Big Bad End (or Evil) Guy, it’s an acronym that is generally used to refer to a game’s final boss.
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Yeah gonna be honest, I was expecting a lot more from them and they went down pretty quick
Yep, talking about the agency files. I’m trying to run though almost every variable possible so I tried that route out to see what would happen. IRL, I wouldn’t check, and as a suggestion for readers, I would recommend not checking, either. The reader gets more info and a better scene with their RO/LI if they don’t check. From a Meta standpoint, it’s nice to have bits and pieces of knowledge that even the characters don’t know/say, though.
It does feel this way, doesn’t it? Kind of like the opposite of elves? Elves are generally depicted as wise and mature due to their long lifespans but I get the feeling, too, that since there’s no rush, perhaps Echolians don’t rush (into learning, into experiencing things, etc.).
Great observation. M asked the Agency to block their memory, so at least it wasn’t forced upon them. But not having any memories past, say, the age of 20 or 30 would be very interesting to deal with. I would think they would retain the things they learned from that time, just would have no memory of it. So, for example, maybe M’s muscle memory knows how to ride a bike, but M themselves don’t know they know how to ride one.
I would say this is pretty accurate. Even A makes a comment that eternity is longer than the MC may think. It would have to be a kind of slow torture after a certain amount of time, never fully resting, never fully living. It’s a nice lesson somewhere along the lines of: “And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
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didn’t sera say some time ago,that there was a supernatural who fell in love with M?I get the feeling Alima might be the one she was talking about.Which could mean M might have panicked because he is kind of exclusive with our detective and Alima finding out about it would be like poking a hornet nest of jelousy.
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This is exactly what I thought all the soul bond talk in the story was leading to, too. But from hearing from others in this thread, it kind of sounds like that is NOT a goal of Sera’s. If that’s true, it’s kind of a let down because soul bonding was made such a big deal in this book I figured the MC and the RO/LI were the exceptions to any kind of rarity that it would happen with a vampire.
If this is true, maybe it shouldn’t be a choice? It doesn’t have to be an actual bite, after all, if that’s what the sensitivity checkers are concerned about. There are other ways of getting blood out for consumption. Why make such a big deal over the vampires having a harder time controlling their feral instincts around the MC if an optional choice of NOT drinking their blood is going to fix it? They are already NOT drinking the MC’s blood right now.
I think running with the theme that the MC and LI/RO are destined for each other is a good one, and making such a big deal out of soul bonds has to be some kind of Chekov’s Gun, unless all that talk was just to get the audience to like Sin more. If it’s the latter, that’s kind of lame, tbh. I already liked Sin, and couldn’t learn about any of this on a ‘combat training’ route but ended up liking Sin just the same.
It’s this clear theme that I hope is addressed satisfactorily. Maybe I’m assuming that “biting the MC” means not drinking their blood at all, but if it does mean that, how is this strong, compounding desire going to be resolved?
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Btw is the no romance route still…a thing? I remember trying it at some point in b2 and it was pretty lackluster, i wonder how much worse (or better??) It is in b3 
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I feel like my perception of immortal or being with massive lifespans has definitely changed after reading manga like “To Your Eternity” and “Sousou no Frieren”, specially with how for them a few decades might pass them by before they realise what is really going on around them, specially with Frieren with how those with shorter lifespans have changed massively because of them going through their lifespans but Frieren who is a High Elf is still very much so the same person she was since they last met them.
The truth for an immortal is that they have no real rush to do anything unless there is a present need to do anything, I mean F being 70 years old and still being like someone in their late teens really shows a difference compared to the MC or even with M, MC is a working adult who has had to deal with a bunch of different things through their life and can range from generally being a jackass or someone just as mature as someone like N, and M generally being more someone in their 20s in terms of maturity.
I do find it quite interesting because M chose it, so there was something they wanted to forget, and we sort of got a glimpse of part of it from Book 2 in the House of Mirrors, it is likely that the event when they turned was quite violent and traumatic for them to choose to forget.
Frankly I wish I could say I don’t have experience with that idea, because frankly speaking is still a kind of ongoing part of my life, with the inability to do much else than to just see time pass me by, so despite being in my mid 20s this year I haven’t really been able to do much with my life, I do get that the life you experience those years is what really matters the most, because I have been held back from doing all the living I’ve wanted to do because of my own parents being overbearing and overprotective (also without the means to sustain myself I can’t just go against them either since it is just a situation where they hold all the power over me and use it oppressively), that is part of why I am drawn so heavily to interactive stories where I can live a different life, but frankly speaking despite nearly 25 I feel like I’ve barely lived at all.
