The Beauty of Titanfall 2: BT's Hidden Complexity

for good reason the relationship between Jack Cooper and BT 7274 is one of the most celebrated parts of the TitanFall 2 campaign in a lot of the recent Titanfall 3 speculation I see the sentiment that there are lots of people who want more Titanfall content just so they can experience Jack Cooper in BT's story continued at first glance BT might seem like a stoic generally likable supporting character character to Jack Cooper's story but his significance is much more complex than that he is essential to what makes the TitanFall 2 campaign so great let's talk about it the lowly Rifleman Jack Cooper who you play and the giant Mech known as a Titan BT were linked with Captain Ty last osa's dying command we only see lamosa for the first 15 or so minutes of the campaign so he might seem like a pretty unimportant character but his impact on BT is evident throughout some of the most important moments in the story lamosa and BT were linked for almost 3 years before this death scene so I want you to pay attention to Las osa's very last line before he dies Trooper take my Titan use my helmet in my jump kit this is the real thing take care of him though most of the lines in this scene are addressed to Cooper that very last one is ambiguous take care of him it's unclear to me if lamosa is demanding Cooper to take care of BT as if he were a precious car or a fosa is telling BT to take Cooper under his wing and protect him I think this is an intentional Choice by the writers for this not to be clear but as I'll get into I think this line was actually addressed directly to BT throughout this analysis I also want to mention how BT addresses Jack Cooper because the progression is interesting are you all right pilot I think so wait did you just call me pilot yes the Late Captain lamosa gave you the provisional rank of acting pilot at this point he refers to Cooper as the formal pilot just pilot and that checks out at this point the two are colleagues they are acquaintances on a mission and each one serves a military purpose Cooper is a pilot and this Titan BT is just that a Titan a Mech a military weapon to assist in the mission despite Cooper's marginal ATT s to joke around or make small talk during this introduction BT stays professional and logical don't worry BT I'm not going anywhere understood but I do recommend you move IMC Salvage teams are not far away I mean I'm not leaving you it is a common requirement for Pilots to maneuver in situations without a linked Titan during this first mission BT seems relatively simple and one-dimensional it seems he's just the Classic robot character who is purely iCal and doesn't understand sarcasm a character Trope that has been done many times before as we progress through the missions however naturally the relationship between BT and Cooper changes BT eventually refers to Jack Cooper a little bit more casually but still formal as Cooper and to Jack BT is no longer just a Titan he is a friend he is safety in some ways he's almost like a father good work her skills are greatly improving BT is no longer just a means by by which he can complete a military Mission remember Cooper was just a footman who was plunged into the position of pilot and BT has taught him a lot during this time are you sure I'll be safe over there no but a true militia pilot takes risks for the Weare of others as did major Anderson and Captain leosa before you BT has been the one consistency for Cooper throughout this Mission and it really shows that to Cooper BT is his sanctuary this relationship is especially shown in probably the most iconic scene in the Titanfall campaign Cooper needs to repair a vital Communications device on the other side of this Ravine but there are evidently no direct routes so BT suggests what will become a signature move between the two a throw here it is three knots heading 274 range 95 M projectile Mass 8 89 kg trust [Music] me I think I'm going to need some new Underpants copy that noted for the next supply drop BT commands Jack to trust and he does BT throws him across the Ravine Cooper fixes the communications device which turns out to be another exercising trust itself B got you and the two are able to get support from more militia forces here is where the story could have taken a drastic turn this is where we could have seen the end of Jack Cooper and BT BT 7274 your data recorder says your original pilot was Kia correct Captain Tai lamosa was killed in action I am now linked to an acting pilot Rifleman Jack Cooper wait a minute lasos L linked you to a Rifleman yes he had no other options understood we'll get you transferred to a fully qualified pilot objection Cooper is my pilot our combat Effectiveness rating now exceeds 90% request permission to retain this link you're lucky our backs are up against the wall BT permission granted Cooper is my pilot says BT and I want to pay special attention to the delivery and intention here objection Cooper is my pilot our combat Effectiveness rating now exceeds 90% this this is one of the very few times BT shows some human vulnerable emotion in this case the military protocol probably would in fact B to be paired with a more qualified pilot but BT pleads a case to stay with Cooper sure BT's main argument is the combat Effectiveness rating but that Cooper is my pilot line and its delivery leads me to believe that there is a little bit more behind those words in other games AI companions have strong personalities in Halo Cortana is WI and outwardly caring in Destiny your ghost is inquisitive and expressive but BT is a rock at the beginning of the campaign it seemed like BT would be just a stereotypical robot only no logic character but actually it's more of a case where everything he says has solid unwavering intention in the vast majority of his lines he leaves very little room for assumption as to what he might have meant instead he makes that known in his words and in his tone Glenn Stein bomb BT's voice actor does a terrific job at keeping that tone throughout the entire campaign and keeping it interesting BT doesn't get stale because although most of his lines are confident and forward some of them show us a glimpse of emotion or intimacy and these lines are some