Grandia II: Difference between revisions

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[[File:ryudo_and_his_ladies.jpg|frame]]

'''''Grandia II''''' was the only game in the series on the [[Sega Dreamcast]], and has been praised as the second best RPG on the system, after ''[[~~Skies of Arcadia (Video Game)|~~Skies of Arcadia]]''. Also one of the rare [[Eastern RPG|JRPGs]] on the PC. It was later ported to the [[PS 2]].

'''''Grandia II''''' was the only game in the series on the [[Sega Dreamcast]], and has been praised as the second best RPG on the system, after ''[[Skies of Arcadia]]''. Also one of the rare [[Eastern RPG|JRPGs]] on the PC. It was later ported to the [[Play Station 2]].

The plot kicks off with a Geohound (read: [[Anti-Hero|mercenary]]) named Ryudo being hired as a bodyguard to a girl named Elena, a Songstress of Granas (read: nun) who is taking part in a ritual to renew a seal that is [[Sealed Evil in A Can|secretly holding one of the pieces of a fallen evil god]]. Things don't go according to plan and Elena [[Demonic Possession|is possessed]] by the sealed evil ("the Wings of Valmar"), which manifests itself as a [[Enemy Within|seperate personality]] calling herself Millenia. With the destruction of this seal, the other pieces of Valmar sealed all over the world have gotten loose too, and both Ryudo and Elena are tasked with hunting them down. Naturally, it's not quite as simple as that and the game mostly deals with a [[Deconstruction]] of [[Black and White Morality]].

The plot kicks off with a Geohound (read: [[Anti-Hero|mercenary]]) named Ryudo being hired as a bodyguard to a girl named Elena, a Songstress of Granas (read: nun) who is taking part in a ritual to renew a seal that is [[Sealed Evil in a Can|secretly holding one of the pieces of a fallen evil god]]. Things don't go according to plan and Elena [[Demonic Possession|is possessed]] by the sealed evil ("the Wings of Valmar"), which manifests itself as a [[Enemy Within|seperate personality]] calling herself Millenia. With the destruction of this seal, the other pieces of Valmar sealed all over the world have gotten loose too, and both Ryudo and Elena are tasked with hunting them down. Naturally, it's not quite as simple as that and the game mostly deals with a [[Deconstruction]] of [[Black and White Morality]].

''Grandia II'''s most notable aspects are the battle system -- a refinement of the battle system from the original ''[[Grandia (~~Video~~ ~~Game~~)|Grandia]]'' and arguably the benchmark for successful merging of real-time and turn-based battle -- and the [[Crowning Music of Awesome|music]]. Particularly the battle themes. Yes, the battle system was so popular that [[Grandia Xtreme ~~(Video Game)~~|the next game]] was almost entirely built around it (with less-than-stellar results).

''Grandia II'''s most notable aspects are the battle system -- a refinement of the battle system from the original ''[[Grandia (video game)|Grandia]]'' and arguably the benchmark for successful merging of real-time and turn-based battle -- and the [[Crowning Music of Awesome|music]]. Particularly the battle themes. Yes, the battle system was so popular that [[Grandia Xtreme|the next game]] was almost entirely built around it (with less-than-stellar results).

There exists a [[Grandia ~~(Franchise)~~/Characters|character sheet]] for the series.

There exists a [[Grandia/Characters|character sheet]] for the series.

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=== This game contains examples of: ===

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* [[An Aesop]]: The Aesop of Liligue is... [[Greed]] is bad? Money so important to the engineers here that they refuse to desert the town (and their jobs), despite slowly dying of starvation.

* [[And Now for Someone Completely Different]]: Millenia takes over Elena's body at set points in the story. Her move set is entirely different and requires you to level her up separately, which can be a pain if you've just spent all your coins on Elena.