I feel like it is going to end up being sort of like an addictive thing for your Romantic Interest of Choice, some of them might struggle with it more than others, because the power up from the blood in itself is addictive, so I wonder if we might end up with feeding our partner to survive a situation where we are stuck, and it might end up with them nearly loosing control before our BFF comes to stop them.
There is certainly drama there and for a struggle in the relationship to ensue from there, I feel like each other UB members would feel it differently but they would all be scared to hurt the mc because of their vampiric urges.
As an aside I wonder if we will get a choice to turn into a vampire ourselves at some point, because I feel like that is something hinted at on occasion, and I feel like it would make sense if the MC would at some point be ok with turning into a vampire mainly if they want to stay by their Romantic Interest for a long time, but I can also see some MCs choosing to live out a normal human life.
Though I feel like it would be really sad for our Romantic Interest to have to loose us to time itself in the long term.
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This is what I was thinking, too. The first time it’s ever mentioned in the text it’s from M being protective around the MC in Book 1, so I figured since the MC never mentioned seeing fangs, or overly large canines, the very first time they all met at the abandoned warehouse or the first time in the detective’s office, that they weren’t visible until the vampire goes into “Vampire Mode”.
If the fangs are visible at all times, it’s weird for the MC to ever “forget that they’re vampires”. Like, are your eyes not working well MC?
This is what I’m hoping for, too. 
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So I always have had my mc snoop on each LI in every route bc I’m nosy haha but seeing posts on here idk if it’s better not to on N’s route…
He always clams up and never talks about his past to the mc. Does he reveal anything if you choose NOT to snoop then??? Bc I’m not going to lie I find that kinda annoying.
Certain scenes I’ve found during this book you miss out on if you don’t choose a certain route- another example is that I always choose research for N and yet apparently the combat scene is apparently got an extra love scene??
But basically yeah that’s what I’m asking lol
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I have finally played A & N routes few times…
My incoherent ramblings
There were so many great moments; when A talks about their past, date, dinners with Tina&Verda (I liked Verda one better).
A was opening up to MC and I read all these romantic moments as glimpses of how real relationship with Adam would look like ((the mentions of A smiling with dimples?? 
))
I really felt like A route was on good track and then the last scene?!?
Kissing with MC absolutely doesn’t help the situation ugh.
Like, great - they admitted feelings to each other. But then pulling back immediately… A trope “we can’t be together because I’m afraid someone will use you to hurt me”.
Like, MC and A could take this slow…
I also really wished Detective would have more reactions the next day during party in MC apartment.
I have to headcanon that my detective would absolutely ignore A, wouldn’t even sit with him and leave the room
at taking alcohol shot… But here we go😬
N route wasn’t totally suprising to me.
I really expected that Nate won’t tell whole truth about his past, considering his fear what MC will think about him. But I don’t think N will hide it for too long either way.
I sense this could be a reason for more arguments between MC and Nate if dating or maybe reason to MC reluctance to dating officially 
.
I wasn’t exactly suprised about Love confession on N route but I really thought it will be different. I guess I wanted N to tell my MC moments after Detective does…
And it was kinda weird MC doesn’t have any thoughts about N not saying it back (my pessimistic MC wouldn’t stop over thinking it 
).
Also another thing about Love - if N says it first in scene after auction MC can’t say it back?? So annoying.
At this I just ignore N overprotectiveness bc they are like with UB too.
But seeing how powerful MC becomes…
MC could literally quote Walter White “I’m not in danger Skyler. I’m the danger”
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Right? This is a perfect set-up for a genius way of connecting everything together; tying everything together under one cohesive theme.
It’s things like this that make me drawn to shows like Firefly (sorry for continuing to bring this show up, it’s just written so well) because every episode has symbolism in it that connects with every single aspect presented in that episode, and the episodes themselves have symbolism that connects with the entire plot as a whole.
I love this. Clearly Murphy did something to alter the MC, Arane on the Chamber wouldn’t be so fascinated if this weren’t the case, and this kind of reveal would be amazing.
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That reminds me of this:
I was all, like, Bobby is our brother/sister?! Wait, that can’t possibly be what Sera is trying to say here, can it?
Considering you and Bobby might have dated, absolutely no. What do you think this is, Alabama?
That’s clearly referring to Bobby’s own mother, whoever Ms. Marks happens to be.
(also, I “love” how Sera claims these people are the Big Good, yet they’re the most nonchalant people possible when talking about forcibly mindwiping someone)
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Alabama
Meanwhile, I can’t decide which I like best. Teasing Ava endlessly as a Majestic Flirt lol or as a Joker who take nothing seriously?
Right!? Taking it a step further, if we assume for a moment that a fully formed soul bond will provide some relief for the blood lust of the RO… Since I imagine the MC would be the holder of the bond as the auctioneer was with Sin. That could be the solution to vampire human relationship problems due to blood lust. The MC would have influence there. Or that’s how I picture it at any rate.
