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The second installment in the Game Arts-developed ''[[Lunar]]'' series of [[Eastern RPG|console role-playing games]]
▲{{quote| ''In the [[Darkest Hour]], [[Hope Springs Eternal]].''}}
* ''Lunar: Eternal Blue'' (no numeral) for [[Sega|Sega CD]], English version released by [[Working Designs]].▼
▲The second installment in the Game Arts-developed [[Lunar]] series of [[Eastern RPG|console role-playing games]] - not remade as much as the first but still existing in multiple versions. The titles are:
* ''Lunar 2: Eternal Blue'' for the [[Sega Saturn]] and its [[Updated Rerelease]] on [[
''Lunar: Eternal
▲* ''Lunar: Eternal Blue'' (no numeral) for [[Sega|Sega CD]], English version released by [[Working Designs]]
▲* ''Lunar 2: Eternal Blue'' for the [[Sega Saturn]] and its [[Updated Rerelease]] on [[Play Station]], ''Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete'', English version released by [[Working Designs]]
Yes, it's a [[Corrupt Church]] plot... that well-worn trope which drives the storyline of many a late
▲''Lunar 2'' takes place a thousand years after ''[[Lunar: The Silver Star|Lunar 1]]'', and centers on a teenaged [[Adventurer Archaeologist|treasure hunter]] named Hiro, who is fascinated by the Lunar world's epic past (in short, the events of ''Lunar 1''). While exploring a ruin he meets Lucia, a [[Mysterious Waif]] with [[Mystical Waif|vast magical powers]] who immediately announces that the world is "[[Foreshadowing|in grave danger]]." As if to prove her point, the [[Big Bad]] shows up and puts a curse on Lucia, [[De-Power|depowering]] her. In response, Hiro [[Dulcinea Effect|takes it upon himself]] to help Lucia carry out her mission to meet with the [[Physical God|Goddess Althena]], who can set the world to rights. The trouble is that [[Crystal Dragon Jesus|Althena's far-reaching religious organization]] thinks that ''Lucia herself'' is the threat to the world, and attempts to stop them at every turn.
Sample our [[Lunar: Eternal Blue/Characters|character sheet]]!▼
▲Yes, it's a [[Corrupt Church]] plot...that well-worn trope which drives the storyline of many a late 90s [[Eastern RPG]]. But when ''Lunar 2'' debuted in 1995, the corrupt church plot was new to video gaming - in fact, ''Lunar 2'' may have even been the pioneer. Be that as it may, the fact that the game held up well enough for a remake is testament to ''Lunar 2'''s other strengths - the fun characters, the entertaining, humor-laden writing, and the fantastic soundtrack. The remake, released in the twilight of the PS1 era, is notable for: being the ''only'' remake of ''Lunar 2'', (unlike ''Lunar 1'' which developers can't seem to leave alone) and having a lot more in common with its Sega CD original than its counterpart, ''[[Lunar Silver Star Story Complete]]'', does.
▲Sample our [[Lunar Eternal Blue/Characters|character sheet]]!
----
{{tropelist}}
* [[Accidental Pervert]]: Hiro, when he comes across Lucia while she's bathing and then runs for cover... after a [[Distracted by the Sexy|moment of gawking]]. In ''Lunar: Eternal Blue Complete'', Lucia (inadvertently) turns the tables and walks in on Hiro, [[Innocent Fanservice Girl|not getting what the big deal is]].
* [[Actual Pacifist]]: Jean, when she is first introduced in the remake. {{spoiler|She hates her violent past so much, she is reluctant to fight even to save her friends
* [[Adventurer Archaeologist]]: This is Hiro's "profession" at the beginning of the game; the introduction even features a long [[Death Course]] complete with a [[Indy Escape|rolling boulder chase]].
* [[Ambiguously Brown]]: Jean, one of many things employed to make her seem foreign and exotic.
* [[The Atoner]]:
* [[Big "Shut Up!"]]: Jean gets one in a confrontation with her old master, followed up by a [[Kiai]] and delivering a kick to his face.
