Text Play: Pokémon Xenoverse #33

Hello, and welcome back to the Eldiw Region! this is entry number 33 of my Text Play of Pokémon Xenoverse! 

Now, as is tradition, I wish to warn you, I will be spoiling this game. 

As such, I would strongly, strongly, strongly recommend that before you read these Text Plays, you go download the game and play through it yourself. You can do so right here. And now with that out of the way, let's get on with the show!

Last time, we started exploring Hypelion City, ending up at their resident Graffiti Gallery.

Yeah, here. This is actually really cool, and it does fit the hip-hop vibe of the city. Talking to one of the artists here reveals that there's a bit of graffiti that seems to move around. Keep an eye out for what looks like a colorful chameleon hiding out here. Because it's actually a Pokémon. 

Yeah, it looks like this. Say hello to Tokakle. It's a funny-looking Pokémon, ain't it? But then again, these critters like to do things that would make Charles Darwin bang his head on a wall. 

Well, with the exploration out of the way, we can prepare to face off against Wallace Daddy. Ol' Wally is a Sound-type specialist, appropriate for a man who also makes a living as a musician. So, as is tradition, we have to build a new team to take him on. Sound is weak to Electric and Dragon. Well, I got Harrowk, so I got Electric covered, but it would not hurt to have some back-up. Dragon is a bit more of a problem as I have absolutely no Dragon-type Pokémon.

Yeah. But it's not all bad. There's more than one way to beat a Gym Leader, by howdy! Luckily for me, all of Wally's Pokémon are dual types. And they have other types I can counter. Wally will likely have that X Slurpuff with him that he recruited in the last entry. Palossand was really helpful against it last time, so I will definitely be bringing along my favorite angry little sandcastle.

Wallace Daddy will also be packing a Pyroar, a Skravroom, Arbok, and a Noivern. Yeah, in this game, these Pokémon are also part-Sound. I mean, I kind of get why Pyroar would be part-Sound. It resembles a lion, and lions are known in pop culture for having loud roars. Noivern, yeah. It's a bat-like Pokémon, and bats use sound to echolocate. Skravroom looks like a dune buggy mixed with a bug, and vehicle engines can be noisy. I don't know why an Arbok would be part-Sound, as when I think of loud noise, I don't think of cobras. Maybe because it can learn Screech? 

But then again, but that logic, any Pokémon that can learn Screech is a Sound-type. I mean, at least that would make some sense...

Right right right, sorry. Back on topic. Time to build a Wallace Daddy-countering team. But who to bring in?

Anyway, what to do against this team? Well, Palossand can also counter Pyroar thanks to it being Ground-type and knowing Bulldoze. I am thinking of also keeping my Pelipper on board. Poor old pelican never got to see much Gym action.

Skravoom is Steel/Sound. Trishout has that one handled, Fire being strong against Steel. They're also part-Sound, so Sound-type attacks won't do a lot of damage.

Arbok is Poison/Sound. I think I can have Xatu take care of that one, being part-Psychic. It also is weak to Ground, so Palossand could be a real powerhouse here. In fact, the only real mind-cruncher I have to deal with is Noivern. In the Eldiw region, Noivern is Sound...and Dragon. 

Dragon is a pain, but it does have weaknesses like every other type, thank Arceus. Dragon is weak against Fairy, Ice...and itself. Yeah, I have no idea how that works either.

I have no Dragon-types, but I do have plenty of Fairy and Ice-type Pokemon. Among them is Swirlix. It's a Fairy-type, and it knows Fairy Wind. here is also that X Galvantula. It's part-Ice, and it does back Icy Wind in its moveset. There is also Avalugg, which is Ice and it has both Icy Wind and Ice Fang. And then there's Chichi. It's Fairy, and it knows Fairy Wind. I did consider Cottonee, as it's part Fairy, and knows Fairy Wind. However, it's also part-Grass, which makes it vulnerable to Pyroar. 

I have a surprising amount of options. So many options, and I can only carry six only Pokémon at a time. What to do, what to do...

