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quick paint of the Vector girlies ...after getting distracted with one new Jan piece after the other 😅🥰

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Thank god for the women of Xenoblade X

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY AKANE KURASHIKI THE GIRL TO EVER GIRL !! <33

also please please listen to the sick beat drop that my roommate cooked it's so funny

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The Beginning, the End, and Everything in Between - A Xenoblade Future Redeemed narrative analysis

Spoilers for Xenoblade 1, 2, and 3

Alpha is the primary source of conflict in Future Redeemed. Understanding him is key to understanding the narrative as a whole. Alpha exists because Ontos's communication with Logos and Pneuma was cut off. In the context of Xenoblade 3, Pneuma represents hope for the future and is associated with the Ouroboros power, and Logos represents fear of the future and is associated with Moebius. Without these, Alvis loses his humanity and is left as "a heartless machine." Additionally, Logos and Pneuma are established as being specifically masculine and feminine, respectively. This could be interpreted as being representative of anima and animus as a callback to past Xeno games while also fitting the theme of different parts of a person being needed to form a complete whole. A was only freed from Ontos when Ouroboros and Moebius clashed during the attack on the City, which grants access to the human part of Ontos. A acts as a guiding figure for the world and for Matthew specifically, leading him on the right path, but letting him come to his own conclusions and make his own decisions, much like Alvis did with Shulk in Xenoblade 1.

Alpha's goal is to create a new world for the City people, disregarding all other life. This "olden life" he speaks about could be thought of as an allegory for the elderly who do not contribute labor and are deemed unnecessary because of it. What I find more compelling is seeing them as the homeless, who are labeled as criminals and leeches of society are constantly dehumanized because of it, or as any marginalized group that is wrongfully considered a threat to society. Regardless of interpretation, the meaning is the same. Alpha does not believe in the sanctity of life and wishes to remove these "undesirables" who do not contribute to his ideal. You could see his desire to remove them as a form of eugenics. This kind of dangerous idealogy seeks to prey on people discontent with the way things are by giving them a group to blame all the world's problems on, which in actuality are symptoms of the systems that exist to uphold those in power.

Na'el is struggling with loss, and Alpha takes advantage of this by presenting her with a false ideal reality. Essentially, "If you get rid of these people, there will be no suffering." Such a belief can only lead to conflict and destruction. This is shown through the memory of the original world, which ended up destroyed in response to a civil rights dispute. The specific use of an American suburb brings to mind the American dream, telling people the ideal life they should strive for and that those who cannot achieve this do not deserve it. Alpha also attempts to emotionally manipulate Matthew, both through Na'el (also seen with Ghondor,) and when he latches onto Matthew's own doubts. Alpha's design shows the idea of using utopian ideals to hide sinister motives by having him take the form of Alvis, who represented the Gnostic Monad in Xenoblade 1, while having traits of and acting similarly to Zanza, the demiurge. A having one of Zanza's wings then would be because humans were created by the demiurge and retain its inherent quality of being flawed.

Under this reading, Shulk, Rex, and the Liberators would be people who are well off but sympathetic and charitable towards those in need. This role is emphasized by using characters from previous games who we've already seen fight for others. It is through their knowledge, strength, and kindness that rescued soldiers are able to find meaning in life.

In the final confrontation with Alpha, he is only defeated once Logos and Pneuma are reunited. It is their reunification that creates a complete whole, accepting opposing parts both within an individual and within society. Only when this is achieved can we create a better future for us all. That future may not come to be in our lifetime, but the more people who strive to achieve it now and in the future, the closer it becomes.

I'd be remiss not to mention the metanarrative at play. The idea that you should respect what came before you comes up a lot in Future Redeemed, and the many references to past Xeno games coincide with this. Said references do not exist as mere fan service but also serve to inform on the present and future of the series. Using certain names or design motifs tells you that something is similar to what it's referencing, which provides greater insight into things like Alpha's role in the story or what the world was like on Earth pre-experiment.

That's all I have to say. I'm very passionate about this series, and I hope I can share that with those who feel the same. Thank you for reading 🩷

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Siivagunner themed tarots and card art for the RE:SPH balatro section of the arg. I hope you enjoyed! :)

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Madoka!!!!

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This bracket has made me realize X has the best Xenoblade soundtrack and it isn't close. For every masterpiece in 1-3's soundtracks there's like 5 more songs in X of the same quality

Submitted Propaganda for Counterattack

Fight! Your! War!

When the drop hits

My original favorite xeno song, half expected it to play in the scene with the big reveal in Chapter 6 of 3

Oh hell yeah this one is incredible

No submitted propaganda for Wir fliegen

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With the recent announcement of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, I've been thinking about X's story, the time leading up to humanity leaving Earth in particular. I wanted to analyze these events and compare them to the rest of the series to see if I can discern possible relations between the games or otherwise learn something about them.

