The Fate of the Aerie | NieR Replicant (2021) Part 7

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Are we entering our villain arc?

At the Aerie, the line between human and shade is blurred. Emil hesitates to harm these people, but Weiss confidently proclaims that they are monsters who must be struck down. Moog resolutely complies and seems not to feel any remorse, reassuring Emil that the disturbing loss of control over his power and subsequent deletion of the Aerie was very good and very right. After an entire town is wiped out, I expected at least a short conversation with Popola to reflect on such a tragic event. But no, we move right along to the next task without so much as an acknowledgment.

The bleakness does not let up from here. I should have seen it coming that Red Bag Man--a recurring character so annoying, yet so harmless--was being set up to suffer a terrible fate. It's hard not to feel guilty for how much shit we've talked about this guy's antics when we find his mangled corpse at the bottom of the Beached Shipwreck. In this section, we defeat yet another boss that leaves me feeling like I've done something WRONG. Who is this little girl/monstrous shade who, in addition to murdering Red Bag Man, demonstrates intelligence and human attachment? I guess we'll never know, since we once again kill her without hesitation.

The incredibly convenient collection of these "key fragments" is sus as hell but I'm sure it's fine~

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