Why Xenoblade's Metal Face is an Incredible Villain
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- čas přidán 12. 06. 2024
- Metal Face is a villain that I feel doesn't get nearly as much appreciated as he should, but why is that? Let's dive into all of the things that make Metal Face such a strong and fun character as well as address some of the criticisms leveraged at him!
Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
2:36 Who is Metal Face?
5:51 Expressions and Personality
11:48 Exploring His Character Archetype
13:45 Xenoblade Chronicles' Most Iconic Villain
16:56 Addressing Criticisms of Metal Face
22:45 Final Thoughts
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#xenobladechronicles #metalface #discussion - Hry
16:36 in smash bros for wii u there are trophies for both Xord and Yaldabaoth too
Oh seriously? Damn, I totally overlooked trophies. Thank you for pointing that out!
That's cool
@@jazyzamp3056 No you're right he did
Hello :)
Even jade face
I love how Mumkhar’s death is used to punctuate how much the stakes have been raised in the story by the time of sword valley. After his death, the party just says “I guess hes out of the way, onto more important things.” The character who once had such an overwhelming presence that it drove the entire conflict becomes a footnote in the face of saving Fiora and getting the answers Shulk is looking for.
This makes Xenoblade one of the best JRPG's. This, the characters and the plottwists.. my god.
From villain of the first arc to Egil's second fiddle, lmao.
I'd argue even his final fight wasn't as climatic as the Prison Island one. Because he's no longer the one Shulk is after.
Yup, he clearly hated having his spotlight move on, and paid dearly for it.
@@MrAuthor3DS That's a great way to put it yeah. Egil totally stole the show.
Lyu But he barely did anything except show up and act intimidating a few times until you get to the capital.
I love how the only time Metal Face ever calls Shulk by his name is when he puts the Monado down in Valak
That is a really cool detail! Almost humanizes him a bit with the reveal of his Homs form or as if he’s patronizing Shulk for following his order.
I just realized something,.In the First scene In Sword valley, Mumkhar states he won't "die in some God-forsaken field".
And the very place his fate is sealed is that very field he betrayed them in, Sword valley.
He died in the most pathetic way he could have. Not by His enemies, but by his own Arrogance, spite, and Ignorance.
It never occurred to me how truly massive Metal Face is until I compared him to the Colony 9 village houses around him. He's like... 50ft tall or something including the canon on top. It's surprising that he gets his weapons upgraded quite a bit even in the early chapters! I wish he had more screen time but what we got from him is great. The English dub delivery of his last line in the Prison Island cutscene is also fantastic, so intimating before he flies off.
"Next time, I'll slice you in two" is a pretty terrifying threat haha. His size really does play into his character for the better and I'm just a sucker for big, dumb monsters/villains.
Intimidating*
Here's an oversimplification of Bionis vs Mechonis:
Zanza: Tries to overtake the Mechonis
Egil: Grr revenge (does revenge stuff to Bionis and homs
Shulk and co.: Grr revenge (gets revenge on revenge only to realize that revenge on revenge isn't the best use of revenge)
I think Mumkhar’s death at Galahad Fortress is a perfect conclusion to him, because there’s a consistent pattern to the main deaths he’s caused.
In Colony 9, Shulk has a vision of Fiora impaled by Metal Face’s claws, and can’t do anything to save her. This is followed up at Prison Island, where both Shulk and Alvis show a future where Sorean is stabbed by Metal face, and by the time Shulk’s there, he isn’t able to stop him.
So finally, when fighting Mumkhar right outside of Galahad Fortress, he dies the exact same way Fiora and Sorean did. Shulk has a vision of his upcoming death, watching him get skewered by a falling spire from the fortress, and can’t do anything to change it. It’s a really cool pattern to notice afterwards, and shows how thought out those encounters with Metal Face really are.
Mumkhar really dug his own grave. After all, he couldn't accept any other fate, than the one he himself creates. People reached out for him, and he still denied a different fate. He went too far as Dunban said it. He was all about himself, it was either his way or the highway. He was truly obsessed with power and the Monado. In a sense he is similar to Zanza, as in he couldn't let anyone exist but himself for his own gain. I even read someone said that he wanted to be a hero, but maybe he choosed the wrong path down the line.. we will never know I guess.
@@Lyu-Phy Dunban and Mumkhar once competed to see who would be the one to wield the Monado, as they both had the potential to use it (to the limit of any mortal being that is). Dunban won, and Mumkhar was rotten ever since, because he originally wanted to be the 'hero' people would look up to.
