Legend of Legaia - Part 31 - FINALE - End of an Era

 

Welcome back to Legend of Legaia.  Last time, we entered through the mouth of Juggernaut and have experienced a horrible scenery only our nightmares could concoct.  And today… we will put an end to all that and stop Juggernaut once and for all!

As I said in the previous part, going through the hole up ahead is the Point of No Return, right to the final boss.  As such, it would be best to prepare.  Make sure everyone has their Ra-Seru equipment, and their HP and MP replenished.  As for accessories: I would give an HP-boosting accessory to Noa (such as Minea’s Ring) to up her low HP.  Any AP-affecting accessories (ie. Mettle Goblet or Mettle Gem) are recommended as well.  Don’t worry too much about accessories affecting hit rate; you should be able to hit the final boss with 100% hitrate regardless, so don’t waste your accessory slots on Target Chain or Unholy Icon.  Same thing with Speed Chain; the final boss is actually very slow and will always attack last.  If you really wanna make this final fight a breeze, give someone a War Soul and a War God Icon.  They’ll do massive damage for every turn.

Once you’re ready, head forward to the hole.

to remove tension: this tunnel looks like the one back in Mt. Rikuroa

A long tunnel stretches before our heroes.  As we head deeper, Noa stops for a second.  There’s some kind of breeze coming from behind.  

Vahn and Gala look behind and ask Noa what’s going on.  But before they could react to what’s coming, a great gush of bloodstream pushes our heroes through the other side of the tunnel!   

At the other side is a giant chasm, leading down to who knows where, and our heroes find themselves hanging on to their lives.  Gala is desperately hanging onto the ledge, but his grip is starting to slip.  Gala can’t hold on much longer, and so our heroes fall, plummeting into the deep darkness…

Our heroes wake up, having survived the fall.  They find themselves even further in Juggernaut.  Where exactly, they’re not so sure, but they’re soon to find out.  Noa recognizes something about this place, and walks ahead.  Our heroes follow, and in the very center of the chamber, they find what Noa was talking about: Cort.  

Cort is still alive, but his body is beyond recognition.  He no longer looks human.  Noa tries to call out to Cort, desperately telling him to return back as a human.  

you could say he rejected his humanity

Her cries manage to awaken Cort, but it seems that he has long past decided to cast away his humanity.  Having fused with Juggernaut, Cort declares himself a perfect entity, transcending above human and seru.

to break tension: say this line out loud; it's real awkward!

 

Noa tries to call out to Cort, but her brother doesn’t even recognize her.  And now, having found the presence of humans nearby, Cort has decided to wipe them out!  Let’s go, to our final fight!

 

This is it folks, the final boss of the game!  The heart of Juggernaut, the mastermind of the mist now fused with the terrible Sim-Seru to become this indescribable monstrosity: Cort!  First thing I wanna note: 

before

after

I love how they made a unique battle background right at the beginning, just to immediately toss it aside for a more flashy, ominous one.  That’s some extra detail right there.

Cort’s regular attack can do up to a total of 2000 HP on one party member.  Fortunately, it’s nowhere as dangerous as Songi’s regular attack, but Cort still has some other dangerous attacks.

Cort will use an Ultra Charge to telegraph an incoming attack.  Ultra Charge…?  That’s what Koru used before its Dead End Crisis!  Oh that’s not gonna be good.  And indeed, after using an Ultra Charge, Cort will unleash Final Crisis!  It has the same attack animation as Koru’s Dead End Crisis!   

The good news is that unlike Koru’s attack, Final Crisis doesn’t do a fixed 9999 damage.  It will, however, do 3000+ damage to everyone.  This attack is nearly unsurvivable if you do not spirit up on the turn he uses it.  Even when spiriting, it does about 1200 damage.  This is by far Cort’s most powerful attack.  Fortunately, this attack is telegraphed, so you’ll be able to prepare for it.

Cort has another attack that he’ll only use once he reaches about half HP: Doomsday.  For some reason, he didn’t use this attack at all in this fight recording, so I made a separate recording here to show off this attack.  Cort summons a planet from above to crush our heroes with, dealing 2000+ damage to everyone!  On second glance… that planet is the same one Xain destroys whenever he uses his Terio Punch.  Huh.  Anyways, Doomsday isn’t as strong as Final Crisis, but it’s arguably more dangerous solely on the fact that this attack is not telegraphed at all.

Well, it’s the final fight; don’t feel restricted in tossing your items.  Bring out those buffing elixirs and fury boosts.  Toss out your Point Card if you’ve been saving up your points.  With the accessory setup you have, you should be dishing out arts liberally.  Do as much damage as you can, while keeping everyone’s HP high at all times (around 2000).  Make sure to spirit up when Cort does an Ultra Charge.  Honestly, Cort’s not that hard a final boss if you’re well prepared.  He does have a lot of HP though.  

But eventually, you’ll finally defeat Cort, and his body starts rumbling, exploding in a white light.

 

All of the inside of Juggernaut is starting to fall apart, and Noa walks towards Cort’s body.  This is all our heroes can do.  Terra, however, starts glowing a different color.  

She tells Noa that her time in this world is up.  Hari’s power rejuvenated the Great Genesis Tree for a short time, but it was only that: a short time.  The Seru-Kai will now die, and all seru and ra-seru with it.  Terra detaches from Noa, along with Meta and Ozma.   

 

Our heroes are distressed from this news, but the Ra-Serus can only give encouragement from their former hosts.

