Oh! Emperor Vandole is a DOG. - Let's Uncover the Secret of Mana!

Hm, maybe you can. I honestly never bothered. By the time I got far enough to warrant a return visit, I was always 1 boss away from finishing the area. And screw spending the better part of an hour getting out, restocking, and then getting back to where I was.

I think the problem is you have to backtrack to the beginning to call Flammie, and if you get your ass kicked and run out of healing items sometimes it's hard to get back to the start, and you can end up with a pretty fucked save state.

I don't even remember doing this which means now I have to start a new game... I was hoping to avoid this even though I am a pro at savagely throwing around the worlds most blunt butter knife...

It just reminds me of the dome-like Flying Castle from FFI, as depicted by Amano.


I'm glad FuSoYa left these lines alone, because they're the weirdest in the game.

Pistols at dawn, good sir !

I always figured the Secret was that one thing that hasn't come up yet. The Mana Tree was a rather typical revelatory plot dump.

The Pure Land always had my favorite aesthetic in the whole game. I may have mentioned that in this thread before.

I never said the first game had bad music; quite otherwise, there's some really good tracks in there for a GB game. It hardly set the series reputation, though. SD1 had about a half-dozen good tracks and a fair few forgettable ones. SD2 had two dozen great tracks. A world of difference that made.

How could the Mana Holy Land have never been visited by people if it's full of brick constructions? Did Boss's mom build all those in her spare time? To do that she must be a pretty limber tree, like Hogwarts' Whomping Willow.

1. The Mana Holy Land is visited in every Mana game. That puts the original statement somewhere between "misleading" and "completely inaccurate."

2. Faeries live in the Mana Holy Land in SD3 and may be responsible for its architecture.

Isn't this the first one chronologically? I remember FFA specifically mentions the Vandole Empire being a thing that existed long ago.

Even if you put this one first chronologically, Mom made it to the MHL before Boss and friends.

The series chronology in general is pretty confusing, but it goes something like this...

Long ago (some time around Dawn of Mana, I believe), the people who would become the Mana Tribe worshipped the flow of magic. They established the city of Illusia that protected the sacred Mana Tree, and ensured its continued survival. Over time, outsiders came to desire Mana's power, and destroyed the city (causing its people to become the nomadic Mana Tribe). Thus the Mana Holy Land is in fact the ruins of their civilization's capital.

Having not played Dawn of Mana, I can't say for sure how accurate that is, but it does seem to mesh pretty well with what we consistently see: that the Holy Land is always littered with the ruins of some long-forgotten civilization.

Part XIII - Bringing Down the Fortress

Lucky 13, and it's time to finish the fight! Yes, we've reached the final dungeon already. There's nothing left for us to do, right? So let's go straight to the end, no looking back!



♪♪ Steel and Snares ♪♪

Welcome to the Mana Fortress! Home to every known breed of annoying monster, and the vast majority of the best equipment in the game! Oh, but not to be found lying about in chests in the dungeon; that would be too easy. No, the best stuff in the game is dropped by enemies. Oh joy.



There's even a fair few new types of enemies! Here we see one of the most annoying, a FiendSatan Head. (I was wrong about the enemy I called that before, that was a FierceDemon Head.) They spit status-causing dust, they hit hard, and they spawn ninjas. What's to like? Besides their item drop, of course; every enemy has an awesome drop here.



Anyway, the exterior's not even close to the end of the beginning of this place. In we go!



♪♪ Time Enough for Love ♪♪

Immediately we are accosted by a new enemy! Metal Crabs are just beefed-up Death Crabs, and not really noteworthy beyond that. Wish they dropped FullMetal like they do in Legend of Mana...



Not much further in, we encounter another irritant! TsunamisHellwaters do the old "spawn more of themselves" trick that makes this and slime-type enemies so utterly endearing and hair-pullingly frustrating.



Fortunately, I know how to deal with their kind. With FIRE!