* [[Bittersweet Ending]]:
* [[But Now I Must Go]]: Lucia. {{spoiler|Hiro finds a way to go with her in the [[Playable Epilogue]]
* [[Captain Ersatz]]: Encountering a giant bird [[Horse of a Different Color|pack animal]] called a <s>[[Final Fantasy|chocobo]]</s> ''chuckaboo''.
* [[Character Development]]: As well as Lucia, there's {{spoiler|Ghaleon, who deliberately invokes all sorts of [[Evil Overlord]] tropes before finally demonstrating that Alex and Hiro renewed his faith in humanity and the [[Power of Friendship]]
* [[Childhood Marriage Promise]]: Sort of. Ramus once got Lemina to agree to a bet: if he can revive the family business before she revives the Magic Guild of Vane, she has to marry him
* [[Chivalrous Pervert]]: Ronfar tries peeping at Lucia when she's trying out new clothes, and Hiro tries to stop him only to get [[Megaton Punch|clobbered along with him by the girls]]. In the remake, at least. In the original version, he was just trying to get his share of the view
* [[Clingy Jealous Girl]]: Ruby is possessive of Hiro and views Lucia as a rival for his affection early in the game.
* [[Clipped-Wing Angel]]: The fight against Zophar's final form is unloseable.
* [[Corrupt Church]]: Althena's Chosen (a.k.a. Althena's Cult in the Sega CD version). Its members are more interested in personal gain than anything else, but the organization is widely tolerated (albeit with a lot of grumbling). {{spoiler|The Chosen turn out to be agents of [[Big Bad]] Zophar, though it appears the lower-ranked members are unaware of this
* [[Creepy Cathedral]]: Pentagulia, the headquarters of Althena's Chosen, is a sort of combination town/cathedral which comes with an assortment of [[Ominous Pipe Organ]] BGM.
* [[Crutch Character]]: Lucia, early on.
* [[Dance Battler]]: Jean, {{spoiler|until she [[Took a Level In Badass|switches to martial arts]]. She still keeps her dance moves
* [[Dangerously Genre Savvy]]: Mere [[Large Ham|ham-tastic]] [[Card-Carrying Villain|card carrying villainy]] is not enough for {{spoiler|Ghaleon}}. He takes it to the next level by [[Lampshade Hanging|hanging many a lampshade]] and anticipating how other characters will behave. The fact that he's seen it from [[Face Heel Turn|both]] [[Heel Face Turn|sides]] [[Older and Wiser|probably helps]].
{{quote|
* [[Defeat Equals Friendship]]: All of Zophar's flunkies realize the error of their ways after they are defeated, except for the fake Althena, {{spoiler|Ghaleon because he was secretly helping the heroes all along}}, and Leo who he pretty much becomes an ally before you beat him.
* [[Defeat Means Playable]]: It takes a while for the payoff, but Leo. He needs to have his [[Heroic BSOD]] first.
** Hiro invokes this with {{spoiler|Ghaleon}} with the apparent intent of taking him on as a [[Sixth Ranger]], but [[Too Cool to Live|it's not to be]]. {{spoiler|Zophar's power is keeping him alive, and Ghaleon re-dies soon after betraying Zophar
*
* [[Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?]]: The defeat of [[God of Evil|Zophar]] by Hiro, Ronfar, Jean, Lemina, Leo, Lucia
* [[Distaff Counterpart]]: Story-wise, female Ruby plays much the same role in ''Lunar:
* [[The Dulcinea Effect]]: Hiro's devotion to Lucia. So much so, in fact, that the [[The Grand List of Console Role Playing Game Cliches]] calls this trope [[Console RPG Cliches 1 to 24|the Hiro Rule]].
▲* [[Dragon with an Agenda]]: {{spoiler|Ghaleon, to the point of [[Reverse Mole]].}}
* [[Easter Egg]]: Working Designs were fans of this trope.
** When fighting the game's first boss, the Guardian,
** Ruby serves as the cursor in the game's menus, flying to the different choices when a directional button is pressed. Press left and right rapidly in the inventory screen, and the Ruby cursor will eventually become dizzy.
* [[Eldritch Abomination]]: Zophar, who spends most of the game as an [[Obviously Evil]] voice. When first seen, he seems to be some kind of giant stone cuttlefish monster, taller than the sky, with dragon tentacles and a face. The relationship between this form, the much more compact "lair" that he made for himself, and the bizarrely feminine humanoids fought to "kill" him is never elaborated upon.
