Toward Her Light is one of Arknights’ best songs!!

[@SlushieDee]

The national anthem vibe of the song is such a great thematic fit for a character who is literally a standard bearer for her country’s army. At least until she throws the flag at someone, that is.

[@wethermon]

I had to laugh...I have her at M9 she deserves all the love the community can give her. Amazing character if well used.

[@RavenCloak13]

"Wherever this flag is planted, is to now part of Victoria!" *it's inside a guys chest*

[@intenseavarice34]

​@RavenCloak13 his heart is with Victoria!

[@CobaltSthenia]

Saileach was a standard-bearer for Victoria until seeing the rampant corruption of its aristocracy, where she quit and threw away her medals. Arknights has a certain type of character who represents the ideals of their nation or other faction that as a collective fails to live up to those ideals, and Saileach is just such an idealist. She's a community-builder and a natural-born leader with such strong empathy that when she's condemned with rocks by a scapegoated people she's trying to help, she uses that ostracism to reflect on her own naivety and gain more perspective on how to help people. Just think about that: she becomes stronger and kinder after being on the receiving end of unjust violence, with compassion bordering on madness, because her ideals are that strong. The current arc in Arknights, which starts in chapter 9 where Saileach is one of the main characters, is all about the disparity between Victoria as a corrupt superpower founded on scapegoating (with the Tarans) and its ideals that are borne out by a few disillusioned, golden-hearted exemplars: Saileach and Horn especially. Saileach's theme conveys the hope and joy she imparts on those she touches. After the events of chapter 9, she sticks around the war-torn region after most of the forces have been evacuated, and builds a community from the ground up with bereaved people who would have given in to despair, mutual distrust, and starvation were it not for her kindness and resourcefulness. Despite her idealism, she has a good head on her shoulders, a keen understanding of what must be done and how to make it happen-such as how to teach people to provide for themselves-, which allows her to make her ideals a reality one bettered life at a time. And, despite her disillusionment, Saileach still loves Victoria; it is just that love that made her quit the military and throw away her medals in disgust for the vultures who would tarnish and bury Victoria's ideals. Though, chapter 11 and the recent event What the Firelight Casts go on to challenge whether those ideals ever existed in the first place, or whether they merely emerge from good people who want to fight injustice with all they've got, people who inevitably crop up wherever there is injustice. None of the big nations in Arknights have clean slates, but they all have their idealists who see what their beloved nation could be, and who demonstrate with their own kindness and resourcefulness a little slice of what things could be like if everyone adhered to those ideals. This song, with its almost fairy tale folk song-esque pure-hearted atmosphere, represents the world Saileach works for. She's untouched by corruption, and with how uplifting the song is, you can kind of feel that her kindness is just as infectious and moving as the corruption she rallies against.

[@veritas4887]

"Where is MY Victoria?" ~The Last Steamknight

[@Judeo]

Somebody read her operator file. Hats off to you for referencing that. Truly Saileach, actual name Jane Willow, is a pure bean we must protect.

[@Aidz1212]

🔥🔥✍️🔥🔥

[@angoankhachai9333]

Lad woke up one day and chose to speak facts. Respect

[@barcodeverifier9256]

"You can't make me feel patriotic over a fictional country in a work of fiction" Towards Her Light: Bet

[@allenkagami2438]

March on: All in

[@Pine2142]

I don't know anything about this game, but I'm Irish and can tell you this is clearly a VERY Irish inspired character. Her name means Willow in Irish (as in the tree) and the music is incredibly characteristic of Ireland. Her banner shown in other artworks I've seen after discovering this video and character have a very similar design and colour scheme to the Irish coat of arms. So if you're feeling patriotic listening to this you're showing love to the emerald isle of Éire.

[@barcodeverifier9256]

@@Pine2142 Well, you're actually right. Her real name is Jane Willow and she referenced it as in the willow tree too and story wise she's the one who stands for the Tarans (Tara is Ireland in Arknights which is a by gone country absorbed by Victoria, which is England in Arknights, leaving behind only the descendants and dying language of Tara) when they faced against prejudice and racism from the Victorian army despite herself being in the Victorian army. Being a Victorian soldier made the Tarans despise her where they throw rocks and dirt at her even tho her means are well. Yet she still defends them cuz she loves Victoria and the Tarans are also Victorians hence, this song

[@dalgona4819]

@@Pine2142 Yes, there is a heavy Irish, English, and Scottish influence among some of Arknights' characters and lore, in fact.