** [[Playing ~~With~~ a Trope|Played With]]: [[Genre Savvy]] Players will notice that Millenia only joins your party when there's a major boss coming up. So, players may (correctly) feel that something is amiss when {{spoiler|Elena is in your party for the battles against Melfice and the Heart of Valmar.}}

** [[Playing with a Trope|Played With]]: [[Genre Savvy]] Players will notice that Millenia only joins your party when there's a major boss coming up. So, players may (correctly) feel that something is amiss when {{spoiler|Elena is in your party for the battles against Melfice and the Heart of Valmar.}}

* [[Angst Coma]]: Defeating Valmar's parts causes their human hosts to fall into an unshakable catatonia. {{spoiler|At the end of the game, they each [[Unexplained Recovery|recover]].}}

* [[Anguished Declaration of Love]]: Millenia confesses her love to the unconscious Ryudo after she finds herself unable to {{spoiler|absorb Valmar's Horns from him, taking his soul with it}}.

* [[As Long As It Sounds Foreign]]: The ending theme, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKhruIbjXSI "Canção do Povo"]. This goes beyond merely singing with a Japanese accent, the singer doesn't even try to sound Portuguese, as the lyrics had probably been converted to kana for her to read.

* [[As Long as It Sounds Foreign]]: The ending theme, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKhruIbjXSI "Canção do Povo"]. This goes beyond merely singing with a Japanese accent, the singer doesn't even try to sound Portuguese, as the lyrics had probably been converted to kana for her to read.

* [[Attack of the Town Festival]]: Subverted with Cyrum Kingdom, which uses the crisis as an excuse to launch a brand new festival on the heels of an old one.

* [[Autobots Rock Out]]: Possibly inverted, since the majority of the battle themes qualify as this.

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** Heck, after {{spoiler|1=Pope Zera/Valmar is defeated, the three heros other than Roan and Tio are in space, having a ''very lengthly discussion'' on what happens next, let alone breathe, before flying off}}.

* [[Batman Cold Open]]: Ryudo and Skye liberating some loot from a pack of Dragonoids.

* [[Battle in ~~The~~ Center of ~~The~~ Mind]] / [[Dream Land]]: After {{spoiler|Aira}} retreats into her own subconscious, the party must follow after her.

* [[Battle in the Center of the Mind]] / [[Dream Land]]: After {{spoiler|Aira}} retreats into her own subconscious, the party must follow after her.

** Elena and Millenia both enter Ryudo's mind after {{spoiler|he is infected by Valmar's Horns in order to seal it away}}.

* [[Be Careful What You Wish For]]: Aira's mother, Sandra, prayed fervently for her daughter's sight to be restored. After Aira was {{spoiler|possessed by Valmar's Eye}}, she believed that Granas gave it to her, and is [[Dramatic Irony|very proud of her uniqueness]].

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* [[Beat Still My Heart]]: Valmar's Heart. And it is gross.

* [[Being Watched]]: You are, indeed. By overgrown flying eyeballs.

* [[Big Creepy Crawlies]]: Giga Mantises.

* [[Big Creepy-Crawlies]]: Giga Mantises.

* [[Bigfoot Sasquatch and Yeti]]: Big Foots in Lumir Forest. [[Underground Monkey|Yetis]] are in the Birthplace of the Gods, but it's anyone's guess why they're there.

* [[Bigfoot, Sasquatch, and Yeti]]: Big Foots in Lumir Forest. [[Underground Monkey|Yetis]] are in the Birthplace of the Gods, but it's anyone's guess why they're there.

* [[Beware My Stinger Tail]]: Valmar's Claws and the Crimson Tails.

* [[Big Eater]]: Ryudo pokes fun at Elena's huge appetite [[Running Gag|throughout the game]]. She has a rival in Mareg, though, whose meals consist of giant platters of steaks.

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* [[Bubblegloop Swamp]] / [[Jungle Japes]]: Ghoss Forest, which encompasses the Beastmen village of Nanan.

* [[Bubbly Clouds]]: The first level of Aira's dreamspace looks like it influenced ''[[Robot Unicorn Attack]]''.

