Synduality: Noir – 20 – A Better Way

Synduality takes a pause in its present-day narrative to tell two separate stories of yore. First up is a recording of Pascale both telling and showing Kanata, Mystere, and Noir the story of how she, a child of Amasia, went up to the surface to explore the real world with her Magus by her side, soaking everything up.

She didn’t believe Magus were merely computational dolls, but had the potential to become just as “real” as humans. She carried a journal containing a list of things she wanted to do, from tasting real grass to smelling the real sea and witnessing a real rainbow, all with her companion, student, and friend Mystere in tow.

When they located a signal up in space, Pascale had Mystere hack into it. On the same carrier wave Mystere used to access Histoire, Histoire send a signal back: Noir. Pascale never told Mystere, but Noir wasn’t just her safe mode alter-ego, but an independent entity, eager to learn and absorb information, albeit with no body of her own.

Pascale was pursued by Ideal, and in one scuffle, she is seriously wounded. Rather than give Mystere or Noir up, she has Mystere return to her unconscious safe mode in the museum where Kanata would find her several years later. The recording of Pascale regrets that she had to lie to Mystere, but urges her to see through the dream they shared of reaching Histoire. Mystere is understandably emotional, wanting so bad for the recording to be interactive.

As for Kanata, Pascale asks him to take care of her “girls,” and he fully intends to. But first, they locate Pascale’s grave under a great tree, and pay their respects. It’s then when Noir runs her hand down her chest and suddenly asks, “Where’s Ciel?”, heartbreakingly unaware that Ciel sacrificed her life so she could live. Like Mystere with Pascale, Noir lost someone precious to her in Ciel, but must keep moving forward.

The second story, is that of Macht, told while he and Schnee are just chilling in the present day. Macht, Licht, and Weisheit were all elite Coffin pilots given equally elite Magus. Weisheit got Ciel, whom he immediately started to treat and use as a mere tool, while Licht and Macht formed more human bonds with Mouton and Schnee, respectively.

Weisheit decided that the only way to reach Paradise, i.e. Histoire, was for all the youths to rise up against the adults who were administering them. That meant dirty work had to be done, and Weisheit had Ciel do a lot of it. Macht fell in line, as he believed in Weisheit’s dream, but Licht didn’t, and was imprisoned and marked for elimination.

There’s a clear parallel between Pascale and Licht/Tokio in that neither got much out of staying below ground in what remained of Amasia. They also felt that Magus were more valuable as friends and companions than as mere tools or weapons.

When Mouton sprung Licht, Macht had one more chance to choose a path: to go with Licht to the surface, or remain with Weisheit. We know which he chose, but judging from Schnee’s consistently forlorn tone both in the past and the present, you get the feeling she wishes he’d chosen differently.

Even so, once her “Lord” made his decision, she dedicated herself to him until the end, and he started donning his black mask. That mask symbolizes both his embracing of Weisheit’s darkness, and averting his eyes from the reality that it’s not too late to change his (and Schnee’s) path. He can still side with the good guys.

Synduality: Noir – 19 – Guiding Light

On their way to Old Amasia, Ellie and Ange detect DaisyOgre and find Kanata sitting in the rain with Ciel’s lifeless body in his arms. It’s understandable that he’s not in the best emotional state, but Ellie tells him that whatever is wrong with Ciel, the lives of Noir and Mystere also hang in the balance.

They track down Alba, who determines that Ciel’s Master tried to format her and wipe her memory, but she was able to refuse the format and reboot thanks to the plugin she had Kanata activate. Refusing a reboot is death for a Magus, and it seems Ciel chose death rather than lose who she was. Alba can’t bring Ciel back, but her Type Zero body could be used as a host for Noir.

I honestly still don’t have a clue what Tokio/Licht is up to, or what he’s trying to gain by continuing to interact with Macht and Schnee. Perhaps he wants them to team up with him and Mouton to bring Mr. Weisheit down? Again, I have no idea. I just know that Weisheit pours out some wine in Ciel’s honor, as she exceeded his expectations to the last.

Alba tells Kanata that Noir and Mystere might not last another day, so he has a choice to make: accept Ciel’s death and allow Alba to transfer Noir to her body (which could very well be Ciel’s wish), or hesitate and lose all three Magus. As he recalls all the sides Ciel showed him, he wonders if they were all lies, until he finds Noir’s camera. The images convince him they weren’t all lies. Ellie said as much to him: Ciel loved him, and couldn’t bear forgetting who he was or becoming his enemy.

Kanata decides to give Alba and Ada the okay to transfer Noir into Ciel’s body. Ellie takes his hand to support him as they stand and watch the technicians work. It doesn’t take long for them to hit a snag: while the connection has been made between the bodies, Noir’s consciousness appears to be “stuck.” Kanata tries talking to the unconscious Mystere, in hopes of getting Noir’s attention.

But it’s not Kanata’s voice, but Ciel’s form who ultimately guides Noir to the beacon of light in her dreamscape that represents the path to her new body. This must be a small remnant of Ciel’s personality that remained just long enough to save Noir and Mystere, for once Noir starts heading to the beacon, this Ciel avatar smiles then vanishes, her work complete.

