Lurker > LeonhartFour

Nintendo

Why, Mr. Edgeworth...I'm not sure I like you wagging your finger at me as though I were some hoser!

I could do this all day.

I don't have friends. I got family.

Play Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80791800

New topic

colliding posted...

Strago had kids too right? Been a while but I thought Relm was his biological granddaughter

Nope, she isn't. I don't think it's ever stated that Strago had kids of his own.

they don't name cups and championships after scrub players

Jecht was as good as he claimed to be

Jecht wasn't a good father.

He may not have been quite as bad as Tidus said, but he certainly wasn't good.

andylt posted...

Auto for Rinoa H3

For Cid T

Cid Telamon

Please don't ignore meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Final Fantasy XII Was There No Other Way?

I have a lot of mixed feelings about Final Fantasy XII. I get why people love it despite its glaring flaws, but in a series as strong as this one, it comes up short for me in a lot of areas (Just for clarification: I have not played the Zodiac Age version. I bought it, but I have yet to work up the motivation to give FFXII another go). However, thats not to say the game is entirely without merit. It does have a few things I like a lot. It has a handful of really strong characters, chief among them Balthier and Dr. Cid.

I feel like people have grown cold toward Balthier over the years, but I still think hes fantastic. I love the leading man gimmick, and hes a good Final Fantasy version of Han Solo (shame about their versions of Luke Skywalker and Chewbacca, but at least they did well with Ashe as Princess Leia!). More than that, I really enjoy his backstory with his father, Dr. Cid. I like it when he drops the veneer with Ashe and explains how he became estranged from his father and chose to become a sky pirate instead. Its always fun when the cool and collected character lets you in a little to see their real self.

However, I must admit I was a little disappointed when you meet Dr. Cid for the first time. I expected some interaction between father and son here, but while Balthier got in a few remarks, Dr. Cid ignored him almost entirely. He was more focused on Ashe than his son. Was it because he had gone insane and forgotten his son, or was this plotline just a victim of Final Fantasy XIIs lackluster storytelling?

Fortunately, we got some measure of redemption when you encounter Dr. Cid again at the top of the Pharos Lighthouse. Before the fight, he talks about the high hopes he had for Balthier, but he chose to run away from it all and now hes come back too late. After the battle, their interaction was brief, but the bittersweet emotion from both sides was palpable. I just love Balthiers question, Was there no other way? In his mind, it shouldnt have had to end like this. You can sense the regret.

Yet you also get to see a brief glimpse into Dr. Cids humanity with his response. He tells him he doesnt need his pity, and he should get running since thats what hes good at. Then he calls Balthier a fool of a pirate before he fades away. You can detect his own sadness and disappointment in how things turned out. Beneath the madman, there was still a part of Dr. Cid that wished he hadnt lost his relationship with his son.

Thats what makes this bittersweet moment work for me. Both sides wish things could have been different, but they also both know theres nothing they can do now to change them. Dr. Cid dies with his regrets, and Balthier now has to live with his own. This is one occasion where Final Fantasy XIIs brevity actually works in its favor.

Bonus Question: What is your favorite father/child emotional moment?

Squall Leonhart

Yeah, there's not another Barkley out there, and they shouldn't be trying to find one. Inside the NBA (or whatever version of the show continues after next season, if it does) will be lesser without him, but it doesn't mean it can't still be good in its own way.

Zvarri! The truth has once again been elegantly revealed to me.

Scrubs Nurse Roberts Dies (My Long Goodbye)

Scrubs is a show thats well-known for its emotional moments. I wouldnt say this is an overlooked or forgotten episode. After all, it ranks at #10 on IMDB for episodes of the series, but it just speaks to how good Scrubs is that My Long Goodbye isnt often brought up when discussing the best moments from the show (from what Ive seen anyway), so Id say its a tad underrated in that regard.

I dont even know why I started watching Scrubs, to be honest. Ive never been into medical shows. I hadnt ever watched one before this, and I havent watched another one since. I guess the commercials made it look interesting. Maybe it fooled me into thinking it was merely a comedy instead of a dramedy! Now I know the exact moment I recognized that Scrubs was for me (and I might get to it later), but Im not sure why I began watching in the first place.

