#ace combat zero the belkan war

[saturniandragon]

For all the ace combat girlies in tumblr.

[autumngracy]

Emotions you experience while listening to the Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (2006) Soundtrack:

[elevant39]

Narrative in ACZ

So this time I want to talk about the narrative in ACZ and why I personaly love it. So what I love about ACZ (and the reason why it´s my favourite in the main line series) is how it kinda works like a legend or a fairy tale. What I mean by this is that there is not a single "correct/canon" version of the game. This is possible because the gameplay isn´t actually taking place durring Belkan war. What we are playing is what Brett Thompson´s documentary thinks happened in it. The problem is that he doesn´t really have all the details. The closes he can get to them is Pixy, since he actually knew Cipher more personally and was with him the longest time, the only other people being Eagle Eye and PJ and.... yeah... But even then it´s been 10 years so most Aces will not remember everything. All that remains it´s their emotions and memories about Cipher and the effect that he had on them by shoting them down.

Even Pixy himself isn't really that reliable (It´s funny because he is also partly a narrator of the game with Thompson). Not only did he knew Cipher only up to Stage of Apocalypse, but Cipher literally changed his life by preventing him from launching V2 (and causing all the suffering that he later witnessed on the ground Zero). Cipher in a way saved Pixy, by stoping him from something he could never come back from. So I wouldn't be surprised if Pixy´s view of Cipher probably isn't completely objective. And this ties to Cipher and the Ace system. Cipher isn´t really a character. He is a perfect vessel for player, he is like a rorschach test. He is what ever we want him to be. And this is thanks to the Ace system and how it allows the player to roleplay Cipher how ever the player wants. Do you believe Cipher was a total merc?; Do you think that the Razgriz route is the one for you?; Or do you want a mercenary that becomes a knight but after Pixy´s betrail falls back to his merc ways?; Or maybe you like a knight that becomes merc and after a lot of retrospective after Pixy´s betrayal becomes a soldier? All of these and infinite more are possible. Which is why I kinda hate when some people in the fandom insist that there must be canon route. Because having one defined route would kinda kill all of this. Sure people might still talk about them, but why waste your time on all of these non-canon routes? When merc is totally canon because of AC5? Why try to analyse your story in your own route when the only that matters is the canon one? So why I am bringing this up? Becuase this (infinite interpretation) combine with complete erasure of who or what Cipher did is what makes ACZ acts almost like a legend of fairy tale. Because the only way Cipher can live on is throw the stories of others like Pixy and other Aces. But since it´s been so long nobody will ever trully know how it all went down. Simular thigs happens with fairy tales and legends like Cinderella, there isn´t one true story. In some versions the fairy godmother doesn´t even exist and she got her dresses from hazel nuts. In others there were 3 nights with balls that Cinderella went to. Sometimes she has help from all sotrs of animals others it´s just pigeons. Sometimes her step mother locks her up, other she is given the task to separate peace from ashes perfectly. But still there are some constants, because these constancs are what make it a tale of Cinderella. And same could be said about the Belkan war. Cipher and Pixy will always win in B7R. They will liberate Directus and destroy Excalibur. Pixy will always leave for AWWNB. PJ will always buy flowers for his girlfriends. And Cipher will always fight Pixy in the end. But everything else? We simply don´t know and more importantly can´t know. And that is what is so beautiful to me. Because then the interpretetion of the story and Cipher can be anything you personally believe. And the story doesn´t force you to one interpretation of it. But it encourages you to think about the story and why your version is the one that you like specifically. So yeah this is why I love this game so much and why it´s my favourite in the series. Thanks for reading.

[mt10lt20]

Ciphixy - "Don't move or you might get hurt."

[osean-kitty]

DO IT AGAIN OSEAN BOMBER COMMAND!!!

[cipher-of-the-round-table]

So….

You’re taking on the role of the biblical Satan to stop a posadist threat.

A mirror breaks

[kurhl]

Manobras arriscadas em Ace Combat Zero.

[ahoy-aoi]

Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War!

It's time.

[codydbuni-blog]

Same voice actors:

-Sam Riegel: Gramble Gigglefunny (Bugsnax) and Marcus “Shamrock/Garuda 2″ Lampert (Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation)

-Yuri Lowenthal: Chandlo Funkbun (Bugsnax) and Larry “Solo Wing Pixy/Galm 2″ Foulke (Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War).

Not to mention that they’re also your wingmen during the games’ campaign mode.

“Yo Snorp-dawg, (you) still alive?”