* [[Burn the Witch]]: When a sleep curse starts tormenting Mirumu, the village chief reaches out to nearby Granas Cathedral for help. Who ya gonna call? [[Principles Zealot|High Priestess Selene]], who promptly surrounds the village with her knights and prepares to "purify" the town -- [[Kill It ~~With~~ Fire|with fire]].

* [[Burn the Witch]]: When a sleep curse starts tormenting Mirumu, the village chief reaches out to nearby Granas Cathedral for help. Who ya gonna call? [[Principles Zealot|High Priestess Selene]], who promptly surrounds the village with her knights and prepares to "purify" the town -- [[Kill It with Fire|with fire]].

** Later, Selene goads the villagers of Mirumu into blaming a reclusive single mom for the curse.

* [[But Thou Must!]]: When Ryudo is inside {{spoiler|his own soul}}, he is forced to answer three questions about whether he desires power. However, if he says that he desires it, he is told that that is not his real opinion, and must answer again. Which is kinda weird, since after answering all the questions 'properly', the inner voice explains to you why your answers ''do'' mean that you want the power. Are you trying to confuse us, game?

** {{spoiler|This is just Valmar's attempt to corrupt Ryudo's soul.}}

* [[Cain and Abel]]: Ryudo and Melfice.

* [[Call a Rabbit A Smeerp]]: St. Heim is home to the "squeak-baa" -- basically a miniature sheep.

* [[Call a Rabbit a Smeerp]]: St. Heim is home to the "squeak-baa" -- basically a miniature sheep.

* [[Capital City]]: St. Heim Papal State. This title goes to Cyrum Kingdom later on, once the former is {{spoiler|wiped out by the Pope's troops}}.

** [[Port Town]]: Cyrum is also home to the world's only boat.

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* [[Corrupt Church]]: {{spoiler|Not only is "god" dead, the Pope ''knows it'', and is manipulating the entire church as a vehicle for seeking out and absorbing the parts of Valmar.}}

* [[Couldn't Find a Pen]]: The evening before her faux "date" with Ryudo, Elena wakes to find that Millenia has scribbled a message in lipstick on her dresser mirror: "Elena, I know you like Ryudo! Let him know it!"

* [[Coup De Grace Cutscene]]: Millenia ruthlessly sets the Minotaur boss [[Kill It ~~With~~ Fire|aflame]] after you beat it.

* [[Coup De Grace Cutscene]]: Millenia ruthlessly sets the Minotaur boss [[Kill It with Fire|aflame]] after you beat it.

* [[Cross-Dressing Voices]]: [[BJ Ward]] doing the voice of Roan.

* [[Crappy Carnival]]: Gonzola's traveling troupe. From little we hear of them, Gonzola is an unfunny comedian, while his lover Paella performs a knife act (which she threatens to [[Clingy Jealous Girl|rehearse]] on Gonzola when he casts his eye on Millenia).

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* [[Death Mountain]]: Grail Mountain.

* [[Defeat Means Playable]]: Mareg ''and'' Tio. Ryudo lampshades this.

* [[Defiant to ~~The~~ End]]: During Ryudo's inner battle with {{spoiler|Valmar's Horns}}, Valmar tries to break him by conjuring up a demonic body for him. It fails, however; even as a unrecognizable beast, Ryudo still pledges to fight on.

* [[Defiant to the End]]: During Ryudo's inner battle with {{spoiler|Valmar's Horns}}, Valmar tries to break him by conjuring up a demonic body for him. It fails, however; even as a unrecognizable beast, Ryudo still pledges to fight on.

* [[Demonic Possession]]: A side-effect of using a piece of Valmar.

* {{spoiler|[[Devil but No God]]}}: {{spoiler|Granas is long-dead, while Valmar is merely dormant -- ironic, since the church espouses a doctrine saying that the opposite is true.}}

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* [[Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?]]: Ryudo -- kicking the Devil's ass one bit at a time.

* [[Disposable Woman]]: Ryudo witnessing his brother, Melfice, running his own fiancé through with the sacred sword he stole.

* [[Doing in ~~The~~ Wizard]]: Tacked on near the end.