Ive been listening to the Fake Doctors Real Friends podcast (which is a Scrubs rewatch podcast hosted by Zach Braff and Donald Faison, a.k.a. J.D. and Turk) since it launched near the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. They just released the podcast episode for the final Scrubs episode this week, so I figured it was appropriate to touch on an emotional moment from the show. By the way, I never watched Season 9, and based on the way Zach and Donald talked about it, I feel like I made the right choice!

Anyway, My Long Goodbye centers around a minor recurring character, Nurse Laverne Roberts, who is best friends with fellow nurse Carla. I think this might also qualify as an answer to a bonus question I asked earlier about a character you dislike making you emotional. Carla is my least favorite of the Scrubs main cast, although Ive come to appreciate the grounding effect she has on the show over time. I think what makes the final scene of the episode work is that Carlas actress, Judy Reyes, just knocks it out of the park.

Now its time to delve into spoilers, so I apologize for you non-Scrubs watchers whove been reading up until now! Go watch it on Hulu! Its really good! At the end of the previous episode, Nurse Roberts gets into a car accident and falls into a coma, and she isnt expected to make it. My Long Goodbye is dedicated to all the characters saying their goodbyes to her, except for Carla, who cant bring herself to do it.

To compound matters, Carla is followed by a version of Nurse Roberts who keeps encouraging her to say goodbye while she has the chance. However, unlike with My Screw Up, Carla realizes its not the real Nurse Roberts (Fun Fact: They wanted to get Brendan Fraser back to follow Dr. Cox around at one point, but he was unavailable, so they ended up doing the scene with Jill, the girl who died of rabies in My Lunch).

Eventually, Carla works up the courage to say her goodbye, and the speech is really moving, especially with how she loses it at the end, saying, I am really, really gonna miss you. Then you have the narration by J.D., talking about how any doctor will tell you that it feels like some patients hang on just long enough for everyone to say goodbye, followed by the sound of Nurse Roberts flatlining.

That flatline sound can really trigger an emotional response if youve ever been in a real-life situation where youve had to hear it. My dad was diagnosed with lung cancer, and shortly before he died, he crashed, so they had to sedate him and put him on life support. When my stepmom called to tell me the news, I dropped everything to drive the 8 hours from Illinois to Tennessee to see him. I spent the next 24 hours or so in that hospital room with him before he died, only stepping out a few times to eat.

Over the course of that day, I had to watch several friends and family members come by to say their own goodbyes to my dad, which was rough. Once it felt like everyone who was able to make it had been able to pay their respects, it felt like he died within the hour. I remember watching him crash, knowing this was probably it, and then hearing that flatline sound to indicate it was over.

So yeah, this is definitely a moment I can relate to, so thats probably why it has such an impact on me. I apologize for talking about my dad so much in some of these writeups. Its honestly kind of therapeutic for me, especially with Fathers Day around the corner. Its not something I talk about much, so it helps to be able to put it into words sometimes.

Bonus Question: Is there a time a minor character made you emotional?

Mice and Men

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater The Salute

I have this moment on my mind because of the recent Metal Gear Delta trailer. I think its interesting that theyre viewing this as a new entry point for the series. I guess it makes sense since it is the earliest game in terms of chronology, but it still feels strange to me to recommend starting with a prequel. Theres a certain implication that youre familiar with what happens after this. Itd be like recommending someone start with the prequels for Star Wars, which Ive seen people do (as an aside, that feels like a quick way to get someone to give up on Star Wars because Episodes I and II are not very good!), so I guess its not an isolated incident.

Of course, the difference is that youd be starting with the best one if you started with Snake Eater! I think that might be part of the motivation for starting with remaking Metal Gear Solid 3 because they recognize that its a big fan favorite. Its the most emotional game in the series, and not just because all the members of the Cobra Unit are named after emotions! That being said, I do think the decision to have the Cobras named for emotions is meant to convey that this game was meant to be an emotional experience.

At the heart of it all is the relationship between Naked Snake and The Boss. Naked Snake is a more expressive character emotionally (always watch his eyes; they tell you a lot of what hes feeling). While Solid Snake is meant to be a grizzled (literally in terms of his voice) veteran whos calm, cool, and collected, Naked Snake is more uncertain, more nave, and is essentially learning on the job. You can gauge his progress by observing his interactions with The Boss as the game goes along, both verbally and physically.