* [[Element Number Six]]: Lucia favors a sort of non-elemental Star-themed magic that blows away enemies of all elements indiscriminately
** Justified in that she can directly access the magic that created the world.
* [[Emotionless Girl]]: Lucia, though she [[Character Development|feels more]] [[Defrosting Ice Queen|as time passes
* [[Enemy of My Enemy]]: Why Zophar brought {{spoiler|Ghaleon back from the dead
* [[Expy]]:A handful of characters appear to be simply re-tooled versions of characters from ''Lunar:
** Combine the [[Mr. Vice Guy]] aspect of Kyle with the gameplay role of Jessica and who do you get? Ronfar.
** Averted to some degree
** At the other end of the spectrum, there's Ramus, the descendant of the first game's Ramus, who is a [[Identical Grandson|perfect replica of his ancestor]]. The Grand List named a line item for ''him''
* [[Fake Difficulty]]: When they localized the Sega CD version of ''Lunar: Eternal Blue'', Working Designs added in a feature that [[Check Point Starvation|forced players to pay a certain amount of XP earned from battle to save the game]]. This feature was left out of the ''Lunar: Eternal Blue Complete'' on the Playstation, and Working Designs acknowledged in the official strategy guide for the game that "it was much more annoying than challenging."
* [[Fan Disservice]]: [[media:16eb.jpg|Borgan's Bromide]]. Let us never speak of it again.
* [[Fashion Shop Fashion Show]]: Lucia gets put through a short one by the other female members of the party.
* [[Five-Bad Band]]: Played straight.
** The [[Big Bad]]: Zophar.
** [[The Dragon]]:
** [[The Brute]]: {{spoiler|Master Lunn}}.
** The [[Evil Genius]]: Borgan. Not really genius compared to other examples of this character trope, but the closest one that this game offers.
** The [[Dark Chick]]: Mauri (
** [[Sixth Ranger Traitor]]: Leo.
* [[Five-Man Band]]:
** [[The Hero]]: Hiro.
** [[The Chick]]: Lucia.
** [[The Lancer]]: Ronfar.
** [[The Smart Guy]]: Lemina.
** [[The Big Guy]]: Jean.
** [[Team Pet]]: Ruby.
** [[The Sixth Ranger]]: {{spoiler|Leo}} After defeating {{spoiler|Ghaleon
* [[The Gambler]]: Ronfar, who swears by his dice... even to the point of having attacks that involve rolling them.
* [[Giant Space Flea From Nowhere]]: Some of the bosses seem to exist just so there can be a boss fight at the end of the dungeon. Of particular note is the Sega CD version's "Phantom Sentry" that shows up out of nowhere (there's no indication whatsoever that a boss fight is imminent), looks like a gun-slinging samurai (in a setting that otherwise [[Fantasy Gun Control|completely lacks firearms]]), and makes cryptic comments to Lucia before vanishing, never to be seen again...
* [[Handsome Lech]]: Ronfar. He's a notorious womanizer, which wears on the nerves of his fellow party members.
* [[Have You Seen My God?]]: Something is up with the Goddess Althena, and Lucia has to reach her in order to solve the mystery.
* [[Heel Face Turn]]: Apparently, being {{spoiler|dead for a thousand years}} gave {{spoiler|Ghaleon}} a lot of time to reconsider his past actions. So when he's {{spoiler|resurrected as Zophar's [[The Dragon|Dragon]]}}, he immediately begins subverting the [[Big Bad]]'s plot. First subtly, and then overtly
** In the Sega-CD version, he's pretty explicitly playing both sides up until the last moment, going so far as to {{spoiler|kill the main character}} to try to {{spoiler|1=[http://www.lunar-net.com/eb/screenshots.php?startingNo=495&endingNo=622&directoryNo=3&fileBegin=LUNAR%20%20ETERNAL%20BLUE_&pageTitle=Ghaleons%20Crisis goad Lucia into giving him the secret to an actual resurrection
**
* [[Heel Realization]]:
* [[Heroic BSOD]]: White Knight Leo, who, after finding out that he's a
* [[Heroic Second Wind]]:
* [[Hilarious Outtakes]]: In the Playstation remake, as before, your reward for watching the entire credits roll is these. Of particular note is Jean's VA commenting on her character's [[Stripperrific]] outfits and
* [[Humanity Ensues]]: Nall. Ruby also had a human form drawn in the artbook, whether this was ever planned to be implemented in the plot at all is anyone's guess. Also Lucia, who is apparently a goddess who learns to be "human".