After completing the game, I often thought, "Why did we think the Mechonis was evil in the first place?" Other than the "Our enemy." Scene, that idea was completely upheld by the stage presence, actions and words of Mumkhar, and a little bit of Xord. Xord but mostly Mumkhar held such ubiquitous and unmistakable evil that we couldn't not think the Mechonis was anything but evil. Then that mindset of all Mechon being evil gets past to Egil around Valak, Sword Valley, and Galahad. This is a great example of the audience being shown, not told, that the Mechonis is without a doubt a negative force, until the audience uncovers the past in the Fallen Arm and Agniratha. This direction, or rather misdirection throughout the first half of the plot is just... Masterful in every way.
I mean, the entire aftermath of Colony 6, the loss of Gadolt that Otharon wanted to avenge, and the scenes of mechon eating people, all also help reinforce the menace without just using the Face Mechon, though they’re definitely the most memorable and villainous aspect
@@emblemblade9245 and, sudently, you find out that you were the bad guy before you even start play this game
We thought Mechonis was evil because we thought Bionis is good. The rivalry between the two titans, Bionis giving the Homs life, and the constant Mechon invasions attacking the Bionis and the families/loved ones of those who we held dear. And machines can’t get fuel from human flesh, so there was seemingly no reason other just just for the thrill of the hunt. And metal face’s mocking tone further cemented that assumption that it was all just a game to them. There’s also the assumption that Mechon were Mechonis’ version of the Homs/Nopon/High Entia because we didn’t know Machina existed. So assuming the mechon acted as a hive mind for the queen bee (mechonis) was the only information we had
But I completely agree. The subversion is incredible
@@emblemblade9245 Well, from the onset of the game the general mechon were pretty much just unfeeling military force of machines, especially since life and ecology were framed as a Bionis thing. The Faces were basically what sold the _malice_ angle of it all. The common fodder just killed ceaselessly, Metal Face and Xord appeared to actively enjoy it, make it as brutal as possible, then taunted you about your powerlessness over and over.
It's like you wouldn't call a stampede of wild beasts evil no matter how many casualties they cause. The mechon were a veritable menace without a doubt, but they didn't feel _evil_ until the enemy proved capable of conversations and human emotion.
A big theme in Xenoblade 1 is recognizing the humanity and value in other people, especially from different cultures. A big part in Shulk moving on from his vengeance arc is understanding the Mechonis and how it’s inhabitants are people too. It’s no coincidence that Mumkhar is removed from the story right before the Machina are introduced, he’s simply too evil to stick around in the part of the story that requires Shulk to let go of his hatred. His death is a masterful passing of the torch from one theme to another, which is physically represented with Dunban and Shulk’s standoff.
I never realized Metal Face had his armor reinforced after battle damage until now. Also yeah I love Metal Face too. Favorite villain of Xenoblade 1.
I feel really dumb for not noticing lol. He even comments on it! "Brand spanking new!"
I never realized it either, good to see that I'm not the only one
yeah he gets less cool looking every time. His needle looking claws go to those stupid looking blades
Want to know something more?
He may be just a head when he attacks colony 9, then he gets a metal body later with the necesary upgrade in form of a cockpit in valak
Oh, and THATS why he gets "hurt" in colony 9, colony 6 and prison island, he is conected with his blood to the machine
But since Valak we know he is fully autonomous and in Galahad, Metal face Arms glow green because he doesnt need to route his blood anymore and can run just fine with no arms
I just think he is so raw. After killing fiora, he just looks at the party and throws the artillery back while showing off the blood. Even without words he is brutal.
Not all villains need to be deep or sympathetic. They just need to have an Impactful presence and serve a purpose that pushes the story forward. It's simple an that's why it works. Honestly, a villain being entertaining is just a plus, makes them more endearing. I mean come on, who doesn't love a good trash talker?
As someone who loves playing fighting games and Pokemon with my friends, trash talk gives me life.
Some people are just assholes who act out of their own selfish desires. We all know people like that. It also feels really good to beat them and to deny them what they want.
Shania lmao
I also think an underappreciated part of Metal Face's death is that, alongside the excellent showing of Shulk's character development and changing motivations (and Dunban acting as Shulk confronting his original motive), they also finally defeat Metal Face on a personal level. It was convenient he died, but even if he didn't, the Sword Valley cutscene shows how strong the party has become, to the point where Metal Face is no longer a threat. Shulk and Dunban treat him like a background object during their talk, and Dunban even leaves his back exposed after, before still easily dispatching of his attempted cheap shot, and Dunban even says "Did you hear that Mumkhar? We haven't got time to be playing around with you." He's so weak in comparison now that not only is he not a threat, but Shulk tries to save him from accidentally killing himself.
