Final Fantasy VI Ep V: There Goes the Neighborhood

Last time on “Let’s Play Final Fantasy VI,” Emperor Gestahl, baby snatcher, ravager of towns, enslaver of Espers, told us that, “After all I have put them [the Espers] through, it is up to me to set things right. That is why… I need to borrow Terra’s power.” So he’s asked us to take him to the Espers to apologize.

Gestahl: We must make for Crescent Island aboard the freighter from Albrook.

This screencap is boring, apart from the unusual combination of lobster and sushi rolls and roast turkey, but I just want to stress that he said we.

Because…well, you’ll see shortly.

We leave the fortress, pausing to wave neener-neener at Kefka and flush all the toilets in the empty prison cells so as to screw up Imperial plumbing.

Kefka: Grrr! How DARE they put me in a place like this!

On the way out, we’re told that both Doma and Figaro have been freed from imperial occupation, since the emperor was so impressed by our resorting to a walkthrough scintillating dinner conversation.

All the other towns on the southern continent are now free as well, and their citizens are waxing hopeful about rebuilding and peace and conscripts coming home.

NPC: The Imperial troopers are gone. Now we can live in peace.

Which of course means EVERYTHING IS ABOUT TO GO TO HELL IN A BAG OF HOLDING.

At the site of the crashed airship, I discover Cid pestering Setzer, offering to upgrade his engines. “Go kill time in the casino! I can speed this crate up!”

Setzer: Don't touch anything!

I read that in the original Japanese, Cid offends Setzer even more, proposing to remove the casino so that the Blackjack can go even faster.

After Cid has been chased away from the airship — FF gamers will note the irony — Terra initiates a little chat with Setzer. “You love this ship more than anything, huh?” she says.

Setzer waxes nostalgic about a “young girl”, Daryl, pilot of the fastest airship of the world, the Falcon. They were both friends and rivals.

Setzer: We always egged each other on to go faster and faster. When she disappeared along with her ship...

“…I felt like I lost my spirit.”

So Locke and Setzer should compare notes over a beer. They’ve both latched onto Celes as a substitute for lost loves.

All right, enough pussyfooting; let’s head to Albrook and join forces with Emperor Gestahl (nose pinching time). General Leo is there to greet us.

Leo: Let me introduce...General Celes...and Shadow.

To my relief, Celes seems to be in one piece and none the worse for wear. Was I silly to worry?

So, Locke. Gonna apologize?

Nope. Locke does a double take, exchanges nods with Celes, and that’s it.

Well, at least Terra reaches out to her with a touching exchange of Final Fantasy ellipses:

Terra: Celes... Celes: ... ...

Celes, so overcome that she can only stammer two ellipses, blushes and looks to one side, then hurries off. Only then does Locke call her name. Ergh. You two! What are we going to do with you? (Celes/Terra would be so much simpler, wouldn’t it?)

Meanwhile, Shadow is positively chatty, compared to his old “back off before my dog eats your face” self.

Shadow: I'm working for the Empire. But don't worry...I'm not going to garotte you!

All right, so, where’s Emperor Gestahl? I guess he’s got a few last-minute errands to run before we cast off. DVDs to return, that sort of thing.  With nothing else to do until he shows up, we check into Albrook Inn for the evening.

Locke wakes up in the night and steps outside to find Celes staring at the sea. The 8-bit orchestra strikes up the Draco-and-Maria soundtrack, even though these two have some major issues to work through before they can get to the “Oh My Hero” phase of this soap opera.

Locke ambles over and says, “Celes…” This time, she’s the one who won’t answer.

Locke: Come on...! Why won't you speak to me?

So Locke tries the honest approach, and for that I’ll give him full marks (I doubted her at first myself, after all):

Locke: Even if it was only a little... I doubted you...But I'm still your friend...

Um, Locke? I’m all for honesty, but how about an apology, too? “I’m sorry that…” Just a suggestion.

Locke: Celes!

Oops, there she goes. Celes hesitates as if debating whether to turn back and speak, then bolts.

Next morning, we set sail for Crescent Island…

WITHOUT EMPEROR GESTAHL.

HELLO.

UM.

WHY ARE WE CASTING OFF.

