Fridge / Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance

Fridge Brilliance

• Usalia keeps using very serious topics as an excuse whenever she's caught zoning out and thinking about curry... where has a kid her age heard about all that stuff? Well, her father was apparently The Good King, and created a pacifist netherworld. Presumably, things like maintaining the economy, avoiding unfair taxation, and balancing personal freedoms with vital security-concerns were regular topics at the dinner-table, allowing her to learn - if not necessarily understand - all the heavy topics.
  • Funny enough, it gets mentioned and shown that Usalia's parents let her stay near them at nearly every moment, so of course she'd be hearing these kinds of topics so often. Couple this with the fact that Usalia would have to pick up where they left off, being Toto Bunny's princess and all.
• How did Killia figure out that his curry was stolen to suppress someone's curse, prompting him to make a second batch of curry just in case? Because he also suppresses his evil side by eating.
• In the Chara World, the character who appears during the "receive cash" and "treasure chests spawn next to you" events is a "suspicious Archer". Who else is a archer and likes to give fortune? Robin Hood.
• The heroes' base aptitudes fit their personalities and experiences better than you'd think. Their Overloads fit in as well.
  • Killia prioritizes in ATK and SPD at the expense of INT, RES and HIT; Cryo Blood was a cold, heartless place where dog-eat-dog was law, and a single mistake could cost your life, meaning Killia both had to hit hard and avoid being hit. His low HIT meant that felling a foe was secondary to survival, and if his opponent slipped up too often, he'd get his chance. Alma Ice Sculpture and Tyrant Revelio are less about ice control and more about time control, either dragging the target's to a halt or accelerating his own, as every second counts in a life-or-death engagement.
  • Seraphina specializes in HIT and SPD; gunslinging tropes aside, Seraphina has an eye for detail, especially in regards to commerce, and since she was raised as a spoiled princess and not anyone relegated to front-line duty, she needed to be able to bail if things were going south for her. Balor Gaze's ability to charm makes it difficult for men to negotiate against Seraphina.
  • Red Magnus focuses on HP, ATK and DEF over INT, RES, HIT and SPD; Scorching Flame was known for hot-blooded hand-to-hand combat, and Red Magnus had to be the biggest and baddest melee combatant on the planet to remain its Overlord. So long as he could give as well as he could take, everything else didn't matter, and Super Olympia makes these points stand out even more.
  • Christo emphasizes SP and INT over HP, DEF and SPD; as a tactician of the Celestial Host, he focused on observing the world around him and using his magic to make the strongest possible impact, something a less intelligent individual isn't capable of doing. Occhi Clairvoyance lets him deduce anything through careful observation and precognition, allowing him to change tactics on the fly in preparation for what the opponent may do.
  • Usalia utilizes DEF, RES and SPD primarily; hailing from a pacifistic Netherworld, she epitomizes this trait by being able to exhaust her opponents through attrition, either by dodging their assaults or enduring them. Murmur of Rage represents an absolute cold fury when that patience is tested by attacking those dear to her, or by recognizing a threat as irreconcilable and needing to be destroyed, and even then she will still aid allies from afar, as the support of one's subjects is what defines a good ruler.
  • Zeroken is dedicated to SPD; being a former patsy turned rebel, Zeroken mostly attacked targets he knew were weaker than him, meaning he needed the ability to escape combat at any time should a more dangerous foe arise before him. Superluminal Wolf provides decoys which facilitate said escape tactics, but which can also be effective to distract or overwhelm foes when he has the necessity, or courage, to stand his ground.
• This also applies to the villains post-game.
  • Majorita emphasizes SP and INT over every other stat. Majorita is a child that only knows how to use magic. Void demonstrates how easy it is to kill her once she's out of energy to fight and not able to use magic anymore. This is why she always relies on her undead army to do the fighting for her.
  • Surprisingly, Void is a Jackof All Stats. It's odd for a villain to have completely balanced stats overall, but you have to remember as the son of Goldion, Void takes after his father. However, despite being a fist user, his magic stat is very high compared to his father and Killia. His magic is prioritized in his unique skills and Evilities.
  • Goldion is the original Jackof All Stats with one difference from his son. His HP, ATK and DEF are slightly higher than Void's while he has a lower SP, INT and SPD. Despite being one of the greatest of demons, Goldion's age has caught up with him with the reduced speed in comparison to the younger characters in the group. His INT may be a hint to how Void was able to brainwash him.
• To the points mentioned above, the heroes' Evilities also fit them, alongside their upgraded Overload Skills:
  • Killia's War Demon Evility grants him a 2% stat boost with every attack, counters and specials included. If a fight could drag on long enough and his opponent slips up enough, War Demon would gradually give him the strength to fell his foe if needed, or tank / evade blows if necessary, which would save him not only in Cryo Blood, but also in his travels pre-Rebel Army. He gains Destructive Power during his Character Development Chapter, gaining a 100% ATK boost in Revenge Mode. This would synch well with Tyrant Revelio's two extra actions, to let him fell foes immediately with little retribution. If he still had Alma Ice Sculpture, then the enemy would be completely helpless.