Simply managing to kill him in a typical shonen-close-call style wouldn't be nearly as satisfying as realizing the cockiest man on earth now has nothing to back up his words. The former most terrifying character now reduced to a pathetic child throwing a tantrum. His death wasn't the satisfying part, his defeat on both a physical and personal level was.
Yeah, the way he was so utterly defeated in every way was awesome.
Shulk & Reyn Collecting Ether Cylinders Meanwhile
*Colony 9 gets raided*
Metal Face: I'm About to Start these Homs Whole Career!
The horrifying part is that you can hear the mechon body groaning and screaming everytime he moves and you get shot back to the first meeting where he didn't talk
I loved those moments. I love the VA for Metal Face too, but there was also something special in that moment of the story where you couldn't hear them talk, and all there is, was the groaning metal moving, almost sounding like a beast growling at you.
@@TheFrostedfirefly the worst part is when you realize that it's ALWAYS making the groaning. Every single time he moves, no matter the cutscene (not in battle as much) he's screaming
From the beginning of the game, I always loved Metal Face. His appearance was cool, his trash talk personality (and cracking jokes in the party’s moments of despair, e.g. “Looks like he had his wings clipped” about the death of the emperor) and his amazing voice acting. He is truly one of the best villain of all time.
Such a damn good villain. Says a lot when a the simplest character can hold the player's interest for half of a 60+ hour game.
4:26 I've played this game how many times, and I've never noticed that Metal Face had a design adjustment mid-game.
On my first playthrough of Xenoblade 1, I was pretty distraught when Metal Face killed Fiora, and I really wanted to get back at him as soon as possible. Each encounter with him (up until Prison Island) made me want to kill him more and more, but also made me think "Damn, this guy's voice actor is great!"
Yeah, I think he's one of the biggest examples in XC1 (alongside Shulk of course) how excellent and lively voice acting can go a long way into making a character.
Am I the only one or one of the few who knew fiora was not death and we would see her later as a Brianwash/amnesic/ enemy sort of character?????
The thing about metalface is that he always knows how and what words to use and hurt the player/party. He's true to his values through the entire game. He's evil, he likes it, and no shame in admitting it. The type of character that we hate to love and love to hate... his words always cut deep enough when it's to mess with us.
My fav line of his is “oh don’t worry, I’ll organise your funerals, AHAHAHA”, the delivery is genius
(SPOILERS)
Although that is before his transformation into Metal Face. Edit: But you could say that it is the Metal Face part of Mumkhar which is speaking as he had shown his true intentions
Metal Face embodies the archetype of villain that rolls in, takes names, kicks ass, and leaves behind an unforgettable sensation of simultaneous hopelessness, helplessness, fear, dread, and "son of a bitch must pay" mentality in their wake, only for the heroes to later realize they're in the lower levels of management compared to someone or something higher on the villain food chain.
That was some superb analyzing when you mentioned Mumkhar pursues the Monado again only because it overpowered him at Prison Island. I never thought about it that way but it makes perfect sense. All he cares about is being on the top of the power curve so of course he'd desire it again only once he was so easily defeated by the Monado. It's like a switch flicked on in my head after realizing this lol.
Hahaha, hope I'm not interrupting, CZcams boy! The algorithm on this platform often doesn't recommend fellow small channels, but you should know by now, the algorithm can't stop me! Now, time to watch this video down to size!
I love this video, the power!!
There's people who legit dislike Metal Face? To be honest, I'm actually surprised. I've never seen anything but love from him.
"That aint got nothin to do with it"
seriously the way he just says that.
Metalface is incredible.. He sets the whole mood for the game, he is the whole catalyst for everything, he brought us to the later stages - because of him. Also he is so despicable and vile.. you just cant hate him how well he does it.
Hey ya'll! Thanks for watching the video and I hope you enjoyed! Metal Face is one of my favorite characters, so it's about time that I finally got to talk about him! This video has honestly been scripted and recorded since November, but kept getting delayed. I also know that the percentages for the podium don't match the results of the poll fully, but people kept voting and it kept changing, so that explains that. Anyways, look forward to more content this summer!
Metal face is also “one of my favourite videos”
Awesome video, but I'm a Dickson fan for life!
Recently finished the entire series you can imagine my surprise when I found out Metal Face wasn’t the main threat!!!
I was talking about the video with a friend who has never played Xenoblade and he was surprised that Metal Face was the only/main villain. I think it’s pretty crazy how much of a reputation he has.