* [[Doing in the Wizard]]: Tacked on near the end.

* [[Door of Doom]]: Granas Cathedral's Holy Door.

* [[Doppelganger Attack]]: Both Ryudo and Melfice have similar special attacks that invoke this (Purple Lightning and Wailing Sword Slash, respectively).

* [[Drunk On Milk]]: Elena can really pack away the kuku berries. Despite Ryudo's warnings to eat them gingerly, she ends up passing out.

* [[Drunk on Milk]]: Elena can really pack away the kuku berries. Despite Ryudo's warnings to eat them gingerly, she ends up passing out.

* [[Dual Boss]]: There's a pair of [[Scary Scorpions]] called Crimson Tail that can be surprisingly difficult. The [[Snake People|Naga Queens]] also qualify, but they're not as hard.

* [[Dug Too Deep]]: Liligue's problems started with Gadan complaining about the stone pillars rooted deep into the ground. Looking to excavate them, he instead unearthed the temple containing Valmar's Tongue and was possessed.

* [[Eldritch Abomination]]: Valmar's appendages fit the bill. The reassembled body is, funny enough, comparatively normal: a flying [[Hybrid Monster|chimera]] with five heads, one of a lion, an insectoid, a dragon, and two others.

* [[The End of the World As We Know It]]: The "Day of Darkness", foreshadowed by a miasma that spreads famine and drought.

* [[The End of the World as We Know It]]: The "Day of Darkness", foreshadowed by a miasma that spreads famine and drought.

* [[Environmental Symbolism]]: Mirumu's town hall is filling up with comatose villagers. If you take a look at the outside, you'll notice the roof shingles visually resemble {{spoiler|eyes}}.

* [[Et Tu, Brute?]]: The word "monster" inadvertently passes through Sandra's mind when she glimpses {{spoiler|her child's third eye}}; this last betrayal causes her to retreat back into her dreamspace.

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** [[Sixth Ranger]]: Tio

* [[Flower in Her Hair]]: Aira.

* [[Flying Seafood Special]]: At a certain point in Aira's dream world, the party hops aboard a flying whale (which is coincidentally a dead-ringer for the one in ''[[The Legend of Zelda ~~Links~~ Awakening]]'').

* [[Flying Seafood Special]]: At a certain point in Aira's dream world, the party hops aboard a flying whale (which is coincidentally a dead-ringer for the one in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening]]'').

* [[Forbidden Zone]]: The Great Cleft Island of Arachna is so named for being the nexus of the Granacliffs, a.k.a. the "Great Rift". The site is sealed off by a perpetual tornado. This is a security feature of {{spoiler|the Granasaber}} to prevent Valmar's troops from entering.

* [[Foreign Queasine]]: Arum root. The most tasteless, gag-inducing vegetable around is, ironically, the only food Liligue's citizens can now eat.

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* [[Heroic BSOD]]: Ryudo briefly experiences this after watching {{spoiler|Millenia}} get devoured by Valmar's innards.

* [[Hey, It's That Voice!]]: [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles|Leonardo]] must help a young girl possessed by [[The Little Mermaid|Ariel]], and along they way they help restore a kingdom ruled by [[Voltron|Princess Allura]].

** Don't forget Leonardo's pet bird, [[Metal Gear Solid|Roy Campbell]], who also goes by [[Ben 10 Alien Force ~~(Animation)~~|Grandpa Max]].

** Don't forget Leonardo's pet bird, [[Metal Gear Solid|Roy Campbell]], who also goes by [[Ben 10: Alien Force|Grandpa Max]].

** Elena is also [[Metal Gear Solid|Naomi]] and [[Spider Man ~~the~~ Animated Series|Felicia Hardy]].

** Elena is also [[Metal Gear Solid|Naomi]] and [[Spider-Man: The Animated Series|Felicia Hardy]].

** Let's face it: the ''entire cast'' is a "who's who" of popular voice actors from the late 90's and early 00's, including roughly half the cast of ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]''. Compensating for the amateurish voice acting of the first game, maybe?

