First Impressions / Tales of the Abyss

Summary:

The Tartarus arrives at the capital of Malkuth, but because its ports are closed, Jade proposes that they approach by land. The group thus trudges through Theor Forest and arrives at the gate, but the guards are only willing to let Jade through to see the emperor. While waiting for Jade to return, Luke worries about Kimlasca and Malkuth relations and blames it on how he destroyed Akzeriuth. Guy reminds him that they’re going to do what they can, and that makes Luke feel better, but that’s short-lived because the group suddenly comes under attack by Largo. Guy saves Luke from being chopped in half, but Guy’s curse slot then activates, and he starts swinging his sword at Luke. Ion realizes that Sync is nearby, but ultimately it’s an earthquake that saves Luke from being killed by Guy. During the shaking, Tear notices something in the trees nearby and directs Natalia to shoot at it. This turns out to be none other than Sync, and him getting hit releases Guy from his control. Sync and Largo are after Ion again, but they are forced to flee after Jade and some Malkuth guards come running to help.

Ion has the ability to remove the curse slot and is ready to do so after the group enters Grand Chokmah, but he first tells Luke about its limitations and how it couldn’t make Guy attack Luke unless he already had the desire to kill him. This shocks Luke, and he spends the rest of the day thinking about Guy. When Tear finds him outside like this, she heals the cut he got on his cheek earlier, but Luke just wants to be left alone. Refusing to go, Tear calls Luke an idiot for thinking that he’s someone who hasn’t made anyone dislike him. She reminds him that Guy is only human – causing Luke to remember how disappointed Guy was in him after what happened at Akzeriuth – but Tear also points out how Guy had been waiting for Luke at the springs. Tear guesses that there was a time when Guy hated Luke enough to want to kill him, however he has shown recently that he believed in Luke. Luke is grateful to Tear for her words even if they were harsh, and he thanks her.

Ion eventually finishes removing the curse slot, and Luke takes the chance to apologize to Guy for what he did in the past. Guy doesn’t blame Luke though and reveals that he’s actually from Malkuth. He was born in Hod, but the war started on his fifth birthday, and it was Duke Fabre who had attacked. Guy blames Duke Fabre for killing his family, and he joined House Fabre to get revenge. Since all this is coming out, Jade reveals that Guy is actually Gailardia Galan of the House of Count Gardios. Despite all this though, Guy now wants to stay with Luke, and Luke trusts him. The group is then taken to Emperor Peony to talk about the danger to St. Binah and the need to evacuate the residents. Peony, however, reveals that the council is reluctant because of pressure by the Kimlasca military. Kimlasca currently believes that Malkuth is responsible for Akzeriuth’s destruction and the deaths of Luke and Natalia, and they had issued what amounted to a proclamation of war. Malkuth is equally suspicious of Kimlasca and thinks that any forces it sends to St. Binah to rescue the residents will get annihilated with the city.

Given this, Luke volunteers the group to go to St. Binah because he wants to save everyone, and Jade comes up with a plan that involves the them heading to St. Binah while the Malkuth military restrains the Kimlasca military. Peony and his advisors are fine with this, so Peony goes to convene the council. Later that day, Jade leads the group to a room full of Peony’s pet rappigs, but Peony called them there to talk to Guy about restoring his nobility title. Guy refuses this because there’s something he still has to do with Luke and the others, so Peony offers a mysterious helper for the St. Binah mission. The group then heads to St. Binah and begins the evacuations. They get mostly finished before the ground starts collapsing, but former Field Marshal McGovern and some others get stuck in one of the collapsed parts. With no way to save them, Luke and company are surprised when an airship suddenly appears above.

Preview:

So Guy didn’t end up being controlled for any extended period of time like I thought he might. In fact, it was over rather quickly (with Sync and Largo making only token appearances), and it all seemed like just a way to introduce the fact that he’s actually nobility from Malkuth and the rest of his backstory. He chooses to stay with Luke though and everything in terms of any animosity between them appears to be resolved by the end of the episode, perhaps a bit too easily. At this point, I think the only things left to develop about him are more specifics about he came to be afraid of women – which has already been hinted at back in episode four to be due to the death of this woman – and maybe the fact that he was born in Hod will come into play. Hopefully there will be something more to it than just that.

As for what happened at St. Binah, in RPG terms, does this mean that the airship of series (a role previously filled by that Tartarus) has now arrived? I believe the Sixth Law of Travel applies here since a flying ship is cooler than a land ship. In any case, I assume that this is the help that Peony promised, especially since the preview shows the group aboard that ship. The preview also indicates that the war is finally getting started and that the group is returning to Kimlasca but gets imprisoned again at some point, so a lot might happen next week.

24 Comments

  6. Allison > Noelle 🙁 Noelle has some good moves but Allison would be rocking that whole army all by herself. >.>

    Finally Frings showed _>; Makes more sense it wouldn’t hold that long lol I never got that part…

    Silawen
    Reply

  9. Brilliant way of introducing the airship and cutting out some of the side-quests and story along the way.

    Though I still hope they introduce the “classes” since Spinoza’s already appeared.

    And Tear is so cute…

    Peanutbutter003
    Reply

  19. Fwah,I hope they show that the maids in Guy’s house tried to protect him from the soldiers and ended up being piled on top of him, their dead bodies that is. That’s the source of his phobia game wise. His sister was also one of the victims I think. When they went to Coral Castle I was looking for the demonic sword stuck in the middle of the ground floor. Hahaha wishful thinking in my part XD I get the feeling that Nebilim’s replica will make an appearance one way or another in this Anime. Another wishful thinking in my part ^^

    ryggim
    Reply

  23. This episoe also explains why it ws so easy for Guy to choose the replica instead of Asche! Guy hate Luke b4 he was kidnapped and prob didnt get on well with him and Guy felt sorry for luke after he came bck (as a replica) with no memories of anything! asche since losing everything prob found out or possibly knew who he was already which is why he sed ‘i knew ud choose that fake over me!’

    WingZero zxt
    Reply

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