Something I would like to point out about his death is how Shulk got a vision for that despite himself nor his friends being in harm's way. He's had visions for others to save them, such as in side quests and even in the main story when Reyn was in danger, or visions for your party members in combat. I read this as Zanza (since he gave Shulk all those visions) believed that Mumkhar could have not only been saved, but saved and something useful could have come out of it. It's an incredibly frail idea, but it makes you wonder if he could have become good if he survived and was defeated with no chance to turn tail and run?
Or Zanza thought he could make a useful pawn, lol.
In general, I think the four main villains from 1 and the three main villains from 2 do a phenomenal job in their respective narratives. Whether simple or layered, hammy or not, they fulfill their role well.
love the use of an obstacle in our path early on i almost entirely associate that song with him
I honestly love the new rendition that came with Definitive Edition, so I felt it was fitting for him!
My favorite thing about Metal Face.
His first introduction and killing Fiora and being this mysterious enemy towards Shulk and the rest of the party he seems so menacing. He seems like almost like Dan Phantom without the Ghost Powers, he plays with Shulk’s emotions and during the beginning and after he dies!
I will never forget Metal Face insulting Shulk for Fiora. *”Fiora! Get out of there! Get out! My claws pierced her flesh.. like a hot knife through butter!“*
1:10 I can not wait for you to put in the Xenoblade 3 characters in there.
Hearing Engage The Enemy Play Made Chapter 2 more impactfull
very emotional it hit deep that's what triggered Reyn & Shulk’s Conquest for Revenge 10/10 vid
metal face is my favorite villan alongside Egil
The reveal of who he is/was was the most my jaw has ever dropped while playing a video game
Also you a real one for warning abt the XC2 spoilers as I just started the game 😂
Will have to come back afterwards
Edit: Have now come back after playing what is possibly my favorite game ever and the first to make me cry
Oh my God. I took the picture at 3:42 and used it for one of my videos. This is hilarious.
I often find that picture gets used whenever someone on the internet brings up a discussion about Metal Face/Mumkhar. It makes me happy because I made him look like he's taking a selfie.
I’ve always thought he’s awesome. Ever since I first saw the guy in smash 4 he’s always intrigued me and was one of the reasons I tried Xenoblade Definitive Edition!
I really think adding him to Smash was a smart idea! With his spirit, I think it’s neat how it changes, but it unfortunately spoiling his reveal is a double edged sword.
Yeah Metal Face is one of my big faves for sure, and like you say yeah he's so charismatic and plays his role so well, which is kinda why he had to die when he did, with Egil finally entering the story Metal Face just wasn't needed to carry it any more even though he did a great job doing. One of the littler things I do love about Mumkhar is he does have a bit of depth to him in that first section, sure he's a coward who abandoned Dunban and Dickson when it mattered most but at the end of the day he was the last person to flee the battle lasting way longer than everybody else who wasn't one of the two he left behind which feeds into Dunban's regret over how the whole situation ended in his Heart to Heart on the Fallen Arm where he'd crashed.
And I do always think of One Who Gets In Our Way as his theme and its such a banger.
Metal and Xord are both awesome love-to-hate villains, and one of them is only in the game for like 3 chapters! If anyone thinks a character is poorly written just because they're static then they need to take some classes...
I think Jin is the only villain in the entire series I like more than Metal. I'm not as hot on Malos as everyone else.
Yeah, there’s so many people that foolishly disregard the worth of characters that don’t experience dynamic growth, because they don’t realize the influence of certain static character traits on other characters, or the plot, or sometimes the themes. Things that drive the story or remain steadfast in spite of the change around them, standing out because of the completeness of their idea, because they don’t have to change.
When I found out that metal face was mumkhar I lost it, that was such a cool twist and completely changed how I saw the faced mechon
The thing I enjoy the most about Mumkar is what he represents to shulk in this journey, and how he shapes Shulk’s personal growth. (Spoilers ahead.)
At the point where shulk stops dunban from killing mumkar, it’s a pivotal moment in shulk’s character. As pitiful and irredeemable as the man is, shulk is able to overlook his transgressions for the sake of some greater good. He won’t stoop to mumkar’s lows. Considering how later, shulk also has a moment where he has to stop himself from killing Egil, a character who in my opinion is vastly less morally evil, as he fights for some greater good in the world, it shows shulk recognizes what mumkar cannot. That we are all in this struggle together, fighting for survival, and that we don’t have to do that alone. That egil quickly takes to shulk’s show of peace in spite of all he has done, further proves my point in my opinion, as this inability to accept peace is what ultimately killed mumkar.