It all comes to a head in a very emotional final boss fight between Naked Snake and The Boss. It features multiple iconic quotes for the series, as well as Snake Eater gradually ramping up as the fight goes along. Random fun fact: My sons name is Jack. I dont do this every time, but whenever I buckle him into his car seat to go somewhere, Ill tell him, Lets make this the greatest ten minutes of our lives, Jack. We live in a small town where it feels like we live ten minutes from everything, so the quote always works! Snake wins, and the game forces the player to pull the trigger to end The Bosss life.

After a wild sequence of events, Snake is finally told the whole truth of The Bosss mission via an audio recording EVA left behind. This part of Metal Gear Solid 3s ending reminds me a bit of Final Fantasy VIIIs ending, where they attempt to tell a story only with body language and no dialogue. Well, no dialogue from Snake, I mean. EVA is talking the whole time, but pay attention to his reactions. Throughout this sequence of events, hes wearing his emotions on his sleeves in a way that you almost never saw from Solid Snake.

It all culminates with Snake visiting The Bosss grave as EVAs speech reaches its climax. As she says, She was a real hero. She was a true patriot, the newly christened Big Boss gives a salute, accompanied by a single tear. I love that you can switch to the first person view and see that his vision is blurred because of it, too. That was a nice touch. This moment has become the enduring image of the series for a reason, and its why Metal Gear Solid 3 has become as beloved as it has. Metal Gear Solid 2 tried to blow your mind, but Metal Gear Solid 3 tried to touch your heart. You MGS2 weirdos can have your 61 scissors. Ill take my salute and single manly tear, thank you very much.

Bonus Question: What is your favorite Metal Gear moment?

Apologies again. I have a chunk of the writeup done, but I'm not going to be able to finish it tonight.

I told you

August 24, 2003 (1) Mario vs. (4) Crono
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/poll/1357-south-division-semifinal-mario-vs-crono

Well, we arent getting any more contests, so I might as well talk about old ones! Nostalgia is the only way to get my fix now. SC2K3 was my first contest. I wasnt here for the original Character Battle in 2002. I wasnt even really aware of the existence of GameFAQs at the time! The video game forum I frequented before coming here was called Final Fantasy: Worlds Apart (FFWA for short). The site itself still exists in barebones form, although the forums are long dead. However, you can still access the Final Fantasy IX and Final Fantasy X game script, as transcribed by our very own MartinFF7!

In fact, it was Martin who made me aware of the existence of the 2003 Character Battle. He made a topic on the site about the upcoming contest, including a history of the 2002 contest and a preview of the 2003 contest, with a particular focus on the Final Fantasy characters, of course. The concept intrigued me, so I decided to check it out. By the time I had seen the topic, Id already missed the first day, so my first vote came in the second match of the contest, Fox McCloud vs. Pikachu. It was a pleasant introduction to contests, watching Fox double Pikachu. I miss those days the most, I think!

Anyway, I was hooked pretty quickly, made an account, and started posting on Board 8 for the first time. I didnt stick around after the end of SC2K3 though. I didnt become a full-time regular until the Games Contest the next year. Its still kinda hard to believe Im still here 20 years later, having spent more than half my life on this board.

Now one of the most highly anticipated matches of the contest was a rematch between Mario and Crono, set to take place in the third round as long as Shadow or Kefka didnt get in the way (Yes, there was hype for Kefka coming into that contestright up until we saw Lettuce Kefka for the first time). I knew the story about what had happened when the two clashed in the semifinals in 2002, where Crono nearly won but had votes removed toward the end for cheating, allowing Mario to win and advance to the final, only to be trounced by Link.

The match actually started 20 minutes early. It wasnt unheard of in the early days for CJayC to start the next match a little early if the current match was already decided, but this time, it would come back to bite him. Mario jumped out to an early lead, but Crono overtook him within an hour and started building his own lead. When the kiddies woke up for the morning vote, Mario was able to retake the lead, but Crono seized control at the halfway point, reaching a peak of 822 with a couple of hours to go.

