Terra and Eraqus

[Fractured_Heart628]

Or, how Axel died. I mean, come on, blowing yourself up is such a lame way to go.

 

[Goldpanner]

Axel, you evil, cocky little bastard....

Ngl, I would have done the same thing if I had no heart and Vexen was a stepping stone child-molester and I had the power of combustion.

 

[Blizzara]

I apologize for reviving this thread from the dead or whatever, but this has been nagging at me.

What exactly are the consequences of Eraqus' heart being present in Terra/Terranort, that we know of? Does that mean there may be a piece of Eraqus inside Ansem SoD, Xemnas, or even Riku?

 

[Nayru's Love]

I apologize for reviving this thread from the dead or whatever, but this has been nagging at me.

What exactly are the consequences of Eraqus' heart being present in Terra/Terranort, that we know of? Does that mean there may be a piece of Eraqus inside Ansem SoD, Xemnas, or even Riku?

Terra's pretty much the same as Sora with Kairi's heart; it's asleep inside him. Why he didn't start seeing visions of Eraqus' memories, though, I don't know.

 

[Ikkin]

Terra's pretty much the same as Sora with Kairi's heart; it's asleep inside him. Why he didn't start seeing visions of Eraqus' memories, though, I don't know.

I'm not sure that it's exactly the same, though, because Eraqus is considered to be dead while Kairi was just missing her heart. That could explain the lack of Eraqus' memories affecting him.

 

[Nayru's Love]

I'm not sure that it's exactly the same, though, because Eraqus is considered to be dead while Kairi was just missing her heart. That could explain the lack of Eraqus' memories affecting him.

IIRC, Kairi's heart left her body because she was attacked by heartless, so the two situations may have been one of the same.

One thing's for sure though, it didn't leave because of a keyblade, which I find to be the only other option.

 

[Lukar]

he's had characters die in much more brutal ways in the past (hi, Vexen).

That was changed in the canon thanks to Re:CoM, though. It was fine on the GBA because it didn't really make the violence quite as apparent, but when in 3D, it would have seemed more violent-- hence why Axel just set him aflame in the remake, if I remember correctly.

 

[Ikkin]

That was changed in the canon thanks to Re:CoM, though. It was fine on the GBA because it didn't really make the violence quite as apparent, but when in 3D, it would have seemed more violent-- hence why Axel just set him aflame in the remake, if I remember correctly.

...I was actually referring to the "set on fire from the inside" death as the more brutal one. XD The violence itself wasn't the problem with the original (they could always have shown Vexen from the front when Axel sliced him across the back) - the only disturbing bit was that, since Vexen was down on his knees and Axel was behind him, it was reminiscent of an execution.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

...I was actually referring to the "set on fire from the inside" death as the more brutal one. XD The violence itself wasn't the problem with the original (they could always have shown Vexen from the front when Axel sliced him across the back) - the only disturbing bit was that, since Vexen was down on his knees and Axel was behind him, it was reminiscent of an execution.

Well, it's quite possible that it was intended as such...didn't Marluxia specifically ordered Axel to "execute the traitor"?

However, I see the discrepancy...it is an equal brutal scene to MX stabbing Eraqus in the back in BBS...moreso, didn't MX stab himself with his own Keyblade directly in Front of Terra at the Keyblade Graveyard and this was shown?
Also, in Reverse/Rebirth, Lexaeus wiping the floor...err ceiling with Riku in a cutscene or Riku slicing Ansem SoD right through the torso?
Or Terra blasting Braig with dark projectiles right in the eye/face...
and what about the flashback young Ven vs the neoshadows four years before BBS, wasn't the scene where MX stabbed the young Ven in the chest to split his heart also shown in full detail?

 

[Ikkin]

Well, it's quite possible that it was intended as such...didn't Marluxia specifically ordered Axel to "execute the traitor"?

I'd be surprised if it wasn't.

But I think the Re:CoM scene's more effective with console graphics, anyway. The original GBA death was instantaneous, and marked by "!" bubbles from the heroes. The PS2 version is much more adept at showing characters' emotions, and it needs to give Vexen a longer death so it can show just how horrified Sora is by it.

and what about the flashback young Ven vs the neoshadows four years before BBS, wasn't the scene where MX stabbed the young Ven in the chest to split his heart also shown in full detail?