The fact that it’s later implied in a heart to heart that mumkar may have even survived the incident, is also an element I enjoy, as it means that mumkar is likely now left to reflect On the fact that in a way, he owes shulk his life.
Underrated villain. I like Egil and Zanza a lot for various reasons but Mumkhar is just so fun. Nice job friend! (I forgot to comment this earlier lol)
Really great video! I've always found Metal Face to be a fantastic Love to Hate villain, and my favorite villain of Xenoblade 1 overall. He's despicable, hammy and (until Shulk upgrades the Monado) an extremely effective and powerful villain, backed up by a fantastic design and voice acting, as well as playing a key role in two out of three of Xenoblade 1's most iconic story moments. I don't see any problem with him lacking depth, giving his status as only the first major Xenoblade 1 villain introduced, and as you mentioned, there are aspects to him and the way he's written that are more subtle than you'd think at first glance. But really, for me Metal Face's main selling point will always be just how fun and memorable he is.
Something to note about simple villains like Metal Face is, they're needed.
Villains like Egil, Zanza, Malos, and Jin do make you think and are really good characters. But often times you just need that guy who's driven by one thing and one thing alone to make your characters shine. Egil's complexities is amplified by how simple Metal Face's motives are. Shulk is tested by the former's thoughts, yes, but it's the latter that really pushes him to his mental limit (especially early on).
It's like Syndrome said "If everyone's super, no one will be." If all the villains are really complex thinking types, then they would get less and less impressive as time goes on.
I was surprised when playing through Final Fantasy XIV was that when they created Heavensward expansion they recast all of the characters and good chunk of the cast are from Xenoblade. Timothy Watson plays Urianger whom I didn’t recognize at all as Urinager is more of the wise sagely mentor in comparison to Metal Face, although his best moments are in Shadowbringers and Endwalker. Peter Bramhill who plays Egil is the VA for Thancred and it’s pretty obvious it’s him when you hear him for the first time.
I love Metal Face as the inciting incident in the events of Xenoblade. Sometimes simple is best if you want to get a point across to the player. He reminds me of Luca Blight from Suikoden 2 you don’t need to know his backstory to know he is legitimate threat and needs to stopped at all costs.
I think it's really cool how a lot of Xenoblade voice actors have found their way into FFXIV and that Timothy Watson was able to showcase his range in it. My friend bought me all the expansions, but I haven't found a good time to get around to starting it yet.
Finally someone else who understands! Loved this video so much. Metal Face is actually my favorite villain across the Xenoblade series and might even be my favorite video game villain of all time
Being honest I didn't realize who Metal Face really was until right before that snowy mountain (forgot the name). With the tease of Fiora being a face mechon I was like wait similar claw weapon familiar voice... NO WAY
Best Starter Villain ever. He was just the motivation our heroes needed to take action. But as the story continues, there were bigger things at play. Thus that made sure Metal Face didn’t overstay his welcome.
Metal Face is mostly ham but lets be honest the first time you see him turn up he is scary
Babe wake up, KayJulers posted a Xenoblade 1 video essay
Can't wait for you to make a video like this on characters from Xenoblade Chronicles 3. This video was so fun to watch, I went back and rewatched it a few times. 😂
I think something interesting that he didn’t mention is why narratively mumkar got a special design. Mumkar got a special face because he was specially selected for the attack on Colony 9. Egil likely believed that Dunban was the heir to the Monado due to his performance in the Battle of Sword Valley. Mumkar was specifically selected due to his personal grudges against the supposed heir to the Monado and was given a special body to ensure that the heir was destroyed. Notice that Sharla and Juju don’t know Xord meaning he wasn’t there when the colony was attacked. Xord was sent to Colony 6 to seek and destroy the heir. However since metal was undergoing repairs Egil sent a generic face to do it but didn’t have much confidence in it likely due to the ether river below the Colony. That’s why Metal face was waiting outside for them.
I loved the best friends throwback with the when's Mahvel sign
Be like Metal Face: -Show up
-Kill some ones crush
-Refuse to elaborate further
-Tactical retreat
Originario de una antigua colonia destruida en los ataques del mekong.
Mumkar era un soldado aficionado que luchó junto a
Dunban en innumerables batallas incluso salvandole la vida en varias ocasiones.
Metal Face's demise is my favorite scene in the whole game, helped largely by how karmic his death is. If he just wasn't so fixated on killing Dunban, he might've gotten away with it, or at least he'd get a more dignified death fighting the full party later on.
But no, he couldn't let go of his obsession and it cost him everything he had left.