I was a senior in high school at the time (another thing thats weird to think about now), and it looked like the match was over, so I went to bed since it was a school night. I woke up in the morning to check the final tally and see how much Crono had ended up winning byonly to discover Mario had somehow come back to win. I was floored, but I didnt have time to check the board to see what had happened.

I had a friend at school who was also following the contest, and like me, he went to bed assuming Crono had things in hand. He was a big Chrono Trigger fan, so when we talked that morning, he was celebrating. When I told him Mario had won, he couldnt believe it. This is one of the few real-life conversations Ive ever had about a GameFAQs contest, so this moment sticks out in my mind!

When I got home from school and had time to get online, I finally learned the full story and the chaos that ensued. There were rumors of Mario cheating flying all over the place, as well as many people angry that the match went on beyond 24 hours. Crono had still been in the lead at the 24-hour mark, after all. What a time to be alive! Id still say that SC2K3 was probably my favorite contest. Theres some nostalgia to it, no doubt, but it was a really good contest and this match was a big reason why.

Bonus Question: Did you ever go to sleep (or stop paying attention in general) during a contest match and come back to find out the other entrant had won?

November 14, 1998 #1 Tennessee Volunteers 28, #10 Arkansas Razorbacks 24

Out of all the teams I root for, my strongest attachment is to Tennessee Volunteers football. This was my dads favorite sports team, too, so I suppose I inherited that from him. Football is my favorite sport, and Im one of those weirdos who prefers college football to the NFL. Its a southern thing, I guess. The quality of play is undeniably higher in the pros, but the college game just seems more exciting and the fanbases are more passionate, at least from my own personal experience.

It also helped that I started paying attention to Tennessee football when a promising young freshman named Peyton Manning took over at quarterback in 1994, when I was 7 years old (As an aside, its kind of wild to think that I watched his entire career from the time I was 7 until I was nearly 30, when he retired after winning the Super Bowl with Denver). Id say hes probably still my favorite athlete of all-time because of his time with the Vols.

However, for all of Peytons success at Tennessee (He won the SEC Championship during his senior season in 1997; he beat Alabama 3 out of 4 years; he set all sorts of SEC records; he even came back for his senior season when he probably wouldve been the #1 pick in the NFL draft as a junior, too), there was a sense in which his time there was a tad disappointing. He never beat Florida, and the games usually werent close either. He finished as a runner-up to Charles Woodson for the Heisman Trophy in 1997 in one of the biggest travesties in college football history and cemented that I would never root for Michigan in football (Am I exaggerating for effect here? Am I being an irrational fanboy? Maybe, but I doubt it!). He was never able to take Tennessee to the very top of the sport for the first time since the 1950s.

Now the 1998 Tennessee Volunteers team had a lot of talent, particularly on defense, but despite being ranked #10 in the preseason, it was thought that the team might regress from the year before. After all, Peyton Manning was gone, and taking over his role was Tee Martin, who was relatively unknown and not highly touted.

In fact, their perfect season was derailed almost immediately. Tennessee needed a last second field goal to win at Syracuse (featuring Donovan McNabb in his senior season). Then they needed a missed field goal by Florida the next game to end their five-game losing streak to the Gators. After that though, it was smooth sailing for a while. Tennessee never trailed at all in their next 5 games, extending their record to 8-0 and earning their first #1 ranking in 40 years after Ohio State was upset by Michigan State.

Next up was #10 Arkansas, who was also 8-0 and a big surprise under first-year coach Houston Nutt (still a top tier coaching name). It was a rainy, nasty day, and the Vols played sloppy for pretty much the entire first half. Arkansas jumped out to a 21-3 lead, and Tennessee managed to put a touchdown on the board before halftime to make it 21-10. Arkansas kicked a field goal on their first possession in the second half to make it 24-10, and then Tennessee slowly started to chip away at their lead.

The Vols managed to make it 24-22 after a high snap on a punt went through the back of the end zone for a safety, and it looked like Tennessee had their chance to complete the comeback. However, they turned it over on downs near midfield with less than two minutes to go, and it looked like the perfect season might be over. Even if they forced Arkansas to punt, they wouldnt have much time left to get into field goal range, and the sloppy conditions would make a long attempt difficult.

