Breaking The Cycle || ARKNIGHTS Chapter 7 Pt 2 Analysis

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

Well, it's time for the second AK video essay! Still haven't finished Chapter 7 so please refrain from spoiling OR please write that there are spoilers at the start of your comment before writing the spoilers. Thank you very much! Hope you enjoy this one too~ PATREON: www.patreon.com/TrailblazerRirina See WIPs & more as a paid member! DISCORD: discord.com/servers/trailblazer-ririna-1097679395231113226 Let's chat about Arknights together~

[@Milty2001]

This is the most simple yet best Essay I've ever read in a while about arknights, the cycle of pain has always been part of us since the beginning and it always felt like a never ending battle where we're constantly losing due to us not being able to handle losing our loved ones and sometimes it can make you feel like you're alone and nobody wants to help you simply because you can't tough it out and accept it, the more you give into it sooner or later you'll start to lose yourself.

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

Thank you for the compliment! I'm super pleased that the topic resonated with you~ Indeed, the cycle of pain is integrated deeply within us but also in society. It's never easy to overcome it and to continue to be yourself in a life rife with pain and sufferings, especially when others around you normalize in the perpetuation of that cycle and don't think to ever stop it, due to wanting others to feel the pain that they once did.

[@B2.Benedajenzo]

this is why milis song for the 5th yr anniversary "grown ups paradise" is PERFECT for arknights. the unfortunate thing is child soldiers is a very real thing. i used to work for the army as an architect and one of them used to be a child soldier was part of my team and i remember it was raining, we were eating in the canteen and thunder cracked, he dived under the table and tucked in head down. i regret that for a second i smiled cause i thought he was overreacting but then i remembered he has PTSD from a grenade being thrown in his classroom, thats why he knows a way to shield from a grenade and why loud noises makes him dive under things. arknights has a very realistic writing style, its why i kept shivering when i was reading the children of ursus event which is written from a pov of children trying to survive in the middle of a war p.s. if you wanna learn more of rosmontis story, lone trail continues it and her skin description and animation tells her past

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

Dang, I'm tempted to listen to that, but I'm worried that I'll get spoiled by something! But that really is heartbreaking to hear... PTSD is never easy to manage, regardless of the origin of that trauma, but to have one, due to being a child soldier in the past, makes me immensely sad. I do wonder if Arknights' realistic and VN writing style is why people tend to just skip it since it can be too heavy at times to read. Although because it's heavy, it can be quite impactful when someone does decide to read it! Looking forward to checking out Children of Ursus and Lone Trail one day (and for my heart to break accordingly)...

[@B2.Benedajenzo]

@@Trailblazer_Ririna Mili - Grown-up's Paradise ("Arknights" Image Song) here i copy pasted the title of the video itself from the mili channel, no spoilers from that video just the live recording of the singer and the band. (of course dont read the comments on that video) the one with the spoilers is the animated video from the official arknights channel. for the reading skippers i think its just mostly cause its too damn long with no voice acting, in a time of fast pace information, and tiktok brain rot some people dont have patience anymore. cause people are interested in ak's story they just dont want to read it. well thats my opinion on that atleast

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

Ooo, thank you! I'll listen to it right now then~

[@serostrat22]

Great video. Hope you'll read the Twilight of Wolumonde, it is arguably the best morally grey story in the Arknights (also MudMud is there).

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

Ooo, I remember the trailer and PV for that! It did look very interesting. I'll definitely check it out one day! Thank you for enjoying the video~

[@VCE4]

The another good thing about Twilight of Wolumonde is that basically doesn't really any previous knowledge of other chapters or events

[@Dr.SoloWing]

Amazing video Ririna! And it strikes in a different way after reading the Babel event, leaving it as vague as possible to avoid spoilers, "breaking the cycle of violence" is a central theme in that story, but in a bigger/longer scale than what we saw in the Reunion arc

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

Thank you for enjoying the video! I did hear that the Babel event actually has this as the central theme from one of my Server members recently! Was quite shocked at the timing because of it. But at the same time, it makes sense that such a theme would be major in it! Makes me quite curious about the event itself, but I'm glad that it's an intermezzi so that I can eventually read it myself!

[@Dr.SoloWing]

@@Trailblazer_Ririna I totally hope to see your reaction to this story someday! But I'd suggest you to finish the main story (until chapter 13). Both Darknights Memoir and Vigilo have stories that happens parallel to Babel, but aren't exactly necessary to understand 99% of whats happens (but it does matter to the remaining 1%)

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

@@Dr.SoloWing oooo, good point! I don’t think I’ll stream it but I’ll def be chatting with my server members when the time comes! Still have a lot of the main story left though. 😭

[@zulfikaragustian9249]

"We're going to have to act, if we're going to live in a different world." - the intro of Act Of Instinct, a Command & Conquer music by Frank Klepacki. Excellent work! I'm very much as satisfied as I am when watching the previous video.

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed this video~ I was curious about the music you mentioned, so I listened to it just now, and wow is it great! That line pretty much sums up the conclusion for this video too. Nothing will ever change, unless we act, for the world that we want! Thank you for the comment and for watching the video!

[@Shirker12]

Wooh! I've been excited to watch this one!

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

Hehe I hope you enjoy watching it!

[@Shirker12]

​@Trailblazer_Ririna I just finished it, and it was great! Thank you for making this.

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

I'm glad to hear that! Was a bit nervous about this one too, but I'm grateful that you liked it!

[@tush_the_guardian]

Achievement unlocked: - The Eye Facing the Fear; Breaking the Cycle

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

That looks like a real achievement that could show up in the game! XD Is it?