* [[Hopeless Boss Fight]]: Ryudo's first encounters with Millenia and (later) Melfice.

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* [[Mysterious Informant]]: Subverted with Hemble, who pretends to be one of these, but is only interested in showing off to women.

** Elena learns of Ryudo and Meflice's past history through Skye, who hides in a tree outside her window to relate the story in secret.

* [[Mythology Gag]]: [[Grandia (~~Video~~ ~~Game~~)|Justin's]] cap and goggles make an appearance. You can spot them in dungeon maps as lightweight helmet icons.

* [[Mythology Gag]]: [[Grandia (video game)|Justin's]] cap and goggles make an appearance. You can spot them in dungeon maps as lightweight helmet icons.

** The "Mogay Bomb" is one of ''Grandia II'''s many throwable weapons. It's namesake, of course, is Guido's species from the original ''Grandia''.

** The previous ''Grandia'''s [[Battle Theme Music|battle music]] can be heard while arm-wrestling Hemble. The deck-swabbing music plays during the Nanan village minigame.

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** Invoked again right before the boss battle with {{spoiler|Aira}} (the Eye of Valmar). After pursuing her into a fog-filled room, she shows her true colors by lifting the fog, revealing a giant eyeball.

* [[Ominous Latin Chanting|Ominous Portuguese Chanting]]: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Asw9ZLf86M "Granas' Sanctuary"].

* [[Once More, ~~With~~ Clarity]]: The opening cinematic depicts the showdown between Granas and Valmar, overlaid with heroic-sounding music as Granas blasts his rival to smithereens. When the scene is retold by Pope Zera, {{spoiler|Granas is destroyed, leaving Valmar hovering triumphantly over the planet}}.

* [[Once More, with Clarity]]: The opening cinematic depicts the showdown between Granas and Valmar, overlaid with heroic-sounding music as Granas blasts his rival to smithereens. When the scene is retold by Pope Zera, {{spoiler|Granas is destroyed, leaving Valmar hovering triumphantly over the planet}}.

** When Ryudo is forced to relive his memories of Melfice stabbing Reena, he discovers that Reena had been possessed by Valmar's Horn, which then transferred into Melfice when he killed her out of mercy.

* [[One-Sided Arm Wrestling]]: Ryudo is forced to arm-wrestle Hemble as part of a spur-of-the-moment bet, with Skye as the wager. Elena breaks Hemble's concentration by exclaiming that [[Trying to Catch Me Fighting Dirty|his nosehairs are sticking out]].

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* [[Rule of Cool]]: How can you not like a game where eventually you {{spoiler|go to the moon to kill the pope}}? It's worth playing for that single concept alone.

* [[Screw Destiny]]: The driving force of the plot.

* [[Sealed Evil in A Can]]: The "Seals of Granas" imprisoning Valmar's body parts -- only ''one'' is intact by the time you discover it, but it gets released almost immediately anyway.

* [[Sealed Evil in a Can]]: The "Seals of Granas" imprisoning Valmar's body parts -- only ''one'' is intact by the time you discover it, but it gets released almost immediately anyway.

** Cyrum Castle is built atop a centuries-old factory that produces automata soliders. It was created by Valmar's followers during the war with Granas.

* [[Shattered World]]: The Granacliffs, as their name would suggest, are giant glowing fissures stretching across the Silesia continent. They are said to have been created when Granas' sword struck through Valmar. Indeed, the Granasaber can be found at the center, with fissures radiating outward from it.

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* [[Slippy-Slidey Ice World]]: Lumir Forest.

* [[Slow Motion Fall]]: The heroes collapse in dramatic slow-motion when they lose all their HP.

* [[So Long and Thanks For All ~~The~~ Gear]]: Notably averted with {{spoiler|Mareg}}'s death; you even get all of his skill coins back. Played straight with Millenia and Elena, though they switch out so often that it's almost a non-issue. They don't take accessories or Mana Eggs, though.

