tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6464382918796251124.post2729954373767944331..comments2021-05-16T13:41:12.015-04:00Comments on The Chaos Beast: Mecha Academy Episode 1 Chapter 9 CommentaryScott Delahunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06735796666483741699noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6464382918796251124.post-36576364047093493382019-08-02T13:50:01.532-04:002019-08-02T13:50:01.532-04:00I hadn't remembered the obstacle course. It fl...I hadn't remembered the obstacle course. It flowed well, though I was a bit surprised that it seemed to be largely physical, not incorporating any of the earlier things they had learned, like the rifle training. Then again, an aspect was probably teamwork, the rope being at the top of the wall being a really good indicator of that. Dusty helping Rhiannon worked well too in the context of that section, more on that later.<br /><br />Incidentally, Rhiannon never tackled the rope swing with the pool. Lars went across, then Miyami, then the rope came back to Ric, then Rhiannon said "I'm going to check on the next obstacle" and she just got a thumbs up as Dusty was given the rope. Guess she cheated. ^.^ Also randomly, "Ric gout out".<br /><br />A couple things I had a harder time parsing:<br />1) In part the cereal question from the last entry, like if it was that important that even the others getting it might have given pause, why didn't Rhiannon make sure to never run out? However, we could write it off as birthday distraction. But that brings me to:<br />2) Why did that even happen there? Things were settling down, everyone had been given some time alone -- then that incident blew everything up. Only to immediately say "two weeks passed". Why not save it to end the episode? Dusty and Rhiannon are grudgingly getting along, even helping out with the course, and then we hit the massive incident, made all the worse by the fact that they thought they'd be getting separate assignments soon anyway. No one even brought up the cereal again.<br />3) It's actually not all that clear that only this squad was staying together, and further that it's unusual. We get that about "a third" are asking about new bedrooms, and presumably a bunch of others are gone, but other squads could have been kept together too. Or if not, maybe they hadn't showed the same amount of teamwork, crossing the finish line together. What would be more suspicious lines of inquiry in my mind (which aren't pursued?) are whether Haag gave any assurances that there would be reassignments after the course (no?), or why Theta squad can't change rooms now that there's whole sections who flunked (not raised?).<br /><br />Dusty sending the file was nicely deflected at the time given her emotional state, as it was the thing that made me discount her then. But it makes sense, and Dusty is pretty observant. Related, that conversation went well, though Miyami does seem a bit naive in seeing the distinction (maybe that goes to why I see her as the weak link of the squad too).<br /><br />I still very much shrug at the coffee, but it is good to have details on the individual characters that can be used, so getting to know the cast is handy given what you say is coming. Should be interesting.GregThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17689711881670288362noreply@blogger.com