Full spoilers for Xenoblade X, 1, 2, and Future Redeemed.

To begin with, let's summarize the events leading up to the destruction of each timeline's respective Earth, starting with Xenoblade X.

In the 2020s, Elma arrived on Earth and warned humans of the alien conflict that will eventually reach Earth. She brought advanced alien technology, notably including light speed travel. The Coalition government was formed, and the Earthlife Colonization Project, or Project Exodus, was started with hopes of preventing human extinction. The Lifehold is developed, a system that stores human consciousness so they can later be put in newly created artificial biological bodies. In July of 2054, the aliens reached Earth, and it was destroyed in the conflict, with the Project Exodus ships attempting to leave amongst the chaos. Most of the ships were not successful, and it's possible the White Whale was the only one to survive.

For Xenoblade 1-3:

The Conduit was discovered at the beginning of the 21st century. It was moved to an orbital ring built so the Conduit could be studied safely. A group known as the Saviourites pushes for the protection of their own human rights, which likely did not end up happening. The Saviourites attack the low orbit station in an attempt to possess the Conduit.

Where things get interesting is when concepts and terms from Xenoblade X appear. As early as the Siren model kit's bonus lore, the world government is referred to with the same name as X's, Coalition. The next part of the timeline comes from Future Redeemed's infamous radio scene, where the Earthlife Colonization Project/Project Exodus is named directly. It is stated that, as a part of the project, the 8th ship has left, bringing the total number of people sent to space to 3 million. Ships 9 through 13 are planned to bring the number to 10 million, with each carrying up to 1.5 million. This is distinctly different from the ECP in X, where the ships only leave once Earth is actively being destroyed. Additionally, the ships in the numbered games' timeline seem to be carrying people in their original bodies rather than using the Lifehold and Mimeosomes, which allow the White Whale to effectively carry 20 million people, a massive increase in carrying capacity.

What really got me thinking about all of this was reading one of Xenoblade X's short stories released in Japan before the game came out. (Translation by twitter user tried4thdslip)

This part specifically stood out to me. "...there were many who refused to join under the umbrella of the Coalition government. Most of the world, however, agreed upon the gravitas of the situation and banded together to avoid potential extinction. As a result, the injustice that a dissatisfied minority felt went largely ignored."

This is a near perfect match for the Saviourites, predating their appearance in Xenoblade 2. They've been building upon Earth's politics in these games even across separate universes. Whether it's building up to something or not, I can't say for certain, but it's fascinating nonetheless.

This brings to question whether certain events overlap between timelines. Was the Conduit discovered on X's Earth? Did Elma come to the numbered games' Earth? My answer to both of these is no, at least for now. There's no orbital ring on X's Earth. (admittedly, the ring did not exist in Xenoblade 1, although it wasn't added in X's remaster, so the point still stands) Humanity's technology is based on what Elma gave them rather than the Conduit. And most importantly, if they had the Conduit, it would make more sense to use it against the incoming aliens rather than attempting to flee.

As for Elma existing in Xenoblade 1-3's universe, the Coalition government and Earthlife Colonization Project existing at all is interesting, but their purposes and execution differ from that of X's, so I don't think they were created for the same purpose.

If I missed anything or got something wrong, please let me know. See you all on Mira in March!

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they get out with only a second to spare b/c they wasted too much time discussing metaphysics

based on this post and a great photo I found

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Submitted propaganda for Agniratha, Mechonis Capital (Day)

They should have put this track on the exclusive Xenoblade vinyl so I could physically eat it

Submitted propaganda for Off-Seer Crys

somehow even prettier than noah's (but y'all are not ready for this conversation yet)

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AKANE KURASHIKI from ZERO ESCAPE

requested by @comradeninja

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Submitted propaganda for World Ender

Monado, but Wizard Staff.

A staff made for Melia by Shulk. Every other major staff has its own correlations for Melia. The protect staff is what she starts with. A simple rod with which she trained The imperial staff holds the legacy of her father, the weight of the man who died in her arms. The empress staff was her stepmother’s. The stench of telethia clings to it, reminding Melia of all the people she failed to save. The world ender though, represents something new. A brighter future. A new path. A tool unburdened by anything that came before. This staff belongs to, and only ever has belonged to, Melia.

Submitted propaganda for Sword of the End

Dark Lucky Seven

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SIGMA MALE SHOWDOWN

FINAL RESULTS

16th: Andrew Ryan 15th: Gamzee Makara 14th: Heinrich Lunge 13th: Lalo Salamanca 12th: Berdly 11th: The Riddler 10th: Yoshikage Kira 9th: Pearl 8th: Augustus Sinclair 7th: Merle Ambrose 6th: Light Yagami 5th: Patrick Bateman 4th: Louie 3rd: Gus Fring

2nd: Shadow the Hedgehog

1st: Sigma