First Impressions / Tales of the Abyss

Summary:

The group arrives at Akzeriuth to find it entirely covered with the miasma, and all the people there are suffering. Natalia and the others start to help out the survivors, but Luke isn’t interested in lending a hand. After learning that Van has already gone into the mine tunnels, the group proceeds forward, though Tear doesn’t go with them because she gets called away by a soldier. Inside the tunnels, the group finds a room full of fallen men and start helping out, but Luke refuses to lift a finger and instead sneaks off to find Van. Tear meanwhile gets ambushed by the same soldiers who had wanted her help, but she’s helped out by the arrival of Asch. Asch then telepathically orders Luke not to proceed to the interior of the mine, but Luke refuses to listen. Along with Ion who had followed him, Luke finally finds Van in front of a door. Van asks Ion to open it by getting rid of the Daathic seal, and Ion does so after Luke begs him to. Asch attempts to stop Luke telepathically again, even saying that Luke is being deceived, but Luke still doesn’t pay any heed to the warnings.

Under the impression that he’s going to neutralize the miasma, Luke follows Van’s orders and stands in front of something called a passage ring. When Van uses the phrase “foolish replica Luke,” a command that he had implanted in Luke’s mind activates and Luke uses a hyperresonance. This causes the passage ring to disintegrate, and Luke loses consciousness soon after. Asch rushes into the chamber too late to stop this, and he is subsequently caught by one of Van’s griffins. Van rides a second griffin, and when Tear and the others in the group show up, Tear accuses Van of betraying her because he had promised that he’d prolong the existence of the Outer Lands. Van counters by saying that she’ll eventually understand the foolishness and ugliness of this world, and he suggests that she use her fonic hymns. With everything collapsing around them, Tear has no choice but to do exactly that to protect everyone while Akzeriuth is completely destroyed. They wake back up in what looks like a different world, but the Tartarus is down there too, so the group boards it.

Luke is shocked when he sees their surroundings, and the others explain that they fell down here. Tear and Ion reveal that they’re in a place called Qliphoth underneath the Outer Lands where everyone normally lives. The Outer Lands are actually in the sky, supported by pillars called Sephiroth Trees that extend upward from Qliphoth. This had been done 2000 years ago after the miasma started to cover the land. The only people who know about this are the high-ups in the Order of the Lorelei and those who came from Qliphoth – Tear fits into the latter category. Unfortunately, Luke had destroyed the pillar that was supporting Akzeriuth. He now tries to blame Van for deceiving him, but the others are disappointed in him, and, one by one, they leave him. Luke is most devastated by how Tear notes that she had thought that he had good points.

Following Tears directions, the Tartarus then heads towards Yulia City, and the group disembarks there. Luke is slow to follow, and when Asch suddenly appears behind him – after having defeated the griffin that Van was trying to capture him with – Luke immediately asks about Van. Asch scoffs at how Luke is still concerned about the person who betrayed him, and he yells at Luke for using the hyperresonance without thinking. He also calls Luke a replica, and since Luke is still confused about this, Asch reveals that the reason the two of them look the same is because Luke is a replica of him. Asch was the one who was actually born as a noble in Baticul and was kidnapped seven years ago by Van. Luke refuses to believe this and attacks Asch in a rage, but Asch easily avoids the sword swings. After knocking Luke down, Asch prepares to kill him.

Preview:

Well, I can’t say I’m shocked that Van betrayed everyone since there was every indication that he was planning on it (whether or not he ends up being the final boss remains to be seen). Nor was the fact that Luke is a replica of Asch particularly surprising. I did, however, get a lot of enjoyment from seeing Luke finally get what was coming to him after all that whining, arrogance, and trying to boss people around. Too bad he wouldn’t shut up about how it wasn’t his fault. I’m beginning to think that Asch would make a better protagonist, but obviously he’s not going to kill Luke here, and I suspect that all this will end up just causing Luke to change himself for the better and become the proper hero.

Now that I think about it, if Asch was the one who was kidnapped, then doesn’t that mean that Natalia’s promise was originally made with Asch? That in turn would mean that Luke would be free from his engagement to her and could start something with Tear, and that seems to be the pairing the story will ultimately go for. The preview for next week shows Natalia talking with Asch as well as what looks like Luke making up with Tear, so we’ll probably find out more then.

60 Comments

  6. I can’t stand Asch. All he did was insult Luke and attacked him and THEN he expected Luke to actually believe him. He’ll continue bashing Luke, too. At least Asch is consistent and is a jerk to everyone. I like Asch at the end though. The same could be said for the others too. Ostracizing Luke to the point that Van was the only one who would listen to him. Of course he’s going to trust Van over everyone else.

