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aestivalis) wrote2022-11-03 06:11 pm
aestivalis) wrote2022-11-03 06:11 pm
not mentioned in this post: laguna and kuja are friends in dffoo. just think about that.
Did you know that hit mobile phone gacha game Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia recently had Squall and Laguna converse with one another after both being made aware of their relationship to one another?
LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.
Unlike some folks I see chatting on places like the Opera Omnia reddit, I'm not particularly inclined to accept anything that occurs as DFFOO as canon. It's "a" canon, for sure, but the events and interactions that happen in this money-making gacha phone game are not going to shape or interfere with my previously established interpretations. That is to say, I'm not going to reconsider my view of Character X based on something revealed in any spin-off title or other alternative material. It just ain't gonna happen. (Here's looking at you, Final Fantasy XV.)
That being said, I love canon-based AUs and other forms of canon divergence. DFFOO is fun. I love seeing the sorts of questions this game wants to answer, and the character combinations it chooses to throw together. I might not ever really think of these things as truly representative of the characters, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy seeing what's out there. It's like officially-sourced fanfiction — it's not going to usurp canon, but I might still love it for what it is!
So coming back around to Squall and Laguna! A recent story chapter in DFFOO's third act focused on the Final Fantasy VIII cast, and culminated in them regaining all their memories up to and including the finale of FFVIII. Prior to this point, only Squall, Rinoa and Irvine had their full memories*.
*unlucky Irvine actually has his memories stolen by Ultimecia shortly before this chapter begins, because shenanigans. I could talk a lot about my crappy favourite Irvine and his role as the memory-bearer of his group of friends, but that is a post for another day.
After getting their memories back, Squall and Seifer spar because I guess that's the only way swordboys know how to process their feelings. Laguna cheerfully invites Seifer to come back whenever he feels like it, and Squall thinks about how Seifer's attitude hasn't changed upon getting his memories back. However, Laguna follows this up by being a bit antsy about "all he can do" to help Squall, and Squall quickly realises that Laguna does in fact have all of his memories back too.
And then Squall thinks...
I often find that DFFOO reads like it's accurate to the source material, but it never quite matches the source material. The characters are definitely all in the right wheelhouse, but they often seem just a little bit off. As this conversation between Laguna and Squall continues, I feel like it doesn't quite sound like them. You can read it yourself here if you want to make up your own mind. I do like the idea of Squall mentioning how he and Laguna are supposed to "talk when it's all over", though. Laguna isn't ready for it, which feels frustrating and flakey but also not really out of keeping with Laguna as we see him in the game. Kind of surprised he didn't suffer any cramp.
Slightly prior to this, Laguna says to himself that "that kid [Squall] is my... a reminder of Raine" and considers that he "better come to grips with that", which indirectly raises some interesting questions. When a fictional character has had their memories forceably stolen, and then has them abruptly returned... is that character going to simply return to being the person they were before? Do those regained memories essentially restore aspects of personality that would have been altered by the absence of those memories? Or do their regained memories need to be processed all over again, a huge swarth of regained knowledge that needs time to be sorted and settle. Is there certainty in a memory regained, or a discomfort borne from the sudden revelation of things you've said and done that seem divorced from the self you've been living as for weeks/months/years?
There is no answer, and different media do different things with the concept. Light Yagami says it all went according to keikaku, and immediately picks up precisely where he left off. Laguna, meanwhile, seems as though he needs to process Squall's existence all over again.
When does canon Laguna learn the truth of his connection to Squall, anyway? It must have been after Squall ends up at Garden, but beyond that small certainty do we actually have an answer? Much To Consider....
LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.
Unlike some folks I see chatting on places like the Opera Omnia reddit, I'm not particularly inclined to accept anything that occurs as DFFOO as canon. It's "a" canon, for sure, but the events and interactions that happen in this money-making gacha phone game are not going to shape or interfere with my previously established interpretations. That is to say, I'm not going to reconsider my view of Character X based on something revealed in any spin-off title or other alternative material. It just ain't gonna happen. (Here's looking at you, Final Fantasy XV.)
