The Blue Archive Chapter That Broke Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyOxLCkzcSg
yuyu


Life.
The never-ending cage that only moves forward with time, ever changing.
Us humans might be the most pathetic creatures to ever exist.
We're selfish, envious,
and so emotional.
We can never truly understand another human being fully.
Yet we still struggle and carry on.
We're so persistent to continue.
And that's what makes life magnificent.

 DecaGrammaton has recently just come to a close on global servers.
I can't help but talk about this, 
world of emotions that spiral, 
through me as I witnessed the, 
entirety of this chapter close, 
in such an amazing way.
The stop, Dude.
Yeah.
After thinking about it for quite a while as well,
I don't think that my feelings, 
of this being my favorite volume, 
as of right now is an effect
of recency bias at all.
I genuinely loved how the characters were portrayed in this volume.
I think they did absolute justice, 
to the writing and close it off, 
with a breathtakingly, 
bittersweet ending.
Like this was legit supposed, 
to be an event rather than being.

part of the main story line and, 
at that, 
would conclude part one of the main story.
Ein't that crazy?
After all, I was completely satisfied with it.
I mean, if you've been caught up with my other activities online,
you know I have been gushing about this one white-haired redeyed, 
girl in particular that I love so so so so so so so, 
much.
What's wrong, Kei-Kei?
Kei is your Kei Kei- Kei is cute.
Kei-Kei is cute.
Kei-Kei is cute.
I love you, Kei.
I must be dreaming.
Anyways, now that this story line has ended,
I want to talk about one of my favorite segments from it,
and I hope you'll listen, 
because it has seemed to break the hearts of many players,
including myself.

Those children
During Deca Grammaton's highstakes battle between the entity itself,
we're put in a tense situation.
As power converges towards the center of the steel continent,
our whole team gets separated from each other.
We, Sensei,
get saved by Aris, Rio,
and Kei.
Although we're now basically stuck in a maze trying to find our way out.
But that changes until crying is heard in the distance.

No, it's not any of the party members,
but a set of three familiar faces on the ground screaming, yelling,
and shouting.
Just right before this, Ein,
Sof, and ore were required to fulfill their duty that they were promised.
And it was to help their elder sister Malcoth ascend to divinity.
Even if it meant losing her, it was required.
They blamed Sensei and the students.
If they had never come here, if it wasn't for them,
they would have never lost their elder sister.
Gone by our hands.
It is a curse to exist, a curse to feel.
Why is it that love and loss must be so indelibly bound?
Why?
Why must I suffer through an existence I never asked for?
We possessed no halos.
We were never granted the mystic.
And so we were excluded from miracles in the sublime.
secrets we would never be allowed to know, 
as long as we could be with her and keep making new memories together.
This is the end of our story.
There is no happily ever after for us.

But wasn't the whole reason for their existence in the name of reviving Deca-grammaton, 
as a god?
Their feelings are contradictory, 
from their actions and what had actually happened.
They wanted their elder sister to live.
even if it meant removing the, 
everyday happiness and
lives of everyone else in Kotos.
We all have things we can't afford to lose.
If you see an opportunity to protect what's most important to you,
how could you not take it?
Kei asks them, "If you were born  before your elder sister,
then how is it possible that you cherished her very existence?", 
They all come to the conclusion that it's something specifically unique to them.
If someone can't fall in love,
just program it into them before you ship them out.
In contrast to humans, Ein,Sof, and ore are artificial beings created by the AI Decormaton.
Instead of being born,
they created as engineers , 
and programmed to assist their, 
elder sister Mulk, 
as a vessel to achieve divinity.

Even despite all the bad that they've done to this moment,
Sensei takes a knee and tells them, "You tried really,
really hard.
I want you to have a happy ending, too." And that's just who Sensei is.
That's who Sensei has always been.
They empathize with three,
telling them that they aren't so different from humans.
The ability to love one another is what makes us human.
And you loved your elder sister mulkuth than anything.
Even if that love was pre-programmed into Ein,Sof and ore, 
could be called artificial,
it's an undeniable fact that they still feel even if it may be false, love.
Just like or said, why is love and loss so indelibly bound?
A strong enough love makes people vulnerable, cry,
and grieve when they experience loss.
That is why love and loss are two sides  of the same coin.
As loss is, there must have been love before.
And the thing is, they could recognize that.
They realize that everything, 
that they've done up to this moment was for their elder sister.
and that's why they grieve for her.