    At least everyone forgave Ion for opening the door for Van and allowing them through.

    Luke IS growing up since he’s been in the outside world. Of course growing up kinda takes time and experience. Now with this he’ll learn some humility.

    Nellie
    Reply

  10. @Nellie even natalia that grew up in the same house as luke cared about those people at the mine luke just acted like he didn,t care i guess van was on his mind after they got into the mine he still didn,t show any concern for those people eventually is caused those people death honestly i can,t stand luke from the preview its looks like asch disappointed me should have taken luke out.

    babel
    Reply

  14. @babel I don’t think that is the same at all. Natalia does not share the same background as Luke and she was allowed to leave her home. Later on you’ll find out all the good things that Natalia has done for the city. She was quite active outside and is familiar with the world and it’s people. Luke is not and has been spoiled all his life. His world centered around himself and Van, occasionally with Guy, Pere and his mother. I agree that Luke is self-centered and it’s not really surprising.

    Nellie
    Reply

  15. Ugh, its getting kinda boring to say the least. Having two angsty characters in the same boat is hard enough, but add on that its EXACTLY like the game & all the predictability that comes with it… Whatever. I really don’t mind any of that since they had to slow the episodes down in some way to match the progression of the game with a 25/26 eps season.

    Maybe I just hate angsty characters in general. But Luke has a real reason to be like that since he was created from another person & everything. Luke does “grow up” pretty damn fast after this. On the other hand, Asch will find out that there are more important things going on than just his hatred for his other half. Even thought that will barely solve anything. During the game, I found myself hating Luke & Asch less & less because both of them were giving up that angst BS as the game progressed. Luke pretty much hit the wall with his angst in this episode. Luke will be shown in a better light in the coming eps since Luke ‘the ass’ has finally died.

    Megas
    Reply

  17. I really love the fact that I can now watch the anime as it comes out on youtube. Also the episodes are in time with the game perfectly. I checked it. One day while I was watching a cutscene from the game I played the anime and listened to the english dub on the game as I watch the episode. It was too cool! Everything was in sync! Although this is my second time to play the game, some things still take me by surprise! I just can’t wait to see short-haired Luke in the next episode! I can’t wait to see because the cutscene in the game is my favorite! (Next to the revealing of Asch’s face.)

    Zeke Wilder
    Reply

  24. i know luke is gonna become a good guy and all but really this main character has been pisin me off from the beginning of the show asch should have put him out of his misery for some reason i can,t bring myself to hate asch maybe because he is the real luke hoply fake luke(Replica) would be able to face van when the time comes.

    3nny FisHar
    Reply

  25. Well it finally happened, though being honest, the party really doesn’t have much right to complain about Luke, make him aware of his guilt yes, but not act all high and mighty, when they pushed Luke to Van, instead of taking Luke’s issues more seriously. basically like Guy says when he leaves Asch’s party, “He’s an idiot for sure, but that’s why i can’t just let him be alone, you wouldn’t know what he could do without someone checking on him”. Van pretty much bought Luke back then by doing something that other people should had do, explain him properly and with kindness (even though it was a fake one), since Luke is quite ignorant about many things of the world and his attitude doesn’t help him to learn on his own, he needs of someone explaining stuff properly, and considering that only Van did it, Luke not obsessing about him is hard to expect on his situation.

    Also, Asch isn’t really better than Luke, i would dare to say that he’s worst, and in fact, he never really grows ups, he may not have a tragedy behind his douchebagery, like Luke have Azkeriuth, but he isn’t better than the Luke of the beginning of the story, later in the story we pretty much learn that, at the end, only Luke Really grows up, Asch doesn’t, all his actions may look like he’s mature, but the truth is that he isn’t, his reason for standing against Van and ruining his plans, have nothing to do with saving the world or doing the right thing, and that’s probably the biggest irony in TotA, the person that is most critical to Luke, is actually the one that lacks the right to be critical for being worst in many aspects that Luke himself.

    Za Third
    Reply

  26. Mutio’s point was something not even in the game…. there was no little scene. But I’ll say that Luke eventfully learns the error of his ways… and undergoes a sort of rebirth.

