Characters of Final Fantasy VIII: Difference between revisions
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--Matt.p |
--Matt.p |
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Because Matt is the biggest loser on the planet!!! |
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-David aka "The Beast" |
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===Ellone=== |
===Ellone=== |
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Revision as of 16:27, 29 March 2006
Square Co., Ltd.'s computer role-playing game Final Fantasy VIII dealt with the activities of an elite group of mercenaries called SeeDs.
Main playable characters
Squall Leonhart
Squall Leonhart (スコール・レオンハート Sukōru Reonhāto) is a young student at Balamb Garden, recognised by most for the scar by his left eye given to him by Seifer. He does not talk much and has the reputation of being a lone wolf. As Squall's story progresses, he falls in love with Rinoa; the two become a main focal point in the game. Squall is also characterized by forlorn memories of standing out in the rain at the orphanage where he grew up, wondering where "Sis" (an older girl he saw as a sister-figure) went. Squall uses a weapon called a Gunblade, which is essentially a sword with a revolver built into it; the barrel forms the spine of the single-edged blade. This weapon deals extra damage if the player squeezes the controller's R1 trigger button while attacking. His Limit Break, a series of sword attacks called Renzokuken, can be similarly enhanced.
Rinoa Heartilly
Rinoa Heartilly (リノア・ハーティリー Rinoa Hātirī) is the lead female character in Final Fantasy VIII, the 17-year-old daughter of General Caraway, a high-ranking officer in the Galbadian army, and Julia Heartilly, a successful pianist and singer. Rinoa is a member of the Forest Owls, a small resistance faction seeking to liberate the small nation of Timber from Galbadian occupation. Rinoa first meets Squall Leonhart, the male protagonist of the game, at a ball at Balamb Garden, where she manages to charm—albeit somewhat aggressively—the usually taciturn and unfriendly Squall into dancing with her. Her purpose for visiting the Garden is revealed when the Forest Owls hire Squall, Zell Dincht, and Selphie Tilmitt as mercenaries. She stays with them as they are forced to flee Timber, and ends up travelling along with them. In battle, her Combine Limit Break is a combination of attacks from Rinoa and her dog, Angelo. As the story nears completion, she gains a second Limit Break, Angel Wing, that reflects her increased spell-casting powers.
Quistis Trepe
Quistis Trepe (キスティス・トゥリープ Kisutisu Turīpu) enrolled at Balamb Garden at the age of ten and joined SeeD at fifteen. Shortly thereafter, she became an instructor for Balamb Garden. At the beginning of the game, she serves as Squall's instructor, assisting him in preparing for his SeeD field exam. However, it is not too long before she is demoted as an instructor because the Garden administration, at the time, felt that she lacked leadership qualities. Later on, however, after administration of the Garden is seized from NORG, Headmaster Cid Kramer reinstates Quistis. Quistis' Limit Break, Blue Magic, allows her to take abilities from items found throughout the game, some of which are extremely potent. For instance, Shockwave Pulsar became the first-ever Final Fantasy attack to break the traditional 9,999-damage ceiling (followed shortly by the Eden Guardian Force).
Zell Dincht
Zell Dincht (ゼル・ディン Zeru Din) specializes in martial arts and joined Balamb Garden at the age of 13 to follow in his grandfather's footsteps as a great soldier. He is enthusiastic, high-spirited, and loyal to a fault as he sometimes blurts things out without thinking, and his anger can get the better of him. Zell mainly uses his fists to fight, and his Limit Break, Duel, allow fighting-game-style combo moves.
Irvine Kinneas
Irvine Kinneas (アーヴァイン・キニアス Āvain Kiniasu) is a student at Galbadia Garden, referred to as the 'Best Shooter in Garden' due to his sharpshooting abilities. He is also known as a ladies man, and attempts to charm Selphie several times throughout the game (with possible success, depending on one's interpretation of later events). He has, however, been known to lose his cool under extreme pressure. He is also the first to remember that he, Squall, Ellone, Selphie, Quistis, Zell and Seifer all grew up in the same orphanage (the use of GFs are later implicated in the memory loss). His Limit Break, Shot, uses ammunition from the party's Item reserve to inflict damage.
