Mio Nelson (known simply as Mio) was a female human who was regarded as an expert on planetary exploration, environmental remediation, and terraforming. She was noted to have discovered and named Planet Sion despite her advanced age and preexisting health conditions. Professor Mio mysteriously disappeared on the planet and was since presumed dead. Before this, Mio already stated that she is looking for her lost friends and that the planet is her final destination.
Mio was a close friend of Sion Zail, Van Nelson, and Airi. A resident of Tobal by birth, she witnessed first-hand the Second Battle of Tobal, Third Battle of Tobal, and Tobal Civil War. Mio was one of the few who did not see Sion as a monster as purported by Robert Nelson's Tobal Union; instead she still regarded Sion as a friend and a hero.
Mio appears exclusively in Another Episode-2 A Village Where You Are and provided emotional depth and commentary to the story. The last chapter of AE-2 covers her discovery of Planet Sion which also serves as the epilogue.
Background[]
Mio as a student of IAN School
Mio Nelson was born and raised in Tobal as the sole child of her unnamed parents. As part of the wealthy and influential Nelson family, she received a sheltered life full of conveniences while being doted lovingly. This happy life was changed when she was orphaned after the Second Battle of Tobal as her parents were not able to accompany her to the emergency escape shuttle. Her parents died with relief that she was at least able to escape from harm.
After the battle, Mio transferred as a student to the IAN School of Engineering as a means of reuniting with her relatives. She was still wealthy and thus considered a "noble" by her classmates. Despite her reputation, Sion Zail befriended her and roped Mio in to be a member of the "Great War History Research Club". Through the club, she also became close friends with fellow members Airi and Van Nelson. Mio expressed suspicion on Sion's true identity as she noted that it is unusual for a mere student to have access to PPP's 4th Ground Zero and to have detailed knowledge of Great War artifacts. It was also through the club that she came to be familiar in handling explosives (becoming a frenzied but hilarious pyromaniac in the process) as it was part of club activities to mine artifacts albeit often illegally.
Role[]
Sion's arrest[]
Mio and Airi harassed by the Ravens
Sion protecting Mio and Airi
Knowing that she would not last any longer, Sion requested to see the ocean with her friends. It was a tough request due to Sion's background and the rising anti-Knights sentiment in Tobal since Robert Nelson became president of the Tobal Union (TU). Sion's "uncles" ultimately agreed on the condition that they were to be heavily escorted by armed personnel. Mio and Airi joined Sion in her ocean trip. Halfway in their travel, the main escorting force was split from Sion and attacked by refugee mercenaries under the employ of TU. Van, who also joined the trip but opted to ride with the escorts instead, rushed out to provide back-up. Sion, Mio, and Airi on the other hand were attack by a Raven Unit squad composed of disgruntled refugee soldiers. The squad opened fire on Sion while badly mauling Mio and Airi. The attack activated Sion's suppressed homunculus nature and she decimated the squad in gory fashion.
A media helicopter, suspiciously tipped off in advance that an "incident" would occur, suddenly swooped in and was able to live-broadcast a berserk Sion killing the squad. The media zoomed in its camera on Sion and everyone in Tobal was able to see Sion's rabid-like behavior. The rest of the Raven Unit and TU security forces then appeared to take down the "villainous" Knight. The responding Ravens however were so eager to kill Sion that they used excessive force at the very onset despite the presence of two civilians. Sion instinctively used her own body to shield Mio and Airi. By doing so however, the attack shed off Sion's outer appearance revealing a grotesque, demon-like frame. Mio reacted in extreme fear and disgust when she saw Sion and even slapped off Sion's hand when she offered help. Dejected, Sion peacefully surrendered and accepted the negative treatment. It later turned out that Robert Nelson planned everything to put the Knights in a bad light and to further his political aims for planetary unification and independence.
Before Van and the uncles went to rescue Sion from the space elevator, Mio and Airi cheered them on and told them to bring back Sion safely so that they can resume their ocean trip. Mio claimed that there is so much to apologize for and to talk about with Sion.
Third Battle of Tobal[]
Mio during the Third Battle of Tobal
Mio after the Third Battle of Tobal
During the Third Battle of Tobal, Mio was seen looking weak and tired as she was nursing a dying Airi. She greeted Sion and asked what happened during the rescue operation. When Sion responded despondently to her questions, Mio lashed out and grabbed her by the collar, popping several of Sion's buboes in doing so. It was only then that she noticed that Sion was also already dying. Mio fell to her knees and began begging for Sion to not leave her alone. Before Sion can answer, she was attacked by an angry mob demanding retribution for their suffering. Mio desperately tried to mediate but she was pushed back. Sion managed to run away from the crowd together with Van and their helper, leaving behind Mio in an unhinged state.