The transfer is successful, and Ada cuts the connection between the bodies. Mystere is the first to wake up, and seems to be her usual prickly self, with her talk of Hacks and Duds. But Noir wakes up shortly after, not knowing whether to tell Kanata “Thank you,” “Sorry,” or “Good Morning.” Kanata simply says “Welcome back,” and Noir smiles.

We have Noir and Mystere finally facing each other then the flesh, but their separation also triggers a stored message from within Mystere. It’s a projection of her old Master, presuming Kanata to be the new Master of “her two girls.” Ciel died so that they could live. Now comes the living part.

Synduality: Noir – 18 – Songtress of the Sky

When Ciel reports to Weisheit, she plays things cool, but it was clear from the start that she remains conflicted. It’s all over her face, and Weisheit, who was apparently her Master all along, would doubtless be able to see it too. Why else would he shove the captive Kanata in her face and tell her he’ll be eliminated if he can’t find a use for him.

After awarding her a necklace with what I assume to be the crest of Amasia, he sends her off to relax, and she ends up crossing paths with Tokio, AKA Licht, AKA White Mask. If there’s any doubt about his loyalties, it’s eliminated when we see him and Mouton fixing Kanata’s Coffin. Ciel doesn’t remember Licht or Mouton were with Weisheit in the past, because she no longer has those memories.

Mouton says Weisheit always liked to “play with his doll,” and when he inevitably gives her the choice of killing Kanata in exchange for her freedom, it occurs to Ciel that all of this has happened before. Weisheit reformats her and wipes her memories, then presents himself as her ideal master. But she feels there’s no escape from the cycle. She’ll always follow his orders because she always has.

…That is, until now. Kanata reminds her of her dream to sing for as many people as possible. She tries to tell him following Weisheit’s wishes makes her happy. He tells her if that’s the case, why she looks like she’s crying. Then she tells him about the endless cycle she’s stuck in, and he tells her it’s messed up and unforgivable, which is is. Then he tells her he’ll save her. He’ll break the cycle.

Kanata takes her hand and walks out into the corridors. As he does, Ciel considers if she’s doing exactly what her master predicted by turning against him and going with Kanata. Even if that’s the case and this ends the way all her past lifetimes have ended, she’s going to live this one to the fullest. They board Daisyogre, and Tokio leads him to a lift back to the surface.

As they make their escape, Ciel has Kanata give his consent to create a ring she wears on her pinky which will “keep her safe.” She then asks him to be her master for real, which consists of him placing his thumb on her throat chip. They’re surrounded by Macht and Ideal Coffins, but Ciel keeps her pinky promise to Kanata and sings her new song. And when she sings here, it neutralizes all of the other Coffins.

When Weisheit sees that Ciel has made her choice, he activates the necklace he gave her, which he can use to remotely reformat her. Once that’s done, his first order for her is to kill the man she loves. Only the order goes ignored, because the reformatting never takes place. The ring her contract with Kanata made blocks the reformatting. But it also apparently knocks her out, perhaps permanently.

After getting Kanata out of Ideal HQ, it looks like her plan was to prevent any further resets, even at the cost of her life. It stands to reason her Type Zero body could then be used to separate Noir and Mystere. If that’s true, it’s a noble but tragic end for Ciel, the Magus songstress who fell for a human.

Synduality: Noir – 17 – Et Tu, Ciel?

Kanata’s dreams of finding Histoire are suddenly in tatters as Noir’s refusal to fade away has caused a critical fault in her and Mystere’s Magus body. When Maria can’t help, Kanata tracks down Alba, and Ada, who also can’t help him, at least right now. That’s because the only way to save both Noir and Mystere is to transfer one of them to a second, un-contracted Type Zero body. The only place to find one of those? Amasia, where they were built.

Ciel accompanies Kanata on the dangerous trip to the ruined metropolis, and he continues to not suspect the slightest thing amiss about her. He’s so at ease with Ciel, in fact, that she’s able so serenade him asleep, which gives her time to report the situation to Macht. I love how harshly her HUD illuminates her face, revealing the treachery Kanata can’t see in her face.

Macht and Schnee return to Ideal HQ to find Mouton there, preparing to respray Tokio’s Coffin. Schnee hasn’t and won’t forgive Mouton (AKA White Sheep … or Goat) for abandoning Her Lord, but the way he remembers it, her master stayed behind by choice. Now Licht Alter, whom we’ve known as Tokio, has returned as the Prodigal Son. Macht assures him he’s no longer weak. The two act an awful lot like estranged brothers, with Macht having previously looked up to Licht, but no longer.

Kanata wakes from a distressing dream where both Noir and Mystere say goodbye and fly away from him, and finds himself alone in Ciel’s carrier. He follows the sound of her haunting song reverberating through a network of tunnels carved into a seaside cliff. It’s a song she hasn’t finished yet, but pinky promises Kanata that he’ll be the first to hear it when it is. Her expression when they board Daisyogre suggests she won’t be able to honor that promise.