That being said, I love canon-based AUs and other forms of canon divergence. DFFOO is fun. I love seeing the sorts of questions this game wants to answer, and the character combinations it chooses to throw together. I might not ever really think of these things as truly representative of the characters, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy seeing what's out there. It's like officially-sourced fanfiction — it's not going to usurp canon, but I might still love it for what it is!
So coming back around to Squall and Laguna! A recent story chapter in DFFOO's third act focused on the Final Fantasy VIII cast, and culminated in them regaining all their memories up to and including the finale of FFVIII. Prior to this point, only Squall, Rinoa and Irvine had their full memories*.
*unlucky Irvine actually has his memories stolen by Ultimecia shortly before this chapter begins, because shenanigans. I could talk a lot about my crappy favourite Irvine and his role as the memory-bearer of his group of friends, but that is a post for another day.
After getting their memories back, Squall and Seifer spar because I guess that's the only way swordboys know how to process their feelings. Laguna cheerfully invites Seifer to come back whenever he feels like it, and Squall thinks about how Seifer's attitude hasn't changed upon getting his memories back. However, Laguna follows this up by being a bit antsy about "all he can do" to help Squall, and Squall quickly realises that Laguna does in fact have all of his memories back too.
And then Squall thinks...
Squall: (Sounds like he has his memories too. And now that he's made it obvious... I don't even know what to do.)... Which is just so Squall that I was compelled to make this post in the first place. He and Laguna are finally standing face-to-face with full knowledge of their relationship with one another and Squall has absolutely no idea where to begin or what he's supposed to say. He follows up with:
Squall: ... I guess we don't have to do things any differently than we have been.Laguna is momentarily uncertain, but ultimately responds with:
Laguna: We don't have to pretend to be something we're not. Hope to be hearin' more from you, fairy.WHICH IS VERY CUTE? The fairy part, at least.
I often find that DFFOO reads like it's accurate to the source material, but it never quite matches the source material. The characters are definitely all in the right wheelhouse, but they often seem just a little bit off. As this conversation between Laguna and Squall continues, I feel like it doesn't quite sound like them. You can read it yourself here if you want to make up your own mind. I do like the idea of Squall mentioning how he and Laguna are supposed to "talk when it's all over", though. Laguna isn't ready for it, which feels frustrating and flakey but also not really out of keeping with Laguna as we see him in the game. Kind of surprised he didn't suffer any cramp.
Slightly prior to this, Laguna says to himself that "that kid [Squall] is my... a reminder of Raine" and considers that he "better come to grips with that", which indirectly raises some interesting questions. When a fictional character has had their memories forceably stolen, and then has them abruptly returned... is that character going to simply return to being the person they were before? Do those regained memories essentially restore aspects of personality that would have been altered by the absence of those memories? Or do their regained memories need to be processed all over again, a huge swarth of regained knowledge that needs time to be sorted and settle. Is there certainty in a memory regained, or a discomfort borne from the sudden revelation of things you've said and done that seem divorced from the self you've been living as for weeks/months/years?
There is no answer, and different media do different things with the concept. Light Yagami says it all went according to keikaku, and immediately picks up precisely where he left off. Laguna, meanwhile, seems as though he needs to process Squall's existence all over again.
When does canon Laguna learn the truth of his connection to Squall, anyway? It must have been after Squall ends up at Garden, but beyond that small certainty do we actually have an answer? Much To Consider....
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He's the Sylvain of VIII!
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omg I love them
(Sounds like he has his memories too. And now that he's made it obvious... I don't even know what to do.)
OMG I LOVE HIM
At this point in the entry I went to YouTube in an effort to track down this scene and accidentally ended up watching half an hour's worth of cutscenes from the chapter in question. I just love these characters so much!
I agree that Opera Omnia scenes often feel slightly off; the characterisation is generally solid, but the voices aren't quite right. (Squall thanked the others for... saving his butt?)
But it's still delightful to get new content for the Final Fantasy VIII characters, particularly following up on Squall and Laguna's relationship, which always felt like a bit of a loose end. I was thrilled when Squall brought up that they were supposed to talk when it was all over! (Even if they then didn't actually have the talk. Come on, guys.)