* [[Humanity Is Infectious]]: Lucia slowly learns human behaviors as the game proceeds, developing empathy toward her companions. Even the [[Big Bad]] knows this trope... {{spoiler|since it's the cornerstone of his [[Batman Gambit]] to take advantage of Lucia via a [["Friend or Idol?" Decision]] scenario
* [[Humans Are Special]]: This appears trope appears again and again, starting with Lucia's amazement that Ronfar was able to overcome Zophar's curse, and culminating in the "power of humanity"
▲* [[Humanity Is Infectious]]: Lucia slowly learns human behaviors as the game proceeds, developing empathy toward her companions. Even the [[Big Bad]] knows this trope...{{spoiler|since it's the cornerstone of his [[Batman Gambit]] to take advantage of Lucia via a [["Friend or Idol?" Decision]] scenario.}}
▲* [[Humans Are Special]]: This appears trope appears again and again, starting with Lucia's amazement that Ronfar was able to overcome Zophar's curse, and culminating in the "power of humanity" - which effectively means that all of the player characters are [[Determinator|Determinators]]. {{spoiler|Even ''Ghaleon'', whose motivation in the ''Silver Star Story'' was the belief that [[Humans Are Bastards|humans needed a god]], now believes in this.}}
* [[Identical Grandson]]: This game's Ramus is a descendant of the Ramus in the first game.
* [[If It Swims, It Flies]]: In the games, the Dragonship Destiny can only travel by land and sea. However, in the ''Childhood's End'' manga, the Dragonship Destiny somehow gains the ability to fly as well. Leo explains it as being possible through sheer [[Right Makes Might|righteousness]] and [[Determinator|willpower]].
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* [[Innocent Fanservice Girl]]: Lucia is ignorant of nudity taboos. [[Crowning Moment of Funny]] when she walks in on Hiro while [[Hot Springs Episode|he's soaking in a hot spring]].
* [[Inspector Javert]]: White Knight Leo has a reputation for single-mindedness where his duty is concerned. He proves that it's well earned by turning the first half of the game into a [[Stern Chase]].
* [[Karma Houdini]]: {{spoiler|Master Lunn and Borgan}} are too [[Easily Forgiven]]. Subverted by {{spoiler|Ghaleon
* [[Kawaisa]]: There is a bromide of Nall where he and Ruby are asleep and dreaming of the same thing: fish. It's unbelievably cute.
* [[Kissing Discretion Shot]]: Right before the final credits when Hiro is leaning in for a kiss, the camera starts pulling up and away. We ''do'' get to see their lips meet, but only for a split-second...
* [[Knight in Shining Armor]]: Also, this is what White Knight Leo ''thinks'' he is...
** Don't forget '''Mystere'''!
* [[Large Ham]]: {{spoiler|Ghaleon}} is at least as hammy as before, if not more so.
** And Zophar matches him, ham for ham.
** Don't forget '''Mystere'''!
* [[Late Arrival Spoiler]]: There is a book, which the player has access to within few minutes into the second game, that outlines the plot of the first game. It's also hard to look into the game at all without finding out about {{spoiler|Ghaleon}}.
* [[Magic Dance]]: Jean's special attacks.