* [[So Long and Thanks For All the Gear]]: Notably averted with {{spoiler|Mareg}}'s death; you even get all of his skill coins back. Played straight with Millenia and Elena, though they switch out so often that it's almost a non-issue. They don't take accessories or Mana Eggs, though.

** Roan leaves the group for an extended period, taking his loot with him. He later rejoins to fill the void left by {{spoiler|Mareg}}.

* [[Sound of No Damage]]: During the few Hopeless Boss Fights, any attack produces just a metallic clanking sound without dealing any damage.

* [[Space Is Noisy]]

* [[Spanner in ~~The~~ Works]]: Ryudo, as {{spoiler|his absorption of the Horns of Valmar earlier in the story means that the [[Big Bad]] is one [[MacGuffin]] short of a full hand}}.

* [[Spanner in the Works]]: Ryudo, as {{spoiler|his absorption of the Horns of Valmar earlier in the story means that the [[Big Bad]] is one [[MacGuffin]] short of a full hand}}.

** Though really Millenia deserves that title for {{spoiler|sealing the Horns into Ryudo in the first place rather than absorbing them as she was expected to}}.

* [[Sprint Shoes]]: The "Warp" skill is attached to certain equipment, allowing party members to [[Flash Step]] across the field during battles. In a game which relies so much on Active Time as ''Grandia'', you need all the speed you can get.

* [[A Storm Is Coming]]: The flashback to Melfice's [[Start of Darkness|origin story]] culminates in a dramatic thunderstorm.

* [[Storming the Castle]]: Sneaking into Cyrum Castle with Roan. Later invoked when Ryudo makes a return trip to {{spoiler|Granas Cathedral}}, which is less hospitable this time around.

* [[Swallowed Whole]]: Gadan makes good on his compliment to Elena that she looks [[Exact Words|good enough to eat]]. Luckily, getting swallowed by Valmar's Tongue reverts her back to Millenia, causing him to spit her back out. He wasn't counting on [[Spanner in ~~The~~ Works|that]]...

* [[Swallowed Whole]]: Gadan makes good on his compliment to Elena that she looks [[Exact Words|good enough to eat]]. Luckily, getting swallowed by Valmar's Tongue reverts her back to Millenia, causing him to spit her back out. He wasn't counting on [[Spanner in the Works|that]]...

* [[Sword of Plot Advancement]]: Finding the Granasaber, a sword that fell to earth during a battle between two Gods, is the focal point of the game's second act. Subverted as it turns out to be {{spoiler|a spacecraft, not a sword at all}}, and then played straight at the end of the game when the hero actually ''does'' acquire a sword called the Granasaber, capable of harming the evil God.

* [[Sugar Apocalypse]]: Valmar pwning {{spoiler|St. Heim}}.

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* [[Volleying Insults]]: Try talking to Paella with Millenia in your group, then step back and watch the fireworks.

* [[Waxing Lyrical]]: Talking to Paella with Millenia in your party yields this gem:

{{quote| '''Millenia:''' You're an entertainer, aren't you? [[Nirvana ~~(Music)~~|Here we are now, entertain us!]]}}

{{quote| '''Millenia:''' You're an entertainer, aren't you? [[Nirvana|Here we are now, entertain us!]]}}

* [[Wham! Line]]: "{{spoiler|Lord Granas died long, long ago. Valmar was victorious in battle.}}"

* [[Weakened By the Light]]: Subverted (and played for laughs) when Millenia exits the Durham Cave at daybreak. She cries, "Aaaa! The accursed light of the sun! It burns! It burns!" (Kidding.)

* [[Weakened by the Light]]: Subverted (and played for laughs) when Millenia exits the Durham Cave at daybreak. She cries, "Aaaa! The accursed light of the sun! It burns! It burns!" (Kidding.)

** Ryudo uses {{spoiler|the Granasaber}} to [[Cue the Sun|cut a swath of light]] through the sky, the sunrays shooting through Valmar's body like arrows. This effectively halts Valmar's advance on Cyrum.

* [[Where Are They Now? Epilogue]]