And then it happened. They say every championship team has a moment where they probably should have lost and somehow they won anyway. This was Tennessees miracle moment. If youve never seen this before (and I imagine most of you havent unless you grew up watching SEC football like me), then you should watch this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CEcqLF3pDU

Arkansass offensive lineman stepped on their quarterbacks foot. He stumbled and tried to use the hand the football was in to brace himself, resulting in a fumble and a Tennessee recovery. The Vols would march down the field and punch it in for the game-winning touchdown, preserving the undefeated season.

This is the only national championship Ive ever seen Tennessee win, and we just celebrated the 25th anniversary this past year. Its hard to believe its been that long. I still have a special limited-time cup they sold at McDonalds in the area afterwards to commemorate the title. Its largely faded at this point, but it has the helmet with a National Champions/Undefeated Season banner around it, and it has the teams schedule on the back. Im not a superstitious person when it comes to sports, but I always drink out of that cup on Tennessee game days.

Tennessee went through some dark days for about a decade, but its starting to feel like theyre back on track. The 2022 season was probably the most magical run Ive experienced from a Tennessee team since those late 90s/early 00s teams. That was also the year my son was born, so it was special getting to watch those games with him, even if he didnt have a clue what was happening. It almost felt like a passing of the torch moment for us. I sang Rocky Top to him a lot that season, and he still loves it when I sing it to him now.

Bonus Question: What is the craziest game youve ever seen your team win?

(Or if you're not a sports fan, you can name some other crazy accomplishment or achievement)

(By the way, I didn't remember all those details off the top of my head! I did look some of that stuff up)

come on did you think MGS would just make something up

I decided to boot up the Super Mario RPG remake. They dropped the subtitle altogether, huh? It's not Legend of the Seven Stars anymore.

I like that the game still "feels" the same so far, but it looks like they've changed up the battle system a bit. We'll see how that goes.

also I'm sad that the line isn't "He knows about Timed Hits" anymore

KommunistKoala posted...

we can only hope to be so lucky in two years

Fang died so that Hope could live on

Doncic might miss Game 2

I swear Boston has been the luckiest playoff team ever

FFDragon posted...

does it count if she was just a proxy champ

also I think this puts her in the triple boot club

she's now in the quadruple boot club

a rare place for former champs

Another former champ hard booted

Good work, FFVIII crew

one more round

I appreciate everyone waiting for the FFVIII crew to be safe but you can also save them yourselves

Seifer Almasy

Heck yeah Croc Cap

Cells

Specifically, the little gray cells Hercule Poirot always goes on about

sounds like we need to get rid of Algus next to speed up Time Kompression

The Goo Goo Dolls Iris

Ill preface this writeup by saying I dont have the technical expertise to discuss the finer points of music, and I havent listened to as wide and diverse of a range of songs and artists as many people here on Board 8. I always hesitate to discuss music here for those reasons, so I apologize in advance if this isnt very good or doesnt make much sense!

The Goo Goo Dolls were the soundtrack of my teenage years. I listened to them constantly. I dont even remember how I got interested in their music and bought my first album of theirs. I assume it was probably Iris because that was their first blockbuster hit and how I became aware of their existence. I worked my way backward through their catalog and found that their style had changed over the years. I had to buy their first album off of eBay because I couldnt find it on sale anywhere else. I got lucky to find a single copy of their second album at a music store. I remember buying their fifth album on a school trip to Washington D.C.

This was also back in the days of the 6 CD changer, and since at the time I started listening to them, the Goo Goo Dolls had exactly 6 albums, it was a perfect way for me to randomize the selection and get a different listening experience each time. I would do it all the time, at least until Gutterflower came out and messed things up by adding a seventh CD to the mix! My favorite Goo Goo Dolls album was Superstar Car Wash, which was their fourth. If youve never listened to some of their older stuff (basically their first four albums), give it a shot because its a different sound than youre used to if youre only familiar with their hits.

If you were to ask me what it was about the Goo Goo Dolls that resonated with me, Id say it was their lyrics. For lack of a better word, they felt like they had depth to them. They werent shallow or repetitive. I would actually pay attention to what the verses said instead of just sticking around for the catchy refrain and only learning that part of the song.