of the most important lines in the entire campaign as I said the trust me line is what makes this the most iconic scene in the game definitely a fan favorite and the Cooper is my pilot line shows a point where these two characters are no longer just important to each other from a military perspective but now there seems to be a real Bond here not only is BT a sanctuary for Cooper but it goes both ways BT shows a liking towards Cooper and this is just one of the moments that really makes the player cherish the relationship between these two after some more progresses made in the story there are some very important moments definitely worthy of analysis to catch you up on the story story The IMC found an alien device known as The Fold weapon which they plan on using to destroy the militia home planet of Harmony the thing is the fold weapon needs the ark to operate it's essentially the power source for the fold weapon so Cooper and BT's main quest is to stop the IMC from using the ark don't worry about the details it's the following interactions that really matter for the sake of this video just after stealing the ark from an IMC transport ship and putting it into BT's cockpit the ship there on starts crashing and the reaction from BT here is definitely worth noting this way Cooper first BT wastes no time after the explosion I'll play the clip again but after BT is blown back by the blast he does not stay down and assess the situation or recalibrate any systems as you might expect he immediately gets up and as you'll see makes his way straight to Cooper get the ark out of here negative we trapped again without any hesitation in a selfless attempt to protect Cooper from debris BT covers him in the outer casing of the Ark as well as his own Mech body what are you doing protocol 3 I will not lose another pilot brace for impact I want to cry when I hear that line geez BT again the vast majority of BT's words are direct and straightforward but every once in a while there is a gem this is one of those gems protocol 3 is not I will not lose another pilot protocol 3 is protect the pilot despite the dire circumstances the words that BT uses here are in intentional and emotional he will not lose another pilot there's some emotion there some might call it passion anger or sadness but it's emotion nonetheless and coming from BT again that is significant remember at the beginning of the video talking about last osa's last moments take care of him I mentioned that line was ambiguous as to who it was directed to but after seeing BT's reaction in the crashing ship I think he was talking to BT I think this scene is BT following Las osa's last wish this is BT taking care of Cooper and his line delivery is emotional because of that protocol 3 I will not lose another pilot if you think about it there isn't really much of a reason for BT to be sentimental here if that were not the case I think it's a cool connection here and whether you realize it or not when playing the game it keeps some continuity in the characters and it makes you love BT that much more after the ship crashes the two are taken captive by blisk the main bad guy of the story The Ark is still in BT's cockpit and blisk being paid by the IMC wants the ark badly so he threatens to kill Cooper in order to get BT to open up which is the start of another significant sequence I don't care how broken you are I know deep down some things something still work in there now open up I'm going to shoot your pilot in the head you still remember numbers don't you I'm going to count to three one 2 3 nah that wasn't so hard was it that's the problem with teams if you don't win together you die together we see trust me coming from BT once again but this time it follows suit regarding BT's more consistent and intentional logical decisions this trust me is not so much a bonding moment between the two like it was before the throw across the Ravine but more of a calculated piece of information it's an attempt by BT to save the situation and more importantly save Cooper but this action is not done without consequence nice try love say good night all right get the ark out of here we're running out of time coer over here coer I can no longer uphold the mission but you still can with BT in critical condition he gives us the sear kit equipped with a data knife a smart pistol and BT's data core the following sequence is incredible it has the same energy as John Wick witnessing his dog getting killed hence going on a murderous Rampage escaping the building with the disgustingly overpowered smart pistol Cooper commits a massacre waves and waves of enemy soldiers mean nothing in the wake of Cooper's rage frustration and bewilderment at what he just witnessed during this sequence several people try to contact Cooper through his comms but he does not say a word BT Cooper what's your status Cooper how copy over this is a ballsy Choice by the writers and more importantly a beautiful one as I've mentioned some of the most important moments in the story have been marked by BT's use of words but in this case the importance comes from Cooper's lack of words a stark contrast to his expressive nature we see in the rest of the campaign this moment lasts until Cooper escapes calls down another Mech and installs BT's data core hello Jack new chassis same Titan old paint same data core BT 7274 good to go it is time to complete our mission a beautiful moment indeed but I want to pay special attention to how BT refers to Cooper his first words after being installed into this new Mech hello Jack Just Jack not pilot not Jack Cooper not even Cooper Just Jack keep in mind that at this point Cooper doesn't really know the state of BT if he's dead or if this new Titan is still really BT so hearing the words hello Jack from a familiar voice made this this moment that much more comforting for Cooper and the player this is yet another example of BT's lines being so simple yet so effective at giving us a glimpse of empathy and real emotion and it's done at the perfect time at this point in the story Cooper and BT need to get to the fold weapon because with the Ark in The imc's Possession It can be activated and destroy the militia's home planet so after fighting our way through Bunches of IMC forces