Their approach of Amasia, which we know to be Ideal HQ, belly of the beast, is handled with all due majesty and awe. Larger and more complex than any of the Nests scattered throughout the lands, the fact it is largely ruins serves as a monumental symbol of the cost of hubris. They descend into the industrial sector, but are unable to find any spare Type Zero bodies.

Their movements don’t go unnoted, as sensors detect an intruder in the sector. Macht prepares to intercept, while Weisheit tells Licht he can eliminate the intruder as a test of loyalty. Macht gives Kanata one last chance to surrender Noir so Ideal can save her and Mystere, but Kanata won’t do that. Then Macht joins the fight, chases Kanata, and does all he can to make it look like he’s actually trying to take him out.

Daisyogre is disabled, but Kanata isn’t ready to give up yet. He exits the coffin and calls for Ciel, only to find her cockpit empty. The next thing he knows he’s being shocked and collapses to the ground, able to catch a glimpse of his attacker: Ciel. When he asks why, she says with a devastatingly flat tone that she was on the other side all along.

Nakayama Masato’s score throughout Synduality has always been clutch, but never more so than here, as an Zimmer’s Interstellar-esque somber organ-led theme plays the episode out and the screen cuts to stark white-on-black end credits.

Things have gone from bad to worse for young Kanata, and I can’t any light at the end of the tunnel yet. But again, none of this is a surprise; it was a only matter of when, not if, he’d discover Ciel’s treachery. If he ever sees Rock Town again, I don’t know if even the cleanest Ellie will be able to cheer him up.

Synduality: Noir – 15 – Carthage Power & Light

Thanks to Ciel’s duplicity, we know what awaits Kanata and Noir/Mystere in Carthage, but she does her best to hide her guilt on the preceding road trip. Noir mistakes a crab for an Ender, beats Kanata at chess, and sleeps with the rest of the girls in one carrier while Kanata sleeps alone in the other, and never the twain shall meet.

Only when they arrive at the derelict Tunis spaceport does Mystere emerge from Noir. The radar facility simply needs a jump, but once there’s power Mystere is able to fire it up and scan the area. There’s a contact on the scopes, but it’s incoming, which can’t be a good thing. Sure enough, it’s Kurokamen AKA Macht with Schnee, who destroy the radar dish with a shot from their cannon.

Kanata and Mystere head out in Daisyogre to investigate, and when he spots Kurokamen’s white Coffin. They meet outside their respective coffins in a tense standoff in which Kanata isn’t sure what’s going on at first. Thankfully, Kurokamen makes it clear: he wants Kanata to hand Noir over, without a fuss.

Kanata does make a fuss, and justifiably so. Schnee points out they could have killed him and taken Noir at any time, but his honor precludes him from such barbary. Instead, they’ll do it the proper way: an old-fashioned duel, only with rock-em-sock-em robots.

While Macht’s Coffin may be able to fly on its own, Mystere gets Kanata to realize he can use a fallen smokestack as a ramp to leap onto the flying carrier that brought black Coffins as Macht’s backup. Macht’s boss thinks he’s going too easy on Kanata, and he is: Macht will follow orders, but is doing everything he can to not kill him.

When Ellie and Ange see that it’s no longer a one-on-one duel, she joins the fight, distracting the Black Coffins while Mystere tags in for Noir and uses her Magus Skill to blast a hole in the earth. Daisyogre descends into subterranean complex where there’s still power, and find a foreboding metal hatch that says “ALICE.”

The next we see Macht and Schnee, their Coffin is being engulfed by flames; Kanata and Mystere ignited a bunch of rocked fuel beneath them. Unfortunately, Schnee is able to disperse the flames with an icy Magus Skill. Their Coffin is still in business, and as Macht grudgingly prepares to deliver a fatal blow to Kanata’s cockpit, his blade arm is smashed away by the gunshot of another Coffin.

It’s not Ellie, but Tokio, who has arrived in the nick of time. Mouton, whom Schnee seems to know well, successfully hacks Macht’s Coffin and deactivates Schnee and Macht’s dynamic cockpit. This allows Tokio to open the cockpit and confront Macht head on.

When Tokio removes Macht’s mask to reveal the same color eyes he has, my first thought was “whoa, Tokio, AKA Licht, must be Macht’s brother.” That’s a great soap operay twist and also explains why Tokio has such a rad butler; if Licht (“light” in German) and Macht (“power”) are brothers, Licht’s the rebellious one who went off to live the Drifter lifestyle.

Schnee manages to get back control and retreat with Macht, so the immediate threat of losing Noir is over. But Tokio chases after him, saying goodbye to Kanata in a way that sounds like a final one. As Ciel says, there’s no escaping “Ideal”, the organization Macht and Schnee work for.

So, the cats are out of the bag: now Kanata knows Kirokamen is after Noir, and there’s a lot more to Tokio than he previously knew. The cat still in the bag? Ciel managed to keep her cover.

Macht and Schnee likely try to nab their Key to Paradise again soon, and probably won’t be wearing kid gloves next time. But the fact they don’t really want to hurt Kanata leaves open the possibility both they and Ciel could rebel against their nasty boss.