What happens to the Rune of Punishment? [Spoiler]

[Vincent of Scarlet Moon]

As usual the power of the 108 Stars of Destiny whooped the rune's butt. The power of friendship and compainionship changing 'fate' and 'destiny' I guess.

Giving all the info we have, and that the 'good' ending is probably the official one, I'd have to assume the fourth Tenkai is still bearing the Rune of Punishment, to this day.

[Wes of Harmonia]

I always just thought that when she visited you before that final battle that the light that appear around the Hero was her review his quest. I remembered in the beginning when she said that she would be watching the rune for a while. (because of it I didn't really use the rune that much in battle) I just thought that because all True Runes carry the memories of their Bearer (so part 3 said) that she was able to access the memories and see the good that you did and because she was watching everything through the rune that made it reviews you as well. and so it stopped trying to kill you.

I noticed that no matter if they had good intentions behind them whenever the past Bearers used the rune that they really used it to kill people. The Queen of Obel used it to protect her children but also intended to stop/kill the attackers. Cray's son wanted to hurt those that destroyed his village and use it. Brandeau wanted to kill you and everyone on the ship. Glen like the queen, wanted to protect everyone but he wanted to stop the pirates also. Because of that I felt that the rune thought they had to atone for their sins and those killed them. The Hero however uses it only to protect his friends, other than the end there isn't at all a time that he choices to use it someone else forces him to do it. The cliff scene might be counted as such but even then you have the option to use it or not unlike the end. Anyways, I just thought that the rune knew all of this coupled with the fact that he was freeing the souls of the past Bearers and thus forgave him.

Of course the rune drains more of the Bearer lifeforce as the use it but that only really seemed to only be a problem for Brandeau and the Hero. Always the rop will only not drain the life of the Hero, when he dies and the rop passes on to the next Bearer it will begin to drain life again.

Off topic: Believing that I always found it ironic how you can forgive or not forgive the 'sinners' on the ship. Seems the True Rune isn't the only one able to judge atonement of forgiveness.

[Rivera]

I think the Hero IV or Lazlo or whatever you want to call him, would likely fade from time itself with the Rune of Punishment. He may exile himself, withdraw from humanity similar to the way you find Crowley in a cave somewhere. We don't really know.

It would be a bummer to have eternal life with a rune so destructive, knowing the remainder of your existence is to prevent the thing from starting some hideous new cycle of life and death.

One thing I wonder is this: As gamers, we have a different perspective of the Suikoden world. We are aware of the True Runes as they are shown to us. Other than perhaps Leknaat - I wonder if those in Suikoden familiar with the True Runes know the identities of all 27 True Runes. Reason I'm asking is because a valid point that could lead to Lazlo's resurfacing one day is the fact Harmonia wants the 27 True Runes.

They would have to somehow be able to acquire the Rune of Punishment. But I wonder if they even know of it's history/location? Another theory is by the time of Suikoden I/II/III Harmonia already HAS the Rune of Punishment somehow. Since they seem to be the most advanced Nation in the Suikoden series, they may have easily contained the rune within a vessel or another Hiku-clone.

Either way, I think it'll be a while before the mystery of Lazlo comes full circle. It's apparent Rhapsodia has events which take place both before, during, and after Suikoden IV and they may answer that question.

Of course with the nature of the Rune of Punishment and it's affinity for causing death and destruction, it may be one of the first runes to be recycled as part of the main plot in a later Suikoden game...

[son_michael]

The cliff scene might be counted as such but even then you have the option to use it or not unlike the end.

you cant choose what to do, your forced to use the rop either way


I like the idea of the rune of punishment appearing in later installments, if harmonia gets it{or has it} maybe Lazlo will be working for harmonia{instead of the clone thing happening again}

it would be awsome to see a former hero being used for evil purposes or are you on the side of evil and hikkusak is right? that would make an awsome game

[Rivera]

Those are good points about Lazlo possibly ending up under the employ of Harmonia. Because he's the HeroIV we don't really get much out of his personality other than the decisions we make for him. In Rhapsodia he's supposed to get a speaking part that might enlighten us on his own personality, feelings, and agenda which we're not able to see with him as a non-vocal character in Suikoden IV.

He always looks ticked off to me in Suikoden IV.

However, after 150 years of wandering around and such it's also a possibility that he pulled a Flame Champion and learned how to seperate himself from the rune, and live the remainder of his life moral. Of course that would probably involve him sealing the Rune of Punishment away somewhere where Man could not acquire it and begin the cycle of death anew.

[Ushiku]

Well if the end of the world as spoke of by Leknaat in Suikoden 4 on the Fog Ship does become a reality, I think that some if not all of the 27 True Runes will be involved, so we'll most likely be seeing Lazlo again in the final installment, if not in another installment like with Tir McDohl.