Bethany Plays: Chapter 27 Base: Good Grieving

Most enemies, yeah. Fiercest? ...Pass.

It was definitely the rawest one in the Crimea arc.

One more battle to go before we're ready to take on Ashnard, though.

What's the report, Tibarn?

This is a very big chapter.

Tibarn's happy to see we won- not that he expected any less.

His own report? Not so great.

That "undermanned" thing? Yeah, Daein fixed that.

One of whom is an incredibly powerful figure.

The Gallians will be missed.

Say... you reckon?

Yep. Here, we fight him.

The Black Knight. Ike's duel of fate has come as last.

...Calill MVP?

So, in Supports... I decide that Ike'll get Elincia Supports. Half so I can finally turn off the notifications for Oscar, Lethe and Ranulf.

Elincia isn't quite fully prepared for battle. Ike's noticed and is happy to help.

Ike, more experienced in combat, helps her with that last little trick.

Not that he's been more experienced for long. Remember way back in Chapter 1, when Ike was first coming up against bandits? Yeah, that seems so long ago.

Elincia blink framing like she's wondering whether Greil is as good a man as he claims.

Elincia will be able to do things Ike cannot, just as he can do things she cannot.

Elincia'll be able to move on from battle after this.

Ike is very much a proponent of "get prepared, then feel free to help" rather than "don't bother trying, leave it to us."

Elincia can always ask for help if necessary.

...And then Ike gets Elincia B too? Well, there's Chapter 27 and 28, so logically Elincia should be able to use those two chapters to get Supports normally... except Elincia isn't actually allowed into Chapter 28 and they have to use this half-measure.

This almost seems meta, in that regard.

This line, though, disproves the theory the two conversations happened directly after each other.

Elincia's been training on her own.

Since she thinks she'd just waste her partners time, being such an easy fight.

~~Come on, give her some time to absorb the advice.~~

Elincia's just been trying to focus her feelings of powerlessness and frustration into something productive.

"I am dead, here's the deed to the company, also Mist has an artefact of doom."

Not that Ike is saying it's 1:1 with Elincia.

Unsuited? Moreso unprepared.

This is not exactly Elincia's biggest flaw going in to her incoming leadership, but it's definitely something she needs to account for and correct in her approach.

~~Especially since you're not doing any fighting~~ Ike is only as powerful as his best man for each job he is asked to do. Without Soren, he'd be a poor tactician. Without Titania, he'd be directionless.

And he has to be able to count on them when necessary, and not double-think himself.

Elincia has three very useful people at her side. Well, when they're not being dumb and trying to get themselves killed for her.

One day, Elincia. One day, you will truly be the queen Crimea needs.

Meanwhile, we've got some more Supports to knock out!

Marcia is desperately hoping for an out.

Not that Tanith is likely to let her get away with it.

I don't think she's just talking about this.

The Demon of the Holy Guard.

This, though, sounds like the teenage angst version of this conversation. Not that it is, but...

Um...

Well. Not what I was expecting to hear.

Nor Marcia.

Well, duh.

You don't tell your potential successor about it and give them a big head.

I think this is all Marcia ever wanted.

~~Yeah, if you could go back into the Holy Guard next game~~ ah, who am I kidding, mechanically, you're needed where you are.

Meanwhile, in Ilyana/Lucia B, Lucia has been teaching Ilyana something.

Running exercises, apparently.

Not that it's going well. Lucia will keep trying.

Yep, that's me running.

Not that Lucia intends to be rude about it.

Lucia will keep at it, though.

Good advice in general.

That's all Lucia can ask.

But a break should come in handy before long.

"That's just my natural state, though."

Wow, Ilyana likes Lucia's cooking!

I actually like the Ilyana/Lucia Support for more than just being a mechanically better A Support than Mia. But, well, when Lucia's not likely to see more use...

And here's the Lethe/Ranulf B Support screenshots I wanted to take. Lyre and Kysha are characters in Radiant Dawn that Path of Radiance quietly introduced early. "Kysha", however, is the name of the latter only in the European version. In the North American version, he is instead known as Kyza. I used to think this was a cute little detail, that Europe knew they were going to change ahead of time... but apparently it is the Americans that get it wrong here? I have no real way of verifying that, though.

Elincia's Supports. They didn't want to give her a bunch, presumably because she comes so late. Sadly, no ladies.

One Info today, and very definitely just the one this time. But buckle up, it's a long one.

Titania has a lot to talk about with Ike.

You know how much of that Ike was keeping to himself?

Titania needs to know too, for her own grieving process.

Ike is happy to share for this end.

He's just had his own grief issues to solve, plus all the additional context...

But Ike is ready now.

We don't get a fade to black here.

This is a nice description of the Greil Falls cutscene in text form.

But ultimately, the Black Knight had more... or rather, Greil had less.

How does that even happen in a realistic world of physics? FE is anime enough that I can accept it, but still.

The Black Knight doesn't actually say anything to Greil before tossing Ragnell.

Black Knight: Here. Use this blade.
Greil: What are you doing?
Black Knight: I have been waiting for this for a long time. I would prefer it if you were using your proper weapon, so that I may see you at your full strength... General Gawain, Rider of Daein.