[@maxkensei]

@@Pine2142I love that it comes through clearly to even someone who doesn’t play the game! They seem to do their research. In fact Saileach plays a starring role in a chapter meant to evoke Bloody Sunday. It’s really been quite fascinating as a reader to see the way that Arknights informs its stories in real culture and history but rather than copy it wholesale tells a truly creative scifi story with it.

[@boat378]

This piece, Bagpipe's theme and Horn's theme all feel like a trilogy of Victorian anthems. Bagpipe's is about the simplicity of life in Victoria, Saileach's is about how Victoria will always be your home, and Horn's is about how you shouldn't mess with Victoria or her people.

[@AmadeyAzalin]

You can throw in Stainless and his spirit of the people. Forever young and free

[@dalgona4819]

@@AmadeyAzalin There's something punk-ish about Stainless that just adds more to Victoria as a whole

[@Vivi24283]

Wait there's one bag and horn can haz links pls 😯

[@criffly]

You see that Marco loved this song, i never saw him so exited for a long time.

[@AdamGubman1]

Dang man did I miss this?! ❤❤

[@MarcoMeatball]

Hey buddy

[@AdamGubman1]

Can’t wait to hang this wk!

[@Daark_Karma]

If you haven't already, I highly recommend "March On" too! It's an amazing song that's also themed around Victoria but with it's own style to it. If this song could be considered the gentleness and homeliness of Victoria, then March On is a representation of its pride and strength. At least imo

[@awrawrwar]

This song perfectly illustrates the idealism of our dear standard bearer, Saileach. It makes a nice contrast with the other track from our other Victorian operator, Horn, whose theme espouses an image of an unfliching, unyielding Victoria. Again, its a nice contrast with this all loving, protecting Victoria, but put together, they create this image of Victoria, whose kind mannerisms and gentle demeanor hide a core of iron. Silk hiding steel, as it were. Now, the Doctors among us will know that this is very much NOT the Victoria that appears in the game, the 'real' Victoria, as it were. But this is the Victoria that both Saileach and Horn believe in, and all the remains is to see if the Victorians (and Tarans) will be able to make such a Victoria a reality.

[@TheNukedNacho]

The best way to describe Victoria is definitely the three songs. Bagpipe’s song, this one, and March On.

[@caseylp7121]

I don't play Arknights at all and perhaps never will, but the moment I heard this song I knew it was getting added to the playlist

[@mylesobrien7477]

that is perhaps the highest praise a mobile game can get imo

[@beo3828]

Look out for more, you might just become a fan of MSR.

[@Eniteee]

touhou have games??

[@ARKMerry]

​@@Eniteeebruh

[@refrain4155]

If you like this, then you must try listening to Flame Shadow

[@arsmariastarlight3567]

Marco, you should try listening Arknights OST "Flame Shadow", it's Victorian too, like this one, except with more medieval fantasy vibe

[@Astpirick]

Flame shadow is Taran tho but also in Victoria

[@hideandslide4586]

​@@Astpirickhe reacted to it on a stream

[@hideandslide4586]

One of his live streams, i think it was the one near christmas

[@capriumnoir6426]

@@hideandslide4586 I can't seem to find it, all of the vids in Christmas back then are all about one game franchise or other.

[@hideandslide4586]

@@capriumnoir6426 i think he took the stream down

[@Yorkington]

I absolutely adore you covering Arknights music. I never expected to see a retired opera singer do so, but I love it.

[@morianomordekhai]

fun fact, Saileach (the girl on the video) is Irish for Willow, and her real name is Jane Willow. after all, Victoria is the AK equivalent for United Kingdom ... with alteration.

[@Pine2142]

Ireland is not in the United Kingdom. But yes you're correct about the name.

[@morianomordekhai]

Like I said, with alteration, though IDK if the Irish or "Taran" People mentioned in the game includes whole Ireland, or just the Northern Ireland like IRL.