** This is
▲** {{spoiler|Especially now that she has Althena's divine spark, Lucia is probably immortal and will in all likelihood greatly outlive Hiro; it's inferred that this is one of the reasons she returns to the Blue Star, as she is hesitant to watch him grow old and die (and she can't just make him immortal or resurrect him, remember - "there can be no new life without the destruction of the old"). [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming|Hiro goes to her anyway.]] }}
** Also applies, after a fashion, {{spoiler|to the dragons and any human they know, lovers or otherwise. Nall outlived all of his original close friends by a ''
▲** This is also {{spoiler|part of the reason all versions of ''Silver Star'' happened in the first place - Althena could not bear to watch another Dragonmaster age and perish while she persisted eternally, and so chose mortality of her own free will and lived out the end of her life with Alex.}}
▲** Also applies, after a fashion, {{spoiler|to the dragons and any human they know, lovers or otherwise. Nall outlived all of his original close friends by a ''millenium''; in Lunar 2, Ruby finds the concept that she'll almost certainly live to the point that Hiro could be practically ''forgotten'' a very, very hard pill to swallow.}}
* [[Miser Advisor]]: Lemina, and how!
* [[Naked on Arrival]]
* [[Names to Know
** Hiro
** Lucia
** Ronfar
** Jean
** Lemina
** Nall
* [[Narrator]]: At the beginning of ''Lunar: Eternal Blue Complete'', Ghaleon ([[Rule of Cool|for some reason]]) opens the story by talking about the history of Althena, Lunar and the Blue Star.
* [[No Social Skills]]: Lucia.
{{quote|
'''Lucia''': "Now I understand. You mean that Hiro tends to trip people who get too close. I will remember to walk several paces behind him in the future."
* [[Oh Crap]]: Ronfar sees a bunch of kids who previously pelted him with pinecones, and threatens to "introduce them to his belt." The group rounds the corner to [[Crowning Moment of Funny|see a massive cannonball on an oversized sling, armed and ready
* [[Omnicidal Maniac]]: Zophar.
{{quote|
* [[One-Hit-Point Wonder]]: Lucia for a time, after she gets [[De-Power|depowered]] by Zophar. She also loses the ability to attack, and runs away at any chance she gets.
* [[Oral Fixation Fixation]]: Ronfar.
* [[Playable Epilogue]]: Hmm... [[Bonus Dungeon
* [[Power Fist]]: {{spoiler|Jean's weapon of choice after her [[Took a Level In Badass|costume change]]}}.
* [[
* [[Redemption Equals Death]]:
* [[Restraining Bolt]]: {{spoiler|Ghaleon is only kept alive by Zophar's power}} meaning Zophar can kill him at any time, just by no longer supplying it. While that would work with a case of [[Ambition Is Evil]], {{spoiler|it's not a big deal to a [[Sliding Scale of Anti-Heroes|type IV]] [[Anti-Hero]] who didn't mind dying once he'd achieved his goal the first time around
* [[Retcon]]: Seemingly averted, as ''Lunar: Eternal Blue Complete'' ignored several of the new plot points introduced in ''Silver Star Story'' {{spoiler|such as Luna being the only time Althena ever incarnated as a human
**
▲* [[Redemption Equals Death]]: {{spoiler|Ghaleon. Well, re-death in his case. An interesting example, sort of a combination of [[Heroic Sacrifice]] and a [[Double Subversion]] of [[Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves]]. ''At the same time.''}}
* [[Reverse Mole]]: {{spoiler|Ghaleon. Interestingly, in the original version of the first game, which this follows from, Nash pulled this on him, which is probably part of why he's so [[Genre Savvy]] about it
▲* [[Restraining Bolt]]: {{spoiler|Ghaleon is only kept alive by Zophar's power}} meaning Zophar can kill him at any time, just by no longer supplying it. While that would work with a case of [[Ambition Is Evil]] {{spoiler|it's not a big deal to a [[Sliding Scale of Anti-Heroes|type IV]] [[Anti-Hero]] who didn't mind dying once he'd achieved his goal the first time around.}}
* [[Secret Identity]]: When forced to break his vows, Leo becomes
▲* [[Reverse Mole]]: {{spoiler|Ghaleon. Interestingly, in the original version of the first game, which this follows from, Nash pulled this on him, which is probably part of why he's so [[Genre Savvy]] about it.}}
* [[Sequel Hook]]: ''Lunar:
▲* [[Secret Identity]]: When forced to break his vows, Leo becomes {{spoiler|''The Amazing Mystere!''}} to correct things. He apparently doesn't realize that his [[Paper-Thin Disguise]] doesn't fool the heroes.