Well, I decided against using Cottonee. It being part Grass would make it vulnerable to Pyroar. I decided to bring along Avalugg from Box 2, to help counter Noivern. As well as Swirlix from Box 4. But before I get to grinding these Pokémon up, I realized that I didn't get to completely explore Hypelion. I missed something. Yeah, that's my bad.

Near the Hip-Top hoodie store is a tunnel.

I didn't notice it when I first came to that store. I wonder how I didn't. If we go in there, we end up heading somewhere really special. 

BEHOLD! A PARKING LOT!

I'm kidding. Not about this being a parking lot, but this parking lot is part of something that I don't think I remember ever seeing in an "official" Pokémon game, or even any of the fan games I have played over the years.

Welcome to Samuel Oak Airport. Yeah, an airport. I think that's pretty cool there's an airport here in Eldiw. 

Unfortunately, we can't enter the airport yet. The stewardess at the door says that we need the Beat Badge to get in. That's the badge we get if we defeat Wallace Daddy. I find this very weird. I mean, from a gameplay perspective, I do understand. This is the game's way to pushing us towards beating Wally. We can't' go forward unless we beat him. I get that. But from an in-universe perspective, why do we need that badge to come in here? Is this a private airport reserved only for Trainers? 

Yeah, I'm confused about that, too. Anyway, since we can't go in until we beat Wallace Daddy, we may as well get our team ready. And yes, that will involve grinding. Grinding and grinding and grinding and grinding and grinding and grinding and grinding and grinding...

Right, right, sorry. Now, Wallce Daddy's Pokémon are all between levels 43-46. His weakest his Arbok at level 43, and his strongest is Pyroar at level 46. My plan to bring Pokémon that are all at around levels 50-55. Most of my standard team are at that point already. Heck, Trishout and Harrowk have entered their sixties right now, level-wise. Yup. Trishout is at level 60, and Harrowk is at 63. Avalugg is at level 42 right now. The problem is Swirlix. It's barely at level 30, so most of the grinding will have to be done to power that little puffball up. 

And I'm afraid that's where we're going to have to stop for the month. I didn't get as much time to work with this game as I would have liked to this month, so my apologies for the short entry. Hopefully, by the end of next month, I'll have my team ready to face Wallace Daddy and get through the gym! Wish me luck! Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time!

Pokemon Obtained:
(Graffiti Gallery)
- Tokakle

World Heart Day

Wolfpack #9 (April 1989)

It's that time again! It's time to rejoin the Wolfpack in their greatest battle against the Nine! Last time, Rafael Vega went a bit crazy, and Sharon...what is her surname?! paid the price for it. They also encountered a drug-addled hitman named Missionary who sought some redemption. And in his quest for redemption, he ended up causing some chaos in the South Bronx. What happens next?! Let's find out in Wolfpack #9!

The cover is a Ron Wilson and Chris Ivy piece. It's pretty cool, depicting a gang member trying to strangle Rafael while they fly out a window. It's a bit of a scary moment, seeing the other members of the Pack vainly try to save Vega. It's a rather exciting-looking cover. 

"Chaos"
Writer: John Figueroa
Penciler: Ron Wilson
Inker: Chris Ivy
Colorist: Max Scheele
Letterer: Jack Morelli
Editor: Terry Kavanagh
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story beings with a bunch of kids hearing screaming from an alley. The kids run towards it, curious as to the source. At this, the narration states that kids are not born bad, they just imitate their environment. It turns out that a man named Lee is talking about an opportunity.

“And then everyone will HAVE to respect my sweet headband!”

Thanks to Rafael and the Missionary's actions in the last issue, there is a power vacuum in the criminal underworld. And from that, Lee sees an opportunity. This is a chance for the smaller gangs like his own to take control. Naturally, someone objects to this.

Naturally, someone objects to this. After all, just because the mobs are still fractured right now, doesn't mean they're not still dangerous. It's called organized crime for a reason, after all. They likely have contingencies in place for stuff like this (Especially considering it's the Marvel Universe after all), and Lee's plans will just get everyone killed.

