Normal people traversing dangerous areas on the island

You see this occasionally. I guess Sue going through Egg Corridor and back wasn't too bad, but Kazuma went through the destroyed Egg Corridor with all the rubble, stalactites, and Dragon Zombies. Momorin and Itoh manage to make it through the Last Cave, where you need a booster to avoid all the dang spikes. Etc.
How do they do this?
The only place you hear this sort of being addressed is when Booster explains how the Sand Zone is 'exceedingly dangerous' for most people to visit and explore, presumably on account of the local fauna or perhaps also the weather and terrain. But that doesn't square with all these other examples of regular characters apparently making short work of otherwise difficult maps. Is there some easier path that they use that we can't see for some reason?
I'd be interested to hear any theories on this.

 

Itoh and Mormin probably have a portable Teleporter, considering Itoh made the controller for the rocket. Sue can just run, and Kazuma, going to be honest unless he runs like hell to the other side (Like sue) he is NOT surviving.

 

There's also the question of whether Egg Corridor was destroyed before or after Kazuma got to the Egg Observation Room. (And how it was destroyed, but I'm sure that's been discussed in some other Theory thread.) You're right that Egg Corridor is normally not too bad, Sue and Kazuma could definitely run through. On that note, I think the fact that Kazuma got through lends some credence to the idea that the destruction happened afterwards, perhaps even as a consequence of him being there (maybe there was some self-destruct security sequence to guard Egg no. 00 that he accidentally tripped up).

I don't think the portable teleporter idea is really plausible. You need a teleporter on both sides to be able to teleport, and I don't think there is one in the helicopter or elsewhere on the Balcony. Plus, there was hardly any time to develop such technology - and assuming they already had it, you'd think they'd use it for other purposes earlier in the game (getting Kazuma, for instance).

 

Momorin and Itoh manage to make it through the Last Cave, where you need a booster to avoid all the dang spikes. Etc.

It would be pretty funny if they made it through the normal Last Cave, since it's a map where the booster isn't required at all, hint hint to the people who are curious about the Mimiga Mask ending. But then that would beg the question even further on how there can be two Last Caves (other than the naming difference between the two that only the player can see), with two very similar layouts, both sharing the same entrances and exits...

You feel a black wind blow through you.

...was Quote going through his schizo arc in the Last Cave, and the map has never really changed?? /s

 

(And how it was destroyed, but I'm sure that's been discussed in some other Theory thread.)

The theory I put forward on this subject is that the Egg Corridor probably went boom because both of the individuals who maintained the equipment died.

...was Quote going through his schizo arc in the Last Cave, and the map has never really changed?? /s

Actually... what if Last Cave was a somewhat metaphysical location, and there were more Last Cave variations than what we see? The place might scale in difficulty with whoever enters it.

As for how a place like that could exist... a wizard did it. Probably. I mean the only other location of the black wind is Hell, so a Ballos connection is possible.

 

There's also the question of whether Egg Corridor was destroyed before or after Kazuma got to the Egg Observation Room. (And how it was destroyed, but I'm sure that's been discussed in some other Theory thread.) You're right that Egg Corridor is normally not too bad, Sue and Kazuma could definitely run through. On that note, I think the fact that Kazuma got through lends some credence to the idea that the destruction happened afterwards, perhaps even as a consequence of him being there (maybe there was some self-destruct security sequence to guard Egg no. 00 that he accidentally tripped up).

I don't think the portable teleporter idea is really plausible. You need a teleporter on both sides to be able to teleport, and I don't think there is one in the helicopter or elsewhere on the Balcony. Plus, there was hardly any time to develop such technology - and assuming they already had it, you'd think they'd use it for other purposes earlier in the game (getting Kazuma, for instance).

That would make sense if the egg corridor wasn't destroyed, because it only seems to completely fall apart after Kazuma hatched Egg 0... I now hate Kazuma for killing a bunch of baby dragons.
Kazuma is as evil as Ballos if he did that.

 

this comic by nightmargin is still relevant even over a decade later huh

probably a 'boring' answer but i just assumed that people got around by virtue of it being a 3D space in-universe, ie. took paths that weren't (as) infested by spikes and monsters...
although it is funny to imagine momorin and itoh - middle aged scientists, one of whom was transformed into a mimiga, both of whom are presumably some level of sleep deprived and hungry - just absolutely legging it through last cave

 

As for how a place like that could exist... a wizard did it. Probably. I mean the only other location of the black wind is Hell, so a Ballos connection is possible.

It would be pretty interesting to think the orange palette in the Sacred Grounds was through Quote's perspective, they would otherwise be using the same palette as the Balcony. Either way Ballos could be an influence.

 

It would be pretty funny if they made it through the normal Last Cave, since it's a map where the booster isn't required at all, hint hint to the people who are curious about the Mimiga Mask ending

Good point, I forgot about how you technically don't need a booster there

The theory I put forward on this subject is that the Egg Corridor probably went boom because both of the individuals who maintained the equipment died.