Their songs painted a word picture with their poetic symbolic language. It wasnt always super clear what the lyrics meant, at least to me, but that helped in a way. I could find a way to apply the song to some situation in my own life and make it more meaningful to me. Dont get me wrong. I enjoy the sound of their music, too. I think Johnny has a great voice (Robbie, not so much, but his songs can be fun in spite of that because the lyrics were good).

That being said, at a certain point in time, I stopped keeping up with the Goo Goo Dolls. I dont think Ive really listened to anything theyve put out since Gutterflower. I dont know that there was a particular reason why. I just moved on, but if you were to ask me who my favorite band is, Id still answer that its the Goo Goo Dolls.

Now why did I pick Iris specifically for this writeup? Well, when my wife and I were dating, we had that conversation about who our favorite bands were, and I told her about my infatuation with the Goo Goo Dolls as a teenager. She knew their music was still meaningful to me, so when the time came for her to tell me we were expecting our first child, this was the song she played as I entered the room for her to show me the positive pregnancy test. Thats a vivid memory that will stick with me. I wont go into details, but it was tough for my wife to get pregnant once we actively started trying to have a kid, so there was a triumph and a joy to that moment that I now associate with this song.

Bonus Question: Is there a song you associate with a happy moment in your life?

Way worse

in the movies the humans take up undue time but there's still plenty of focus on the Sonic characters

there were a couple of episodes of this show where Knuckles was barely in them at all

Clannad I Cant See Her

Note: GameFAQs wont let me post a characters first name because it thinks Im trying to do a censor bypass, so Ill have to exclusively use her last name for this writeup. Yes, this is still happening in 2024.

Clannad might as well be called Emotion: The Anime because its entire goal is to find as many ways as possible to stir up your emotions. If I were to answer my bonus question about which show has made me the most emotional, its probably Clannad. It even likes to challenge itself sometimes with things like seeing if a character you dont like that much can get you emotional. In my case, that character was Ibuki, and they succeeded. I am generally not a fan of the bratty little kid archetype. They tend to get on my nerves, and Ibuki is no exception.

To summarize Ibukis story, shes a girl whos in a coma, but she somehow has the power to manifest herself as a student in Tomoyas school. Shes obsessed with making wooden starfish carvings and giving them out to all the students. As it turns out, Ibuki is doing this in an attempt to get people to come to the wedding of her sister, who was a teacher at the school until a few years ago. She becomes famous and (somehow) beloved by the school, as well as Nagisas family, whom she stays with after school.

However, over time, Ibukis power begins to wane as her condition in the hospital worsens, and it also seems that people who know that shes in a coma cant see her because they know the spirit Ibuki cant exist. I guess its a seeing is disbelieving type of thing. As such, everyone who knew and loved her slowly began to forget about her.

The most heartbreaking instance for me is when Tomoya and Nagisa return to her house with Ibuki after a long day of people forgetting and not seeing her, and her mom greets the three of them, which makes you think she can still see her. However, Nagisas mom begins trying to talk to Ibuki, but shes not looking in her direction. After a few seconds, she collapses to the ground and exclaims that she cant see her, which is the line that hit me the hardest.

Eventually, even Tomoya and Nagisa forget Ibuki, but on the day of her sisters wedding, everyone who received a wooden starfish showed up, showing that her influence was still felt, even though no one could clearly remember her. Man, what a great show. I need to introduce my wife to Clannad, although now that shes endured a high-risk pregnancy with our daughter, it might wreck me harder than ever now. Its a chance Im willing to take because this show is so good.

Bonus Question: Has a character you dont like ever managed to make you emotional?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MIj3noKAEo

Heck yeah, we have a release date

The Office Best Prank Ever

I didnt get into The Office when it was airing. I was familiar with it, of course, but I didnt really get the appeal just from watching the commercials and learning the premise of the show. I think I had a similar mental block with Ace Attorney for a few years, too! A few years later, I tried to watch the occasional rerun when Id see it on Comedy Central or wherever, and I still didnt totally get it.