FFV: ocean with ship, minimap inset

WEREN’T WE TAKING GESTAHL TO MEET THE ESPERS?

OH BLOODY HELL THIS BETTER NOT BE ANOTHER OF THOSE “BAD GUYS JUST SUCKERED US INTO DOING SOMETHING FOR THEM” MISSIONS.

Oblivious to this ominous change of plans, our heroes pass a dramamine-filled night aboard ship, affording another opportunity for insomnia and character development. It’s Terra’s turn!

General Leo spots her hanging over the rail and politely asks if she’s all right. When she nods, he says, “You seem to be feeling better.” Did she have a bout of seasickness (there’s a lot of cookie-tossing in this game), or is he referring to the good ol’ days when he stood passively by while she was Kefka’s mindless slave?

Terra: Funny, isn't it... I was used by the Empire...even had my thoughts ripped from me...

“…But here I am cooperating with the ‘enemy’…” she concludes.

I find it odd that she’d open up to an Imperial, of all people, when she really hasn’t talked over past traumas with her friends. (Well, she did expound the massive Backstory Dump about her origin, but she didn’t really say much about how she felt about all that). Then I realize: Leo’s “Are you all right?” may be the first time in the entire game that anyone’s expressed concern for Terra’s wellbeing directly to her face. They’ve talked about her, but Leo talks to her. Funny indeed.

Leo asserts that the empire isn’t all bad, echoing something that Edgar said a while back.

Leo: People are people. Not all of us are like Kefka.

Maybe so, but the reminder of Kefka triggers Terra’s wariness. Inexperienced she may be, but she’s not willing to be used again if she can help it:

Terra: What...what's with you?

I like it when Terra questions those around her and forces them to own their actions.

Leo admits his own complicity, or at least his silence: “I knew you were being used as a biological weapon.” His confession contradicts his words of a moment before:

Leo: And because I didn't do anything about it, I'm no different than Kefka...

Terra doesn’t answer— and doesn’t absolve him.  Instead, her response seems to me a bit of a non-sequitur.

Terra: I'm the product of a human and an Esper...Will I ever be able to love someone?

This is the second time she’s shied away from talking about Kefka with one of his co-generals and abruptly changed the subject to love.

The last two times she asked this question, Locke said it didn’t matter because people loved HER, erasing her agency, while Celes took umbrage because Edgar had just been giving her unsolicited relationship advice. General Leo, whom we’ve seen in the past giving his soldiers a friendly ear, answers with an emphatic, “Of course!”

Terra: But...I haven't felt that way yet...

Honey, you’re young.

See? Leo agrees with me.

Leo: You're just young...but I understand what you mean. I understand only too well...

He says — wait, where is he going?! Leo bows his head and runs off. Is this a hint that he fancied Celes? There’s precious few likely candidates in this game. 

Terra: But... I want to know what love is... now!

Terra breaks out the mike:

Ahem. On the one hand, it’s really great that Terra’s fully self-aware and expressing her wishes now. On the other, I’m disappointed that as soon as a female character has agency, “Love interest Y/N?” becomes a key point for her character.

Terra asks Shadow too, but he tells her that she must “look within for answers.” He reminds her, also, there’s a lot of schmucks around like himself. And nice guys with unfortunate hangups like Locke.

Okay, enough character individuation. Fast forward to the next morning, when we’re splitting up into search parties to  comb Crescent Island for Espers.  Celes, leaving with Leo, pauses for another quick round of “How Not to Communicate!”

Celes: Hey...Locke...

“Um…I…” Celes continues.

Locke turns his back on her pointedly.

Locke says: "Come on."

He stomps out, leaving Celes to fall dramatically to her knees. Oh for heaven’s sake. Terra starts towards Celes as if to comfort her, hesitates, and runs to catch up with Locke and Shadow.

Sigh.

We discover Thamasa, an idyllic sleepy hamlet where nothing ever happens and nobody has ever heard of Magic nor Espers. No, really.

Mayor: Welcome, welcome! Magic...? What is this "Magic?"

Pay no attention to the kid in the back forty yelling “Fire!” and conjuring up will-o-the-wisps, or the mother saying “Cure!” to fix her child’s boo-boos when she thinks we’re not looking.