Oh nice! So, on the subject of equipment drops here: the Power Suit (Boss' best armor) is dropped by Weepers, the Faerie Cloak (Tomato and Percy's best armor) by Master Ninjas, the Faerie Ring (everyone's best ring) by Wolf Lords, and the Faerie Crown (Tomato and Percy's best headgear) by Terminators. Fortunately, all of these items are common drops from them! Unfortunately, they're still rare as hell drops. Also, cast Detect on ALL chests dropped. 9 times out of 10, they're trapped and that'll undo the trap. Just FYI.



As you can see, once again the benefits of these ultimate armors are pretty slim. Also, if you REALLY must have all rare armor, you can get some inferior pieces here: Vampire Capes from Fiend Heads, Cockatrice Caps from Basilisks, Amulet Helms from National Scars, Guardian Rings from Doom Swords, Ninja Gloves from Dark Stalkers, and Amulet Rings from Tsunamis. Just keep in mind that the most armor in any given armor category you can hold is 11!



Speaking of Wolf LordsDevils, there's one now! Yeah, they're glorified Werewolves. By now, I'm sure you can handle a common threat like that.



Annoying obstacles also make a return in this dungeon, with a vengeance! Green crystals litter the path forward, and they have to be hit 3 times with the sword or axe to cut them down. Laaaame.



There's whippin' spots too, because you know you must whip it. Also, Devil Magazines again.



Actually, there's a lot of Grand Palace enemies in here, such as Dark Stalkers. We haven't met the ultimate ninja type yet, though.



Oh gee I wonder what the switch in the middle of this room will do I am sure it will be completely helpful and not at all a dick move.



Fuck you too, Squaresoft.



Dark Knights also dwell in this place. More Grand Palace enemies? INCONCEIVABLE!

♪♪ Crisis ♪♪

We're quickly 'ported to a new area, with a vampire boss! He doesn't like it when Percy Bursts all over him.



What the hell!? What you are seeing there is some sort of spell overdrive that can happen. Any level 8 spell can randomly cast as a level 9 spell instead. This gives it a new animation and does an extra hit. The odds seem to go up with more spell experience, but I don't think anyone is crazy enough to get to 8:99 skill on every spell school just to get an extra 50 to 100 damage per casting.



Thank you! Why show this message and not the "Got (weapon)'s orb!" one? Because there IS no "Got (weapon)'s orb!" message this time. This guy would have given the errant Axe or Glove orb (take your pick), but due to how enemies in the last dungeon work, he does not. And I bet you're wondering what I mean by that.

Well, several of the last-dungeon enemies can also drop weapon orbs! Your choice enemies for this are Wolf Lords for Glove Orbs, Fiend Heads for Axe Orbs, Tsunamis for Spear Orbs, Terminators for Whip Orbs, Metal Crabs for Bow Orbs, Master Ninjas for Boomerang Orbs, and Whimpers for Javelin Orbs. As you can see, there's a fair bit of overlap between armor and orb sources.



♪♪ Time Enough for Love ♪♪

Whatever, let's keep going. Yeah, Hellhounds are back. Woo. They weren't a threat before, they're even more not a threat now.



Don't be shy about stealing MP from enemies, by the way. This is a Big McLargeHuge dungeon, and you're gonna want at least a few MP for the last boss.



Suck it, Hellwaters!



Another new enemy! That's the aforementioned WhimperMetal Beholder. Like all of their eyeball bretheren, they can Moogle ya. Thank goodness for the Moogle Belt!



Metal Crawlers, here? Jeez, this really IS a Grand Palace reunion!



Sweet, new kit! It does almost nothing!



Crack that whip!



Aww, there's a Basilisk in here! Actually, this is the only Basilisk in the entire fortress. Now I feel even worse about beating the craptar out of it!



Some guides (written by cowards) suggest you be level 75 by this point. I scoff at those guides. They are weak.

♪♪ Crisis ♪♪

Boss, Boss! It's a boss! The Dread SlimeWisp'o'Slime is probably the most interesting fight in the game.