I presume you don't mean natural degradation due to lack of maintenance. So something like a dead man's switch to keep the eggs from falling into the wrong hands? Interesting. Did the unnamed professor maintaining the eggs foresee bad guys trying to use the Sky Dragons for no good? Are the dragons more powerful than we thought?
Also, now that I think about it, it does make sense for Egg Corridor to have been considered (in-universe) a relatively non-threatening locale as far as the Island went, what with the professor and untransformed Igor being there to study and maintain it, not to mention using artificial security measures rather than just hoping the environment would deter trespassers. Again, I think it makes sense for the destruction to have occurred after Kazuma got to the 00 room (Nighth's comic is indeed relevant as ever, thanks for bringing it up Eli )

Actually... what if Last Cave was a somewhat metaphysical location, and there were more Last Cave variations than what we see? The place might scale in difficulty with whoever enters it.
As for how a place like that could exist... a wizard did it. Probably. I mean the only other location of the black wind is Hell, so a Ballos connection is possible.

That's a neat theory but it lacks a motive, why would Ballos make a place like that? To train us so we can ultimately do a better job of ending him? Seems a bit tenuous

probably a 'boring' answer but i just assumed that people got around by virtue of it being a 3D space in-universe, ie. took paths that weren't (as) infested by spikes and monsters...
although it is funny to imagine momorin and itoh - middle aged scientists, one of whom was transformed into a mimiga, both of whom are presumably some level of sleep deprived and hungry - just absolutely legging it through last cave

you absolutely need to draw this now
but yeah, if there are easier paths around, why wouldn't Quote look for and use those? Because we can go through more difficult paths, so we won't bother looking for something easier? but easier paths are more likely to be easier to find and access as well, cuz they'd be more well-travelled... I guess... Or maybe not, considering these probably aren't common travel routes for Islanders. Yeah you have a point, Momorin and Itoh probably just took their time searching the terrain to find a naturally less thorny path

 

I presume you don't mean natural degradation due to lack of maintenance.

Actually, I do mean that. I have no idea how long Igor's master was dead for, or how long Igor was turned for, but something was going to go wrong eventually.

As for the failure in question, I suspect that the exploding clouds represent a gas explosion. So it was probably a gas leak.

That's a neat theory but it lacks a motive, why would Ballos make a place like that? To train us so we can ultimately do a better job of ending him? Seems a bit tenuous

There is no motive. There can't be. The fact that Ballos has little control over his own magic is a fairly well established fact. At best his magic might be driven by his subconscious. Maybe it is just his desire for mercy during his torture being manifested in a subconscious way? Who knows? I'm no shrink. I'm not going to try and explain Ballos' fucked up mental processes.

 

you absolutely need to draw this now

Spoiler: you're welcome

but yeah, if there are easier paths around, why wouldn't Quote look for and use those?

also, re. this i assume it's like... quote, as a soldier robot, will take the optimal path in terms of risk/reward - he's happy to and perfectly capable of blasting his way through enemies and navigating spikes if it means he gets from A to B faster, whereas there's safer or easier paths but they'd take longer

 

Spoiler: you're welcome

View attachment 9933

I love it.

also, re. this i assume it's like... quote, as a soldier robot, will take the optimal path in terms of risk/reward - he's happy to and perfectly capable of blasting his way through enemies and navigating spikes if it means he gets from A to B faster, whereas there's safer or easier paths but they'd take longer

You know what? This honestly makes sense. Scrap my earlier theory.

 

Actually... what if Last Cave was a somewhat metaphysical location, and there were more Last Cave variations than what we see? The place might scale in difficulty with whoever enters it.

It would make sense considering its adjacency to the sacred grounds, maybe Ballos's magic is most directly apparent in this area and Quote is only able to perceive it as "A different version of the same location"?

Ballos maybe knew Quote was an actual threat to him it would be in his best interest to keep him away from him at all costs... But this unintentionally trains Quote (the player) to be more prepared to fight Ballos, which makes sense considering Ballos's whole ethos is what led to his death.

I've been thinking of making a CS mod that changes the difficulty of the areas based on the player's "skill" at the game and this would be a great premise to base this on tbh

 

Ballos maybe knew Quote was an actual threat to him it would be in his best interest to keep him away from him at all costs... But this unintentionally trains Quote (the player) to be more prepared to fight Ballos, which makes sense considering Ballos's whole ethos is what led to his death.

Doesn't Ballos state in-game that he hopes for someone who can put him out of his misery? For what reason would he have to set up not one gauntlet, but two, just to stop Quote from killing him, or even just to judge to see if he's worthy enough to kill him? And I mean, if Plan A doesn't help Ballos repent for his sins, he may as well have someone else do the job for him.

 

Ah so he's training a hater dedicated enough to eventually take him down, that's real

 

As I said earlier, I think Ballos' magic is reacting to Ballos' subconscious and maybe his emotional state. And Ballos is a fucking mess mentally. The magic keeping Ballos alive is probably from the part of him who wants to be live, despite everything. The magic stopping the souls of his victims from moving on is likely a manifestation of his guilt and his desire to be judged. The Red Flowers are likely a manifestation of his madness and hate.