Galbadia Garden

March 27, 2008, 3:01 PM

Did anyone get a feeling that, when we visited Galbadia Garden the first time, and then later on when the two Gardens fought, that Balamb was basically kids playing soldier and these guys were the real deal? I know Balamb has Squall but when we look at the Gardens battle, it just was kinda totally brutal ownage on the part of Galbadia until Squall pulled a Plot Inspiration Jutsu out of his ass. Even then, when se see the two sides fighting after Rinoa and Squall drop off that flying thing, it does look like a bunch of kids fighting real soldiers.

March 27, 2008, 3:04 PM

Probably due to the way they were trained. Cid seemed more of a lover than a fighter, and only resorted to violence as a necessity, whereas at Galbadia Garden they were actually trained to be soldiers for war.

March 27, 2008, 3:40 PM

Most of the Galbadian students were kicked out when Edea invaded the Garden, so it's only normal that trained soldiers of the Galbadian Army have an advantage over most students of Balamb, who are still in training and have not yet witnessed a war scenario.

When we first see Galbadian Garden there is indeed the feeling that it's more of a military academy then anything else, but still SeeDs who are the gratuated and top soldiers of Balamb are far superior then any ordinary Galbadia Soldier.

So i don't think they were playing at all, since the SeeDs are probably the strongest military unit in FFVIII.

March 27, 2008, 6:25 PM

It's kinda hard to say. I know SeeDs are pretty academic when it comes down to it, but the Galbadian soldiers did have that quality about them that suggests they are probably more superior than SeeDs. I can't exactly pinpoint why. When I played the game and Galbadia was mentioned, I was a little rattled, almost to the point of intimidation...wondering if my party can take on that army.

Really, Squall and company (and a few of those who passed the SeeD tests) are the only ones who stood up and held their guard. The rest were still just kids in training.

Anyway, I guess it depends on how one views the matter.

April 1, 2008, 12:17 PM

When you were fighting them, it was mostly Galbadian army guys anyway so I guess it would seem more organised

As for the stricter feel of it, I think as said above the students were pretty much just being trained for the military and the Balamb students were just er...wait, weren't they all Seed's regardless of where they went careerwise? Oh maybe the instructers at Galbadia were like ex army or something o_O

Much more relaxed feel ftw, and they won in the end anyway. Epic

April 2, 2008, 4:37 AM

Definetly the first time we go there, it's more impressive than Balamb.
The other times dont count as it has been taken over by Edea and the Galbadian army.
So its hard to judge from only one visit.

And one does have wonder where Galbadia garden gets all its money from, compared to Balamb they are much richer, and the normally very aggressive Galbadia has left then alone, even though they create people who will be fighting against them.

Martine does try to assainate Edea, but this may be a way to maintain power.
Obviously there isnt any real evidence to back this up

April 2, 2008, 5:31 PM

I always assumed that they were much more militant because of how closely connected they were with President Deiling, who did seem to have some form of domination in his eyes - peace clearly wasn't on his agenda, given the fully-functional missile base. The only possible people to conquer were Trabia and Balamb, given that he didn't know of Esthar's whereabouts.

Besides, every President needs protection. It never really struck me as questionable.

April 8, 2008, 5:54 AM

yes Galbadia garden is more militant than balamb garden but balamb SeeDs are trained for everything squall even admits this point when he says to rinoa "approach your target inconspicuously at a dance party, missions may require this sort of subterfuge"
As regards to that monetary question about galbadia, you saw how relaxed everyone was when galbadia attacked dollet at the start, that suggests that galbadia invades everyone all the time, so if galbadia won once every ten times theyd take resources or just get it from the land they live in, seeing as its one of the biggest, trabia doesnt count because thats snow, and esthar's environment promotes technology so galbadia's must promote resources or something i dont know,
Balamb Garden is generalistic, trained in many different areas of life
whereas
Galbadia Garden is specialistic, trained in military because thats basically all galbadia thinks about.