* [[Series Continuity Error]]: In the remake. Vane and the Grindery are not where they were left at the end of ''Silver Star Story''/''Harmony'', but remain in the spots they occupy at the end of ''Lunar: The Silver Star''.▼
▲* [[Sequel Hook]]: Lunar 2 has a fair number of these, what with {{spoiler|the revelations that there's a lot more backstory to the game than initially suggested and a lot of it is unexplored, Hiro going to live with Lucia, and then there's the matter of that big fortress on the Blue Star, which would sure make a ''lovely'' dungeon, wouldn't it.}} Lunar 3 was in various stages of development in the late 90s and very early 2000s, but then stalled out over legal disputes between management members. The hooks have been left dangling for over a decade in some cases, now.
▲* [[Series Continuity Error]]: In the remake. Vane and the Grindery are not where they were left at the end of ''Silver Star Story''/''Harmony'', but remain in the spots they occupy at the end of ''The Silver Star''.
* [[Stay with the Aliens]]: Sort of, depending on how you define "alien". {{spoiler|Hiro travels to the Blue Star to be with Lucia in the [[Playable Epilogue]]}}.
* [[Stealth Mentor]]: {{spoiler|Ghaleon}}.
* [[Steven Ulysses Perhero]]: The name of the hero in ''Lunar:
* [[The Stinger]]: The "[[Playable Epilogue|Epilogue]]" mode.
* [[Teach Him Anger|Teach Her Anger]]: This trope is
▲* [[Teach Him Anger|Teach Her Anger]]: This trope is {{spoiler|Jean}}'s backstory in a nutshell. {{spoiler|She was kidnapped by a cult of assassins, where an [[Evil Mentor]] taught her to fight, to feel nothing but anger, and to channel her rage into a killing instinct. Eventually she realized what an awful thing she had learned, and was so dead-set against following her master's teachings anymore that she turned into a [[Actual Pacifist|pacifist]]. In fact, when Hiro meets her, she is ashamed after she loses control and opens a can of whoopass on a monster to save her new friends. Over the course of the game, she becomes more of a [[Martial Pacifist]] as she [[Character Development|learns that she can use her strength to help people, not to kill]].}}
* [[A Twinkle in the Sky]]: In a gag sequence, the girls [[Megaton Punch]] Ronfar and Hiro for spying on Lucia while she's changing, resulting in one of these.
* [[Unwitting Pawn]]: Hiro's party to certain degree.
* [[Verbal Tic]]: Lemina loves to prefix words with "mega-" for emphasis.
* [[Villainous Glutton]]: Borgan.
* [[We Are as Mayflies]]: In ''Lunar: Eternal Blue'', Nall has been alive for the past thousand years, long after his friends from the first game are dead and gone. This is a major cornerstone for his friendship with Ruby, who has to come to terms that she'll long outlive her non-dragon friends
* [[Wham! Episode]]:
**
* [[What Happened to the Mouse?]]: Caldor Isle, a major location in the first game. You visit a ton of areas from ''Lunar:
** Given that it's a thousand years later, and geography can change quite a bit in that amount of time, Caldor is highly likely ''gone'' by now. Especially seeing as the world maps no longer match up very well at all, and the area that roughly corresponds to where it used to be seems to be one massive glacier now.
* [[What Is This Thing You Call Love?]]: In essence, Lucia's [[Character Development]] is learning it (among other things).
* [[What the Hell, Hero?|What The Hell, Heroine?]]: In the middle of the game, Lucia briefly abandons the group after they agree to save a village from a snowstorm, saying that Zophar was far more important to deal with than a dying town. Just before you come across the boss that caused the storm, she comes back and heals the party from being frozen to death, saying that she felt worried for her friends.
** Shortly afterward, Lemina attempts to charge the village's inhabitants for getting rid of the monster. The other party members don't let her.
* [[Zeroth Law Rebellion]]: The raison d'etre for '''Mystere'''! {{spoiler|When Leo finds that being [[Lawful Good]] isn't all it's cracked up to be, he whips up a [[Paper-Thin Disguise|paper thin superhero disguise]] to "anonymously" do the right thing
{{reflist}}
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[[Category:Sega Genesis]]
[[Category:Eastern RPG]]
[[Category:Sega Saturn]]
[[Category:Lunar: Eternal Blue]]
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