#Honkai chapter 34 part I spoilers

[blazingblorbos]

So this is my chapter 34 experience so far.

[phoenix-is-the-hottest-thing]

Ok so, I finished the level 13 of the ch34, where Mei finds herself again in a white self-space or some shit like this, and .... I didn't find any BIG problems, imo. Although, I remember everyone here were doomposting a mounth or two ago with posts like "wth fucking retcon", "Hoyoverse u murderer", "here lies Mei's character's developpement, d.o.b : july 2020; d.o.d : february 2023", "why would she be okay with Kiana sacrificing herself now ?!!!? hoyo wtf ?!!", but, if I understood it right, she's NOT okay with that, but it's more like.... IF IT WAS the only solution viable, she will not interfere because Mei still thinks (just like himeko did) that Kiana is the only one that can save the world from the honkai (and spoilers: idk how to put it in this askbox but, Kiana is completely fine, so we were worrying for nothing, they didn't have to do the worst scenario, wich is : kiana sacrificing herself and being ded on the moon) ///end of spoilers So, I would love if you could tell me what wasn't going right with this part of the story, because I'm a bit confused, maybe I didn't get something right

It’s fine if you like it, I liked some stuff of chapter 34 too, if anything I’m annoyed because of how utterly confusing that chapter is and how little I recognize Mei after it.

The gratuitous poetry does not serve her, and Mei’s earlier “sacrifice is fine actually” arc felt very forced considering… everything about her previous stance on the matter, but that was already messed up three chapters prior. It’s like, you establish strong characterization for a character, reinforce it with Kiana’s growth, and then go back on it because you have characters you need to kill off for the third time, just feels wishy-washy. This chapter’s reception just suffered from the fallout of that.

This specific chapter also feels clumsy I guess? Suddenly there is a twist (the Herrscher self stigmata thing) except it has zero consequences and the actual meaning isn’t clear. Not helped by Elysia dying a fourth and fifth time in the same chapter, and the very unpopular design of Mei’s new suit.

BASICALLY, in a vacuum it would’ve been an okay chapter, but… not a vacuum, and bogged down by unpopular/questionable writing decisions.

[hotdyke-hardstyle]

okay I now have time to go through some (mostly positive!) thoughts and feelings about chapter 34! this is a bit of a long post, and spoilers ahead obviously. this covers part 1, and as each part is released i’ll reblog this post with more thoughts.

so of course I am so happy about the return of stages instead of open world. I love that it’s easier to take a break in between moments (although I wish they would bring back the quit/continue at the end of each stage instead of just throwing you into the next one. I like reading the flavour text for each stage).

i’m really happy about the text returning to a character-driven focus. it’s what i’ve stuck around for, and it was nice to finally get some thoughts from people about things, and I liked being able to understand what was going on.

I loved seeing the deep again. I don’t even care if it was just an excuse to reuse stage elements, I don’t care if they just needed an excuse to shoehorn in the cosmic juggernaut, I liked it. 

the first thing that really grabbed my attention was tesla explaining the reversal of project stigma. the moment where she said they would need the power of finality, or at least would need to take it from kevin, I immediately thought that that was a much better way of bringing up the power of finality than the way that hare just said “kiana could become the hofin in order to destroy the cocoon”. tesla’s dialogue makes for much better motivation on behalf of the characters and also opens up a conversation about who should be taking on the power of finality, if anyone at all! because tesla doesn’t indicate a certain someone would be more suited to it, and why should we (as readers) or the main cast trust hare in this scenario? her plan may be to have kiana take on the power of finality and have it consume her for all anyone knows. (this presents the other issue of hare being an undeveloped/shoehorned character in terms of intent and purpose that I won’t go into here.)

second of all, I ADORED the look of the planet directory (? that’s what ai-chan called it I think) in theresa’s stage. it looked really interesting and new and cool! it’s the kind of thing people brought up when they complained about open world - the individual stages always seemed to have more interesting and complex environments and this new area seems super fun. I can only hope we’re revisiting it later on!

super stoked to see siegfried, actually! he’s one of the only men who deserve rights in honkai and I really liked his little banter with theresa. his entrance was a little underwhelming but I think that was more “realistic” considering his lack of genuine power in the realm. pretty short-lived section and I don’t really know what ai-chan added to the whole thing but it’s whatever.

back in st. freya I really liked the small glimpse of the trio’s original dynamics at the very beginning. it did kinda feel like coming home, and even though there should be some urgency, I appreciated the laid-back but productive energy.