Lee shuts up the dissenter with a bullet to the chest. He then asks if anyone else has an issue. After all, he presumably still has some bullets in his gun. Well, three of the Wolfpack have opinions.

"Your mothers also smelled of elderberries!"

Sam, Wheels, and Slag deal with the gathered gang members.

They manage to break up the meeting, but it's not been an easy time for them. They really could use Rafael right now, as Sharon is still recuperating in the hospital. However, he's still dealing with the events of last issue. Rafael is hanging at a streetlamp, lost in his own thoughts. He laments that when he gets something good, something happens to wreck it. A drug dealer walks up to him, thinking he's a potential customer. However, when he realizes it's Rafael, he runs like his butt was on fire.

The dealer is so scared, he dropped his crack. Rafael picks it up, thinking that the Pack would have dealt with the dealers easily. He notes that many people take drugs to forget, and he wonders why.

Over at the Spartans' headquarters, Lee is doing some target practice...while playing his idea of darts.

“Stupid PDC! I’ll show ‘em!”

He was able to be let go thanks to his ditching his gun. As such, the cops had no case. But that's the past. Lee is thinking of the future. He heard a gang called the Dragons are gong to buy some cocaine. The Spartans need a bit of spending money, so he figures why not take their money...and the cocaine as well? Sell that themselves for even more money, I presume.

Lee sees this act as a steppingstone towards his true dream: to be the top man in the Bronx. To be the number one man in the number one gang in the city. 

Meanwhile, Rafael had found...something. The art doesn't make it clear exactly what he has (presumably some form of drug paraphenalia), but a man warns him that it's chemical. He laments that crack is making kids go insane, and he has it hard enough with heroin.

"Kid, you look like life ran you over. And that's coming from ME!"

He offers some drugs to Rafe, but the boy gets a view of his arm. He sees the track marks from his habit, and evidently it causes the young martial artist to have a revelation. He's done running away from his problems. In a nice little moment, he tells the man that if he wants help kicking his habit, let him know. Remember this man.

That night, the Pack holds a meeting at the rooftop of the building Rafael lives in. They discuss that Lee was let out of the lock-up by the police. Something about him being a controlling factor. It's here that Rafael decides to join them. He apologizes to them for his actions in the last issue, and he wants to rejoin the team...if they'll let him. Slag, Sam, and Wheels are all happy to let him back on board. Then someone comes along to ruin the good times.

"You were expecting Matt Murdock?"

Yup, ol' Malvin Crenshaw, the Nine's sleazy ambulance-chasing lawyer. And he needs the Pack's help. You see, thanks to the Missionary deciding to have a little fun with his machine gun (heh, poet and didn't know it) in the last issue, there's chaos among the gangs. Crenshaw is doing what he can to keep things from falling apart, but even he can only do so much. He needs the Pack's help...well, more like he needs Rafael's help.

Remember, Rafael learned that he is the biological son of one of the Nine. As such, he can declare himself the new head. If Rafael does that, Crenshaw will have time to get new people in to take charge of the gangs and prevent some real chaos from breaking out. Rafael points out that the Wolfpack was formed to stop the Nine. However, Wheels convinces him to help. After all, keeping the gangs stable will help make things easier. Not to mention gang wars can get civilians caught in the crossfire. This move would likely save some lives.

The Pack agree to help, and Crenshaw gives them some information on the Spartans. They're the gang that is causing the most trouble right now. With them subdued, things should be a bit more peaceful, and Crenshaw will have everything under control in three days. They agree to help, but as soon as this is over, the Nine are going down.

Over in Chinatown, said gang are preparing an ambush.

"After we kill them, we'll throw the rotten vegetables at the building!"

They're going to attack another gang called the Dragons, and steal their drugs, presumably to sell themselves. The Wolfpack aren't able to save the Dragons, but they do catch the Spartans' leader. Rafael warns him that he's in charge around here now, thanks to the events of the last issue. As such, if the Spartans want to start a fight, they only do it with his say-so. 

