Nanoha - Q&A

[Keroko]

She had a mind-control program implanted in her, so at the very least she was used in experiments for the artificial mage program.

[Kaijo]

Originally Posted by Koveras Alvane

...and that is what I was trying to confirm. Do we know for sure that Lutecia is an Artificial Mage? The last time I suggested it, someone pointed out that in a flashback, Uno and Scaglietti discuss obtaining Megane's child... However, I wasn't able to confirm that either, because I haven't rewatched StrikerS since.

That depends on what you define as an artificial mage. And yes, she is one, according to Jail. Don't remember exactly where it was said, but they referred to her as one, and it's partly why she was hanging around with Zest; they were both artificial mages.

But anyway, there's nothing really concrete about how Jail was involved with Lutecia. All we know is that after they got Megane, Uno noted that she had a daughter that they could use(this is confirmed via a StrikerS flashback; Uno was talking to the brain council at the time). And from the Vivid mange in a flashback, we see Megane using a boost device, which could have been Asclepious. So there are a few ways of looking at it.

#1. My personal pet theory, is that Lu had some magic potential, and Jail boosted that (she's S rank at age, which seems a bit out there). Thus, she's "artificial" in the sense that her magic was amplified and added to. Possibly switched Megane's magic to Lu, and thus Lu is actually summoning Megane's creatures.

#2. A slight deviance from the above, where Lu has no magic, so Jail made her a mage.

#3. The Lu that we know is a clone of Megane's daughter that died(probably died in an experiment); and probably only Jail, Uno, and Quattro know about it. And they ain't talkin'. So Lutecia is like Zest, but just a better-made clone. Possibly Zest was made first, found to be imperfect, and Jail corrected those flaws when making Lu.

I'm sure someone can put out another theory or two, but those are my best guesses.

[Rising Dragon]

You know it's always said that Zest is a clone, yet I can't seem to find anywhere that confirms it. Only ever seen material that says he's an artificial mage.

[Kaijo]

Originally Posted by Rising Dragon

You know it's always said that Zest is a clone, yet I can't seem to find anywhere that confirms it. Only ever seen material that says he's an artificial mage.

Well, they outright say that Zest died. The one we know had to have been a clone.

[Koveras Alvane]

Originally Posted by Kaijo

#1. My personal pet theory, is that Lu had some magic potential, and Jail boosted that (she's S rank at age, which seems a bit out there). Thus, she's "artificial" in the sense that her magic was amplified and added to. Possibly switched Megane's magic to Lu, and thus Lu is actually summoning Megane's creatures.

#2. A slight deviance from the above, where Lu has no magic, so Jail made her a mage.

#3. The Lu that we know is a clone of Megane's daughter that died(probably died in an experiment); and probably only Jail, Uno, and Quattro know about it. And they ain't talkin'. So Lutecia is like Zest, but just a better-made clone. Possibly Zest was made first, found to be imperfect, and Jail corrected those flaws when making Lu.

These sound plausible. I find the third theory most likely because all other artificial mages were clones of dead people, but that begs the question where the original Lutecia is. I wouldn't be surprised if Scaglietti killed the girl on purpose... As for theories 1 and 2, the only case we know of such dramatic power boost through external means was Hayate and IIRC the term referring ot her was "Synthetic" or something... Granted, there's not much difference between "Synthetic" and "Artificial", though. Is there a difference in original Japanese?

I also found following passage on the Japanese wiki:

不完全ではあるが人造魔導師であり、スカリエッティからはゼストと共に「レリックウェポンの実験体」と呼ば れている。

It seems to consider Lutecia "an incomplete Artificial Mage", though how exactly an AM can be incomplete (other than Zest's coughing-blood-incomplete) is unclear to me. It also refers to them both as "Relic Weapon Experiments". Anyone knows what that actually means?

[al103]

Originally Posted by Koveras Alvane

It also refers to them both as "Relic Weapon Experiments". Anyone knows what that actually means?

Don't know about numbers, Subaru and Zest, but Ginga, Lutecia and Vivio had both relic and control mechanism implanted. Whether "cyborg" circle under Lu-chan when Quatro activated control mechanism is because of that or not is unknown.

[Kaijo]

Well, the relics themselves were the result of ancient Belkans trying to strengthen their bodies (magic powers, presumably). When Vivio got one, she got considerably more powerful. It's possible Lutecia (and maybe Zest) had one as well. It could have been removed, or Jail could have utilized another method of transferring a relic's power into someone.

It's possibly why Jail told Lu that she needed Relic #11 to awaken her mom. If there are subtle differences in the relics via number, and Jail got a hold of a database that listed them out, he probably felt #11 would best suit Megane (and thus turn her into another artificial mage along with providing a control mechanism).

The other possible angle on this, is that only ancient Belkans had modified their bodies to be able to accept relics. So part of Jail's research could have been in finding a way to transfer a relic's power to a normal person of today. Since Vivio was technically the only ancient Belkan around, only her body could have taken a relic the normal way.

Anyway, that's mostly my theories to have things make sense. You're pretty much left on your own to decide what the specifics are, since we're never really told what the exact details were.

As far as we know, though, Ginga only had some sort of control/brainwashing in place. No relic emerged from her when Subaru blasted her, so there wasn't one within her.