[@einsUNDcolt]

@@Pine2142 Cause Victoria is suppose to be based on the UK before the Irish revolt. Though Chapter 9 and the side story "What the Firelight Casts" is about their version of the Irish in open revolt

[@patrickherp8850]

​​​​@@einsUNDcoltWell, yes and no. In the game, Victoria already have enough international influence that Victorian is practically the international language, yet there aren't any mentions of its colonialism era at the same level as British colonialism (though their golden age of steam industrial revolution seem to be written having about the same effect to their RL counterpart). HG seems to like to make a country an amalgamation and/or loose references from real life countries or the same country but from different governments (though this isn't new in fiction); Yan isn't exactly modern China, more like what if Chinese movies (the old martial art movies and Hong Kong noir movies) dramatisation of China is the real one. Sargon is a lot of countries and places, from middle east, south America, to sub-Saharan Africa. Kazdel is even more ambiguous, having reference from HRE to biblical Israel

[@TheY0shi08]

I like this song a lot, I love how Arknights manages to encapsulate so much of the context surrounding each of its tracks and the incredible diversity it has in its soundtrack, be it character themes like this one for Saileach, story/cutscenes or events, they're all full of heart and intention to add to its context. Another reason this is my favorite Gacha/mobile game I've ever played.

[@copjing]

This and March On! make you feel incredibly patriotic for a country that doesn't even exist lol

[@bakaoniichan193]

Hey Marco, happy to see some Arknights content from you. If you want to hear something more exotic out of the game, then I can recommend the battle theme of the current event "Where Vernal Winds will never blow". It has a very oriental feeling to it and is fun to listen to.

[@ApexOfCrabkind]

Aside from the patriotism, after reading chapter 9 and Saileach’s development in it, I’ve never been able to also see this as what she knows her country isn’t, but still wishes it could be.

[@blackirontarkus2672]

honestly want to see you do a duet cover on Toward Her Light! edit: Yo holy shid Marco hearted me. Will this actually happen for real? o.o

[@MarcoMeatball]

Here’s a second one

[@blackirontarkus2672]

@@MarcoMeatball thank you so much my good sir!

[@LucyWhiteheart_]

Returning to your videos on such a theme and seeing you enjoying it this much was such a pleasure!

[@mailpack584]

Listening to this song makes me feel like Saileach is showing me around Victoria, and as we walk around the streets, i can feel how fondly she thinks of this city through her words, walking every corner she describes a funny story, a memory, a store with a very good tea, a friend here and there... I feel not like this is "my" home, but like i am being warmly welcomed into "her" home.

[@t3hDave]

I love that you covered this song, it nearly brings me to tears every time I hear it

[@VCE4]

I guess you either had very good mood when recorded this or really like this song, lol Your vibing at the music makes me smile. Aslo kinda resembles orchestra conductor in your moves. Ah yes, a hug from Victoria. You showed this piece to one of your guests in reaction videos, but it's finally our time to see you vibing) Have pretty much nothing to add. Loving this song, and knowing the context hasn't really changed that. It makes me feel patriotic for Victoria, but I would not eager to become her citizen as of now, heh. Now we just need to wait till you get to the most Irish ones, from the "What the Firelight Casts" event. Lobby theme and battle theme both, as well as "Flame Shadow" - song for a character, and the singer is already known to you. And as a usual for most Arknights songs - they all great, but for different reasons) Cheers, Marco

[@strivingstruggle3797]

The world of Arknights is a hard dangerous, and tragic world a lot of the time, makes these types of hopeful and uplifting songs just that much more a breath of release, that there is some place to come back to.

[@KohakuNachtfalke]

She's a princess... A Disney princess

[@Where_would_I_go_without_you]

This song always gave me Disney vibes. And before someone mentions it, yes, I know who made it.

[@AdamGubman1]

Lol

[@eveakane6563]

Saileach is the Didney Hydra (her E2 art) Princess of Arknights, so by those conventional tropes she's both the princess *and* the villain, even if her character is very pure and WAFF.

[@Hirome_Satou]

When I hear this song, I can imagine popping down to the pub for a pint and bellowing out this anthem to Victoria with the boys.

[@refrain4155]

After listening to this, Flame Shadow is a must

[@wolfvermillion1729]

Please listen to March On! It's such an awesome theme!

[@szbobxc]

he did, during stream, twice

[@wolfvermillion1729]

@@szbobxc Damn, I don't watch streams.

[@dominustempus8969]

@@szbobxc any idea which stream?