Noticing anything unusual about it yet?



How about now?



How about NOW? Yep, Wisp'o'Slime grows as you damage it. And as it does, you get lower and lower mobility. By this point, spells are the only way to hit it!



And hit it they do!



Just like the other Slime, this one has a weird problem post-battle with the "Way to go!" message. Also, this is where the other errant orb would have been gotten. Boo!



♪♪ Time Enough for Love ♪♪

Mmmm, MP...



Say hello to the Master Ninja! If you didn't guess from how Boss just got faceplanted, these guys are the main reason why cowardly guide writers say you should be around level 75 up here. Really, they're not that hard. Just don't walk into their blades and magic them to death.



When will this place END?



That's my final level up. Yep, suck it "be level 80 for the last boss" guide writer!



Hooray, an orb we'll never use! I guess we should go over what the last weapon upgrades are, since we'll never see 'em...

Dragon Claws: Bonus damage to dragons; ker-SNORE!
Aura Glove: It does nothing.
GigasDemon's Axe: +5 to Strength; BOOOOOOORING!
DoomDevil Axe: It does nothing!
Daedalus Lance: Hey, it does nothing!
Gigas Flail: Wow, it does nothing!
Garuda Buster: Amazing, it does nothing!
Ninja's TrumpFuma Shuriken: Awesome, it does nothing!
ValkyrianValkyrie Spear: You'll never guess, it does nothing!

Are you sufficiently disappointed? I know I am! Onward!



So much dungeon...

Is that the 'porter out of here?



It is! We know this place pretty well, I'd say.



♪♪ The Ritual ♪♪

Oh hey, it's Tomato's plot device, I mean boyfriend.

Thanatos: For ages I have been searching for a human with the power to conquer the world. One born within the shadow of darkness, but raised in the twilight of Mana. Dyluck is the one. I cannot wait any longer. My body has grown dangerously weak! It is time! Using his body, I will take the Mana Fortress, and rule this world for all eternity!
*Thanatos walks up to Dyluck*
Tomato: Dyluck! Resist him with all your might!

Yeah, that's a plan. Here's a better one: shoot Thanatos in the goddamn face!



Oh wow, you actually DID shoot him in the facelegs! Respect plus.

H...help me...guhuf... Let m...maieee!

And then he vanishes in a flash of light. Kinda anticlimactic end, but hey. At least we don't have to fight him.

Yes yes, he used to be an evil sorcerer until he took an arrow to the knee. Can we get beyond that joke now?



♪♪ Spirit of Night ♪♪

Oh man, it's gonna be the four of us versus the Mana Beast. This'll be epic!

Dyluck: ...Uhhn...where am I? ......... Guwa ha ha! {Oh hey, Thanatos finally took laughing lessons! Oops spoilers.}
♪♪ Crisis ♪♪
Thanatos: Guwa ha ha! How very wonderful this new body feels! I grow stronger by the minute!

Alright, I've had enough. You enslave mankind, killed off the Emperor, unearthed the Mana Fortress, and killed the Mana Tree. I can forgive all that. But body-snatching? That is the final, truly final straw! Remember that photo we had taken back in '91 together?



Yeah, that one! It is going in the fireplace, because we are SO through, Thanatos!



See? Tomato agrees with me!

Thanatos: My dear, I can do anything I want! Ha, ha-huh...? I can't...move!
♪♪ Fond Memories ♪♪
Tomato, can you hear me? It's me, Dyluck... He's way too strong for me...I'm finished, but I can help you... Thanatos is an ancient sorcerer who long ago sold his heart to the underworld. Though his life force is eternal, he hasn't his own body. His life force is growing darker. He feeds on hatred and total destruction!
Thanatos: Ooh! Silence!
Tomato...I'm so sorry I won't see you again. But I have to go through with this... You're Boss, right? Take care of Tomato...
Tomato: Dyluck! Stop it! Please! Dyluck! STOP IT!!
Thanatos: Ughrrrrr!

And apparently Thanatos is now constipated.