We interrogate the Galuf-like old coot at the edge of town, whom village scuttlebutt says used to be a powerful warrior. Hey, old man, ever heard of Magic?

Strago: Nope, uhn uhn... Can't say I have. Honestly can't say I have!

I don’t know who makes the Victrolas in every household, but I bet they’re making a tidy income.

Enter the game’s Perky Girl (my least favorite FF archetype, with some exceptions) and child prodigy, Relm, who can “capture the very essence of life” in her paintings.

Relm: Grandpa. Who are these people? Friends? Can they use Magic, too? Strago: Yaa! Hush!

Oops. Strago hems and haws until Relm is distracted by Shadow’s “doggie,” Interceptor. Cue mildly humorous scene in which the Hound of the Baskervilles falls in love with the little girl and trots into the back of the house to play with her until Shadow drags him out again. Because it’s such a great joke to let kids play with dogs that might rip them into teensy tinsy shreds.

We give up on wringing any useful info out of Strago & Kid Cute, and take another look around the village. There’s not much else to see besides more people pretending not to do magic, plus the innkeeper suddenly lowering his price from 1500 a night to 1 gil, with Freudian Slip bonuses.

Innkeeper: 1 GP per night. Why not rest for a spell?

Subtle.

Our rest is interrupted by Strago rousing us in a panic. Relm has gotten herself locked into the local mysteriously-inaccessible dungeon-sized empty mansion which has spontaneously combusted. Of course. And his first thought would be to ask random strangers instead of neighbors for help.

We run outside — even Interceptor the doggie, although not Shadow, who has a suspicious attack of Heavy Sleeping — and Strago tries to cast a “Flames Be GONE!” spell in desperation. The mayor comes running over to yell at him.

Mayor: Magic is forbidden! Terra: Magic...!?

“I don’t care! Relm’s in there!” the old coot cries. The mayor gives in, and all the adults try casting water spells on the fire to no avail.  The mayor mentions that’s probably because the house owners have a basement full of fire rods. Fantasy world problems, gotta love ’em.

Strago announces that he’s going in. Locke tries to show that he’s an equal opportunity White Knight!

Terra: Wait...I'm going too. ocke: Count me in. You'd better stay out here, gramps.

Strago, finally, gives Locke a much-needed rap on the head:

Strago: Fool! I may be old, but I'm not powerless!

Translation: Stop treating everyone like Rachel and allow other people agency.

Inside, we battle various flames, Bombs, and Sauron’s Disembodied Eyeball (tm Peter Jackson):

Boss battle with flame monster

We find Relm, but it’s “Too late.” The flames close in on us. Interceptor, immune to smoke inhalation, barks at fireballs. Shadow shows up fashionably late to lob a Smoke Bomb (this seems a bit redundant?) and carry all four of us out.

FFVI: Shadow saves the party from flames

Shadow was just pretending to be a bloodthirsty bastard, wasn’t he? Cute.

Afterwards, Strago owns up. Hooray! Tell us a story, Exposition Dude!

Strago: Long ago humans used Magicite to gain magical powers. They came to be known as Mage Warriors.

Regular humans blamed them for the War of the Magi and hunted them down.  A few survivors escaped and founded the remote village of Thamasa — Thamasa? Not Mysidia? You sure? — where their descendants live to this day, concealing their powers.

So, basically, they’re inverse Al Bhed, persecuted for magic instead of machina use.

Here’s another role reversal: Terra is now recruiting others to the cause.

Terra: Look, if you're up to it, we could use your help.

She’s careful not to pressure, however.

Shadow slips off, leaving a gap in our four-party slots. Drat.

Ordered to stay behind by her grandfather, Relm (of course!) sneaks after us as we work our way through the next mountain-tunnel-dungeon to a chamber with three Goddess statues.

Terra: I can feel their power... Strago: The Statues are the source of all Magic.

Time for another backstory dump!

(Paraphrased) Long ago, three Goddesses were banished to this world and made war on one another.

those unlucky humans who got in the way were transformed into Espers, and used as living war machines...

…so Terra’s enslavement has a precedent, and I suspect that Kefka — and Gestahl? — learned about Slave Crowns and how to use them from that “ancient text” that Gestahl mentioned.

The Goddesses finally realized that they were being laughed at by those who had banished them here.