[vaelerys-targaryen]

I still fire up my PS2 to play Ace Combat Zero.

Honestly it's my favorite game in the series 🤷‍♂️

Started playing Ace Combat Zero, the last PS2 Ace Combat I still hadn't played. And I noticed I might like Ace Combat a lot more than I had realized.

I started the first mission and I felt excited, gleeful, I was grinning, even shaking a little bit. I felt like I was child again and it was Christmas eve. I did not expect that getting to play the plane game again would fill me with such joy, but it did.

Ace Combat is good!

[twentyninebirds]

novalo's fic list

hi. hello. did you know that i sometimes write fic? i know. it surprises me too. as i would very much not like to make individual posts for all the fics i've written, i'm collecting them here.

Xenoblade Chronicles

maybe the real chain attack was the friends we made along the way (19.8k, colony 9 NPCs vs. the world, G): xenoblade chronicles 3 future redeemed oneshot in which the NPCs of colony 9 attempt to fill out the enemypedia and come to realize a whole bunch of unfortunate things about the world.

snowglobe's broke (42.6k, future connected squad vs. the world, T): time travel canon divergence ng+ speedrun fic in which shulk, melia, tyrea, and the ponspectors brute-force their way through the plot of xenoblade chronicles 1.

ephemera (8.4k, alvis & shulk, G): in which shulk and alvis contemplate mortality, creation, and loneliness while a dead god mourns on a beach.

Ace Combat

thirty birds (47.7k, cipher/pixy, T): a treatise on the perils of nihilism, the nature of belief, and the human condition with an ace combat zero spin. second person POV character study of pixy during and after the belkan war. i had approximately five separate existential crises writing this.

Persona 5

a glove, a bolt, and an atom bomb (14.7k, shuake, T): time loop goro akechi character study. likely to be part of a larger series. affectionately referred to by me as "monoliths".

an accidental interruption and a final day (19.1k, shuake, T): pt. 2 WIP of monoliths, in which goro akechi makes friends (?), tests deadly cosplay props, and navigates life, all while a cast of an unnamed play watches quietly.

Yugioh

small town, big flame (28.6k, yugi & OCs vs. the world, T): in which two ghost hunter content creators who have a worrying amount of experience with the supernatural meet yugi mutou in a haunted town. cue shenanigans. probably my favourite fic i've written. if you find the despite it all references you deserve a medal.

Fullmetal Alchemist

maestoso (33.1k, ed & al vs. the world, T): time travel orchestra AU fix-it AU in which ed and al have the chance to do the plot of FMAB all over and go about in the most convoluted way possible. involves the typical vigilantism and a bit more soloist bravado than strictly necessary. what do you get when you toss the central symphony orchestra into a coup against a fascist state? i dunno but let's hope it's better funding for the arts

Fire Emblem

goat milk and oats (25.9k, grima vs. the world, G): in which grima isn't as horrible as he could be, accidentally invents existentialism, and is reborn as a pet snake. this changes everything and nothing. the title is very literal.

as virtuous men pass mildly away (4.1k, byleth & ghosts, T): FE3H WIP in which byleth can see ghosts and recruits one glenn fraldarius (deceased). somehow this changes nothing.

MDZS

despite it all (292k, lwj/wwx but mostly gen focus, T): WIP in which wwx comes back a little more lucky and a little more godly and picks up young cultivator-apprentice a-qing, sword spirit xue yang, and fledgling array specialist mxy. features a subplot about dead gods who are a bit too good at haunting the living and themselves and a 70k+ chapter. heavily AU. i subtly but gleefully refer to this fic in most of my newer ones. i am both normal and sane.

to the venerable dragons of lotus pier (19k, wwx & yunmeng sibs, T): mdzs/the ocean at the end of the lane AU. in attempting to fix everything wwx rearranges the fabric of reality. cue memory alteration, convoluted fix-its, and immortal keepers of time. i'm not sure if i can adequately summarize how surreal this fic is and i wrote it.

a sky 1300 years wide (17.6k, wwx & wen sibs, T): mdzs/norgami WIP in which wwx is reborn and immediately becomes a local menace to a small town and a handyman.

places we saw and made and lost (2.3k, wwx/lwj but mostly gen, G): collection of short prose snippets, mostly character studies.