Selphie Tilmitt
Selphie Tilmitt (セルフィ・ティルミット Serufi Tirumitto) seems out of place at a military academy. She has an overbearingly naïve view of the world, and is always there when people need cheering up. She uses simple moves but is strangely reminiscent of Yuffie Kisaragi from Final Fantasy VII. Her Limit Break, Slot, randomly serves up a spell to cast (including four that are not found elsewhere) and the number of times she will cast it; the player can choose to either go with this option or try again. The type of weapon she uses is called nunchaku in the NTSC (Japanese and N.A.) versions and shinobou in the PAL versions.
Other major characters
Seifer Almasy
Seifer Almasy (サイファー・アルマシー Saifā Arumashī) is a classmate and rival to Squall. Seifer is a powerful warrior, but his ego and inability to follow orders have made him "problematic." During the introduction sequence, he cuts Squall across the face, giving him a scar near his left eye, but is soon after given an almost identical scar near his right eye by Squall in return. He is said to have met and dated Rinoa during a summer school term in Balamb Garden (before she met Squall). Spurred by dreams of a brighter future, he joined with the Sorceress Edea (whom he recognized as the woman who ran the orphanage he grew up in with the main protagonists), out of the promise to be a 'knight' in her new world order, a role which plays towards his vanity but also to what seems to be an unaffected sense of nobility and honor. It is also believed that Seifer may have had his views brainwashed with a spell, due to his sudden change in attitude toward his assassination of Edea and his "dream" changing from "Romantic" to "Becoming a Knight", but his honor keeps him from the Sorceress Edea's full control. At Seifer's point of view, Squall and the others are the "criminals" and he recognizes himself as the hero. He also uses a gunblade, the specific name of his model being Hyperion, and his Limit Break is called Fire Cross.
Laguna Loire
Laguna Loire (ラグナ・レヴァール Raguna Revāru) is a former Galbadian soldier who has turned journalist and seeks to tell the world about the horrors of war. He is optimistic and fueled with a passion to assist those in need. He is, however, extremely clumsy. The party first joins him in the Galbadian city of Deling, where he displays his infatuation with a lounge pianist named Julia; however, he is never able to return and see her again, as a reconaissance mission within enemy territory renders him desperately injured, barely able to escape to the town of Winhill and, by the time he recuperates, he is too attached to the community—and specifically Raine and Ellone—to return. Laguna proposes to Raine, who accepts, but shortly thereafter Ellone is kidnapped by soldiers of the technologically advanced isolationist nation of Esthar. Laguna infiltrates Esthar to rescue Ellone, and is inadvertently swept up into a revolution that deposes Esthar's ruler, the Sorceress Adel. He is subsequently elected president. He later learns of Raine's death and that Ellone has gone missing but events continue to tie him to Esthar, and it is there that Squall and company eventually meet him, having experienced his earlier adventures through Ellone. A number of dialogue exchanges and storyline events strongly imply that Raine is Squall's mother and Laguna his father. Laguna's Limit Break, Desperado, involves some grenades, a lot of fire from his machinegun, and some action-movie-style camera angles.
Kiros Seagill
Kiros Seagill (キロス・シーゲル Kirosu Shīgeru) is Laguna's close friend and comrade in the Galbadian Army who possesses a very caring personality and sharp wit. He is light on his feet and fights with dual blades called "katal" (an incorrectly romanized version of the word "katar") that he wears on both arms; his Limit Break, Blood Pain, is a barrage of attacks.