Metal Face is my personal 3rd favorite villain in Xenoblade, with only Malos and Jin really beating him out for me (if you even count Jin). He's not very complex at all but like...he doesn't need to be in my eyes.
For sure. He has a job and he does it well, so need for them to overcomplicate his character. Jin is in a weird area, but I’d still count him!
And Malos is complex... how?
Xenoblade villains such as Amalthus, Jin, Malos, and Egil are the types of antagonists that, while what they’re doing needs to be stopped, when you know their backstories you cannot help but feel sympathy for them.
Metal Face, though? He’s the type of villain that is there to joyously make the pro antagonists’ life hell, and he’s remarkably good at it. One of my favorite scenes in the game is when the party just beat Xord and encounter Metal Face just after. He cackles when he taunts Shulk how much he enjoyed skewering and “killing” Fiora with his claw-like fingers, and the Monado ignites as Shulk trembles with rage. Metal Face doesn’t earn sympathy from anyone when he dies (except maybe Dunban), and honestly I don’t think you’re meant to. His death is ironic to me, though. He skewered Fiora, supposedly killing her, and he dies by getting skewered himself by a destroyed tower on top of Galahad Fortress.
I'm just glad they changed the name from his Japanese name.
Yeah, it would've been a little awkward for the cast to just throw around the name "Black face".
Yeah, I think the localization team did a good job with that one haha.
I personally think Mumkhar wasn't actually inside the Metal Face suit when it attacked Colony 9, Mumkhar even says that the thing works by remote, so he doesn't need to be in it to work it, it would explain why there is no Dialogue in his first appearance, of course your theory of having only heard Mumkhar's voice an hour before or so and easily recognizing him makes sense, but another thing to support my theory is whenever Metal Face does leave Colony 9 after "defeating" him, he just kinda robotically looks to the sky and thrusts off the ground then transforms
I think *spoiler* of the trinity is my favorite villain of all time, metal face is a close second but you can tell how much fun you know who is having so much fun being evil and just jamming it up and it’s fun to watch
I honestly think they get more hate than they deserve. One of the most characters in the series.
@@KayJulers he does, he’s a much more complex character than anyone or even he gives himself credit for, that scene at the end where he sent shulk away and pretends it’s because he didn’t want to give shulk the satisfaction of seeing him die but it’s actually because he doesn’t want to make the child he raised watch him die even if they were enemies was super good, and he is even hammier than metal face
Dickson was awesome for the short time we got him as a villain. Plus his giant form is rad as hell.
(I figure anyone reading this comment chain knows the spoiler otherwise they wouldn’t click it lol)
@@emblemblade9245 fair assumption and yeah, dickson is having so much fun being evil that’s why I love him
Perry Dunetz that savage line he threw to Dunban about the victory drinks they used to share was so harsh
There's actually some irony in Metal Face's death:
Whenever Shulk has a vision of someone being killed, the only ones he couldn't prevent from happening were deaths caused by Metal Face, and it was Metal Face's own actions that got him killed.
For me metalface was such a great villain because he motivated me through the game. I wanted to see more of him, his expressive body language, his taunting speeches and his bloodboiling voice. I still often say "like a hot knive through butter" unsure if its an actual saying or not.
I NEVER NOTICED METAL FACE GOT AN UPGRADE HOLY SHIT
thanks for teaching me something new about my favorite game of all time
Also metal face is also my favorite villain :)
Awesome video man! The Metal Face experience is fun :D Looking forward to Mr Wild Ride's analysis in the future
18:56 I actually think the reason he went to the fortress in Colony 9 first was to look for the Monado. Dunban had already taken it away from there back then, however, so Metal Face left again.
Also, I've heard that the five faced mechon were colour-coded according to the five elements: Green, gold, bronze, silver, and black. I understand why his name was changed in the localisation, but, seriously, not everything is about race. I didn't even know Blackfacing was a thing until I was 20 or older. Different countries have different issues.
Metal face my goat!
Probably my favorite 1 character and my second in all of xeno.
I will agree he isnt the most complex but he deserves more credit that what he gets like you said.
His greater contribution is being a foil to all the party minus riki by the end, with the colony 9 trio es clear but you also got the emperor death and how colony 6 was destroyed by mekon+ the tauting in the final scene. Serving as a example of how the circle of violence(to my opinion one if not the central theme) is perpertuated.