“Thank you Vahn.
Thank you Noa.
Thank you Gala.
Together, we humans and Seru were stronger even than the ancient Tieg himself.
We are heading beyond the twilight, but do not forget this:
Humans and Seru are both born of Tieg, and are one. They have lived through the same era.
It is time for humans to create their own futures.

This is the last of our Seru powers.”

The Ra-Serus glow a brilliant light, illuminating everything from within.   

From outside, the castle of Juggernaut starts breaking down and shatters into pieces.  And from the ruins, the Ra-Serus’ lights enter the seemingly dead people of Rim Elm, giving them new life.  A miracle has happened!

 

Some days have passed, and we see Vahn next to the Genesis Tree in Rim Elm, exactly where our journey started.  It looks like Vahn is embarking on yet another journey.   

Before he leaves, however, a familiar scientist arrives on the scene.  It’s Dr. Usha!  He’s been wanting to pay a visit to Vahn, but he’s caught him in the middle of leaving.

Dr. Usha asks Vahn why he is leaving, and we’re given multiple choices here.  Based on what you choose here, the ending actually changes!  Don’t get too excited though; the differences between each endings are pretty minute.  You’ll mostly get different flavor text from each ending.

For now, I’ll say “To thank the people who helped me.”  Dr. Usha comments on Vahn’s dedication.  He mentions that he wants to write a book documenting Vahn’s life, so he decides to stay in Rim Elm for the time being and interview Vahn’s father and sister.  Val and Nene leave with Usha, leaving Vahn at the Genesis Tree.

And from this point on, we can talk to everyone and see how everything’s going back to normal ever since Juggernaut’s attack.   

Maya and Mei are grateful for what Vahn and everyone else had done.  Mei asks Vahn to come back as soon as he’s done his journey.  

 

Ixis, a villager I’ve barely talked about, is helping out in reconstructing the village.  

 

Tetsu looks at Vahn with pride, for having taught a great student.  

Val comments on how the Ra-Serus even healed his broken leg, and how everyone has been given new life.  

The Disco King’s here for some reason.  Apparently, he’s been looking for Noa, but she’s already left.  

The cave next to him had a memory statue where you could save your game, but it seems to be no longer working.  The lady mentions that it must’ve gotten its powers from Tieg.  Now looking at it… the statue does resemble a bit of Tieg, doesn’t it?   

Also: Fat Fingers and Pepe are there.  They too seem to be travelling the world.

By talking to Dr. Usha, he informs Vahn what’s been happening in the rest of the world.  With Uru Mais destroyed and the Seru Kai gone, serus will eventually disappear from this world completely.  No more serus will be born from Uru Mais, and the serus that already exist in this world are slowly losing their power.  Usha predicts that serus will disappear completely in about a year.  Those who relied on the seru, such as the flying wagon services and the Soren, must eventually learn to live without them.  But so long as there is hope in humanity, they can usher in a new age without seru.

You can also find Luctes near the elder’s house.  He tells Vahn he brought Usha here to Rim Elm.  As the seru are losing its power, Luctes says that the Soren will no longer be able to fly.  However, his people have made a decision that from now on, they will now live as earthbound humans.  Perhaps Luctes can now catch up with his brother Grantes.

At this point, I think I wanna talk about the other endings briefly:

By answering “To see the mist-free world” to Usha’s question, Usha comments on how Vahn wants to see all his effort bear fruit.   

Maya asks Vahn to speak with Mei before leaving.  Mei immediately asks Vahn to come with him to see the world.  Mei is excited as she finally gets to travel with Vahn.

By answering “To tell Noa my true feelings,” Usha realizes how forward his question is.  It seems that Vahn has feelings towards Noa, but what about Mei?   

Well, by talking to her, she reveals that she’s been engaged with Ixis.  Despite that, Mei wishes all the best for Vahn and Noa.

By answering “To train at Biron Monastery,” Usha seems quite surprised at Vahn’s response.   

Maya tells Vahn that she’ll one day visit the monastery again, and Mei decides that she will wait for Vahn to return.  Tetsu admires Vahn’s dedication, and wishes to spar with him once again someday.

 
In all 4 endings, once you’ve talked to everyone or once you’re ready to leave, head back to the entrance of Rim Elm.  The great wall that once protected the village from the mist is now replaced with a humble fence.  But standing in front of the opening is the village elder.  Before leaving, the elder asks Vahn something.  

Apparently, after everyone was saved, Noa left the village carrying a baby.  The elder asked her about the baby, but didn’t say anything about it.  However, he suspects that the baby Noa was carrying was her brother Cort.  Cort too has been given new life thanks to the Ra-Serus’ powers, and perhaps now, he too can live a life free from the mist’s evil grasp.  But after all the terrible deeds Cort has done, does he truly deserve this second chance?  I think that’s up to the player to decide.  Regardless, Noa must have tried to leave with Cort unnoticed, and has decided to raise him herself.

And with that, the elder asks if you’re ready to leave Rim Elm, and if you’ve said your goodbyes to everyone here.  Once you say yes, this will lead you directly to the end of the game.  Once you’ve seen everything you wanna see, let’s leave Rim Elm.  The elder opens the gate for Vahn, and just as he leaves, everyone in Rim Elm say goodbye to Vahn.

With one last wave, Vahn leaves Rim Elm and departs for another adventure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And with that… we have reached the end of Legend of Legaia.

 

This marks the end of my playthrough, but stick around for a bit longer if you wanna read my thoughts about this game!  Thank you to everyone who decided to stick with my playthrough to the very end.  I hope you enjoyed this game as much as I have.

 

Press X to bring up this final stats screen!