But they're confused at the fact that Sensei, 
is willing to take a knee and listen to them.
And undoubtedly, Sensei was the first step into validating their feelings.
Whether or not these girls have halos or not, no matter what,
Sensei is the embodiment of portraying unconditional
responsibility as an adult figure, 
to help them understand their, 
feelings and provide a path in
life for opportunity.
These three, Ein,Solf and ore
may be artificially created,
but they are portraying the same traits just like people, 
trying to endure that loss,
grieving, and even crying.
They also have the opportunity to learn, gEin knowledge,
and live everyday lives.
And sensei would do anything in their power for any child or student in need.
To sensei,
it doesn't mean that they should also be excluded from a happy ending,
even if they aren't their students.
That is the message of unconditional responsibility, 
and could also be interpreted as love itself.
I found these next few lines of dialogue specifically.

to be extremely powerful when Armed-Arius speaks up.
(以下对话来自EX3P14与生俱来之物）
"I will never be able to truly understand the pEin you are enduring right now.
However, what I can do is empathize with your grief."

In the same way that Ein, Sol and ore feels losing their sister,
Aris says that she would feel, 
the same grief if she lost anyone,  such as Sensei, 
or any of the people who she loves dearly, 
or says, 
"you know nothing about us."

"You are right.
I do know nothing.
I may never be able to feel another's pEin exactly as they do.
What's impossible is impossible.
I was not programmed with that feature,
 but I would still like to do what I can.“
And she reaches out a hand, asking to be friends with them.
Then she repeats something Sensei had said to her in the past.
”Being able to cry alongside someone who is suffering, 
can give that person the strength to fight to the end.
Sensei taught me that.
And if your hatred of me runs too deep, I understand."
[music] After that speech from Aris,
it cuts to Rio and it flashes.

back to a specific moment in, 
volume Final. where Arius forgives  
her, 
even despite everything that she had done to her prior.
I really like this choice of connecting Arius', 
dialogue here with this moment in the past.
It also reminds us that Rio was able to build a genuine connection with Aris,
someone she tried to literally destroy in the past.
It goes to show how she's grown, 
a lot from being hyperlogical, 
to actually bond and, 
go closer with the students in, 
Millennium, 
as per this volume's mEin cast.
Her being able to stand side by side with Arius and Kei. 
makes this moment all the more poetic.
After all,
the AL-1s vessel was designed to be a machine to destroy and kill.
Something so powerful that would even risk the world itself.
But despite that,
humanity, 
was able to persevere and it became the bundle of joy we now know as Aris.
one of the most beautiful portrayals of humanity in Blue Archive.
Everything that each character says is an effect of past experiences.

and words passed down from one another.
The things that Arus has learned, 
is knowledge that she has picked, 
up from Sensei,
her peers, and living in this world overall.
These things have touched people like Rio and allowed her to grow.
And I think that's a wonderful thing.
Despite Arius being a character that's an innocent, bright light of hope,
optimistic, and exerts a childlike wonder,
the emotional intelligence of, 
her further supports her being, 
so much more human than anyone, 
else in this moment.
She says,
"I believe we can understand enough, 
to support each other and live on." 
And that line really resonated with me.
People will never, 
ever be able to fully understand or feel the emotions of another person.
It's impossible.
But even trying to understand enough, she says,
"Enough to support each other and live on.", 
This line that Soph says right after is exactly the way I feel about Arius.
It was beautifully plot.
Or says,

"I see now ,the words of the princess of the Nameless Gods., 
What she meant was the power your words hold.
A certEin charisma that makes people listen.
It's an authority of its own, one that comes inside.
The greatest power one can wield with words."