Metal hatred probably also comes from the destruction of his colony and how in theory he would be able to save it if he had the monado eventually turning those thoughts into an obsession that we see(at least that's how I interpret the character)
To all of this add for example how he is able to control himself in prision island, how after being defeated in prision island he just disobeys egil orders because he can't stand on seeing fiora body do as she pleases, how he uses a lot of status effects in his movesets simbolizing how he would do anything to win, how the death scene is practically a fiora death mirror being a lot of poetic justice, and of course the face values of cool ass desing and carisma and it is without doubt one of the coolest xeno villains.
Also about the not speaking part my theory is that he still needed to get ajusted, notice how the body moves in a robotic way on the first scene but after it it moves in more weird manners.
In any case great video I really enjoyed it!
This is a great villain analysis! Sorry that I missed it beforehand.
In retrospect, Metal Face might as well be considered the best executed first villain of the entire series, in a way how Kamoshida was the best executed first villain in Persona 5.
Metal Face works because his utter malice and static arrogant nature is a great first introduction of the threats that you would be encountering on, and drives the story in impactful ways for the main characters and us as an audience to venture in this unforgettable journey!
I still remember the opening scene where metal face appears, and i haven't played the game for over 5 years at this point, but he is still such an iconic villain, even after you know the trick to his abilities, he is still incredibly chilling!
I think what truly sells him is that in his 5 major appearances he only takes an L on +his death but up until his death he still accomplishes most of his objectives. The main thing that cheapens a villain is them losing multiple times but Metal Face doesn't truly lose until his death with most of his encounters with Shulk being cut short by a more prominent villain. Other favorite villains in Malos, Jin and Egil also don't lose until their final encounter. It's a consistent theme between fan favorite villains and disappointing villains, this avoidance of Saturday morning villain syndrome, there's no beloved villains in this series that encounter the hero, take a definitive fat L and show up again later.
What an awesome video. Thanks a lot.
Dude your videos are awesome! Please make more villain analysis
Hey, thank you!
"the love Child of Star Scream and Zekrom" god that got me good and i broke out laughing at that imagery was too funny
I don't like when people use the "They're a basic villain" as justification for hating on a character. If every character was super complex and thought provoking then it wouldn't be interesting anymore, it's get boring. If you made every villain that complex then it'd devolve to "Blah blah, let's just get this over with" without exploring the character or paying attention to the arch they take. Having simple villains is a good way to break up the monotony and make those complex villains feel special. In the words of Syndrome, "If everyone is super, then no one is".
Ive been waiting for you monado boyyyyy
Very good analysis! I agree 100% with this.
Great video. Metal Face is an excellent XC1 villain for all of the reasons given, but Dickson is my personal favorite. I'd argue that he's the most painfully underrated and overlooked villain in the series. The enemy among us. The ultimate manipulator. Warm. Friendly. Charming. Brutus. He has a great mix of camp and an air of mystery, but is never given any love 💔
He was one I love as well!
@@fleurmal7648 Amen. As Dickson once said, "Maybe I underestimated you lot." But could it that the fan base underestimated you, Dickson?? 🤣
Dickson is what I call the best traitor of any media I have witnessed. Le Grande backstab. The best part about this tho, is the fact that he has sympathy for us and kinda regrets his actions a bit.
I know nothing about Xenoblade, but one thing I remember was in Smash 4 when I saw Metal Face in Gaur Plain and I immediately loved his design. His look makes him something anyone can be like "Oh dear god!!!"
Anyone ever notice his face is like the only part of his body that isn't metal?
btw you can get more info about mumkhar pre-game if you talk to the residence in colony 9
Just when I replay this game I get a video about the chad villain. :D
On Gort. I like what he does (even if it isn't much), but the best trait of him is how influential he is to the 500 year history between Torna and modern Alrest. Jin's first look at the bad in humanity, then the fact he becomes the first blade eater of that era, a prototype of what modern day leads to.
I actually thought that the reason he didn't talk in the opening scene was because he was still adjusting to his new metal body. He also may not have even regained his Hom's memories at that point.
The impression I was given during the course of the story was that their initial process did cause some memory loss but not everything. Hence by Gadolt, they decide to erase as much as they can from his memory (although they still fail even with him, and his memory gets jogged as well).
That was my interpretation at least.
I thought it was really cool hearing his voice in the trailer for Shulk in Smash
I honestly really like how he died in the basically the same way he yeeted Fiora out of the plot at the start of the game. Perfect end for such a character.
Not much to say beyond that this is a really great discussion of a really great character and Villian.
The fact that he shares a VA with Perfect Cell is just the icing on the cake. Both characters hit similar notes. Cell just pushes the berserk buttons for Vegeta and Trunks, and then curbstomps them in battle later. Same thing with Metal Face and Shulk+Melia/Dunban. And neither of them get the satisfaction of saying that they killed them, but find peace with their character flaws in other ways.