  • Seraphina's Queen's Temper lets her deal 50% more damage to male targets. Again, this makes it extremely difficult for male enemies to oppose her, but means that she might flounder against other females (which, in fairness, are something of a rarity in the main story). She gains Unrequited Love in her Chapter, which gives her a 25% stat boost whenever Killia is fielded. By this point, she has accepted that Killia's heart is firmly set on Lieze, but she isn't giving up so easily, using said crush to motivate herself in battle. Her Overload also evolves to True Brionac Gaze, letting her control all male opponents for a turn, ensuring they cannot oppose her.
  • Red Magnus has Super Crush, decreasing the target's DEF by 50% when he attacks. As Scorching Flame is all about melee combat, being able to punch through an enemy's defense would be a super advantage. His chapter grants him Heart of a Leader, giving him a 3% stat boost per unit in the same squad as him, reflecting how he has acknowledged his shortcomings and works to become a better Overlord, and in turn his vassals help to support his efforts. His Overload then becomes Super Universe, regaining his old strength and becoming even more effective in battle.
  • Christo has Tactician, granting adjacent allies 100% accuracy and a 25% evasion boost. It's a light application of his Occhi Clairvoyance Overload, directing his allies to be as effective as possible in battle. Giving his nearby allies forewarning of incoming attacks also helps save him from potential harm. His chapter unlocks Superlative Ally, giving his allies an ATK boost by 20% of his INT. With his old prejudices shattered, Christo is able to devote even greater strength to his allies, now knowing they're nothing like what he was lead to believe demons were like. His Overload becomes Evangel of Purity, granting 100% accuracy and evasion to his allies for a turn. His Clairvoyance has become strong enough to accurately know what the enemy will do, and so he can direct everyone to the best course of action.
  • Usalia has Anti-Bully Aura, decreasing damage she or adjacent allies take by 10% times the number of adjacent allies. This synchs well with her amazing DEF, RES and HP stats, and also allows her to make squishier units hardier, much as a good friend lends a shoulder to lean upon. Her chapter grants her Precious People, increasing her ATK by 20% times the number of adjacent allies. That same power that let her defend her friends is now turned into an immense strength, especially when combined with her curse-turned-Overload, Murmur of Rage.
  • Zeroken has Flowing Water, granting him a 10% evasion boost times the number of enemies within two panels of him. Given his past as a former Lost patsy turned runaway he needed that evasion should a group of stronger foes get too close, likely seeking revenge for his earlier actions. His chapter, whereupon he gains his Overload and learns to perform Avidya Holy Water, also bestows him Underdog Bravery, letting him deal 50% more damage to higher-level targets. Though still flighty at heart, it proves that Zeroken is easily capable of becoming the successor to Goldion's will when push comes to shove. On that note, Superluminal Wolf's ability to create 4 doppelgangers of Zeroken grants him the ability to not only act as a decoy for his allies, but also lend them tactical assistance if necessary, such as extra combo attacks or lifting and throwing.
• Even in post-game Majorita, Void and Goldion all have evilities that suit their personality.
  • Majorita has Queen of Coffins, increase ATK by units defeated x 10%. Majorita prioritizes creating an undead army that requires more energy to control than magic.
  • Void has Swift Strategy, increase Revenge Gauge by 20% at the beginning of the stage. Void has demonstrated that his go to strategy has been to kill people before they even have a chance to fight back. He doesn't like wasting time, so it would make sense he would power up immediately.
  • Goldion has Fighting Aura, the movement of enemy units within 3 panels becomes 1. Goldion is feared by many demons. He was undefeated until he lost to Void Dark, so it's easy for him to be able to invoke fear in his opponents preventing them from running away.
• In post-game, Void suffers a massive Badass Decay after the final battle mainly involving how he interacts around the Rebel Army and his massive love for his sister. However, there were hints in the flashback implying that it might not be seen as a downgrade at all. In Killia's flashbacks, Goldion tells Void (before he became evil) that he's all talk but wasn't capable of walking the walk. Lieze adds to this in another flashback saying that he's stubborn and rude, but nothing about him being evil ever comes up. During the final battle we clearly see Killia removing the evil heart from Void and Void's entire personality changes upon reuniting in the post-game. I think its easy to see that his character in the past combined with the purification post-game causes the Rebel Army to not understand the change and view it as a huge downgrade to his overall character while Lieze and Goldion immediately forgive Void for his wrongdoings because Void returned to the personality they are familiar with. To add to this both Killia and Usalia acknowledge his Character Development should the player beat all the carnage quests and beat Void's Evil Heart again.