He doesn't stab him, he shoots him in the chest with a beam of light that painfully rips out his heart, putting him in an open-eyed coma, and then lets it return (which also seems painful). It's still pretty awful, though.

Don't forget Master Xehanort grabbing the present-day Ven by the head in mid-air, cracking his helmet, freezing him, and dropping him off a cliff to shatter. Even after Aqua saves him, he's still in awful pain.


...all of which makes the claim that Master Eraqus' death would have been too brutal very suspicious. XD; I rather suspect that they just couldn't find a way to show how he was killed without compromising the emotional integrity of the scene. Xehanort didn't reveal himself until Terra was already on his knees crying bitterly, because Terra probably would have been too busy raging at Xehanort to do that if he knew Xehanort was there. Showing the blast hitting Eraqus from behind might have come off as dehumanizing, and wouldn't be shocking enough to make up for it. They could show him jerking as he takes the hit from a side-view (like when Cloud was shot in Advent Children), but then they'd have to give up some of the closeup in the previous scene, or it would wind up looking gratuitous.

Saying, "that's just not the tone we were going for" would make more sense to me, honestly.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

I'd be surprised if it wasn't.

But I think the Re:CoM scene's more effective with console graphics, anyway. The original GBA death was instantaneous, and marked by "!" bubbles from the heroes. The PS2 version is much more adept at showing characters' emotions, and it needs to give Vexen a longer death so it can show just how horrified Sora is by it.

Surely the PS2-Graphics can catch the emotions and behavior of the characters better, weren't the limitations in the original GBA-version of CoM concerning the graphical presentation one of the main reasons CoM was remade for PS2?
Too bad SE doesn't release Re:CoM in Europe...i would like to have it...

He doesn't stab him, he shoots him in the chest with a beam of light that painfully rips out his heart, putting him in an open-eyed coma, and then lets it return (which also seems painful). It's still pretty awful, though.

Don't forget Master Xehanort grabbing the present-day Ven by the head in mid-air, cracking his helmet, freezing him, and dropping him off a cliff to shatter. Even after Aqua saves him, he's still in awful pain.

Agh, so there was an misconception on my side...I only remember that MX was lowering his keyblade with the tip of the blade down so I assumed he got through with the move...however I haven't seen the scene for quite a while cuz I'm in the middle of Aquas scenario (roughly half through Neverland).

BtW, didn't Vanitas attempt the exact same move in the Keyblade Graveyard after he knocked Aqua out? Would that mean he tried to split Aquas heart there too...??

So for the scene itself...yeah, it comes across as very cruel and brutal, seriously when I first saw it, in the back of my head I had a slight urge to jump into the PSP and serve MX a hearty, good uppercut...
Given the nature and importance of the heart in the KH universe it's probably one of the most brutal/cruel actions we've witnessed so far.

For the freezing scene in the final battle I agree too, but honestly I've also sometimes smiled cuz how easily MX lifts Ven up...that old geezer is physically ridiculously strong.
Ven is a 14/15-year old youth who me thinks shouldn't really be much underweight, add on top of it the armor...well, ok...

...all of which makes the claim that Master Eraqus' death would have been too brutal very suspicious. XD; I rather suspect that they just couldn't find a way to show how he was killed without compromising the emotional integrity of the scene. Xehanort didn't reveal himself until Terra was already on his knees crying bitterly, because Terra probably would have been too busy raging at Xehanort to do that if he knew Xehanort was there. Showing the blast hitting Eraqus from behind might have come off as dehumanizing, and wouldn't be shocking enough to make up for it. They could show him jerking as he takes the hit from a side-view (like when Cloud was shot in Advent Children), but then they'd have to give up some of the closeup in the previous scene, or it would wind up looking gratuitous.

Saying, "that's just not the tone we were going for" would make more sense to me, honestly.

Yup, as you say, if we compare it to the other "brutal/cruel" scenes mentioned Eraqus' death doesn't stand out as more cruel than the others, so it is very likely that it was done intentionally that way for setting the right mood for the entire sequence.
Also, I forgot the close-ups...of Eraqus as well as Terra...if they zoomed then out to show how MX delivered that finishing blow it would have probably ruined the built up tension.