♪♪ Thanatos ♪♪

Or he just hulked out!

Give me your bodies! GUWAA!

You are so going down now!



♪♪ The Sorcerer ♪♪

Some players are intimidated by Thanatos. Some players are less awesome than other players.



I am an awesome player.



Gotta hand it to you, Thanatos. You are one ineffective boss monster.



Seriously, he's supposed to be a world-eater, and you can spell-lock his ass into oblivion easily.

We're through forever, Thanatos! Sniff... And I trusted you...



Well, that's good! I was wondering how we were going to use the Mana Sword when, you know, it wasn't the Mana Sword yet.



♪♪ It's Over ♪♪

Tomato's got PTSD already. I guess that's what happens when you're forced to boatmurder your loved ones due to a guffawing lich.



Seriously, what the hell did you eat for lunch? Your vomit looks disgusting.



♪♪ Towards the Dawn ♪♪

Shaking fortress is shaking!

*Percy flies backwards*
Percy: Uwaa!
Boss: What is it?
*Percy gets up*
Percy: ...whew...! I'm okay... just dizzy! We have to get out of here, NOW!

And here I thought we could stop to take a scenic photograph! Okay, fine...



♪♪ A Solitary Hope ♪♪

Yeah spoilers? It IS Flammie. FuSoYa tried to obscure this, but Woolsey had it right.

Boss: I guess creatures like Flammie were once Mana Beasts...
Percy: Hurry, or the Mana Beast will ruin the world!
*Percy and Tomato start towards the stairs*
Percy: Come on! Let's do it!
Boss: ...I can't... I won't hurt a Mana Beast! I can't! They are only trying to restore Mana! Killing it will wipe out Mana in our world! And...Percy! If Mana begins to vanish from this world, you might too!
*Percy looks away*
Tomato: Oh NO!
Boss: Right...I can't go throguh with this...
*Percy faces Boss*
Percy: ...... Whaddaya mean? I'm NOT gonna kick the bucket! My world is separate from this one. It just means I won't...see you again. Look, if we don't stop the Mana Beast, your world is finished, right? Everything will perish. Trees... animals... PEOPLE! We can't just let that happen! YOU have the Mana Sword, YOU must save this world... You have no choice! Don't forget, you made a vow to your mother, the Mana Tree. You have to go through with it!
Boss: All right... ...are you really sure about this?
Percy: OF COURSE! Later, Tomato!

Man, it's FFX all over again! Only with fewer demonic deer ticks and more giant dragon-beasts.



♪♪ Meridian Prayer ♪♪ (Best last boss theme ever, or best last boss theme ever?)

I dun wanna!

We'll cast Mana Magic, then the Mana Sword will appear!

Really?



Really! Mana Magic is cheap to cast, which is good since there's no way in hell you can go to the shops at this point to restock on items! Did you run out of MP and Magic Walnuts? Too bad, game over, be more MP-conservative next time!



Also, both characters have to cast Mana Magic on Boss. You can't just cast it with one of them or cast it twice with the same character.



That was brilliantly timed.



Also? Ouch.



So yeah, only Boss can damage the Mana Beast. Those are good damage numbers, but you know what would look even better?

Aww yeah. This is the fight to make the most of that Energy Ball spell on Boss. Also, what the hell, Mana Beast? You are not affected by magic, why cast Counter-Magic on yourself? You really wanna screw me over, you should cast Tinkle Barrier.



The Mana Beast seems to realize that Boss is the real threat here, and almost always targets him.



He also has this fly-by attack, which is pretty weak.



And then the fight just loops. Here you can see me taking advantage of the spell-lock glitch in the other direction: avoiding incoming damage by being affected by a healing/effect spell just as the damaging blow would land.



Mana Magic does fade as the fight goes on. Be sure you have at least 3 or 4 MP left for the battle on both characters!



Kerblam! That is one dead Mana Beast, if I do say so myself.



The world still looks pretty bleak...