I got married in 2020, and my wife had never watched The Office either. We found it on Netflix one day, and we decided to give it a shot. I didnt become one of those super fans who obsessively watches the show over and over again (the only show where Id stop on reruns almost every time unless I had something specific in mind to watch is Friends), but I did wind up liking it quite a bit, to the point that I now listen to the Office Ladies rewatch podcast, which has also helped me deepen my appreciation for the show.

I think The Office is one of those shows you almost have to watch in order from start to finish. The development of the cast, their chemistry, and the internal continuity of the show are all essential factors to how the show works. I think that makes it unique among other sitcoms Ive watched in that you cant just drop in on a random episode and expect it to click with you. That was my experience with The Office, at least. I found that aspect of it really impressive, as someone who values cast chemistry above almost all else.

Like I said, I had some familiarity with The Office because of other friends who watched the show and various memes Id see from time to time. As such, I knew Michael Scott eventually left the show, and I knew that he came back for the finale. I had seen the exchange between him and Dwight in this scene (Michael, I cant believe you came. Thats what she said.) in memes. Heck, Id even seen someone post a picture of a doormat with those quotes on it! On the other hand, my wife didnt know either of those things going into it, so both of those moments hit her pretty hard.

Within the context of the show, this scene is pretty touching, especially if youve been following their journey from the start. Dwight Schrute is someone who doesnt express complex emotions very often, so when he does, it leaves a memorable impact. Going back to the Ace Attorney analogy, hed be Miles Edgeworth. When you actually manage to penetrate the faade and see the real person beneath, its a special moment.

I guess that would make JimPhoenix? Nah, hes too much of a jokester for that. Maybe Larry if he werent a loser? Michael would be the Judge. Pam would benot Maya. Shes too serious. Maybe Mia? Erin would be Maya. Andy would be Gumshoe, I think. Angela would be Franziska. Sounds like we need some fan art!

Anyway, back to the actual moment at hand, Dwight and Angela are finally getting married after a long, tumultuous will they/wont they relationship. Jim and Dwight have buried the hatchet for the time being so that Jim can act as the Best Mensch. Instead of playing his usual pranks designed to get under Dwights skin, Jim plays pranks that are pleasant surprises.

With the final prank, Jim states that he learned he cant actually play the part of the Best Mensch because its tradition for him to be older than the groom, and since hes younger than Dwight, he has to step aside. Jim gives his patented look at the camera, except this time, hes looking at Michael. Dwight follows his gaze and sees him standing there, leading to the exchange mentioned above. As theyre rejoicing in the background, Jim simply says, Best prank ever. Its a simple scene, but it works because youve invested all this time into the story of these characters.

Bonus Question: What is a moment you like that became a meme?

(By that I mean you like the scene the meme came from, not the meme itself)

Ted Lasso Teds Therapy Session About His Father

The first season of Ted Lasso was one of the sensations of the early part of the pandemic. It gave people hope and inspiration during a difficult time. It was generally lighthearted and optimistic, although like any good Bill Lawrence show, it had its share of emotional moments. The second season took a darker turn, which a lot of people apparently didnt like. Ive never really talked about Ted Lasso with anyone and I havent read much about it, but I do know Season 2 was regarded as a major step down from Season 1.

Now I would agree that Season 2 is the weakest of the three seasons of the show, but I wouldnt say it was a bad season. It might be entirely because of this scene, which hit me harder than anything else in the show. For most of the season, Ted has resisted talking to the team therapist, Sharon Fieldstone. Not only that, hes mocked her profession and seemed not to respect her very much. This seems unusual for the character, and I wonder if this is part of why people didnt take to this season. This isnt who Ted Lasso is supposed to be.

Eventually, Ted finally breaks down and starts talking about his father. It was a very moving scene for me, and Jason Sudeikis gives a strong performance. He gets emotional at just the right moment because its the moment that struck a chord with me. I think itll be easier if I just quote this speech instead of trying to describe it because the exact words are important here.

He was a good dad, and I dont think he knew that. I think if he wouldve known how good he was at stuff he didnt really care about being good at, heI dont think he wouldve done what heAnd I wish I wouldve told him. I wish I wouldve told him more.