Inspector Cassidy arrives and wants some answers, but the neighborhood is clammed up. One little girl does tell him about the Pack's attack on the Spartans. Unaware of what's really going on, Cassidy worries that the Wolfpack have gone to the dark side. He did not need this today!

Rafael briefly visits his home, where his mother is demanding to know what's going on.

He assures her that all the chaos will be over in a few days, and tells her he loves her. 💓 It's also Saturday today, so he can spend the day with Sharon, who is recovering from being shot in the last issue. He notices a kid nearby. The kid is there to give the Wolfpacker a gift.

"Hey, wait a minute! This isn't a water gun!" 

A gift of hot lead. Rafael dodged the bullet, and the kid runs for it.

Another kid tells Rafael the attempted shooter was with some guys in a car...wearing Spartan colors. Likely they were trying to take out Rafael while maintaining plausible deniability. Afterwards, the kids think that maybe they should form their own gang as things are getting tough out here. 

However, there is some good news. Over at Bellvue Hospital, it's revealed that Sharon's prognosis is better than it was originally believed. The bullet she was hit with missed her spine, and the surgeons were able to get it out. And since her spinal cord wasn't damaged, it means she is still able to walk. Not just walk, but she will still be able to run.

Rafael goes into her room and begs Sharon for forgiveness. She seems to be in a forgiving mood. With that out of the way, the rest of the Pack can get down to business. Rafael reports the Spartans' attempt to kill him. The Wolfpack make their way to the Spartans' HQ, and brawl with the gang. The teenage crimefighters demand to know where Lee is. He's hiding out back. When the Pack investigate, they find a shocking sight.

"They said they had punch and pie!"

It was already bad enough that the Spartans have what looks like an innocent man in this simple death trap, but Rafael recognizes this man. It was the same man he had met earlier. Lee believes this man knows about a big score is coming but refuses to talk. It's possible that he's unaware of any big score, Lee. Lee then engages Rafael in a fight.

The brawl attracts a crowd. Lee is physically stronger than Rafe (and is willing to knock him around with a trash can), but Rafael is a smarter and better fighter. He knocks the Spartans' leader down a few pegs, pointing out that he's no son of Apollo Cora. He's the son of the streets of the South Bronx. He's no different than anyone in the borough, except in one aspect. He has dignity. He respects his neighborhood and its people. Sirens are heard. The cops are coming.

The crowd and the Pack scatter, leaving Lee lying among the trash. I can imagine that Sam, Slag, and Wheels rescued the junkie while Rafael and Lee were brawling. 

A week passes. Crenshaw meets with the Pack. He gives them props for dealing with Lee and the Spartans. He's got the new bosses in, so things should go back to normal. But with that, the Wolfpack declare they will bring down the Nine, and these new bosses. After Crenshaw leaves, Rafael announces his plans for his inheritance: Afte Uncle Sam collects the taxes, he plans to sell his new car, fix up his home, and then put the remainder in the bank. He also plans to pay Sharon's hospital bills and any therapy she'll need. Also, he'll set up a fund for the Pack in case they need any money. 

Wheels points out that they're taking on a big task, but he's feeling optimistic. The streets will be free of the Nine!

In epilogue, a group of kids are heading towards the park, where they're stopped by another group of kids, who have formed their own gang called the Junior Spartans, and this park is now their turf. The narration reiterates that children are not born bad, they just imitate their environment...

I did enjoy this issue. Rafael is the one who gets the most character development in the issue, which makes a lot of sense. I do admit, I did feel a bit thrown off by the prologue and epilogue of the issue focused on the kids, but I think it was meant to show that the rough streets of the South Bronx can perpetuate a dark cycle, the violence and gangbanging passing from one generation to another. One plotline I do wish was picked up here was with Crenshaw and Slag. You see, all the way back in issue #3, his mother got a new job working for Crenshaw, unaware that Crenshaw is involved with the Nine (he's not a member, he's their attorney). I would have liked to have seen that plotline explored further here. 