BNHA

brilliant lights will cease to burn (206k, izuku & everyone, T): bnha/ccs WIP where izuku becomes a cardcaptor and makes it everyone's problem, especially his own. so many shenanigans.

enbu (7k, midoriya izuku and his violent friends vs. the world, G): bnha/kny AU in which midoriya izuku is part of the kamado family line, lands a ghost tanjirou, and convinces his friends to terrorize the local demon population.

eater (10.6k, midoriya izuku & everyone, T): WIP in which izuku is an eldritch abomination who can eat literally everything, including abstract concepts and nothingness itself. he's chill, don't worry about it.

love's labour's only slightly singed (1.9k, hatsume & yaoyorozu, G): oneshot written for hatsume mei zine. hatsume and momo navigate the beginnings of a terrifying friendship.

yagyo (8.4k, izuku & anyone unfortunate enough to cross him, T): WIP in which izuku becomes a spirit-walker, treading in places that really aren't healthy for a sane human being.

The Legend of Zelda

the wind guides us (8.7k, link & introspection, G): character study of BOTW link, featuring loneliness, solitude, the nature of memory, heroism, and a warm campfire.

Voltron

even as its petals scatter (3.2k, lance & allura, T): character study of lance and the ache to lay down your arms and stop chasing ideals of heroism.

[saturniandragon]

Ace Combat games summarized (badly) by me

AC2: top gun but with nukes or something AC3 (the Japanese release, not the shitty European/American one): reality is a simulation, nothing is real AC04: plane jesus AC5: belkan fucking witchcraft AC0: belkan fucking witchcraft ii, the fuckening

[autumngracy]

If you're bored and you want some music recommendations, here are some of my favorite original soundtracks:

A Scene at the Sea (1991) OST

Spirited Away (2001) OST

Interstellar (2014) OST

Moonrise Kingdom (2012) OST

Inception (2010) OST

Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) OST

Song of the Sea (2014)

Promare (2019) OST

Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse (2018) OST

Black Sails (2014-2017) OST

Outlander (2014-?) OST

Battlestar Gallactica (2004-2009) OST

Wolf Children (2012) OST

Half Life: Alyx (2020)

Cloud Atlas (2012)

Les Ailes Pourpres : Le Mystère des Flamants (The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos) (2008) OST

Hitman (2007) OST

Over the Garden Wall (2014) OST

Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (2006) OST

Cowboy Bebop (1998-1999) OST

Murder on the Orient Express (2017) OST

Oblivion (2006) OST

Skyrim (2011) OST

The Borrower Arrietty (2010) OST

[elevant39]

It´s a wizard and fairy kinda thing

So... I decided to drop another post here... I am so sorry it´s so long... This time about the connection between Wizard 1 and Pixy. (I will refer to Wiz 1 as Lucan for the rest of the post) Mostly because for how little we get, the implications do have a pretty big impact on Pixy as a character (his motives to join AWWNB specificaly). At least that is what I believe. So once again I am need to reference the perfect guide: https://www.skywardfm.com/aczpg-ace-pilot-profiles Now let´s get started. Connection between Pixy and Lucan Thanks to the Perfect guide we can get a really important clue about Pixy and Lucan right from the start. And that is that they are a long time acquaintances. This on it´s own gives us a verry important info about Pixy´s idiology. Pixy most likely had anarchist views before the start of the game. We just never heard about them before Directus because well... Up until that point Pixy didn´t really have a problem fighting in Belkan war. It´s only after he is kinda forced to be part of the counter attack (aka he is on the offensive side) he starts to talk about some of his views. Mission 7 and 8: "Nuclear inspection”, huh? What a joke…"; "Hey Cipher, you hear me? Just look at the view. There’s not much difference between those countries from up here." This does kinda beg the question about how they know each other: Are they long time acquaintances because Pixy always had anarchistic views? Or are they long time acquaintances because Lucan was the one who introduced Pixy to these views? Unfortunately we can only guess because this is all we get from their past. That being said it´s obviose that Pixy does trust Lucan, now I personaly can´t say how mutual this is with Lucan acting like a cult leader and all that. But concidering that Lucan is the only person who calls him by his 1st name in the middle of combat (a furrball no less). And this is the only time something like this happeneds in the game. I honestly wouldn´t be suprised if it was mutual (not to mention with the whole Larry thing it almost feels like Pixy is getting some special treatment from Lucan). However another factor in this is that Pixy is a Belkan war orphan who grew up in a foreign orphanage. Who after leaving became a merc pilot. Meaning that Pixy most likely doesn't have a secondary education, and might not even have primary one depending on how much access to education the orphanage he lived in provided. To tie it back, it makes sence that Pixy would probably trusts Lucan with some of his more philosophical ideas, since Lucan is described as "A deep thinker and has philosophical thoughts. Often pulls quotes relating to philosophy from books and poems." And that is not mentioning that there is 10 years between them. This leads to another conclusion. Lucan is clearly the one who has more intellectual influence in this dynamic. We can actually see this influence if we look at how Pixy talks before Stage of Apocalipse and later in Avalon. Before he is more straight forward with Cipher and PJ. While in Avalon he starts to use more metaphor and more symbolic language (like Lucan). Notebly Lucan and Pixy are the only members that talk about how they will cause a lot of destruction to create the new world. Lucan with his whole "new creation of destruction" and Pixy with his "reset to Zero". Gault 1 mostly talks about his problem how politicians are the one in control and how they never had to go through what they did, Sorcerer 1 is mostly concerned about how borders will create new conflicts in future and how getting rid of them will libare them..