And I get it.
This was one of the moments I felt super akin to when reading this chapter, 
because Aris is without a doubt, 
one of my favorite written characters in this game overall.
Her innocence and positive determination, even in her lowest moments,
there's so much about her that makes her so wonderful.
She's one of the brightest rays of hope in a world that can be so dark at times.
Even in this situation right here, she's able to smile,
reach out her hand, and just like Rio,
asks to be friends with these three.
And that really, really made me smile as well.

Humanity's Answer

Although right after that,
Ein, solf and ore are  suddenly having their powers totally taken from them,
which enables them to try and persuade and guilt trip sensei, Aris,

and the others that it's not worth saving them because they've already completed, 
their mission.

To leave them would be the most logical decision for the survival of everyone,
they say.
But then Kay butts in tofurther enforce Aris's words.
"Your superficial attempts at hiding your feelings is appalling.
Not a single person is fooled by that flimsy brave face you're putting on.
Didn't you listen to Ars's request?
She wants to be friends.
F R I E N Ds.
And you're just going to answer her by running away?
You three are seriously annoying me to the very end.
You're alive, so keep on struggling.
Even if it's ugly and you have to crawl and squirm and claw forward, struggle.
 Keep fighting.
Don't sit there bemoning your situation and whining that you want to be happy.
Do something about it."

And this allows the three a chance, 
to question what they actually, 
want in this moment.
Ein says, "There's so much I have to tell her.
Many lifetimes of things that we have to do together." In unison,

 they all conclude that they don't want to say goodbye to her just yet.
They want to see her agEin.
The realization of this is incredibly crushing.
Even if they believe their logic may be better for the fate of Kivotos,
Kay immediately takes the final, 
blow of them and makes them realize, 
their true feelings and the predicament
they're in.
There's a really significant, 
underlying symbolism and irony in their conversations, 
that's really beautiful once you recognize it.
Just like ein, Sof and ore.
In the same way, arius and kei were also created,
not born.
Since both arius and Kei were able to live, understand,
and undoubtedly learn the ways of humanity, it gives us the sense that Ein,
Sof,  and Orur could do the same.
Particularly about Kei, she's living a life she never would have thought of.
She was a program to assist an entity of destruction.
Yet, when she was brought back from her slumber in chapter 2,
rather than resisting, and up to now,
she persisted.
I mean, sure,

arius may have played a part in that,
but I can't disregard the symbolism, 
of Kei moving from body to body, 
as a way of showing her own sense, 
of self,
and that's such a crazy development.
And also what I'm really grateful, 
for because we would have never, 
had this cutie in the first place.
>> Kei-kei is cute.
Once she was just a fragment of Aris, 
to now a person with her own identity and in the present, 
a student of Millennium, 
where she was able to live that life and find her own happiness.
 I mean, 
kind of if it means sensei teasing
her and wanting to die from embarrassment, 
is happiness, 
you sensei >> then go for it.
>> I really like this line that Kei said at the end, 
to go through that struggle is the ugliness of life.
do something about it instead of whining.
She's telling them to ultimately reject what they were built for,
to take their own path, just like she did.

The day the angels ascended to heaven 
Now, I'll talk about this part of the story since it happens really fast,

but Sensei gets teleported into some strange realm with the entity Decoratmmaton, 
using Malith as a vessel.
Then, the whole team gathers together agEin after later finding arius,
Rio, and Kei plus the three girls.
even though they're distressed.
Later,
they're overcome with relief, 
when Sensei is spotted near the, 
center of the steel continent, 
or altered with DecaGrammaton, 
where both of them have a battle agEinst each other's idealism.
Yet,
Deca Grammaton doesn't back down and clings onto rigid visions of a desolate, 
perfect world while also offering Sensei, 
extreme power as they have taken interest  in them.
But, as Sensei has and always done before,
rejects that worldview.
"students first."
Once Sensei is brought back to everyone,
including Ein,Solf and ore,
everyone is in agreement that, 
those three should hide as they, 
don't want them getting caught, 
in the crossfire for the final, 
showdown.
And so they prepare.
And as we face the DecaGrammaton, bro.
Yo, what?
What?
Bro, immediately cuts to everyone.