onto the big moment, I guess. I am really happy that they didn’t fade to black and have dudu explain her life story to kiana off-camera before they went to save their dad. I also think that learning that kevin had siegfried trapped in the stigma space and then stole his power adds a lovely personal stake into kiana’s motivations for kicking kevin’s ass. I don’t think she’s exactly one for super cold-blooded revenge, but I think if she gets to lay into him while also saving the world, she would feel good about that. 

now, I really liked the kaslana sisters fighting together, and I loved the cutscene. I would have appreciated some greater conflict in getting siegfried out of his little cage, but I didn’t find it anticlimatic at all. the family reunion was emotional and sweet and i’m not even mad that there was no huge gut-wrenching reveal between bianka and siegfried honestly. of course, he knew there were two daughters out there and it wasn’t like he had been present all of one’s life but not the other. I think they had fairly equal time with their dad, it’s only bianka who doesn’t remember that time, so I was happy with the equal treatment between them.

also, bianka calling on her (mother’s) power to wield the abyss flower made me think that I like the distinction between bianka and kiana as though one of them is more schariac and one of them is more kaslana. I suppose that’s not really a huge revelation but I like the implications and I hope they get to fight together as sisters going forward.

truthfully, I wondered if bianka was going to keep her identity a secret from both of them until after the big fight because she could see how kiana had that connection with siegfried that she was lacking, but i’m glad she didn’t. i’m glad that we’re addressing her place in the world, even slightly, because that’s an internal conflict she’s had her whole life.

finally, I also really liked the little dialogue at the end between bianka and kiana. I liked that bianka stood behind her chosen name, even though kiana wanted to share. it gave bianka the space to affirm that she is her own person who she has built through hard work and turmoil. I also liked that kiana had such respect for bianka in that moment! it feels like a great foundation for them to build on. and that is the type of writing that I have been sorely missing throughout the moon arc.

thank you mhy! i’m much happier after the start of this chapter and I hope it keeps up throughout.

[cupids-patheon]

Yaaay my thoughts part 11(its been a long time)

Yknow before the fuhua using the star of eden scene in honkais chapter 33. I feel like the fact that Fuhuas just generally very profiecent of using different types of weapons and divine keys was a mostly disregarded(could be strong word to use but its what came to mind first) fact. Which, I totally see why something like that is so easily disregarded. Because fuhua doesn’t really show off that profiency commonly in the story(other than the xuanyuan sword and as of more recently the star of eden).

we mostly get that implication through senti, because senti is living off of fuhuas experiences and profiencys. Obviously with her memories senti is as proficent with weapons. I understand how martial arts is a important part of her character, I just wish hyv would show off huas ability with other weapons(i’d love to see fuhua wielding a scythe or a gun!!)

another thing is, like as much as I know hyv is obviously going to give us smth tieing up the loose ends with fuhua. But god, they are leaving so many threads loose on her that its just kinda frustrating me at this point.

then like the thing in chapter 33 with her garuda form. Narratively hyv has implied fuhua doesn’t have a good honkai profiency currently and that it could intertwine into why fuhua only stayed in her garuda form for less than 3 minutes. We don’t know WHY fuhuas honkai profiency is so bad(Note here: I think honkai profiency is ones ability/level of skill to manipulate honkai energy) my guess and this is just a theory. Is because fuhua doesn’t have enough experience in her current memories, to be as proficent as she was before. Senti has all the memories and therefore she is 100x more proficent than fuhua at manipulating honkai energy. Thats why its something that cannot be physically trained to fix. Its fuhuas biggest roadblock and i’d love to see how hyv resolves it.

to end off todays thoughts, and spoilers for chapter 34, it has blessed me greatly. If you don’t know, basically I think it was explained how senti and fuhua had a minor role reversal. Sentis now a feather and fuhuas the owner of the body and not just a dying soul in a body requiring honkai energy to live. Like thats how they are living seperately now, so I believe if senti dies fuhua will not by that logic(could be wrong).

I can finally rebuttal people in the honkai chat who are spurting death allegations with recent story info god bless🙏🙏

but thank you for tonights thought spurt, see you again when I generate some more

[blazingblorbos]

Gay people (derogatory)

[blazingblorbos]

HE—

(Chapter 34 part 1 spoilers under the Keep Reading)

I-

LIKE FATHER LIKE DAUGHTER

I AM CHEWING ON BRICKS