Chagrinned, the Goddesses used their last energy to transform themselves into statues, freeing the Espers from their mental control. These statues are copies; the real Goddesses are on the other side of the Sealed Gate to the Esper world.

I love it when FF starts playing with created mythology.  It’s not as fully-developed as the complex background histories of warring gods, goddesses and Espers of Ivalice and Cocoon, but I’m seeing seeds of those later games’ mythology here. Note the triple hierarchy of powers: unseen senior god(s) who banish a lower echelon of powers to this world who create Espers.

A purple octopus falls from the sky, interrupting my train of thought.

Locke: Hey, squidball! Don't you ever learn?

We whittle Ultros down to takoyaki so quickly that Relm doesn’t get a chance to join the battle. I gather that she was meant to have swooped in and saved our asses. Oops.

Relm: Hey! Did you see me? I was awesome! Wouldn't I be more helpful than Gramps?

In a word: No.

At the heart of the mountain, we find the Espers, still crabby. Locke, bless him, is nothing if not consistent:

Locke: Gramps, take Relm and clear outta here!

No use; the Espers surround us. Terra stands forth to confront the very bloke who once insulted and dissed her mother.

Yura: You're somehow different... I sense a familiar power radiating from you...

Gradually they hash out an understanding. The Espers are deeply sorry for losing control and attacking Vector. I wonder why Espers “go ballistic” (as Locke describes Terra’s first stint as Esper) when they enter the human world? I suppose it’s something to do with the goddess statues or pyreflies or maybe midichlorians.

Locke proposes they adjourn to meet with general Leo.

Leo: Locke...you're back! And you've made the Espers understand our desire for peace?

Hey now. I think Terra and Strago did most of the talking?

Once again, I’m picking up vague WWII parallels: the empire started the conflict by attacking the Espers, but the Espers went too far by demolishing a city and killing lots of innocent civilians.

Yura: We have done something inexcusable to your people.

“This probably isn’t the time or place to ask your forgiveness, but…”

Leo: Speak no further. It is we who owe you an apology. We hungered for your power...

Too bad this type of conversation never actually happens in the real world between two warring powers, but it pretty much sums up the cause of most wars. Sigh.

So, while the ambassadors make nice-nice, Locke sidles over to Celes to talk to her. FINALLY.

Locke: I believe our job is finally over! I, for one, could use some peace and quiet...

Celes responds with an equally bland, “Let’s return to Vector.”

I guess we’re now pretending we’re friends and everything’s hunky dory and there’s no need to talk things over or apologize?

“Celes…” Locke says.

Celes: Please, not another word.

Oh. Alrighty then. *wry grin*

And then Kefka crashes the party. I was wondering when he or Gestahl was going to show up.

Kefka: Hee, hee...! How 'bout a little Magitek mayhem!

Somehow, Kefka zaps each of the Espers in turn and instantly transforms them to magicite. WTF? Why are Espers (or Mage Warriors, for that matter) so helpless?

Leo is the only one left standing. He now redeems himself for letting Terra suffer. “Kefka! Your behavior is dishonorable! I can’t allow this!” He steps forward and has a fight with Kefka, which he appears to win.

Unfortunately, it’s an illusion. Kefka vanishes, and Gestahl himself inexplicably appears. Leo, RUN. When a villain starts telling you their Diabolical Plan, they’re about to kill you! And if you’re not the lead character, you’re toast!

Gestahl: I'm sorry I deceived even you, Leo.

Gestahl explains that this whole expedition was just a ruse to collect more Magicite. Leo is shaken, and he voices the question of soldiers the world over:

Leo: But my liege...what have I been fighting for...?

Gestahl transforms…into Kefka. So wait…does that mean the emperor isn’t behind this whole magicite-collecting farce? Has Kefka killed him and assumed his place, or what?

I don’t know, but I do know we’ve just lost Leo.

kefka: You're such a goodie two-shoes

Drat.

Just to add to the mayhem, some of the Espers from the Esper world inexplicably bust through the Sealed Gate calling out, “Wait! We’ll help!” They fly towards Thamasa, landing in the village square to take on Kefka. Bad move. He’s so buffed with Magicite that he can not only fend off their spells, but forcibly drain them and turn them into crystals without even using a factory to do it. Yikes.

