Moral of the game. What do you think?

[ShadOglarE]

To begin with I would like to say how much I loved playing this game. I really cannot think of a more enjoyable and fun 3rd person expeirence right now and It has proved to be something special and unique of a game for me.

Going back for a second playthrough and hearing Rucks talk about what is going on, I started to really think about the whole situation that is happening and maybe even what we can learn from it. In the begining I thought of the Ura as a secluded, stubborn race that are quick to fight and can mainly be seen as an ememy. But then after going to who knows where and hearing stories about the people, you cant help but almost feel bad for what happened to them. In many ways the struggle between the Caelondians and Ura can be likened to any hatred that people have with each other, just because one group looks or lives differently than what they do, and how this can lead to much worse events, like war. As humans we have a natural curiosity for the unknown, and this is clearly seen in Bastion, when you hear about how the Caels tried to conquor the Wilds and make it there own, even saying at one point something on the lines of: Men will always want what they cant have. At the same time The calamity can represent how little control we really have over natural catastrophies and how theses can change everything in an instant.

In short if you let it, Bastion can teach gamers lessons about mankinds greatest struggles and is a key example of how games can be a extremely engrossing expierence while also making us think deeper about what we are doing in the worlds we play in. In a senctence my summary of the morale of Bastion is this: In the end, it doesnt really matter what side your on, cause it could all change in an instant. Or in the words of the narrorator, "Just like that."

What did you appreciate most while playing this game? Or what was your favorite line that Rucks says?

[Virtuous Guard]

"The Past... About the only good thing to come out of the past... Is History." Was always one of my favorite lines for some reason.

[ShadOglarE]

Ya I loved that one to, thats another thing that this game had alot of, good quotes. I liked the one you hear in the last Who knows where. I forget exacly how it goes but its on the lines of: K is for kid, a guy or gal just like you and me, don't be so quick to grow up cause theres nothin a kid cant do.

Man There should be a thread on this. I am having trouble finding one.

[Virtuous Guard]

Oh, that's also a great one. Had a lot of trouble/fun with that Who Knows Where but that quote does indeed stand out! :3

[yarow12]

Let go of the past, appreciate the present, and move towards the future. Basically, "what's done is done. Learn from it and move on."

1. Zulf and the Uras need to let go of Caelondia's transgressions against them and stop seeking revenge.
   
2. Zia is enjoying her current life with The Kid, Zulf, and Rucks far more than her past one, which was spent primarily alone.
   
3. Rucks needs to focus on the future and stop dwelling in the past (undoing the Calamity).

Rucks and Zulf are trapped in the past, Zia is looking forward to the future, and The Kid? He's us--the player--, just figuring it out along the way and enjoying the ride.

At first, I thought Rucks was the future version of The Kid--who caused the calamity--and was trying to fix his error while trapped in some form of purgatory. He did say he "dreamed" up the Rippling Walls and "The Kid made them real". How else would he be the narrator at all times? Unless he knew of a way to keep an eye on him from the Bastion--his creation--, of course.
I later thought he was The Kid's father while doing The Kid's Who Knows Where. I still see this as a possibility.
Whether or not Rucks is The Kid's father or time traveling self is probably supposed to stay a mystery.

It's funny how the Caelondians brought about their own destruction with their treatment of the Uras--a people who surrendered to them. The Caels thought the Uras were a threat and would not trust them, but the Caels were the real threat to the Uras and other creatures due to their constant unchecked expanding. They secretly constructed the Mancer Observatory next to The Tazal Terminals--the Uras' home--to test powerful weapons and spy on them. The Caels wouldn't even permit any Uras to leave Caelondia out of fear of treason. They gave the Uras a reason to despise them. This is oh so relative to current and past events in life.

By the way, have you ever really sat down and listened to Mother, I'm Here (Zulf's Theme)[supergiantgames.bandcamp.com], Build That Wall (Zia's Theme)[supergiantgames.bandcamp.com], and Setting Sail, Coming Home (End Theme)[supergiantgames.bandcamp.com]?
They tell a story of their own.

Bastion is a very sad game indeed.

[Virtuous Guard]

Well said, yarow12. :D I'm in a rush so I can't say much but that was a very awesome post.