[@TheDarkChaplain]

With the "idealistic" character's theme under your belt, I'd recommend following it up with Horn's EP, March On, which depicts Victoria's militaristic side more directly, and Stainless's Stainless Heart, which renders what it feels like to be a cog in the machine under it all. Even without the other Victorian characters and their themes, these three, to me, depict Victoria as a nation brilliantly. It can be a shining beacon of hope, while also having deep shadows and exploits the people under its rule. Arknights manages to paint the world through both its characters and their music, so that it often feels like you know what this character, this region, is about from a short EP alone.

[@Piquliar]

Such a lovely song, makes me feel happy 😊

[@martinleonardsarte8571]

Can't wait for March On!

[@christiancalma3394]

I love this song, makes me feel like I want to go to Britain in a perfect weather

[@Longpeppi]

Arknights is like a music company than a videos game Company😂

[@khol1611]

For VICTORIA!

[@pollik-lk5wv]

The one game whose music I never see talked about is Hyper Light Drifter, its got a pretty incredible OST that doesn't sound like much else

[@Gorden121]

The contrast between the songs upbeat and positiv look upon Victoria and what is actually happening to/in Victoria starting from Chapter 9 is actually quite surprising.

[@gabrieloceano]

Hey Marco! I'm a bit late to the party, but as you enjoyed Toward Her Light so much, you may also enjoy Falme Shadow, it's also from a Victorian operator called "Reed" and both the music and lyrics are gorgeous and uplifting!

[@abdurafiunggang3464]

Okay this man is already that far in Arknights lore if he knows that Victoria is past Sargon.

[@sepire0924]

And then listening to March On! after this. STRIKE! FIGHT! CHARGE AHEAD! SHOW NO FEAR OR DREAD! FOR VICTORIA WE WILL MARCH ON!

[@vistima6681]

It would be great to see what you think of "March on" which is a theme of another character who is Victorian like Saileach.

[@pythagoruz69]

Man got an angelic singing voice. omfg I can't with the start where he lip sync along. Too good

[@ZeroEnfield]

Marco flexing that singing talent. (⁠●⁠♡⁠∀⁠♡⁠)

[@JackAcegard]

Yeayyyy, more arknights 🥳

[@momomunsta8887]

I was just listening to this song today on repeat for a hour or so

[@Rugina24]

peaceful melody and great lyrics and for a patriotic guy like me I always cry everytime I heard this song

[@Vietnam_Gigachad]

I highly recommend every single track from divinity original sin 2 , trust me you won't regret to listen that amazing game song and it worth every single penny

[@jaykode4679]

I see all the variety of game ost you listen to and suprised you havent touched on Tekkens soundtrack yet. Tekken 5, 6, tag 2, and 7 have bangers you might like

[@jaykode4679]

If you need suggestions my personal favorites are Volcano 1st and 2nd from tekken 7 Kazumi and Devil kazumi from tekken 7 Moonlit wilderness from tekken 5 Heat haze shadow 1st and 2nd from tekken 7 National museum from tekken mobile Ground zero funk from tekken 5 Abandoned temple final 1st and 2nd from tekken 7 Electric fountain from tekken 6 Plucking tulips from tekken tag tournament 2

[@TachibanaKaito]

I felt like I had entered a fantasy world

[@adalietz]

Marco please try listening to the Arknights OST "Stay Gold", it's an amazing OST.

[@Laselo]

well yeah, classic arknights banger :) thx as usual

[@kiarime]

Love you man

[@santiagocamachoabad384]

I think you should listen to the Medieval II Total War soundtrack, perhaps 'Duke of Death.' It's a great piece and the most famous one, it immediately fills you with tension, creating a battlefield-like feeling that lasts until the end.

[@RratRemi]

Victorian op themes are always so good

[@TheScreamingIdiot]

gimme the MarcoMeatBall cover. I'm not asking anymore :)

[@CarlosAlbertoGarcíaJiménez]

Bruh! Now you need to hear Hometown Wind.

[@confexion]

Will fight for Victoria!

[@InfernalDrake117]

What a beautiful patriotic song for an oppressive empire that is currently ripping itself apart in a 4ish-way civil war.

[@SoulWhiteAngel]

The flagbearer for victoria. Great song

[@shawncounts5487]

Marco talking about fighting for Victoria, but Marco that is a different song 👀 (one that hopefully we will get to see on the channel soon.