Esper absorbed by Kefka

He loads up all the magicite he can carry, and heads off for the Sealed Gate to take the battle into the Esper world.

We stop and bury Leo before giving pursuit.

Terra: I...I wanted to learn so much more from you...

Again, I find it touching and sad that Terra connects more with Leo than with any of the other friends she met since she was freed. He may have been an imperial, but I think that made him feel more familiar to her.

Interceptor shows up, badly wounded. Locke jumps to conclusions:

Locke: We not only lost Leo, but Shadow, too... Curse the Empire!

Celes remarks of Shadow, “He was so gentle.” Guess he wasn’t fooling anyone.

Sans Shadow, the party shows up via airship to deliver yesterdays’ news. “We’ve been had!” Setzer exclaims. “The Emperor is a liar!” So…wait…how did they escape?

Edgar: I got to know the gal who brought us tea. After a while, she just blurted out the whole crooked plan.

Oh, right, Ed seduced the maid. Poor Leo. Gestahl told the blinking maid things that he wouldn’t tell his own general. Is that fair?

Relm is not about to get left behind when her grandpappy joins us to fight the Evil Empire, and she pesters until he gives in. As the party’s breaking up, this happens.

Relm: What's wrong, lover boy? Edgar: How old are you? Relm: 10...why?

WHAT.

IS THIS  A TRANSLATION BLOOPER? PLEASE SAY YES.

Help me,  GBA script; you’re my only hope.

Relm: What’s wrong, lover-boy?
Edgar: …How old are you?
Relm: Ten… Why?
Relm: Weirdo. I’m going on ahead, okay?
Edgar: Not even a lady yet… Here’s hoping you’re still around in eight years, kid.

*grabs sides of head and gives firm shake*. Every once in a while, I remember that some serious cultural differences remain between Japan and the West.

Let’s get back to the airship, quickly.

Celes observes that Magical Waif senses something. (I notice Bechdel moments.) “What’s wrong, Terra?”

Terra: the island... The world is groaning in pain...

FMV time! A large chunk of land lifts up, and people fall into the crevasse. This game is in danger of losing its kid-friendly rating.

We get a glimpse of Kefka and the emperor making unwise life choices on the newly-minted Floating Continent.

Gestahl: Fuwa, ha, ha! Now THIS is power! This, and my magicite...now nothing can stop me!

I assume the clown in front of you will have something to say about that shortly.

Back to the airship…

Strago: if the 3 statues should ever be moved out of alignment, the resulting imbalance of power would...

“…rearrange the face of our planet…”

Gods DAMN does no one know how to build worlds or buildings or ships without a great big huge “Never Touch This Button” structural flaw?

We chase the Floating Continent, which, I suppose, is actually the Esper world yanked into this one? I’m not quite sure. We’re buzzed by the imperial air force — wait, wasn’t Setzer’s supposed to be the only airship? — and are very briefly inconvenienced by that damned octopus and his bizarre friend –

FFVI: Ultros and Typhon

Esper!Terra is doing 9999 damage with spells at this point, so it really isn’t a fair fight. Miffed, “Mr. Chupon” sneezes us all to the Floating Continent. WHAT.

Oh, hi, Shadow. You’re looking the little worse for wear. Cheer up, buddy, I’ve brought a U-haul full of Shurikens and assorted throwing items for you.

Shadow: Down with the Empire! Once I outlived my usefulness, they tried to off me!

He asks after Interceptor. Awee, he’s worried about his puppy. Suddenly I like him a little more.

We blunder all over this maze of blasted rock, monsters, treasures, and this lovely boss (ow.)

Atma Weapon says: Feeble creatures, DIE!

After THAT little rumble is over with, Shadow decides to desert us.

Shadow: I sold my skills to the Empire...I have no right to fight together with you.

THAT’S WHY YOU SHOULD HELP US YOU NINNY. All those wonderful goodies I gave you!

So we go back to the airship and pick up Gau and then (yes, this meant going through the whole bally maze again) confront the emperor and clown.

Celes: I came to stop you!

Woo hoo! Go Celes! Uh oh.

