Welcome, one and all! Brave Defenders, gaze at the grand spectacle before you: Season Nineteen, here and ready for your perusal! In addition to being a grand new season, it's also a ranking season! Stay tuned, and don't miss out on this grand spectacle, in just a few weeks! Finish up last season's loose ends with a quick jump on over to the Results Page. Find out if your favourite fighters from last season were able to hold their own in their current division, or if they proved unworthy of where they currently stood. Dive on in, fellow Defenders of Earth, and wrestle with the vast world-altering outcomes! And now, Defenders, harken towards The Arena, where the true tests await! Hurry on to Light, where the mighty Hrist Valkyrie makes a much awaited return to the arena! Witness her vast power, shining bright like a True Defender Spirit, as she battles the beloved sister of Riou, slayer of the Beast Rune. Will the Valkyrie's divine power of creation shine forth, and forge a rainbow bridge towards victory? In Middle, Bowman Jean, chief RPh of the DL, is ready to fill a certain Dalton of Zeal's prescription: with pain! Gaze in awe as the acrobatic wonder of Linga shows off his mad pillz, dodging and weaving his way through Dalton's frantic metallic orbs of death! No steroids involved here, folks: six years at Duquesne University and lots of real world practice are all you need! Heavy's ablaze, as Barbarossa, bearer of the Sovreign Rune, dukes it out with Nameless Hero #398, hailing from Suikoden Four. Sovreign against Punishment...which will prove to be the greater force in this battle of True Runes? And last but not least, in Godlike, say hi to our returning Defender of the Crown, Sephiroth! Up against the dreaded Ultimecia, will the perfect SOLDIER prove to be worthy of the crown he won last season? Go on, Defenders of Earth! Hurry on, for great justice! With the ranking season coming up, make sure to register at the RPGDL Forums, so you can take part in the long-awaited Season Nineteen rankings! You don't want to miss a chance to get your voice heard, dear readers! To kick off the new season with a bang, here's Chisato Madison, investigative reporter extraordinaire, with another amazing episode of Behind the Scenes for you all to enjoy, dear Defenders: This is an unprecedented day in Behind the Scenes history. Yes it is. I mean, look at all these potential guests! So many ripe young people to verbally abuse and attack; how are we suppose to choose who to interview and who not to? We’re going to have to sacrifice so much potential this week! It saddens me. The melodrama is really starting to skyrocket here: why don’t we just pick the better looking ones? For once, I agree. Mmmm... Miguel. Miguel isn’t very good looking. Only two arms, really. He’s still alive, though. Please tell me I’m not the only one disturbed by this talk. Please. Please let me not be the only sane one here. Speaking of which... welcome back! It’s another season, and another episode of your favourite show, here at the RPGDL! Welcome to Behind the Scenes, Season Nineteen, Week One! Welcome back to the show that makes you question just why you still own a TV. TiVo really is the way to go. Speaking of which, did you catch General Hospital this week? I’m so surprised at what happened to... ouch! Don’t spoil the soap opera! Heathen! To begin, let’s summon out our lovely Middle guests, Bowman Jean and Odin. Mmmm... Bowman. How’s it going? Still with Nineh? Of course. Why wouldn’t I be? Of, just a forlorn hope. Say, you don’t screen your wife’s mail, do you? No. Why? Just a random, non-malicious question. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go mail something out to a friend of mine. And she’s off to commit unspeakable acts that I can barely even imagine. Which brings us to the legendary warrior, Odin. What’s so legendary about you? My legendary ability to be absolutely worthless as a fighter. Got any other skills? I have a laser gun, but it’s not as strong as a cat’s claws. Impressive amount of failing, there. Good luck to you this week... not that any amount of well-wishing will help. So... Heavy time? Indeed. Come on out Nina Wyndia the First, and…Un-named Generic Hero #24601. I’m happy to be back after such a long wait! I’m ready to take down any competitors! My magic will be like the divine light of... Whoa, when did we say you could talk? I thought this was a talk show? It is. But we don’t let some people talk. Like you. That’s pretty sexist of you. No, it’s pretty damn intelligent. I mean, ever wonder why you’ve been out for so long? Here’s a hint: it’s not because your make-up is running. My... make-up? I don’t wear any make-up. I think that’s actually her face, Morte. Oh…that’s what passes for a face with you living people? Wow, low standards. It’s probably for the best; the way she’s crying now, real make-up would be running all over the floor. And that, as they say, is that. So, what’s up with you, Mr. Newly-Ranked-Hero? Ah... Suikoden. You know, that’s the thing I hated the most about the game. In a game of voice acting, why on earth would you make the guy you have to have in your group... silent? I AGREE. SUIKODEN HEROES BORE ME. The Suikoden III heroes weren’t too bad, I thought. YES. THEY ARE AN EXCEPTION. BUT LOOK AT THE REST OF THE SERIES: BORING AND UNFULFILLED PROMISE. IT DEPRESSES ME, THE EPITOME OF EVIL ITSELF. Ever had that looked at? EVIL DOES NOT NEED MEDICATION TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT DESTROYING WORLDS. Really? When was the last time you were truly happy about anything? STOP ASKING QUESTIONS. IT MAKES ME ANGRY. ...well? ...I’VE NEVER BEEN HAPPY. THE BEST FEELING I EVER HAD WAS WHEN I WAS BEATEN UP BY A WANNABE CAT-GIRL, AN ANCIENT ANDROID, AN ESPER WITH A PONYTAIL AND SOME ANGSTING BLONDE HERO. I FEEL WORTHLESS. See, wasn’t that better? Come on: I can get you some help. THANK YOU. That was touching. Really, I think we might finally have figured out the root of Profound Darkness’s desire to destroy the universe. Yeah. It’s either a bad childhood, or something Freudian. Let’s pray it’s not the latter. Amen to that. Hey, are you ever going to get to the real Godlikes? My time is valuable. Yes! I have training to do! If I work hard enough, I can gain Move+2 before my battle! Oooohhhhh... that’ll seal it right there. Indeed! It still pales before the might of my Nibelungen Valesti. I shall engrave it upon the souls of my enemies, and reach my cursed sister in Godlike, where I shall let my true power run free! ... Yeah, I agree. She’s just a biiiiiiit too... how do you say it? Ignorant? Not worth the air she’s breathing? Sounds about right to me. Hah! You shall feel the wrath of my Godlike power! Ooohhhh... come on, a little to the left, yeah. You’ve seen it here, folks: someone so weak even Odin doesn’t notice it. I think that’s a good note to end on. Sounds it. From all of us here at Behind the Scenes, thanks for tuning in. And remember to tune in next week, or our pay gets docked. Au revoir! ... Yes, he said something French. Got something against the French? ... Well, can’t argue with that. Still feed him to Penance? Sounds good to me. ... Would you like to change your skin to Silver?