wait, so the method they use to follow Meinya is to push it into their face and smell it real good? Then Riko can see its trail in her mind’s eye?

Uh. Sure, whatever works, I guess.

....What I wanna know is how Prushka discovered this trait.

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