Following the disastrous mission in Centra, Kiros was separated from Laguna and Ward. He heals quickly and decides to leave the Galbadian army, but soon finds life without Laguna lacking excitement. Kiros resolves to discover his whereabouts, a search that takes the better part of a year to complete and finally brings him to Winhill. Surprised by Laguna's willingness to settle, Kiros reminds his friend of his journalistic aspirations. When Laguna is forced to leave Winhill to find Ellone, Kiros accompanies him, helping him earn money to fund the expedition. Kiros remains by Laguna's side throughout his adventures in Esthar, earning a place as an advisor to the unlikely president.
Ward Zabac
Ward Zabac (ウォード・ザバック Wōdo Zabakku) is Laguna's other close friend, he lost his voice in a battle with Cyborg Esthar soldiers. He has a kind heart and follows closely with his friends and comrades, Laguna and Kiros. Ward is very large and quite strong; he throws an enormous harpoon in battle, and rides it down in his Limit Break (Massive Anchor). He becomes an official in Esthar alongside Laguna, directing affairs with gestures and his characteristic ellipses. Due to their closeness, Laguna and especially Kiros can understand Ward's silent expressions. When talking to him as Squall, Kiros will translate.
And also him kiros and zell are the most beasty of all!!!!!!
--Matt.p
Because Matt is the biggest loser on the planet!!! -David aka "The Beast"
Ellone
Ellone (エルオーネ Eruōne) is a mysterious girl who wanders in and out of Balamb Garden, and who knows Squall from his past; she is the missing "Sis" he has been looking for. It is later revealed that she has a bizarre power: the ability to send a person's consciousness back in time, watch, and sometimes influence the actions of someone they know. She uses this talent to send Squall and his friends into Laguna's past adventures in the hopes that they will be able to alter the past, however she eventually concedes that history cannot ever be altered. Her parents were killed by Galbadian soldiers during an occupation, and she then lived with Raine until she was captured by Esthar soldiers.
Fujin
Fujin is a young woman with pale skin, short silver hair, and an eye patch. She makes up one third of the Balamb Garden Disciplinary Committee with Seifer and Raijin. She is incredibly dedicated to both men, never leaving Raijin's side despite the exasperation he often causes her, and remaining loyal to Seifer even when it requires siding with his bitter enemies. Fujin speaks in single-word sentences, which she normally yells. These pronouncements typically summerise her emotional state or declare perjoritive statements, for example "RAGE!" and "LIES!". In the Japanese version of the game she speaks in single exclamated Kanji characters. Towards the end of the game her speech pattern returns to normal, when she makes a very articulate and heartfelt plea to Squall and his companions to save Seifer from himself. In battle Fujin weilds a serrated blue ring which she throws at her opponents, similar to Rinoa's pinwheels. She is named after the Japanese god of wind, Fujin, and carries the game's wind-based Guardian Force.
Fujin appears as a member of Seifer's gang in Kingdom Hearts II. She is slightly younger than her Final Fantasy VIII self, shown without her eyepatch and going by the name "Fuu". She is voiced by Rio Natsuki, the voice actress of Lulu from the Japanese version of Final Fantasy X.
Raijin
Raijin is a strong looking partner of Fujin. He makes up one third of the Balamb Garden Disciplinary Committee with Seifer and Fujin. He is a very laid back and rather slow-witted person. Whenever he and Fujin appear together Fujin is clearly the one in charge but Raijin is the one who does all the talking. He always ends his sentences with "ya know," and sometimes opts out of explaining difficult things, like Seifer's supposed "execution" by Galbadia, simply by saying "ya know." He stands loyally by Seifer even as he turns away from SeeD and Garden and sides with the enemy, the Sorceress Edea. Raijin clearly has no animosity towards Squall and his friends, he is just following Seifer's orders. Near the end of the game Raijin comes to the realization that Seifer is headed down a very dark path, one which he cannot in good conscience follow. Along with Fujin, he desperately pleads with Squall and the others to help save Seifer from himself before he does something truly terrible. In battle Raijin uses a long staff with two large battering weights on either end. He is named after the Japanese god of thunder, Raijin.