[al103]

Originally Posted by Kaijo

As far as we know, though, Ginga only had some sort of control/brainwashing in place. No relic emerged from her when Subaru blasted her, so there wasn't one within her.

Wasn't it removed with drill-hand and control mechanism? If at all? After all Nanoha specifically tried remove it, while Subaru did not...

[Kaijo]

Originally Posted by al103

Wasn't it removed with drill-hand and control mechanism? If at all? After all Nanoha specifically tried remove it, while Subaru did not...

No, all Nanoha wanted to do was knock Vivio out. The whole "blow past her defenses and knock her out with magical damage" schtick. She didn't even know there was a relic in there, just that Quattro was controlling her somehow.

Ginga was the one with the drill hand. Subaru ended that fight with a fairly massive (for her) Divine Buster. Afterward, Ginga was back to her normal self. Vivio was mostly back to herself after Quattro was knocked out, but her body was still controlled by the ship, probably because she had a relic. With that gone and the link cut, Vivio was herself again.

[Tiresias]

Anyone know what honorifics Nanoha use for Signum, Shamal and Zafira? And the rest of the cast, for the matter?

[DezoPenguin]

How old was Hayate when she was first able to freely walk again?

Edit: Per A's Sound Stage 3, Nanoha addresses Signum and Shamal both as "-san" (Yuuno and Chrono are "-kun"; Fate, Hayate, Suzuka, Arisa, and Vita "-chan"; Subaru and Tea don't get an honorific, but that might be because they're Nanoha's subordinates in the military sense; Rein Zwei doesn't get one either). I do note that in the StrikerS sound stages, Nanoha will regularly refer to Hayate, Fate, and Vita by their military ranks/positions when it's apparently appropriate to do so.

I'm going to stop and thank Nagumo right now for leaving the honorifics in when she does her translations so this question can actually have an answer.

(And hm, I just learned that Suzuka's mother is still alive, thanks to said Sound Stage. Which kind of makes sense, since she lived long enough in Nanoha canon to have a second child...)

[Moczo]

Originally Posted by DezoPenguin

How old was Hayate when she was first able to freely walk again?

To the best of my knowledge, the exact date has never been stated... looking at the assorted mangas it was somewhere between six months and six years?

[Nagumo]

Originally Posted by DezoPenguin

How old was Hayate when she was first able to freely walk again?

Edit: Per A's Sound Stage 3, Nanoha addresses Signum and Shamal both as "-san" (Yuuno and Chrono are "-kun"; Fate, Hayate, Suzuka, Arisa, and Vita "-chan"; Subaru and Tea don't get an honorific, but that might be because they're Nanoha's subordinates in the military sense; Rein Zwei doesn't get one either). I do note that in the StrikerS sound stages, Nanoha will regularly refer to Hayate, Fate, and Vita by their military ranks/positions when it's apparently appropriate to do so.

I'm going to stop and thank Nagumo right now for leaving the honorifics in when she does her translations so this question can actually have an answer.

(And hm, I just learned that Suzuka's mother is still alive, thanks to said Sound Stage. Which kind of makes sense, since she lived long enough in Nanoha canon to have a second child...)

That's because I long ago realized that the honorifics are very very important clues/hints in determining the relationships between characters. And because the audio dramas are exactly that, audio dramas, you can't see the relationship demonstrated visually.

[Arkeus]

Originally Posted by DezoPenguin

How old was Hayate when she was first able to freely walk again?

We know Nanoha helped Hayate get better when she herself was crippled. We don't know who finished first, but i'd say they were 13 or so when they got better.

[TheRainbowConnection]

Originally Posted by Arkeus

We know Nanoha helped Hayate get better when she herself was crippled. We don't know who finished first, but i'd say they were 13 or so when they got better.

Originally Posted by SS M4 translation

Shamal: As expected of Hayate-chan, it’s definitely/all about you. Moreover it’s that big event; it’s been a little over ten years now.
Hayate: Ten years? Um… Uh…
Shamal: Oh~… Ten years ago from today is the day when Hayate-chan’s legs were declared to be completely recovered!
Hayate: Um… Let’s see… I was in 6th grade…. That happened, and… OH! I remember, I remember! That’s right! Just ten years ago!

http://forums.animesuki.com/showthre...25#post2694825
So that would put her around 12?

Granted, it then goes on to talk about what seems like the events of A's SS 03, which occurred right as Hayate entered 4th grade, not 6th grade. But of course, Hayate did rehab with Nanoha, so 12 makes a lot more sense than 10.

[Rising Dragon]

When Ginga transferred to Riot Force 6 and became a Forward, which team was she assigned to? Stars or Lightning?

[Koveras Alvane]

Originally Posted by Rising Dragon

When Ginga transferred to Riot Force 6 and became a Forward, which team was she assigned to? Stars or Lightning?

Did she become a Forward? I thought she was taken in for her investigative experience...

[Kaijo]

I don't believe it's mentioned; she was just attached.

[Dark Wing]

Originally Posted by Rising Dragon

When Ginga transferred to Riot Force 6 and became a Forward, which team was she assigned to? Stars or Lightning?

I don't think she was really a forward at all but just came aboard to help with their investigation.

[spawnofthejudge]

Originally Posted by Rising Dragon

When Ginga transferred to Riot Force 6 and became a Forward, which team was she assigned to? Stars or Lightning?

Additionally to the above, I believe her call sign did not acquire either Stars or Lightning, if it even changed.