[@tush_the_guardian]

@@Trailblazer_Ririna yeah, but not in this game. That's that, you know

[@fatos_e_argumentos]

The moment you run out of "This is This, That is That"

[@igorfernandes2493]

I've got to admit that I kinda dig this type of content, congratulations on the amazing essay, hope to see more in the future!

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

I’m happy to hear that! More to come in the future~

[@Lord_Lolo_the_Last]

great essay, really like the way that you untwist the thoughts on arknights

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

Thank you! Still have a lot more that I need to uncover, but it's quite fun untwisting my thoughts on the game's story once I do know what to write~

[@Lothadric]

Loved the video. Thanks for taking the time to make it for us. Looking forward to future projects 😊

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

Thank you for taking the time to watch it and comment! Brings me lots of joy~ Looking forward to making the next one for everyone!

[@MCX_San]

Rhodes Island and Reunion is the embodiment of Hero's and Villain's They hurt you so you stop it to hurt other. They hurt you so you hurt it back. God HG cooked so much in lore 😭😭

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

They have indeed... That's why the story is good and why the themes they showcase in that story works so well!

[@CarlosAlbertoGarcíaJiménez]

Sometimes I think of that phrase someone once told me "The Cycle of violence will only end when the other side is death" It really makes me think...

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

That is indeed true and one way to go about it. but at the same time, it makes me feel so sad for the future generations, so I’d rather do what Amiya and Rosmontis are doing (if I was in Arknights myself). Might be the harder path, but at least, I feel like it’s the right path to go down.

[@CarlosAlbertoGarcíaJiménez]

@@Trailblazer_Ririna Well the right path is never an easy one, otherwise, it will not be called a virtue to do it ☺

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

@@CarlosAlbertoGarcíaJiménez 100% agreed! 🎉🎉🎉 it makes me really appreciate and look up to both Amiya and Rosmontis - and well, everyone at Rhodes, for taking the harder path.

[@VCE4]

But what is "the other side" is a whole country? Or a half of the whole world?

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

@@VCE4 I think it means more like the end of the circle, the endpoint, the consequences of the cycle, things like that, rather than a physical location.

[@VCE4]

One of themes you touched relates to the "child-soldiers", and instantly reminded me an attitude of some people about it. It is either memes as "haha, we employ children to fight wars, because we are war criminals" Or something like "look at this silly mobile game that tries to be serious yet features anime lolies", thus not taking it seriously. But things are this way precisely because it is that serious. It is exactly as you said War, disease, death - none of it cares whether you are child or not. Rhodes Island has a lot of genuine children and/or young people who literally grown up under it's wings. Rosmontis, Amiya, Frostleaf, Folinic, Shamare, Suzuran, Popucar, Vermeil, Project Red, Ifrit and more other Operators and just mere "nameless" children onboard of the landship. All of them would very likely meet a painful death in suffering by this point, if not for Rhodes to shield and raise them. But again, Rhodes Island is safe place (in comparison), but it cannot protect them all indefinitely. Sooner or later they have to face the harsh world they live in, and by that point they better to be prepared, rather wait till the walls of a glass house created to isolate them will crush on them.

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

Yes, I agree with you! In fact, this original video essay topic was going to be on "child soldiers in Arknights", but I felt like there were too many things to focus on, so I chose this particular theme for this video. It's quite saddening that some people take the story not seriously, especially since stories are meant to evoke emotions and relations to ourselves and the world around us, including any in games! That's why people learn from stories of any media and get invested in it. The last few paragraphs you wrote about Rhodes and the children it protected under its wings is spot on. They must rise up to the challenge or, as you said, they'll get crushed.

[@SoulWhiteAngel]

Its crazy to me that this fits babels story without you having even finished chp 7. Another great video Ririna! Keep up the great work! P.S i mean no offense by this but I do find it interesting you pronounce Rhodes in such a unique way.

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

It was seriously good timing on my part! I’m glad that you enjoyed watching the video~ hehe I actually pronounced it the Japanese way, same with Doctor. Felt like it was more fitting than calling it the English way for some reason. 🤣 mostly because when I think of Rhodes, I think of Rhode Island, so pronouncing them very differently is my way of seeing them as two different things in my head. 😆

[@SoulWhiteAngel]

@@Trailblazer_Ririna haha fair enough

[@mttrue6302]

The existence of the mercenary itself is proving that war is a normal circumstance happened on terra, and even liskarm said that she wants to have her own mercenary team because her village was once saved by the mercenaries, even if it's because of the money (it's on ak official comic on website). But.... The true champion is.... Rhodes island Imagine the profit for having a walking pharmaceutical nomadic ship moving in the world full of war. No wonder kalts'it, amiya, and more rhodes island operators barely complain or talk about money. *Joke aside, I really enjoy the essay...again

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed the video~ ❤️ You know, I should really read that comic one day. Seems like there are some information in there that would be useful to learn about, regarding the world of Terra, on a more individual life level!

[@mttrue6302]

@@Trailblazer_Ririna sure, most of the story in the comic is lighter compared from the game itself, so it can give you different experiences and vibes

[@lingerlights]

Nice video

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

Thank you~ ❤️

[@hughu9340]

vicious cycle

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

It really is

[@alicjacaban2226]

Hm Kazdel is hellhole.if you grow up there you end at best as mercanary at worst as bandit or terrorist.yet many groups escaped.and have normal life somwhere else( cyclops,Oni ,Anasa,most likely gargoyles too)so there is Hope i guess

[@Trailblazer_Ririna]

Yep! That's what I think too.

[@alicjacaban2226]

@@Trailblazer_Ririna hm did you Remember how in attack of The clones.dealer try to sell Obi wan some sticks?. Kazdel most likely have problem with Ryll,spice ,fistech or how its called too