[@holyoracle]

Thats it, Victoria is my nationality now

[@laurentfarce6268]

Hi ! You should listen the beautiful ost « memory of the lost » from the game CodeVein ^^

[@Petterwass]

"How to bring peace to Victoria?" Well, in best english tradition, by massacring the irish :)

[@linhdanghoang2504]

Reed the Fire Shadow and Eblana: How about we fuck you up the Irish way?

[@Petterwass]

@@linhdanghoang2504 Oppress a people long enough and eventually even a straved, beaten hound will bite back

[@카를페르루스]

@@Petterwass Well, do you know the story of Ustasha and Chetnik? They, too, began with resistance against invaders and slayers. And today, no one calls them the Liberation Army except for the person concerned.

[@TuskTheFool]

Good Vibes.

[@suverin007]

I like this song. Settling however in Victoria of Arknights is not. The song is actually what Saileach envisioned about Victoria but it was not, sadly.

[@ChaosMind10531]

Question... Which of the nations in Terra would be the best to settle in??? Since from what we experienced each and every one of them have goid and shady sides... Esp. in the perspective of the Infected...

[@mrf143]

​@@ChaosMind10531 Sargon Forest maybe. If you want to get away from politics (technicaly the Tribes there have politics but not as ... "complicated" as other countries. For the time being at least)

[@ChaosMind10531]

@@mrf143 you have a point... As primitive as they look... They have mechs!!! And they don't really judge Infected...

[@suverin007]

​​@@ChaosMind10531 as for me, it would be Siesta, the equivalent of Hawaii maybe. I mean, the problems of Siesta is not the infected but the volcano and the seaborns. Volcano is just a natural problem, so is the seaborns because no land is safe to them. It is hinted in the alternate simulation of Mizuki that Seaborns triumphed over the demons of Sami.

[@ChaosMind10531]

@@suverin007 lol... So its either Lovecraftian monsters, the friggin volcano, or actual demons that ends you, but at least you have a beach side view and sunny skies... XD

[@sthk1998]

When Western games can only depict rainbow flags and DEI platitudes, a Chinese company composes a song that captures the spirit of the "good Old days" in Ye olden England.

[@michaellewis1545]

This is going on my anthems for fictional countries Playlist.

[@vhalrougelarfouxe]

Saileach is the Heart of Victoria while Horn is the Shield of Victoria.

[@o-owhatthe2201]

still waiting for library of ruina content:D

[@izumiyoko789]

Please also try Sfsui/Invitation to Wine !!!

[@akashitorayuzaku5706]

I wish he would listen to CC music and more specifically CC#12 Operation Basepoint

[@AndoaintheMartyr]

It's not his genre and speciality bruh....

[@Cwronaga216]

Hey Marco the new 4.0 genshin trailer just dropped with the livestream. You should definitely do a reaction as the setting and themes within Fontaine seem right up your alley

[@___0006]

I humbly request that you do 'Forces' By Susumu Hirasawa (day 1 of asking)

[@momomunsta8887]

This song makes me want to die in a fictional war for the fictional nation of Victoria

[@lawless97]

I saw my waifu, I clicked. Veryy good vid, marco

[@anthonyspeed5906]

At least Victorian could make their songs peaceful😂

[@EsaAbiyyu]

wait how did you know sargon 👀

[@szbobxc]

I wonder, during the video, did you mute yourself or you just fake singing.... I guess you were singing and muted yourself

[@shilohmagic7173]

uh, obviously

[@MrZiarD]

@MarcoMeatball please please pretty please listen to “End of Golden Wind (Fine Della Vento Aureo) from JoJo’s. And huge thanks for giving gamermusic such a stage where actual music complexity can be discussed not just “ bruh its from a game” ❤❤❤

[@MrZiarD]

Chances are you wont see this lonely little comment but still keeping my hopes up.

[@BloxByteofficial]

hey marco im Liam skinner tommys brother

[@Floofrer]

They still lost to the Sarkaz, skill issue on Victorians

[@kairu7815]

Gacha games are taking the stage in music making.

[@王征服]

That fife gives me such European/Shire vibes

[@voltaikk1732]

suggestion: The only thing I know for real (Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance) It is straight up FIRE