As I’m sure we all know/figured out by now, the cut scenes that were in IGN’s 16 minute SL video weren’t in order. In an effort to piece together the little bit of story that is there, below I am going to put those scenes in order (with time stamps), and describe what is going on in each scene.
Again…
##Spoilers!!!
If you don’t want to be spoiled on the story, then don’t read any further in my post. And please, to those who would like to discuss the story, lets do our best to not spoil what is there.
##Prologue:
- The narrator sets up the story saying Gargos took over the Astral Plane a long time ago by slaying many of the other “astral beings”, including Eyedol, and absorbing their power.
- The remaining Guardians, the good guys, then ran away and sealed Gargos in the Astral Plane as to protect other dimensions from his corruption.
- But then Kan-Ra freed Gargos by opening a portal to the Astral Plane after being manipulated by Gargos himself.
- Now the Guardians are looking for worthy fighters to merge with, in order to fight against Gargos’ power.
I read in another thread that people were wondering how it could be that Gargos manipulated Kan-Ra to open the portal, when in the S2 story mode it says ARIA manipulated him. The short answer is that it probably is both.
ARIA laid the bread crumbs for Kan-Ra to find the pieces for his syphon, but after he opened the portal, and was subsequently thrown through it by Maya, he was enticed into opening in again (but this time bigger) because he thought he could be more powerful. When he opened it the second time, it was only then when he realized what had happened.
Gargos laid the foundation to his trap years ago, and more than likely had Kan-Ra searching for clues to the AP from jump. ARIA was the one who freed Kan-Ra (by accident) in S2, and helped/led him back on to the path to opening the portal, but it was Gargos who got him on the path in the first place, and was more than likely the one who filled his head with dreams of power if he opened the portal in the first place.
##The Alliance (6:50):
- Jago meet Kim Wu and asks her to join his crew in order to fight Gargos.
- This is continuing after Jago realizes that Gargos was the one who corrupted him in the first place.
- At the end of the cut scene, Jago and Kim are attacked by one of Gargos’ demons.
This is the continuation of the end of Novella Chapter 4. Jago has finally met up with Kim and Yeo.
##Dimensional Rift (7:53):
- After defeating the "Herald of Gargos’, a portal opens which beckons Jago to go through it.
Seems weird that Jago would leave Kim without a word, but if Jago was being called into the portal from the other side, enticed by Gargos, I guess that would make since. This is the shortest cut scene of the bunch.
##The Astral Plane (9:34):
- Jago is dropped in the Astral Plane where he meets Gargos face to face.
- Gargos asks Jago to join him, and when Jago refuses, they fight.
I think it is interesting that they used Gargos’ retro look to signify a lower power level. And also in this cut scene they seem to show that Combo-Breakers are a canon ability. That yellow explosion that Jago emitted to escape Gargos’ grasp makes me smile.
##The True Face of Evil (8:02):
- Jago defeats Gargos, but it was a trick and Gargos returns more powerful than before.
- Gargos easily dodges Jago’s final attack, and flings Jago back through a portal into the Earth dimension.
- along with Jago going through the portal, Gargos send a ton of Shadow energy as well.
Not much to say about this scene, but to me it seemed like this was the jump off point to Gargos’ invasion. He tried to get Jago back on his side, but once Jago refused he sent him back on his death bed, which scattered shadow energy across the globe.
##Jago’s Fading Spirit (10:02):
- Jago falls out of the portal in front of Kim Wu, but along with Jago, a Kim Wu mimic appears from the portal as well.
- Kim fights and defeats the mimic to protect Jago, but then Kan-Ra appears, and teleports both
Jago and Kim back to his lair. - Kan-Ra tells Kim that “the Killer Instinct fighters need her to help build a weapon capable of defeating Gargos.”
- Once at Kan-Ra’s Emporium, he bargains with Kim for the astral Items she acquired after defeating the mimic in order to save Jago’s life.
I feel like Kan-Ra is setting Kim up. My speculation here is that this may be the foundation for how Eyedol is resurrected. I just don’t see the KI fighters asking Kan-Ra for help, let alone Kan-Ra trying to help them. He is always scheming.
…
So, yeah…
The story so far seems simple enough, and coupled with the novella it should be a wild ride from beginning to end (I’m hoping). I’m happy to see that the novella is playing right into the SL mode, and like others in the thread I hope we get some novella content in the actual game.
Though I wish the overall presentation of the cut scenes were more…uh…movie like/animated, I really do like what is here, and how the story is being told and is playing out. I just hope the story is of decent length, and just keep going through to a meaningful/stratifying conclusion.
Really looking forward to September 20th now!
. I hope it isn’t exclusive to just Kan Ra and Gargos.