    As far as the aftermath goes… The group varied
    Tear: her reaction was harsh, but not unexpected (Her esteem for the guy was quite low at that point)
    Jade: Same as above (Jade thought Luke was a moronic jackass from the beginning)
    Guy: His reaction was on the sad side (He’s Luke’s best friend; though Show Spoiler ▼

    )
    Natala: Another expected reaction (More so once she finds out that Luke is a fake and Asch is the real one)
    Anise: MOST. VICIOUS. 180. EVER!

    Duran
    Reply

  27. aww. . . poor 7 year old. this was actually one of the saddest moments in the game for me T_____T

    and yeah, the party sure are jack@$$es. i could go on a tirade about why they are but i’d be spoiling the rest of the series’ twists

    suffice to say, they are all jack@$$es and only Luke grew up.

    @Za Third: you’ve summed up my biggest gripe against asch properly! Kudos to you! Want a cookie?

    house fabre
    Reply

  28. @duran:

    yeah, guy’s an awesome best friend .. . is what i thought at first. i mean, he was harsh this episode despite already knowing what luke is. still, he’s a good friend because of how he accepted his fault. i guess, when faced with a problem, people will blame the scapegoat and act mighty while doing it.

    that goes for you too, jade! XP

    ibidibidi
    Reply

  29. man that kid (luke) whines a lot, this was the second time they gave him a piece of their mind i can,t say i feel sorry for him even though he was in dark about everythin van obviously used him and what happen was partly his fault . If the group didn,t talk down to luke, luke would still go on believing that what he did was justified.i heard he is gonna cut his hair and grown up, good for him its about time but at this point luke is one of those characters

    mac
    Reply

  30. man that kid (luke) whines a lot, this was the second time they gave him a piece of their mind i can,t say i feel sorry for him even though he was in dark about everythin van obviously used him and what happen was partly his fault . If the group didn,t talk down to luke, luke would still go on believing that what he did was justified.i heard he is gonna cut his hair and grown up, good for him its about time but at this point luke is one of those characters that i could care less about whether he dies or not.

    mac
    Reply

  31. When I finally found out WTF was going on in the game I thought that Luke was behaving fairly normal for the 7 yo copy whose life began at the original’s age (at the time of replication). Unfortunately for Luke he had a crew of dumbasses supporting & shaping him during that phase. Its their fault that he behaved that way in the first place.

    I know yall (who didn’t play the game) want to throw Luke off a cliff but just leave the kid alone. Most of us already know which of the two ends up being ‘da shit’ in the story. I can’t help but feel sorry for Luke, for having to go through the story with such an medicore band of brothers…err jackasses 😉

    Megas
    Reply

  34. I liked the early Luke. I don’t like the generic angst hero the rest of the cast drove him into becoming, but his development is quick and drastic due to the cruelty treatment. However, it isn’t in the right direction as I hate Main Character angst fests.

    Guy is a great friend to Luke, but really Show Spoiler ▼

    I don’t like Asch either. His true intentions on why he wants to stop Van is extremely petty, and its why I never lost to Asch unintentionally in the game. Also, his temper is as bad if not worse than Luke’s throughout the beginning without any of the good intentions. Plus it never gets better.

    stalos
    Reply

  35. Can’t say i’ve played this tales game but dear god Luke is annoying. I’d be pissed off to play a character like him. Hope his attitude changes fast, I really can’t stand him at this point.

    buh
    Reply

  37. man what an episode i felt more sorri for asch than i did for luke he is just a replica so it wasn,t his fault he was created in place of asch and i don,t think the group was wrong about scoldin him to be honest he deserved more than that. but its funny though both luke and asch are both arrogant oh well looks like luke will stop being foolish from this point on.

    crockett
    Reply

  40. Also have to defend Luke here. I mean – what do you expect of him? He was spoiled his whole short life. And now you expect him to be the shinning hero? Come on.. I also think the groups behaviour isn’t fair on that point. Tear and a few know, that Luke is a replica. Yet they lie to him.. “kindness can be cruel”

    mutio
    Reply

  43. Well didn’t see that coming, Luke’s master Van ends up being the bad guy…Not. I could see that part coming a mile away. Luke being a cone or “replica” was something that i didn’t see, though it could explain all those little glowing freak outs he kept having. seeing Luke’s wold come crashing down and having all those clips link together just made it all the better. Now “assuming he isn’t killed” Luke may actually be of use other then a whiny brat

    Azar
    Reply

  44. Man i’m so sick of luke’s character, but the visuals for this series is great and i love the music and the other characters are nice. i hope from here on out luke changes for the better. i have a patience for these kind of developments from my rpg-playing days, but even luke is really getting on my nerves.

    at least it wasn’t like linebarrel, after 10 min i couldn’t stand any more of the main character.

    jho
    Reply

  46. wow..i haven’t hated a main character like this in a really really long time…if luke doesn’t change soon i may have to stop watching this! lol he is the most whiny brat i have seen in a long time

    whatchamini
    Reply

  47. to defend Luke a bit more, comparing him to Natalia, or even Asch (or any other person really) isn’t really a fair comparison.

