I personally would love to go back in time and change what I have done. I think we have all thought of that at least once, yet technology has yet to bring us a time machine. Tales of Xillia 2 has our hero, Ludger Kresnik, going back to different dimensions to see how things “could have” been, or even “should have” been. Maybe someone wasn’t supposed to die, an accident happened, or his or her childhood didn’t turn out as innocent as others’. Regardless, each of these characters has gone through struggles, from Alvin’s decisions to be a part of a terrorist organization, Elize not growing up with her parents, to Jude’s father putting pressure on him to be a doctor. This is what I truly enjoy about the Tales Of series: many of the characters can be related to real people and experiences. They are not these super-powerful, unrealistic designs that don’t exist.
I am almost finished with this game, and I predict that I will have one more article for it and that is it. After reaching the final area, The Land of Canaan, and what was needed to do to get there, I was inspired to write this post. After finally gathering the waymarkers (keys needed to open the gate to this hidden land), a bridge is needed to cross over. To make this path, a sacrifice must be made from the clan of Kresnik. The only ones available at the time are Ludger and Julius, the Kresnik brothers. Julius has been on the run since the beginning of the game and kind of took a back seat in the plot until now. He comes back to help everyone continue by being that sacrifice, even though Ludger refuses to kill him. After a one-on-one emotional battle, the deed is done and the bridge is created.
The game takes you to another dimension where we see our main hero actually talking, instead of being the token silent protagonist, and living a normal life. The prime dimension Ludger (the character you have been playing as) meets up with Julius in his home, knowing what he must do. Once Ludger destroys the catalyst inside his brother, the dimension fades and we are brought back to the prime one. It’s as if we had to go back in time and erase Julius from history so we can move on.
Elle, Ludger’s daughter, is also doing her best to survive and move on from her past. She ran away from dangerous circumstances at the beginning of the game and has stayed by Ludger’s side for protection. Another character, Rowan from the first Tales of Xillia, also tried to escape his mistakes from when he was a general until they caught up with him and he had to face them. Milla, the Lord of Spirits, also spends the entire first game trying to figure out her past and essentially moves on from her mission because it involved her being used by Maxwell. The constant theme of moving on from past pain is a common thread with many of the characters, and there’s a lot I was able to pull from them.
I myself would love to jump into a fractured dimension and see what my life could have been if certain situations had gone differently, whether with my friends, family, jobs, career, or decisions. Even though I couldn’t change a thing, I’d like just to play out that day of my life where everything pivoted in a different direction to see how it might turn out differently. Each character that went through these moments was emotionally overwhelmed in a good or bad way. We do not have second chances sometimes, and there are opportunities, people, financial blessings, or meetings that we have all passed up or missed out on. If I think about it, though, that’s okay, because in life there are many routes to go, but as long as I follow God’s will for my life, He will always steer me in the right direction.
Knowing what I am to do in life, even without being able to erase my past (in which there are plenty of things I want to!), is fine with me because I’m so blessed and grateful for how my life has turned out so far. I cannot complain as I have so much. Instead, I am often on my knees thanking my savior Jesus Christ for all He has given me. He makes the crooked ways straight for us to walk in (Isaiah 45:2), and His will is perfect and pleasing (Romans 12:2). As life goes on, there’s no way to change what has already been done, so I just have to pray, plan and accept the decision that I made and trust God. It sounds easy to say, but it’s hard to do because it involves surrendering our will to His, and a lot of people have trouble with that.
As I am about to finish this game, I’m looking forward to the ending and how Ludger will decide on how to rescue Elle and stop Chronos (the antagonist). All I do know is that he can’t go back and change what has already been done.
Would you want to go back in time and see how certain decisions could have turned out? If you want to share, what would they be and how would you have changed the situation?
