There seems to be a stir in the Final Fantasy community over what many consider the “scenic outburst” during the Battle of Gardens narrative arc. It begins when our main character Squall finds himself taking the reins amidst the tumult, but an unexpected mishap with Rinoa puts everyone in a twist.
Summary
- The scene interrupts the rhythm of the battle, and many find the shifting focus from a high-stakes situation to a damsel-in-distress scenario unnecessarily disruptive.
- Characters’ response to Rinoa’s plight met with mixed reaction – protagonist Squall’s seriousness being a contentious factor.
- Opinions split on whether it detracts from, or adds to, the overall chaos of the ongoing skirmish.
The Scene Interruption Debate
According to Straguslore14, the original poster, this scene deviates from the existing tension, making everyone, bar Squall, appear devoid of sense. This sentiment resonates with other players like TheFalseDeity and Prefer_Not_To_Say who can be quoted as saying that it’s indeed typical of party members to seem “moronic” and Squall’s ‘prioritising‘ given undue criticism.
Squall: Cold or Calculated?
As chaos ensues on the battleground, Squall’s seemingly cold reaction to Rinoa’s peril felt wrong to some. But as Prefer_Not_To_Say points out, ‘Squall has hundreds of students to worry about… and they act like he’s an ahole for not putting Rinoa first.‘
The Rinoa Factor: Damsel or Distress Trigger?
For many Final Fantasy aficionados like Random_Emolga and ShatteredFantasy, the scene wasn’t entirely inane. In Random_Emolga’s own words, the background battle as you whisk around was ‘”cool as heck“‘. ShatteredFantasy aligned with this, adding that the occurrence fits into the narrative as FFVIII is Squall’s story and he’s ‘destined‘ to lead SeeD against Ultimecia.
It’s certainly not black and white whether the scene was a narrative hit or miss. It seems to divide players between those who see it as an unnecessary derailment and those who view it as an additional layer of chaos that underscores the stakes and emphasizes character traits and relationships. So, dear readers, which camp do you find yourself aligning with?