    How wise do you expect him to be about the world when this Luke has only been alive for 7 years (nevermind being the same as Natalia, he didn’t grow up with Natalia in the first place) and spending all 7 of those years locked up in his family mansion.
    the game even expands on it further by noting how he didn’t really even get a chance to take lessons to catch up on the world because he was pretty much literally a blank replica. he had to learn how to read, write, etc etc. in the storyline he still isn’t completely literate.

    Anonymous
    Reply

  49. I also have to put a little voice in that the group is not completely absolved from darkness. Tear’s remark about him trying to think for himself is good and all, but lacking proper information to tell you that you shouldn’t be blowing this up, who this person really is, and about yourself are kind needed to make informed decisions. And again, they’ve basically been lying to him this whole time. His criticism was right in that despite Van’s betrayal, Van treated him more like an equal than they have. Never mind the fact that his two “love interests” say pretty much the coldest things ever.

    But yeah, hopefully Luke changes, though it’ll come from no help from his “friends”.

    kobukson
    Reply

  50. i’m not sure if this was explicitly mentioned yet but, i really have a hard time sympathizing with Asch ‘coz Show Spoiler ▼

    he, y’know, got all the skills and stuff. Honestly, he got the better half of the deal. Luke was forced since “birth” to remember stuff he didn’t know and was spoiled and locked up in a mansion then, when he finally gets to the outside world, is forced to learn stuff about what he’s never heard of while Asch gets training and becomes an angsty God General. Heck, they stole each other’s lives but at least Asch lives, now.

    karma
    Reply

  51. Oh! I remember this scene from the game! I was laughing so hard when Asch went on with his tirade on how Luke stole his life! Seriously, you’re an uber god general, what’re you on about? And why the heck didn’tcha go to your parents? Sure some look-a-like’s there but he was brain-dead at the time. Surely your parents could tell the difference? you’ve only been with them for 10 years, yeah?

    dent
    Reply

  52. hrmm . .. will Nebilim ever show up? for those of you who’ve played the game, do you think there’ll be any (sorta)story-related side quests, given that the series is supposed to be 24/5/6 episodes long and akzeriuth-arc just ended . . . .?

    UberWorld!!!!!!!!!
    Reply

  53. @dent

    We don’t know if Van was doing something to keep him from going back with his parents… and what would he say if he comes back? Hi dad and mom I’m the real he’s just a “replica”…don’t know about that one. Plus this is anime…

    I hate Luke! I hope he changes soon or Asch becomes the hero… he’s annoying!

    Asoch3
    Reply

  55. Luke finally gets what’s coming to him. I like how in the game practically everyone didn’t show any sympathy to him, and just leaves him there to rot. Next episode looks like that he’s already awake and talking to Tear? That was quick. I was hoping for more screentime for Asch.
    I can’t wait for Luke to cut himself. ^_^ LOL. I guess you could put it that way (^_^)

    miko86
    Reply

  56. @ dent

    Try reading the manga. Asch has his own story there wherein he tried going back to his parents in Baticul, but were stopped by the guards because he was a ‘filthy child’.

    Also keep in my that the Duke was much more concerned with other matters rather than his son. And I don’t think anyone saw the difference between the two when they were kids, until of course, replica grew up and have golden streaks on his hair instead of the darker shade.

    Aeneid
    Reply

  58. yeah, i really dont get every character has to be a dick to Luke at this point. especially Tear, Ion, and Jade if they had known about his being a replica for a little bit now. i mean, Tear has been underestimating his memory loss quite a bit and now i would say they all are. in reality Luke has been alive for all of 7 years, locked up in his home with all of about 4-5 people he either trusts or considers friends. the one who has basically been there with him his entire life and the one that he would trust whole-heartily is Van. he has no reason whatsoever to not trust this man. not to mention he didnt feel like carrying the sick people out one by one because he felt it would take too long. he wanted to just get rid of the miasma and everything would be fine. hell, Ion was there the entire step of the way and didnt even find anything strange until about 5 seconds before Van forced Luke to do what he did.

    GGear0323
    Reply

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