Another interesting connection is that both Pixy and Lucan are the only enemy aces that will use obvious technological advantages against the player in Zero (when I say this I mean something only Belkan magic can explain). Lucan with his Black Widow YF-23 (which somehow has the power to be invisible?) and Pixy with Morgan (I don´t even want to get into to levels of Belkan witchcraft needed for that ECM system).

Now am I saying that Pixy was brainwashed into joining AWWNB? I am honestly not sure, but I would have to say no. Mostly because I think that Pixy is not a case of brainwashing but a case of slow radicalization and how his few connections and world around him as well as his past shaped him into thinking that lauching V2 was a good and moral idea (from his point of view). But that is only how I see it. With all of this out of the way I will focuse on their 2 conversations and what they mean. In game interractions 1) Mayhem Wizard 1: Wizard 1 here, the enemy has broken formation, take them out. Larry, can you read me? Pixy: Looks like you’ve still got the touch. Wizard 1: It’s happening just as you thought, it’s about time we got out of this dead-end job. Pixy: Not just yet. So this one tells us that they know each other but there is something more important. Lucan already gave Pixy an invatation before this mission to join AWWNB and Pixy is considering it. And not turning it down. Meaning that he was probably thinking about joining AWWNB before Hoffnung. That being said just look how casualy this is said in the middle of a giant furball. Implying that they might be more in contact that we think and this is not the 1st time Lucan is suggesting this to Pixy. Also notice that it almost feels like Lucan is trying to push Pixy to accept his offer. Another interesting fact is that after this conversation Pixy´s and PJ´s talks about fighting for peace takes place. If you do keep in mind that Pixy is thinking about joining AWWNB the convo creats another dimension to it. Mostly that PJ is kinda accidentally acting like an intrusive thought to Pixy, basically telling him all the reason why Pixy should join AWWNB while Pixy is trying to grownd himself with every exuse he has. 2) Stage of Apocalypse Wizard 1: Larry, can you read me? Your fairy godmother’s here, Cinderella. Pixy: How could you after what just happened? Wizard 1: [laughs] Today is your lucky day, Larry, just like your birthday. Pixy: And you’re here to pull me off in a magical carriage, huh? to hell, I suppose…

So this dialogue is important because when exactly it takes place. It mostly happeneds right after the 7 nukes are set of, but more importantly it´s also probably happened in the moment that Pixy is most likely in the worst possible psychological state he can be (with Hoffnung before and all that). And right at that moment Lucan just appears out of nowhere and (at least how I read this) starts to reassure Pixy that everything will be alright now that his fairy godmother is there to make things right and pull him of on that carried to that beautiful ball in that fairytale castel that is Avalon. Just like Fairy Godmother did with Cinderella. In her darkest hour she just appeared and helps her and reassures her that everything will be right now that she is here. This is where I once again do need to get into more of a interpretation territory, from what I can come up there could be 3 explanation why Lucan appears at this moment: 1) Pixy already contacted Lucan that he would be joining Meaning Lucan was there to ensure that Pixy would be able to not only join but also to leave to AWWNB,it's just that 7 nukes worked in his favor. 2) Pixy still hasn´t decided yet and so Lucan wanted to give him one last chance to choose and it was an acident that he just so happened to arrive at the perfect moment when Pixy would be most likely to join him. 3) Lucan already somehow (most likely his connection to Gault 1) knew what will happened and just wanted to make sure that Pixy would be in a state where he will not refuse his offer to join AWWNB. Unfortunately this really is up to how you see it. It could be one of them, or a combination of all of the, or it could have been something completely different. I personally fall into a mix of 1 and 2. But this is most likely because of my own personal reading here. That being said every outcome ends the same. Pixy does accept "help" from Lucan and joins him and his organisation. Bonus mission 16: In Wizard squadron fight (knight route), Lucan does mention with his line Pixy, implying that they did talk to each other. "It's just as he said. He flies with aggression." Interesting thing is that only Lucan said this implying that Pixy might have out of the 4 squadron leaders only talk to him about Cipher. With this I believe I already said everything I could from the text it self. However I would still like to talk about some other interesting parallels between Pixie and Lucan that I found.