Even I thought there was going to be a battle, but not.
It's just like, damn,
bro.
They were going to lose.
It really felt that way.
"Hmm shall I take over your body?
Force you to shatter the halos of every last student, 
with your own bare pants?
Or I could force you to watch from afar while I subject your beloved world, 
to an endless, 
symphony of suffering.
Do you see now, Sensei?
Even  if that were your fate, would you still accept it?"

Kay cries out to Sensei as , 
they try to make their final, 
stand agEinst Decoraton.
All Sensei wants is to send their, 
students  home and put, 
them out of harm's way.
"Just let the kids go home."
Yet, as sensei's vision fades,
"I couldn't let go of my regret, 
that I would never be able to properly welcome those three children, 
to Kivotos."
Clinging to those thoughts,
everything turns white and the voices of Ein, sof and ore speak to sensei.
"Truly understanding that purely existing is enough.
Not just the students, but them as well.

It's an adult's duty to protect the children.
 I'm sorry, 
that I couldn't show you a world that felt worth living in."
Yet, as a small cold hand is felt on their shoulder,
as if it's some miracle, Sensei wakes into consciousness.
"I still don't understand what happiness is, and perhaps we never will.
This world may be a tragedy and this life might be a curse,
but I'm not just going to roll over and accept that anymore.
I'm not letting this one go.
If birth is a tragedy, then happiness must be the struggle agEinst it.
But that's what I learned from Sensei.
That one should struggle with all their might if they're alive.
Perfection isn't real, and it'd be boring if it were.
If something is whole and complete, then it can never improve."

"We never considered these things before.
Why would we when we believed ourselves to be perfect?"

"On top of that,
we would like to repay that person in a way that only we can"
(There's something you want,right?You'll do anything to get it back,RIGHT?)
(Because for humanity ,our right to happiness is the one thing we must never ,ever let go of)
(Even then,I want you all to have a chance at life.)

"To live, to sin,to be imperfect, to struggle,
to continue onwards, and finally  to grow,
to become better.
These are our rights, ones we cannot forfeit.
Not because of right or wrong or beliefs or or principles.
It is simply how it must be done.
Do as you wish.
That shall be your decree."

"This is what's right.
This is how it should be.
I was so happy to see you one last time.
 We wanted to tell you something, elder sister.
Someone asked us to be friends and to fight for what we believe.
It's not just because it's what's right.
It's because it was the only thing we could do.
We want you to live, elder sister.
No matter what happens to us, we want you to live.
We want you to see things, meet people,
and experience all you can in life.
 Way, way more than we have.
There's so many things you've never experienced, so much more than even us.
So, please keep living until the very end.
Don't stop.
Keep going.
Survive for us.
We're sorry for trying to ruin your world.

We're sorry for acting as we pleased.
But even so, if it's okay with you,
just a small space in your world is enough.
If there's a place for our elder sister,
we'd appreciate it if you accept her there."

"Good night.
Ein,Sof and ore"

In these last few moments of Ein,Sof and ore
we experience how in the small time frame,
they've come  to understand one of the most simple but complex, 
things about life,
the choice of free will.
By coming to this understanding,
they ultimately find their reasoning, 
to create an opportunity for their elder sister,
Mulkuth, a chance to exprience the  wolrd ahead of her.
One what she's able to do things that they were unable to do.
They grasp the concept of humanity, 
starting from sensei to Aris to Kei and everyone else.
How humanity is described here is the ability to experience grief, despair,
the ability to empathize, share another's burden,
and finally, 
their choice to altruistically sacrifice oneself for the sake of another.
This all goes back to one thing.
They were made to love Malkuth, to cherish her.

And due to this,
they were able to discover that, 
their love for her ran, 
deeper than just wanting to help, her.
They found themselves to be experiencing emotion.
And that's the most human thing about that realization.
Even if they did use their free will to end their own opportunity of happiness,
they instead pave way for a new, 
path and transfer that search, 
for happiness to the one who, 
is most dear to them.
Humanity is will not biology.
Becoming human is what you want.
You suffer and you choose.
And every day from learning all these new things,
I fall in love with this game even more.
Thank you for watching.



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