This is something I can relate to now that my father has passed away because Ive wondered similar things in the years since he died. If you had asked my dad if he thought he had been a good father, what would he have said? Im honestly not sure how he wouldve answered. I think he wouldve hesitated. I think he had his share of regrets. Or maybe Im projecting because if you put the shoe on the other foot and you asked me if I thought I was a good son to my father, Id probably say that I wasnt as good of a one as I should have been. Similar to Ted Lasso, there are things I wish I had told him or wish I had said to him more often, and one of them is that he was a better dad than he probably thought he was.

Dont get me wrong. He wasnt a perfect dad, and we had our struggles. I distinctly remember not speaking to each other for about a year because of some stupid argument, and I think we both just didnt know how to make the first move to reach out even though wed both long gotten over it. But regardless of his faults or failures, I never had any doubt that my dad loved me and supported me, and thats one of the most important things any parent can do.

I guess this transitioned into my own therapy session at some point! I miss my dad, especially now that I have children of my own who will never get to meet him. He was so good with kids, and it wouldve been fun to see them with him. Im just glad that I got to tell him that I loved him the last time we spoke.

Bonus Question: What TV show has made you the most emotional?

Day Ever

Friends

should've been Jane imhotbqh

wait no

poor guy can't keep his name straight

Mass Effect 3 His Wish Was For You

Ill preface this writeup by saying Mass Effect 3 is one of my top ten favorite games. I loved the entire experience, and the ending doesnt really bother me (although I would rather this not devolve into arguing about the ending!). On top of that, Thane is my favorite squadmate. Hes a solemn and somber assassin looking for a place to die because he has a terminal illness. He also has a deeply spiritual side and a broken family, and I think the fact that drell have perfect memory recall is a super cool trait. I found every conversation with him really fascinating.

Because I didnt have an Xbox 360, I had to wait until Mass Effect 2 came out on Playstation 3 before I could give the series a try. I watched a YouTube LP of the first game so I could know what happened. When I beat ME2 for the first time, I immediately started up a second playthrough so I could do a Renegade run and try a different job class because I had chosen the Paragon path. Suffice it to say, it didnt take long to get hooked on the series, and Thane was a big part of that.

As such, I was super hyped about Mass Effect 3, with one major reservation. I felt like there was a pretty high chance that Thane would die because of his illness, and there was a part of me that wasnt ready for that. The series had already demonstrated that it was willing to kill off squadmates, and Thane seemed like the most probable candidate of the ME2 crew to die. I held out a small hope that maybe thered be a sidequest where you could find a cure to save him, but I wasnt optimistic on that front.

It turns out my suspicions were well founded! Hes one of the few major characters whose death in Mass Effect 3 is completely unpreventable. At least he got to go out fighting, saving one of the members of the Council in the process. I wish it hadnt been that lamer Kai Leng who killed him off, but at least we get to have a satisfying, That was for Thane! from Shepard when you get your revenge on him.

Then theres his farewell scene in the hospital room, which is made more impactful if you completed Thanes Loyalty Mission in Mass Effect 2 so Kolyat is there, too. I was really glad he got to die at peace, knowing he had reconciled with his son. Before he dies, he begins a prayer, but he isnt able to finish it. Kolyat continues it, and Shepard is given the option to conclude it. At this point, Im already choking up and I know if they land this next part just right, the floodgates will open.

Sure enough, Shepard asks why Thane would pray for salvation at the end since he died a heros death. Kolyat tells him (yes, I always play as MaleShep) that his father had already asked for forgiveness, so that prayer was not for him. Then he drops the line in the header of this writeup, His wish was for you, and thats when the tears start flowing. It was so perfectly Thane to be thinking of others and not himself, even as hes dying. That moment can still get to me, even to this day. I rewatched the scene as I was writing this to make sure I had the details correct, and it still got a few tears out of me. Im glad Thane received the sendoff he deserved.

Bonus Question: What was the first video game moment that made you cry (or whats the closest youve come to crying if you havent)?

Son...you're either very brave, or very foolish.

the most non-B8 game ever made is like Call of Duty or something

sorry, got caught up playing the FFXVI DLC

we'll do the moment tomorrow

Been swimming lately?

She'd keep the two sided coin and give it back to him because she knows the coin has value to Edgar, not because it has value to her.