Near the end of the battle, Mio participated at the battle by providing technical assistance to TU ground forces[1]. She appeared looking much better than before and more forward-looking. Mio repaired several military equipment and weaponry so that they may be used during the all-or-nothing assault against EX-Type Two Chatterbox. The repaired equipment varied from missile launchers and particle beam cannons to radar and guiding systems.
After the battle, she helped Sion and Van in settling down while kept hidden from authorities and other hostile individuals. Unfortunately, Van was hunted down and murdered in the middle of a busy refugee tent city by vengeful Ravens. When Sion found out about Van, she took his body and boarded the Mnemeion so that they may escape to a better, more peaceful place - a place with no conflicts as they had wished for. Mio was seen looking over from a distance as the Mnemeion warped out of Tobal. She was left behind yet again.
Later life and disappearance[]
Mio witnessing Mnemeion's warp to Planet Sion
Mio before she disappeared
Mio turned into a more resolute and stronger person after suffering the lost of her friends during the Third Battle of Tobal. After the battle, she lived as a refugee and endeavored to rebuild Sion's town. She also continued her studies and eventually found a teaching and research career in the fields of space exploration, environmental sciences, and terraforming. Later on, she became a tenured professor and renowned expert in her fields of study. All of her efforts however were directed towards searching for where Sion and Van had gone to.
Many years passed and Mio already became an elderly person. While hospitalized and being persuaded to retire, she recalled Mnemeion's warp from Tobal once more. This prompted her to embark again on a quest to search for her lost friends. Despite nearing the end of her life and protests from relatives and associates, Professor Mio spearheaded an exploration that finally discovered the destination she was looking for - Planet Sion. In a touching scene, she took a stroll around the planet, noting the ruins of Mnemeion and the remains of a serene life that Sion and Van had taken up peacefully together. She walked towards the edge of the ocean and saw a vision of her younger self reunited with Sion, Van, and Airi. In this vision, her friends were playing by the ocean as they had originally intended to before the violence erupted. They faced Mio, beckoning her to join them which she does in tears. Mio then disappeared mysteriously without a trace.[2]
Relationships[]
- Family
Sometime after the Third Battle of Tobal, Mio was married to an unnamed person and they had a daughter together. By the time she discovered Planet Sion, she already had a granddaughter.
- Sion Zail
Mio was a close, good friend to Sion Zail and cared deeply for her. She gave Sion the experience of a "normal" girl: hanging out with friends, doing club activities together, and plenty more. Sion was deeply hurt when Mio pushed her away during the Raven Unit's attack but Mio resolved to still be friends with her afterwards, going so far as to encourage the rescue operation despite it being a terrorist attack. Later, a frustrated and unstable Mio had a distraught conversation with Sion after she was rescued. They eventually reconciled after the Third Battle of Tobal without having to say anything. Mio might have felt abandoned by Sion but she still continued looking for her until the end. She ultimately found the remains of Sion's camp at Planet Sion and was reunited with Sion, Van, and Airi in a vision.
- Van Nelson
Van Nelson was Mio's cousin but Van appeared to not be aware of this. Mio, on the other hand, knew of their kin relation to each other as she enrolled in IAN School precisely because Van was there. Mio acted awkwardly around Van because he was a guy but was nevertheless still close to him. She lessened her interactions with Van after he had a falling out with Sion (but would kick him on his shins every time they met) although, later on, Mio openly welcomed Van's "return" when they went for the ocean trip. Mio also shared concern for Van after the rescue operation.
- Airi
Mio only had two close girl friends: Sion and Airi. If Sion was the weak girl that has to be spoiled and protected, then Airi was the energetic brute that did grunt work for the club. Despite their conflicting socio-economic status, Mio got along very well with Airi. Mio shows no discomfort in going to Airi and Sion's seemingly impoverished town and in fact enjoys dropping by for visits nearly everyday. She also dispensed going to school by car, opting to walk instead together with her friends from Sion's house.
Gallery[]
Quotes[]
- (Reunion with Sion after the rescue attempt)
- Mio: "I'm sorry...don't die. Don't leave me alone"
- (Before embarking on her final exploration)
- Granddaughter: "Don't go. You're sick, grandma"
- Mio: "I'm okay. This will be the last one."
- Granddaughter: "Where are you going?"
- Mio: "Beyond the hills to look for a friend"
- (While surveying Planet Sion's surface)
- Research assistant: "Is this your destination, Professor Mio?"
- Mio: "For me, yes. But for you, it's the starting point. You need to create a town for humans here."
- (As she was being called by her friends in the vision)
- Mio: "I guess I'm the last one..."