[yarow12]

Thanks. I've probably edited it atleast a dozen times. Improvements can always be made, afterall.

EDIT: Make that two dozen.

[Virtuous Guard]

And yes I love the songs and am well aware of the story they hold. :)

[Garlboh]

Basically, it's all about how moving on is the proper choice rather than dwelling on the past.

That's really all I got from it...

[Virtuous Guard]

Actually, Fee. It's also about learning from the mistakes of the past, both your own and the mistakes of others and moving on with that in mind, to build a brighter future, no matter how dark the times are now.

[IN CASE IT ISN'T ALREADY OBVIOUS; SPOILERS AHEAD.]
Something I always liked that I noticed.. Of the two endings of the game, one of them canonly makes you play through the game again, Rucks even gaining new commentary as if by Deja Vu. "Feels like I've told this part a million times..."

In my opinion, that means the true ending can only be the ending where you move on. Even Rucks says he hadn't thought about it much but that it doesn't seem like such a bad idea.

---
On a side note; Did anybody else notice in the end of the final area, when carrying Zulf they all stop attacking you out of respect? I mean it's kind of obvious but at first I thought it was only implied... Then on my last playthrough I noticed that after a while of walking in peace, one of them tries to attack you again with a repeater, and then a swordsman behind him strikes him down for it. In my mind this screams that the Kid took a strong first step in improving Cael/Ura relations... But maybe I'm reading too hard into it.

[Garlboh]

Originally posted by The Klara Sterre:

Actually, Fee. It's also about learning from the mistakes of the past, both your own and the mistakes of others and moving on with that in mind, to build a brighter future, no matter how dark the times are now.

[IN CASE IT ISN'T ALREADY OBVIOUS; SPOILERS AHEAD.]
Something I always liked that I noticed.. Of the two endings of the game, one of them canonly makes you play through the game again, Rucks even gaining new commentary as if by Deja Vu. "Feels like I've told this part a million times..."

In my opinion, that means the true ending can only be the ending where you move on. Even Rucks says he hadn't thought about it much but that it doesn't seem like such a bad idea.

---
On a side note; Did anybody else notice in the end of the final area, when carrying Zulf they all stop attacking you out of respect? I mean it's kind of obvious but at first I thought it was only implied... Then on my last playthrough I noticed that after a while of walking in peace, one of them tries to attack you again with a repeater, and then a swordsman behind him strikes him down for it. In my mind this screams that the Kid took a strong first step in improving Cael/Ura relations... But maybe I'm reading too hard into it.

You make it sound like my opinion is fact, I was just saying what I got out of it, it was a pretty meh game overall though, so maybe I wasn't paying much attention.

Also, yeah, I noticed that, gave me a chuckle.

[Alex]

No matter what,as long as you're alive and standing-you must carry on.

Plain'n'simple although so very hard at times...

[ShadOglarE]

Hey guys thanks for all the activity, its appreciated. Fee I can sort of understand how someone can think of Bastion as not having that great of a story lin, Ive already heard that its just kinda there, if you want to look into it. But isnt this really the best kind of story, one that does not force itself upon us but lets us slowly grasp the true meaning behind it all? This way when we do put all of the peices together we can appreciate them even more so. I know that even now I am hearing really cool bits that I completely skipped over or forgoten Such as the Bastion was once the highest point in the whole city, maybe to be farthest away from the ground, who knows maybe the Caels even knew something like the Calamity might happen?

[Geist]

I'm glad I chose ot move on. Rukus brought up the fact that if everything was reversed then what would stop it from happening again? That is what sold me. That and at the end when he states that everyone tried so hard to stop him from resseting the calamity I started to wonder why that was. They must have known that it would have done no good. That said I'm still curious what would have happened if did hit the reset button. The story take splace after the calamity so why would the game restart there? I'm sure the ending explains it so I probably will choose it if i do new game plus.
I also wonder about saving whats his name? Are there in fact 4 differant endings?!
I saved him because duh tis the right thing to do and that battering ram was a pain in the ass!
Also what was all that wierd crap whenhe goes to the bog? It was implied he killed his best friend and shot the bartender. WTF?

[Jamie A. Rose]

Bastion's story reminds me of Braid, except it's good.

[Zochery]

Not really sure what the moral is but i know its deep