Tales of the Abyss - 08 November 16
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
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.
Likky at 2:15 am on November 16th, 2008
looks like a good episode!
Genestarwind at 2:19 am on November 16th, 2008
Luke needs to grow up!
Sam at 2:20 am on November 16th, 2008
Looks great!
Zukushi-kun at 2:26 am on November 16th, 2008
Hyman!
Peanutbutter003 at 2:34 am on November 16th, 2008
Replica? What’s that? lol…
Show Spoiler ▼
Nellie at 2:35 am on November 16th, 2008
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.
Amiena at 2:54 am on November 16th, 2008
right in sync with the game’s timeline. or well.. almost anyway.
great episode as usual!
Acerbus at 3:15 am on November 16th, 2008
Next up on Tales of the Abyss…
ShortHaired!Luke.
Crucia at 3:47 am on November 16th, 2008
Yay!! More Asch time next episode!!
babel at 3:48 am on November 16th, 2008
@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.
Silawen at 3:51 am on November 16th, 2008
Finally short haired Luke next week… I love him ;;
Banned at 3:58 am on November 16th, 2008
http://www.mcmoon.com/katie/index.php?c=viral&m=index&id=16d1df63ec0afe9fff99f3b6adf91f68
Chimasternmay at 4:05 am on November 16th, 2008
arch also needs to act grown up, like can expect anything from his replica who knows nothing while he does.
Nellie at 4:10 am on November 16th, 2008
@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.
Megas at 4:24 am on November 16th, 2008
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.
mutio at 5:25 am on November 16th, 2008
The 1st screen of the preview (check the sword)
Show Spoiler ▼
Good that things finaly started to roll. I didn’t play the game so I’m curious to see the next steps of Asch.
Zeke Wilder at 6:10 am on November 16th, 2008
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.)
Tan-Tan at 6:24 am on November 16th, 2008
Yey, now we’ll get to see what happened in the past
I hope Asch won’t become an antagonist…
Floma at 7:43 am on November 16th, 2008
Luke turned crazy XD I do really think this moment is epic but I really liked it more in the game =__= (in the anime is just… strange XD)
lester at 7:54 am on November 16th, 2008
Too bad Luke won’t just stand by idly and have fun watching those idiots who blame him suffer like they deserve.