The Warring States of NPF

The Warring States of NPF (http://www.nuklearforums.com/index.php)

- Dead threads (http://www.nuklearforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=91)

- - Trigun! (http://www.nuklearforums.com/showthread.php?t=6432)

Chapel didn't exist in the manga. At least not in the way they decided to make him in the anime.

[Spoiler for Manga]
Wolfood was Chapel in the manga. It was his job to insure that Vash made it to Knives eventually. This put him at odds with the other Gung-Ho Guns, but they all knew he had a separate mission.
[/Spoiler for Manga]

That ball of black energy that Knives created was essentially a portal to void. It's one of the powers the anime series writers let him have. He does quite a bit in the manga, and they only hint at these powers in the anime.

Sooo, if Knives could do that, couldn't Vash? And why wouldn't he use it in the final battle?

I haven't gotten to see the ending as it exists in the manga (for comparison), but he wouldn't want to even if he could. Well, that's my take on his character, at least.

Vash doesn't wish to kill.
He doesn't even like hurting people.
He even wanted to save his brother. After all, isn't that what Rem told him to do? "Take care of Knives."
I think Vash only ever uses his gun because it is, well, related to him and who he is, whereas other methods/powers, if he has command over any, would either reveal cruel intentions or potentially harm others beyond his enemies.

Oh, I know he wouldn't use it if it would kill someone, but still, couldn't he use those powers to just take out their gun, or the platform/whatever they are standing on? Or are those powers just so... uh, powerful that they couldn't be used on such specific things?

And I worded it wrong, but I meant why wouldn't Knives use his powers in the final battle. He didn't seem to have any qualms over killing Vash.

What I didn't get is that if Knieves could pull a mind control on somebody, why couldn't Vash?

MoM - This could either be chalked up to him not being comfortable with them (perhaps for reasons like you mention) or no emphasis from the author. Indeed interesting that he doesn't [he being Knives] go all-out against Vash again in their fight. (Like I said, I haven't read the ending in the manga... but I'm pretty sure I can bet why he doesn't, if the fight is similar, use his powers anymore...)

Sessy - When did Knives control anyone's mind?

I was still kind of questioning who Legato was throughout that anime. From what I gathered, spoiler spoiler Legato was created from Vash's severed arm (Hence Legato referring to his own left arm belonging to Vash, rubbing it whenever Vash used his angel arm) by Knives, end spoiler spoiler or something. Or maybe he was just a guy, and the whole reference was symbolical.

What I don't get is Vash says in Lost July that he has no memory before the events at July. So is the whole sequence of flashbacks him rediscovering a repressed past which his encounter with Legato brings back?

I believe Legato is just a mindslave, given abilities by Knives. His left arm is the arm that knives took from vash in I believe July, hence the mech arm and possibly the lack of powers. I think the arm is where Legato derives his abilities. I also believe that vash repressed the memories of the July incident until Legato(him having the stolen arm) forced vash to see them yet again.

Well, I always thought that Vash hadn't actually tried to learn to use any of the powers that Knives has. I think Vash could do all the things Knives can if he actually tried to learn and master them, he just hasn't. Then again perhaps he can't. All i remember right now, that happened either in the manga or anime can't remember, is Knives talking scornfully to Vash about how he hadn't even learned to harnessed his power to heal himself. (Or perhaps i'm remembering completely wrong too.) My guess is that he wouldn't heal the scars, even if he did learn how to, as they serve as a reminder to him that he's hurt many, caused much destruction, and such. But again, I could be completely wrong.
And also, about Vash's lost memory...I always took him as meaning he had no memories of what happened right before and during the Lost July incident. His other memories were intact, but he couldn't remember anything about what happened at July...anyways, I could be completely wrong, wouldn't surprise me. :)