It seems the Emperor has been on the same high-fiber, high-magicite diet as Kefka. He magically paralyzes everyone in the party except Celes, whom he tries to tempt to Rule the Galaxy with him and Kefka.

Gestahl: You and Kefka were given life to serve me!! It is your birthright to rule the world with me!"

Wait…does that mean that she and Kefka were part of some kind of creepy breeding program? Are siblings? Or is that metaphorical? At any rate, Kefka stupidly hands her a sword, ordering her to kill the others in order to redeem her treachery.

Celes stands behind Terra with sword raised high. Nope, not buying it. “Power only breeds war… I wish I’d never been born.” She wheels around and gut-punches— or stabs? — Kefka.

FFVI: Celes Hits Kefka

Kefka takes it well.

Kefka: I hate hate hate hate hate hate...

Kefka calls on the statues to give him their power. Gestahl belatedly realizes the folly of giving a psychotic clown access to unlimited power, tries to stop him, and winds up on the losing side of some goddess-powered lightning bolts.

Kefka: Run! Run! Or you'll be well done!

Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy, but at least Gestahl only wanted to rule the world, not destroy it. Sliding Scale of Megalomania?

Kefka, dinking around with the statues, tosses Celes off the platform when she tries to intervene.

Celes: Oh, that's really smart, Kefka! Disturb their delicate balance, and they'll go haywire!

Time for Shadow to show up fashionably lateand save the day! Maybe. He pushes the statues back together, pinning Kefka between them.

Shadow: Go! There are people counting on you!

It is, of course, Too Late ™. The statues are imitating a Trek phaser on overload, shooting sparklies in all directions.  We flee like there’s an angry X-ATMO5 after us — and do NOT leave Shadow behind; he leaps after us just as the Floating Continent begins to fall apart.

Airship torn in two

There goes another airship, dammit.

In rapid succession, we see towns torn apart, mushroom clouds, crevasses opening, mountains rising, and finally we see the whole planet getting its “face rearranged”:

FFVI: World Breaks Up

So to recap: the Emperor and Kefka tricked us into doing their dirty work every step of the way, and with our help, Kefka broke the planet.

Repeat the Final Fantasy mantra: we SUCK.

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7 thoughts on “Final Fantasy VI Ep V: There Goes the Neighborhood

  1. Permalink  ⋅ Reply

    Anonymous

    August 23, 2013 at 2:57am

    WHEN ARE YOU POSTING THE NEXT ONE

    • admin
      Permalink  ⋅ Reply

      admin

      August 25, 2013 at 3:28am

      OH WOW SOMEONE’S READING THIS! HOORAY!

      I wasted a zillion hours on SIDEQUESTS BEFORE SAVING THE WORLD, and need to gather up all my screencaps and turn my scatterbrained notes into something that’s not too boring to read? Maybe Tuesday.

  2. Permalink  ⋅ Reply

    Anonymous

    August 26, 2013 at 1:32am

    Sounds good to me, thanks. FF6 is my favorite game of all time (nostalgia probably, but it is nonetheless) so it’s interesting to me how others view characters and play through certain areas. For example, I’ve seen a lot of people claim that Number 024 is difficult, when I’ve never thought that. I like seeing where I differ from others with regards to that game, as well as where my opinions line up with theirs.

    • admin
      Permalink  ⋅ Reply

      admin

      August 27, 2013 at 12:26am

      The endgame just utterly clobberated me last night. It’s definitely a challenge! That three-part boss got me: the very last one was healing itself faster than I could hurt it. (I had stupidly listed my party from weakest to strongest, assuming that I was about to get into a multi-part battle with each part tackled by a different party. Oops.)

  3. Permalink  ⋅ Reply

    Öykü

    August 29, 2013 at 4:49pm

    I had so much fun reading these! I actually burst out laughing at work, when I saw the route Sabin took to get to Narshe. I am horrible at reading maps and remembering the places I visited, so I’ve never noticed. I am loving your commentary. Take care!

    • admin
      Permalink  ⋅ Reply

      admin

      August 30, 2013 at 6:08am

      Thanks for the comment! Glad I could amuse!

  4. Permalink  ⋅ Reply

    doug

    July 1, 2015 at 8:19pm

    Wow, I had no idea of the interaction between Setzer and Cid….I seem to find something new about this game all the time…

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