♪♪ The Wings Have Stopped Beating ♪♪

How the hell did we get deposited up on a snowy cliff? Whatever, ending time!

Tomato: ...Percy...
Boss: Goodbye Percy... I'll never forget you! Ever!
Tomato: ...yes, me too! ...and Dyluck, too... But we must be strong...
*They look up at the sky*
The Mana Beast is turning into...snow!

That's pretty random. So... Now we get a real ending, right?



...You have GOT to be kidding me? That was IT?



Okay okay, fine. Let's get this rolling, then.

Secret of Mana was LPed before a live forum audience.



Special considerations provided by...

Tasnica Castle: Because living inside a castle in close quarters is so much better for your health than living in villages! Half-price special on bubonic plague this week!

♪♪ The Penultimate Truth ♪♪

And by...

Joch's School of Self-Discovery: For those times when you want the world to know you're a real degree-holding hero instead of actually going out there and proving it!



And by...

The Tasnican Royal Navy: Just what you need when you decide that you'd rather be a douchebottle instead of a decent human being! Come join our crew, or don't! We'll just draft you either way.



And by...

Santa! Sharks jumped twice daily! Ask about our special offer for franchises spanning more than 3 entries!



And by...

The Matango Mushroom Museum: Preserving our nation's culture by preserving our nation's inhabitants. It's only creepy if you're a sentient mushroom, honest!



And by...

The Forest of Schizophrenia Support Group: Overcome your seasonal disorders today!



And by...

Elinee's Forest Castle: We used to curse people with death, now we curse them with fun! Check out our new tiger petting zoo!



And by...

Cannon Travel, Inc.: It's still safer than Buzz Bee Balloons!

And by...

Watts the Blacksmith: Keep those weapons sharp and that Dwarven economy strong! We offer a 0% discount for Mana Knights!



And by...

Niccolo's Business as Usual: Ripping you off by being the only merchant around! Monopoly's wonderful, innit?



And by...

The Pandora Military: Barely qualified to be called a militia, let alone the force that protects a nation! We promise we'll run like frightened chipmunks at the first sign of danger!



And by...

Luca's Water Temple: Providing all of your early-game exposition and healing needs!



And by...

Potos Village Council: Solving problems is for schmucks! If you pull out any holy swords around here, we'll kick you out of town instead of asking you to put it back!



♪♪ The Wings Have Stopped Beating ♪♪

Just one last thing to do...



Finally. Should've done that months ago.



Oh hey Percy. You're looking flicker-y and not at all in this world any more. So, I guess that's it?



It sure is! It's been fun, but now our story is at its end. Thank you, one and all, you've been a wonderful audience!

Secret of Mana ~ Fin

Bonus Update!

Come on, you knew this was coming. What goodies do I have for you this time?

Interviews, Interviews, Interviews!

Here's an interview where Ted Woolsey discusses his experience with Secret of Mana.

Back in 1998, , and

Art, Art, Art!

Ever wanted to see Seiken Densetsu 2's concept art? Well now you can! You're welcome.

Music, Music, Music!

Secret of Mana's soundtrack is available in the US over iTunes! Here's the YouTube links I've used during the LP if you're not sold.