and after being faces some serious damages he and Cooper are left alone in the room where the ark is essentially loaded into the fold weapon this end sequence is too important for me to interrupt so I'll play it and take it apart afterwards while watching it though I want you to think of things I've already mentioned specifically the importance of the phrase trust me and the tone and intention behind BT's words I Cooper I require your assistance my auto navigation systems are offline get me into that injector assembly we must do this together [Music] together boost the signal BT Cooper our ground teams can't make it there in time you've got to find a way to destroy the fold weapon from the inside there's no other way Commander BRS I believe I have a solution in its exposed State my reactor may be able to destabilize The Arc at the center of the full weapon what are you saying we can blow it up I'm sending you coordinates for a drop ship rendo coordinates received we'll be there but I don't see how you can trust me I have already done the math I sure as hell hope so we're on our way good luck both of you ggg's out don't worry BT I'm not going anywhere copy that [Music] pilate protocol 3 protect the pilot BT what are you doing trust me BT Cooper we just lost BT signal we're almost there Cooper I'm marking your hunt with the coordinates a touching scene indeed one that has had Titanfall fans in tears for a while now and this is BT's star moment let's talk about it first off BT's auton navigation systems are offline meaning that in order to move BT cannot do that on his own he is dependent upon the manual input from Cooper a small detail but an important one nonetheless Commander Briggs informs us that the only way to destroy this thing is from the inside out and BT responds with bluntness when Briggs asks about BT's plan he simply responds with we can blow it up we can blow it up by getting his core into the ark no elaboration on his plan given to Briggs or Cooper trust me I have done the math he also mentions to get a rescue ship inbound which makes sense later don't worry BT I'm not going anywhere I understand this top dialogue option is Cooper acknowledging the situation up to the point where he thinks he and BT are probably dead in the near future BT just mentioned how he needs to get his core inside the ark to blow it up and Cooper says I'm here with you we're dying together that's at least how I read it BT responds withy that again no elaboration on what his actual plan is on throwing Cooper to safety at the last last second I think this lack of elaboration from BT is important because remember BT's navigation systems are offline his movement is dependent upon Cooper's if Cooper knew BT's true intentions of sacrificing himself Cooper would have the power to stop that from happening or at least delay it in an emotional moment BT knows this so he doesn't tell Jack anything in a sense he lies which is an intention behind BT's words that we have not seen before obviously it's for the most noble of causes but still I don't think Cooper would ever expect BT to lie to him or at least not tell him the full extent of his plans protocol 3 protect the pilot then BT reminds us of the original protocols by which he makes his decisions to protect the pilot because as BT mentioned before as he protected us inside of a crashing ship protocol 3 I will not lose another pilot again lastimosa impact on BT is longlasting and especially important during these final moments of selflessness I like the choice with this line and the last one that they're not emotional monologues with vast meaning like you might expect from a character's dying moments instead they're just like BT's usual lines intentional and confident BT what are you doing trust me in his dying moments BT is truly himself fulfilling his purpose with calculated efficiency but like the rest of this campaign even this cold calculation and consistency can deeply emotionally impact those close to BT Jack Cooper and perhaps more importantly the player BT's final moment especially and all of the important ones I mentioned do something that very few pieces of media can do there are characters who are liked by fan bases who are cool and have impressive arcs and then there are characters who people connect with so much it seems those characters are real not in a weird parasocial way but in a way where the origin the development and the eventual end of a character is a beautiful story that leaves the consumer in this case the player and shambles they have an emotional impact with the magnitude of real life relationships and in my opinion BT is one of those characters and this isn't for the usual reasons the player doesn't relate to BT's Origins he doesn't go through any drastic arcs or big changes during the entire story instead respawn crafted BT to be so likable because he's so consistent all of his actions are selfless and aimed at keeping Cooper safe and though a lot of his dialogue follows the classic stereotype of robot characters not understanding sarcasm the moments where he acts or speaks from his heart are so significant and comforting to the player they're done at perfect moments with perfect Del delivery and execution so by the time BT sacrifices himself he's become a figure of safety a comforting guide and a good friend seeing him throw us away into safety further plunging himself into his sacrificial Doom felt like a knife in my chest not just because Jack Cooper will miss BT but because I will because you the player will miss BT and that is the beauty of the TitanFall 2 campaign thank you for watching I really hope you enjoyed this is the first video of this type that I've ever made so I was faced with a lot of stuff that I was not expecting I ended up going through like three different scripts and two completely different videos but I settled on this I hope it was enjoyable if you have any feedback that would be much appreciated in the comments subscribe if you'd like and again thank you for watching

Channel: Midz

Views: 124,684

Keywords: BT, Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Titanfall 3, Zampela, Respawn, EA, Gaming, Video Essay, Essay

Id: 5iCZtJSCqcE

Length: 24min 0sec (1440 seconds)

Published: Tue Nov 14 2023