*Metal Face is hilarious and we will quote everything he says.*
I could tell that Mumkar would come back in some form after the prologue.
Since his voice was in the vision Shulk had when he first unlocked the Monado
Metal face english voice is just amazing. All his words all his mouvement became iconic when he's there.
I also have a good memory Fiora get out ! Get out ! Hahaha her scream were music to my ears.
How it's going Dunban !
Literally every single Metal Face scene is amazing. Absolutely phenomenal example why villains DONT have to be realistic or redeemable. Sometimes you just want a bad guy that loves being an asshole cause its fun.
great video however the one thing is I disagree with is your thoughts on goku. I'd argue goku has just as much develop as vegeta if not more and he is a character who has changed many times throughout the series. Goku has gone through many changes such as his acceptance of his saiyan heritage as well as his realization of what true strength is and how it relates to his pursuit of happiness. Even in DBS, goku learns new lessons in the TOP and Galactic patrol prisoner saga. Unrelated to the actual video topic lol but personally think the static interpretation of goku is tired out.
I certainly see the part on his Saiyan heritage since he goes from telling Vegeta he doesn't care about it to then belting out "I am the Super Saiyan, Son Goku!" However, I think the core of his character remains largely the same in that he is a happy-go-lucky guy looking for the next big challenge, which still falls under the umbrella of the definition. We even see plenty of the similar trends with him like the call of his friends allowing him to maintain new heights from the Frieza fight all the way to the Jiren fight. I think a lot of that comes down to the structure of Dragon Ball Z and Super's writing, but those qualities are honestly why I love Goku.
@@KayJulers I agree that a part of goku stays the same as it is like the empty headed character he is based off of, sun wukong. But even sun wukong goes through changes. While his personality certainly remains somewhat constant, his outlook and mindset is changing and he always reevaluates himself as a martial artist and person. It just feels he remains constant as his quest is about understanding himself and not about forsaking himself. I would actually say he is similar to rex in that regard. Regardless, I will say your analysis of goku in terms of the static interpretation is pretty good. Also didn't mention this initially but this vid helped me appreciate metal face just a bit more.
10:00 "Woah, Is that black face, dude???"
Idk, but i feel like Mr. Wild Ride will be a sort of Metal Face 2.0 (especially in the end of the direct, where you can see them fighting Wild Ride again)
That little talk about characters who are static for most of something, brings up a good point that people might not think about when expressing dislike to static characters.
Static characters, are designed to force changes, or events to unfold with other characters
For example, Frieza is a great showcase of a static character villain, and forces characters to change because of him, Krillin literally lost self confidence in his abilities throughout the rest of the dragon ball series, purely because of Frieza. Generally, static villains will actively push other characters down more negative paths, by being in the forefront of events that would severely and negatively affect those characters.
Metal Face, forced change in Shulk, Dunban, and later Melia through his actions, and his extremely cocky personality only brought out that change even further.
Exactly. That’s exactly it! You’ve got smarter with age, haven’t you?
With the idea that this is similar to Dramatis Personae but with a different structure, I'm wondering if you should add this to the Dramatis Personae playlist and rename the playlist to "Character Analysis" or something along those lines.
That's not a bad idea. Potentially, I might adapt the Dramatis Personae format in the future to be more loose depending on the character I'm working with since those parameters don't always fit every character.
I actually put together who Metal Face was when he first appeared because Mumkhar used Claw like weapons in the Prologue and what does Metal Face use as weapons? Claws! So I wasn't really shocked when I found out who Metal Face really was.
Also, it's really funny you bring up Vegeta vs. Cell, because in Japanese, their VAs respectively voice Mumkhar and Dunban. Norio Wakamoto, or Cell, is Mumkhar, and Ryo Horikawa, Vegeta, voices Dunban.
I should've assumed you'd bring it up anyway, but hey. Habits.
For first timers, metal face first interaction shows that something of off with those types of mechon and I am not talking about the obvious face on the machine I am talking about the designs of the machine, it looks human, the red looks like blood flowing through a body and the fact It dose thing a human would do like wagging its finger at shulk during the colony 9 attack, the details they put at the early hours of the game is amazing, they did not have to do it but they did and the revile is so satisfying once you put the pieces together.
I think in a rogue’s gallery, it’s important to have a balance between hammy in your face villains and more nuanced villains. Something Xenoblade does exceptionally well.
That Kuroi Feisu bit was my favorite part🤣
This thumbnail wouldve been hillarious if the localisers kept the original name.
Great video, I will give a subbie now