Raijin also appears as a member of Seifer's gang in Kingdom Hearts II and is slightly younger than his Final Fantasy VIII self as well. He goes by the name "Rai". He is voiced by Kazuya Nakai, the voice actor of Wakka from the Japanese version of Final Fantasy X.
Cid Kramer
Cid Kramer (シド・クレイマー Shido Kureimā) is the headmaster of Balamb Garden. He is a wise, peaceful man and is much respected by Squall and his companions. The loyalty of the Balamb student body is tested when an internal staff conflict is sparked between the headmaster and the Garden Master, NORG, however most of the students and faculty remain loyal to Cid and return him to power.
Edea Kramer
Edea Kramer (イデア Idea) is presented early in Final Fantasy VIII as a power-hungry sorceress who takes control of Galbadia. Her motives are initially unknown, but SeeD are dispatched to eliminate her. Eventually revealed that she is not Edea at all, but rather an evil sorceress from the future possessing her body called Ultimecia. When Ultimecia releases Edea, she takes the side of the SeeDs in the struggle, and for a short time even joins the party. Later on, Edea accidentally gives her powers to Rinoa, making her a sorceress. She attacks with magical bursts of energy, and her Limit Break, Ice Strike, forms and hurls a giant icicle. This Limit Break is depicted in a scene at the end of Disc 1 when Ultimecia uses it on Squall while possessing Edea's body. Her full name is Edea Kramer, and we learn that she is actually the wife of Headmaster Cid of Balamb Garden, and was known as "Matron" to Squall and his friends during the time when they lived with her at the orphanage in the continent of Centra.
Adel
Adel (アデル Aderu) is a sorceress who rose to power in Esthar and initiator of the Sorceress War. As the ruler, she had her soldiers abduct every girl who might serve as her successor, such as Ellone. During the revolution, she was tricked by Laguna and placed in suspended animation in space. Seventeen years later, after losing control of Edea, Ultimecia possessed Rinoa and used her to free Adel to serve as a new vessel. Adel was later revived in the Lunatic Pandora and was defeated by Squall and his party when she tried to absorb Rinoa.
Adel's Tomb was responsible for the radio interference that had blanketed the world since its activation. During her incarceration, Adel was able to project messages within the powerful signal, visible once on a screen, that read "I AM ALIVE HERE", "BRING ME BACK THERE" and "I WILL NEVER LET YOU FORGET ABOUT ME".
Ultimecia
Ultimecia (アルティミシア Arutimishia) is "The Sorceress" that SeeD were created by Cid and Edea Kramer to defeat. She is able to summon the ultimate Guardian Force and is the main antagonist of Final Fantasy VIII, though this is discovered quite late in the game as she operates beforehand through the body of Edea.
While possessing Edea, Ultimecia gains control of Galbadia. She then possesses Rinoa and releases Adel from her tomb. Afterwards Ultimecia abandons Rinoa and leaves her to die in space.
At the end of the game, the Seeds travel to the future and fight Ultimecia in her castle. Before she was defeated, she delivered a brief speech to them: "...SeeD... SeeD... SeeD... SeeD, SeeD, SeeD! Kurse all SeeDs. Swarming like lokusts akross generations. You disgust me. The world was on the brink of the ever-elusive time kompression. Insolent fools! Your vain krusade ends here, SeeDs. The price for your meddling is death beyond death. I shall send you to a dimension beyond your imagining. There, I will reign, and you will be my slaves for all eternity. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Whom shall I exterminate first!?"
Minor characters
Julia Heartilly
Julia Heartilly (ジュリア・ハーティリー Juria Hātirī) was a pianist in a hotel lounge in Galbadia 17 years prior to the story's present. After being admired by Laguna from afar for some time, Julia and Laguna finally met and spent an evening together, talking and getting to know one another. Julia was inspried by Laguna to follow her dream of writing lyrics and singing, instead of only playing the piano. It seemed as though the two were to make a fine couple, but Laguna shipped out on new orders the following day and ensuing circumstances prevented him from ever returning to Julia. The two never saw each other again. Julia waited for Laguna to return and wrote the song "Eyes on Me" about him. As time went on, she eventually married another man and had a daughter: Rinoa. She was later killed in an automobile accident.