Ragnell is the only sword that would have allowed Greil to win.

Greil: That... was my name... once. But I... threw it away. The only weapon I need... is right... here.

Black Knight: Is that all there is? No challenge? No... resistance?

The Black Knight was hoping for the duel of the century, and instead got to pick off a crippled old man.

It wasn't a lethal blow, though. Greil got to survive to see the rest of the chapter through.

Black Knight: Now then, will you give me what I came for?

Well, he definitely came for the medallion, we definitely know that much.

Black Knight: “Ha. You, who knows better than any what it truly is, threw it away? Surely you can craft a more plausible lie. You’re not even trying anymore.”

I already talked about how the Black Knight threatening Mist was an invention of the localisation. This line, too, correctly reflects that. Ike only seems to talk about how the Black Knight was going to kill Mist in the above line, though.

Ike attacked, as foolish as it might have been.

Yeah, if Ike's bad now, remember him at his Chapter 7-ness.

Caineghis saved his life.

From there, though, it came down to getting Greil back alive.

As unlikely as that was to be.

...

It's out there now.

I imagine Titania found Greil dead, and didn't realise how freshly it happened.

Titania's ready to clean out the last remnants of grief, then.

...Oh yeah.

Chapter 24.

If you can call it that.

Well, the Black Knight had this hidden skill that prevented him from attacking...

Well, in a normal playthrough...

That would still be true.

Does Titania know about Greil's "tendonitis"?

Also that your bladework may not necessarily be good enough.

Titania is gobsmacked, as are most people.

If them's the rules...

Yeah, did we ever ask Caineghis about that-

...Ike...

YOU HAD RAGNELL THE WHOLE TIME?

Logical.

And he just... never thought that maybe this sword might be useful?

Well, he's a 17 year old with no logical prowess, I guess I can believe that.

Hopefully.

False. Ragnell and Alondite are twins, but they were forged to be wielded together. I think the JP version of this line might actually not contradict that fact?

Ike has never asked himself the odds. In his mind, there is one outcome: Victory.

"Man, I wish I picked swords as my secondary weapon right about now..."

Wasn't this a two-star Info conversation? Sounds like we're preparing for our advice.

This will be very important for us in particular.

Even if Ike isn't fond of hearing it.

This is a very encouraging way of framing it.

He who flees today will live again to fight another day!

Well, she says that, and...

Ike's best judgement. Will Ike be prepared to accept defeat if he is outmatched?

This advice does not apply to what is coming up, at all... except in the context of the All Girls run, and maybe some other kinds of challenge run.

Level ups. Nephenee caps Defence. Anyway, now we have Elincia and three chapters to go until the credits roll, it's time to ramp up the seriousness of Transfers.

These are the six characters who I will be Transferring, as best I can. These characters should get as many kills as possible to get them to level 20. Marcia, Jill and Astrid also need to cap Defence and Ilyana Strength if at all possible. Some of these characters just got naturally good by playing through Path of Radiance, but other characters will desperately want the benefits of Transfer Data come Radiant Dawn.

Whether by high level in PoR or by the helpfulness of the boon in RD, these are the characters that I would like to see Transfer, if I have the leftover resources. I think Tanith's the only one with a chance.

Elincia picks up the Miracle scroll, because why not, really?

A brief introduction.

We've got to solve the problem of that.

He's talking about Toha, incidentally.

Well, there is a few things...

Not in this game.

"Not that kind of Effective, sadly."

Tibarn refuses to use Ragnell. ~~Ironically, I think his talons can break the blessing...~~

Ike must fight the Black Knight.

So what about the rest of the siege?

Titania got a turn talking about her grief.

Mist would like one too.

Unfortunately, I doubt anyone would-

Elincia?

How fortuitous!

I don't think this means very much other than a general expression about Elincia's headaches.

...Again, I'm not entirely sure who is the humble servant and to who.

Bastian will go help Elincia clear up.

So now Ike has time for Mist.

Yeah, Ike didn't buy the "I have a headache" for a second.

Mist has been wanting to have this conversation for a while now.

So has Ike. Mist hasn't come out since the whole Greil reveal, apparently.

It hit her even harder than it did Ike.

She may be skirting the line on age appropriateness for that story.

So where is she at now?

Not that I blame her for that. Especially since she's been caring for the medallion for around ten years.

Mist first needs to parse the whole situation before she can parse her grief.

That's just been too much.

She couldn't even sleep for the grief.

It hit Ike the same. It was probably too much to expect Mist could handle it.

And Mist was forced to get to sleep by her body whacking her over the head.

Sleep is really good for your emotional needs. You should have some.

All Mist has now is sympathy for what Greil and Elena had to go through.

And what Greil was forced to do.

Mist has lost a relative. Now she has an idea about how Greil took it.

And Greil didn't say a word to anyone except maybe Titania.

But not his poor, innocent kids.

The knight that, if you had a really blessed Ike, you could battle and have a conversation about?

Yeah. Eventually.

No one else can take him down.

Mist knows there's nothing she can do.

Um, Mist, I hate to sound rude, but... have you looked in a mirror lately? Screw the narrative, ask Ike if you can borrow his sword and kill him yourself!