The art is strongest when it comes to the close-ups. You really get a good view of characters' expressions with them. 

If you want to read this story for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2018 trade paperback Wolfpack: The Complete Collection. Thanks for reading this blog entry! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time! 

Thunderbolts* Teaser Trailer, My Thoughts

The Mighty Marvel Cinematic Universe marches on! In June 2022, it was announced by Marvel Studios that a film focused on a group of villains-turned-heroes called Thunderbolts was in the works. The 36th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jake Schrier will be sitting in the director's chair for this film while Eric Pearson, Lee Sung Jin, and Joanna Calo are the writers. 

Like many projects in the works in Hollywood at the time, the labor disputes of 2023 did cause some production delays. This film is intended to be the final film of Phase Five. This film is naturally an ensemble film. Florence Pugh, Olga Kurylenko, David Harbour will be reprising their roles of Yelena Belova, Taskmaster, and Red Guardian from Black Widow (and Hawkeye in Pugh's case), Hannah John-Kamen is returning as Ghost from Ant-Man and the Wasp, Sebastian Stan and Wyatt Russell are returning as Bucky Barnes and John Walker from Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus will be returning as Contessa Val Fontaine from Black Widow, Wakanda Forever, and Falcon and Winter Soldier. The cast will also include Lewis Pullman as Bob Reynolds/The Sentry. 

Let's look at the trailer!

Man, Alexei has fallen on hard times. 

Did he just try to brush his teeth with dish soap?! 

This makes me wonder, where is Melina? Did she dump him to the curb or something? Would make some sense, as I don't think they were really a couple...

I think Yelena's talk about her feeling like she's unfulfilled and drifting through life is basically going to be one of the main themes of this movie, as well as this particular group of characters. They're looking for a place to belong. A purpose. Something everyone goes through.

"Hi, I'm John Walker, imma shoot you now."

Taskmaster and Ghost!

I wonder if they survived the Dusing in Infinity War? We know Yelena was Dusted, because that was shown in Hawkeye. 

This was a cool bit. That fight ruled. Hope it's in the actual film.

You know, if I had a nickel for every time Lewis Pullman played a man named Bob, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't much, but it is funny that it happened twice.

Yeah, it was a trap. They're all going to die.

They got Loki's scepter on display! 😂 

Oh man, seeing the Sentry in action is going to blow so many minds...

You'd think that with all the bullets wasted by those people presumably trying to blast the Sentry, you'd think they'd realize they're in trouble.

I know that people have made jokes about Bucky's arm being washable in a dishwasher, but I think it's very convenient. I can imagine the internal components have self-cleaning systems. Makes sense a robot arm would be easy to clean.

Good thing you got a bunch of people who can handle messy with you here, Yelena. 

I think we got a tease of Sentry's costume...

Fontaine's statement about the world only having bad guys and worse guys is something I think will touch another potential theme of the movie. Redemption is a theme of the Thunderbolts, and I think will be speaking out against Val Fontaine's mentality. Yes, there are bad guys, but there still are good guys, even if they stumble along the way. 

That looks like Tony Stark's old bar. I'm thinking the government bought Stark Tower after he died in Endgame. It could also explain why the films' title has an asterisk in it. "Thunderbolts" may not be this team's actual name.

That flash of a smile is a "I'm going to punch you in the mouth" one day expression.

Oh my god, I laughed so hard when Walker screamed "WHAT HAPPENED TO BULLETPROOF?!"

I get the trailer is giving the idea that Bucky is attacking some of our leads, but I think it's a bit of trick editing. Look at the back window behind Walker. I think that shot isn't of Bucky attacking the 'Bolts, I think he's trying to save them from someone else. And it's really cool he's using the mine gun from Winter Soldier. 

I am excited for this movie! As with all MCU projects, I was willing to give it a fair shot. But seeing this trailer has convince me I have to see this. I am guessing there is more than meets the eye to Fontaine's clear plans for our resident group of anti-heroes. I can't wait to see it unfold. I think this film will ensure Phase Five ends with a bang! Thanks for reading this blog entry! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time!