♪♪ Where Angels Fear to Tread ♪♪
♪♪ A Curious Tale ♪♪
♪♪ Wild Roses and Spirits ♪♪
♪♪ Together Forever ♪♪
♪♪ Fond Memories ♪♪
♪♪ In the Thick of It ♪♪
♪♪ Bright Summer Skies ♪♪
♪♪ Dancing Beasts ♪♪
♪♪ Distant Thunder ♪♪
♪♪ The Sprite Child ♪♪
♪♪ It Happened One Moonlit Night ♪♪
♪♪ In the Dead of Night ♪♪
♪♪ Sacred Intrusion ♪♪
♪♪ Secrets of the Scorching Sands ♪♪
♪♪ What the Forest Taught Me ♪♪
♪♪ A Wish ♪♪
♪♪ Spirit of Night ♪♪
♪♪ Did You See the Sea? ♪♪
♪♪ Crisis ♪♪
♪♪ Calm Before the Storm ♪♪
♪♪ Eternal Winds ♪♪
♪♪ Flying Into the Unknown ♪♪
♪♪ Everlasting Cycle ♪♪
♪♪ The Legend ♪♪
♪♪ Eight Ringing Bells ♪♪
♪♪ Strange Happenstance ♪♪
♪♪ Lord of the Shore ♪♪
♪♪ Dark Star ♪♪
♪♪ Prophecy ♪♪
♪♪ Steel and Snares ♪♪
♪♪ A Silent Prayer ♪♪
♪♪ The Ritual ♪♪
♪♪ Towards the Dawn ♪♪
♪♪ Time Enough for Love ♪♪
♪♪ The Holy Land ♪♪
♪♪ Thanatos ♪♪
♪♪ The Sorcerer ♪♪
♪♪ It's Over ♪♪
♪♪ I Will Never Forget You ♪♪
♪♪ A Solitary Hope ♪♪
♪♪ Meridian Prayer ♪♪
♪♪ The Wings Have Stopped Beating ♪♪
♪♪ The Penultimate Truth ♪♪
♪♪ Close Your Eyes ♪♪
♪♪ Menu ♪♪

And here's a live performance of the last boss theme.

♪♪ Meridian Prayer (Eminence Symphony Orchestra) ♪♪

The Secret of the Secret of Mana LP!

Did you know that I've been adding hidden images to almost every single update since part 8? I have! See if you can find all 4! They're not especially well-hidden if you know how I sort my files. Be the first to post all 4 and win a free Mana Sword*!

* - Mana Sword only available as a prize for posters living in the Horsehead Nebula.

That's all we have for this LP. Come join me in June, when we say farewell to the world of Mana and pay a visit the world of Ivalice in Final Fantasy XII. This is Sky Render, signing off.

TRUE FACT: I never realized both characters had to cast Mana Magic for it to do anything until I watched someone do it on YouTube. I have never once revived the Mana Sword.

It is completely unnecessary to use the Mana Sword on the Mana Beast, thus invalidating like 90% of the game's plot.

Oh it gets better. You know what Mana Magic actually does? It raises your sword's level by 1 when both are cast on the hero. Meaning it will give you whatever sword is right above where you left off in upgrading it (so if you left off at Masamune, you'll get Dragon Buster, etc.). This is why you can kill the last boss without Mana Magic: because Mana Magic doesn't work the way it's SUPPOSED to.

And now weary traveler, rest your head, for just like me, you're utterly dead.

I didn't even check Dryad's magic spells the first time through. It was years later that I figured it out.

Also, this. Without the Mana Sword, you have to resort to charged attacks that don't inflict as much damage, but it is possible.

Goddamn, I can't even single out a piece of music I particularly like this time; it's all pretty awesome.

Great LP, Sky Render! Looking forward to your next one.

Awesome LP!

I can't even begin to tell you how badass I thought this song was back in the day. Yeah, the samples haven't aged nearly as well as the other, better compositions, but this thing still gets the blood pumping. (Also, why do I remember this song being named "The Oracle?")

Really?? I thought the line in the original SNES version was something along the lines of "It's a Flammie," as in, it's the same kind of creature, but not literally our friendly mode of transportation.

Bad. Ass.

Actually, the names of the songs in general totally hint at the development process being jacked up. I'm assuming soundtracks have to start being worked on pretty early, and these names seem kind of unrelated to how they eventually got used. "Did you see the sea?" No, in fact I don't think we ever really DID see the sea! But we sure heard this song for the first time in the Witch's Castle.

There's a few track name translations floating about. The best-known ones are from the limited US soundtrack release back in the early 90s, which of course had loads of censorship. The track names featured in this LP are mostly the result of me going over the track names and adding my own spin to them.

That track name always reminds me of Legend of Mana. "Forsake the lake to see the sea. See?"