Parallels of this relationship Morgan and Merlin It´s interesting that Pixy and Lucan seem to mirror the student/mentor aspect of this relationship. Not only is Pixy parallel to Morgan, but Lucan does share some similarities of Merlin too, with his Nick Name “the Blue Magician”. Combine "Often pulls quotes relating to philosophy from books and poems." As well as the fact that you know he literally has Belkan witchcraft on his side (I still have no idea how you can even explain the invisible jets). Cinderella and Fairy godmother I already mentioned this connection in my dialogue 2. I just wanted to mentio it here. That being said this again goes back into the idea that Lucan is the one who holds more authority in this dynamic. Like a guardian over their and ward (at least at that moment). ACE Combat 3 spoiler START Rena and Dision So for those who haven´t playid it. I will be droping some important spoilers here so... yeah.... It´s interesting that they do seem to hold similar position in their organization respectfully. Both Dision and Lucan are leaders (well in Lucan´s case we can only believe that he is, but even then HE is the one who actually has connection to all the interview pilots so make of that what you will). That want destruction of the world Dision for his revenge and Lucan...honestly I do personally believe that he really is just that zealot and believes that is will create a new better world. And Rena with Pixy being the pilots of Super Planes (Rena being the one in charge of Night Raven while Pixy is the last plan of AWWNB with Morgan). The more interesting parallel is also that both Rena and Pixy are recruited and how.

Rena was groomed (and later even brainwashed) to join Ouroboros and be the pilot of Night Raven. Simular thing could be said for Pixy that he was slowly radicalise by war and probably Lucan to join AWWNB and was later choosen to be the Pilot of Morgan. And this is all I could find since I unfortunately have´t played AC3 fully (this is all that I could find from essays and wiki) ACE Combat 3 spoiler END

Ok so another thing my sleep deprived brain forgot to say is that there is also another parallels in how they are after Avalon and their interviews. After Avalon They are both the only members that still try to somehow continue in the ideology of AWWNB. Gault 1 is death, Espada 2 only was there because of Espada 1 and Sorcerer 1 gave up and lives a normal life (as normal as being watch by Osea can allow). On the other hand Lucan continues in his ideas same as before. Even trying to recreate AWWNB and even trying to assassinate the President of Osea. But was later lock up and turned kinda insane. Kinda going deeper into the dark both metaphorically and literally.

While Pixy thanks to seeing ground Zero and help from people (and probably the fact that he no longer is in contact with Lucan) is able to reflect and learn from all of this. He realizes that V2 wasn't the solution and that to fully understand the situation he needs to learn more about why borders exist and why people creat them. He in a sence returns to light (like there is a literal shot where beams of light are shining on him his last speech)

So yeah I somehow forgot the one thing that make me create this post..... sorry about that....

This is really the end (I hope this time), I hope that you all liked reading this brainrot of mine. So yeah... thanks for reading all of this and sorry for how long this was... and how I forgot to put the last part here Have a nice day

[abarelysapientpairofshoes]

Top 5 video games?

Top 5 video games you got it!

5. Kerbal Space Program

I love space. I love rockets. This game lets you build your own rockets and go into space.

4. Ace Combat Zero: the Belkan War

I may have slightly internalized some things from this game (what have borders ever given us?). Also this was the first game I ever played that had multiple endings based on how you played it, which blew my fucking mind.

3. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky

Genuinely thee best pokemon game out there and I will fight anyone on that. It makes me Feel Things every single dang time I play it even thirteen years later. Also has approximately a fuckmillion things to do in it.

2. Undertale

What do I even say about this one man? All the characters feel like Real Actual People to me. It's an amazing examination of choice and video games. I cried a lot.

1. Hollow Knight

Yeah we all knew this one would be here. Hollow Knight is my favorite game of all time. Literally everything about it is fantastic. The art direction is beautiful, the soundtrack even more so, the story and characters are compellingand the gameplay rules. I love me a good metroidvania and I think this is the best one.

[osean-kitty]

Diapason | 解放への鐘鳴

<<Belkans get out! Get the hell out of our city!!!>>