General Caraway
General Caraway is a member of the Galbadian military. He advises the main characters in the game on their mission to assassinate Sorceress Edea. He married Julia Heartilly after she lost contact with Laguna, and is Rinoa's father. Caraway is a cold man who borders on the point of conceit, however, he does care for Rinoa, particularly when she becomes involved in the battle to defeat Ultimecia.
Raine Loire
Laguna's secret love, he seldom revealed the fact that she married him once she passed away. A very conscientious woman and an ideal mother, her loss affected both Laguna and Ellone profoundly. Evidence points to her being Squall's mother.
Dr. Odine
An extremely idiosyncratic personage, he has a scientific mind like a broken mirror - brilliant, but fractured. He tends to have absolutely no feelings for anything besides his research. His dress is ridiculous, looking sort of like a clown with that huge striped collar. He is a famous researcher of magical artifacts, and has taken a special interest in the sorceresses. He was the one who invented Junctioning and discovered GFs, and who extracted Ellone's powers into a machine. His lab is in Esthar City.
Martine
The head of Galbadia Garden was unceremoniously dumped when Edea took over. He retired and moved to Fisherman's Horizon, where he's known to play a brutal game of cards with the ones he confiscated from the Garden.
NORG
NORG is an exiled and capitalist-oriented Shumi residing on the lower B1 floor of Balamb Garden. He loaned Cid Kramer the money to build and develop the Garden years before the story begins, and took the position of Garden Master upon its completion. After hearing about a failed assassination attempt on Sorceress Edea, NORG begins to distrust Headmaster Cid and attempts a coup of Balamb Garden, causing a minor 'civil war' to erupt between factions loyal to the Headmaster and Garden Master. He is eventually defeated in battle, whereupon he enters a cocoon-like state. If the player returns to the lower B1 level of Balamb Garden later in the game, a group of Shumis are seen to have come to bear witness to NORG's cocoon. NORG himself plays no further part in the story.
Biggs and Wedge
Biggs and Wedge are members of the Galbadian Army, Biggs being the superior officer to Wedge, an enlisted man. They are recurring characters in the story, crossing paths with the main character party on three occasions during the game. A source of comic relief, the duo are bested by the main characters each time and demoted in rank as a result. The last encounter in the game suggests that they both quit the Galbadian Army. They share their names with two X-Wing pilots in Star Wars. This may or may not have been on purpose.
Nida, Piet, and Dodona
Nida, Piet, and Dodona are noteworthy due to their names. Nida, a student at Balamb Garden who passes the SeeD exam along with Squall, is named after Captain Needa. Piet, the chief of operations at the Lunar Base is named after Admiral Piett. Both Needa and Piett were Imperial naval officers appearing in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Dodona, the Garden Master of Galbadia Garden and subordinate to NORG, is named after General Dodonna, a Rebel leader who appeared in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Dodona was renamed Martine in the English version of the game for reasons unknown. Ergo, Final Fantasy VIII is the only game in the series to not merely follow the tradition of including Star Wars character names via Biggs and Wedge, but to also expand on it by introducing more Star Wars names.
PuPu
PuPu is a small, blue alien. He stands a little less than 3 feet, has an antenna on his head, and two swirly eyes. PuPu's backstory remains a mystery. Squall's group encounter PuPu, in his spaceship, in four different places around the world. They then encounter the spaceship itself, and damage it severely, causing it to explode. When they find the alien inside, they must help him by feeding him five Elixirs in order to be rewarded with his PuPu card. PuPu is never seen again. The artifacts he collects are a Cow in the area around Winhill, a Moai Statue in Mandy Beach, near Timber, a Pyramid in Kashkabald Desert, and a strange symbol reminiscent of a Snowflake at the Heath Peninsula, in Trabia.