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Awwwwwwwwww 
Summary
“I do at least get some caffeine before we start, right?” A bubble of hope surrounds each of my words.
She points to a nearby bench, where a Haley’s Bakery travel mug is waiting. “There is coffee for you there. The woman who made it seemed to know your preference on the taste of it.”
I blink a few times before looking back to her. “You…really bought me coffee?”
“It does seem to be the way you humans sustain your energy these days,” she replies, and I’m sure I hear a whisper of amusement in the statement.
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I hope it’s more of an equal thing than the MC holding a bond over the LI. The latter seems very squicky, and like the MC is controlling them.
What I hope for is something more magical, in that the magic of the soul bond–once both the LI and the MC submit to it, so to speak, and stop fighting it tooth and nail–will cause any bloodlust to disappear.
Given how a natural soul bond is described, I’d think that fighting it would be the worst thing you could do (which, at this point, is what A, M, and kind of N are doing) because it would be like trying to move the ocean by pushing on the water. It’s just not going to work and you’ll end up getting sucked into the deep before you know what happened. So, the more they fight the forming (or formed) bond, the more miserable they’ll be and they’ll make the MC. The moment they stop fighting and accept that connection–no matter how scary and overwhelming it may be–things will snap into place and they’ll both be stronger for it.
At least, that’s how I’d write it. Making it a collar with the MC holding leash is… just wrong.
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I think this is specific to bonds with annunaki - the research path points out that annunaki are particularly vulnerable to soul bonds, leading to potentially vulnerability and even death, so would presume that bonds with other supernaturals do not confer this ability.
But the type of bond we see in B3 is, indeed, extremely very top squicky. It creates such a power imbalance that any relationship with the supernatural would be automatically and irrevocably tainted.
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I don’t find N’s language all that flowery. Can you describe what you mean? N doesn’t really substitute complicated words for simple ones and doesn’t seem to go out of their way to overly complicate a response (unless I’m completely glossing over some things that were pretty obvious and forgot about them). They seem to just like being thorough in their responses. Maybe this is what ‘flowery language’ means and it’s not something I’ve identified as such before?
I’m hoping for the same thing. We know M was tortured for gawd knows how long and it probably happened before, during, and after they were turned. I can imagine a Murphy-like character doing a sadistic experiment on M just to see what would happen/how much they could take. An experiment in vampire biology, if you will.
But I love the idea of the MC becoming Agency-ordered to be at M’s side at all times 
This is why I didn’t feel like it was a good place for the MC to realize they were in love where it was at on N’s path. Really? In love already? The only thing you two have done is a kiss, or not, on a Ferris Wheel. I was picturing more romantic behaviors and activities before getting to these feelings. I loved the pool scene so I’m OK with it, but it probably would have been better if N had set-up something pretty darn romantic: candles, chocolate-covered strawberries and all. Since N doesn’t have a problem eating human food, this could turn into something pretty darn sensual.
N doesn’t have the constant magnetic pull that A’s route has, so declaring love so early felt…off. There was a sense of being majorly drawn to N’s presence, but it was a bit different from how it feels with A. I’m not sure I know how to explain it. Maybe it’s just because N doesn’t pull away from it.
A’s declaration of love route felt more organic, even though they had never been intimately physical other than a kiss on the wrist (which A initiated). That’s the only kiss I thought Sera was going to give us, so A’s ending actually surprised me. There’s so much emotional turmoil between these two characters that I can see how the obsession over them turns into something they feel is deeper.
M’s [almost] declaration of love was in a good spot. The MC had a mutually shared emotional experience with M and it bonded them closer. I’m redoing an M run and, by gosh, it has some really sweet moments. I’m going to be just as pissed if M goes back to treating the MC like a cumbucket ™, especially after helping M with their crystal.
If this happens, it tells me that Sera doesn’t really mean it when she writes that M is terrifyingly dangerous to those around them, and that the crystal is incredibly important in preventing any calamities. Unless there’s an overall point in back-peddling so hard, to be revealed later, but it doesn’t feel good to the reader in the meantime. Just writing angst for the sake of angst isn’t very compelling.
Hopefully, things aren’t being presented here as KISS = LOVE, because that’s not what love is. Love is more than dopamine. Love is sacrifice. Love is compromise. Love is not a victory march, it’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah. 
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Good. I dug through the code and F talked about how awesome soul bonds were and how nauseatingly happy people were that he saw soul bonded.
Yep, which is why I’m hoping that, if there ends up really being a soul bond with the MC and LI, it’s made clear from the beginning that it’s an equal thing, not the mind control shit we saw with Sin. Can you imagine how quickly M would head for the hills if they thought for even a second that the MC might be able to control them?
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