((Character Development))

[magefeathers]

I was reading a fan fiction today (on fanfiction.net, not on this website, so don't worry!) and absolutely loved it except for one fact; Garnet was a blathering priss who couldn't do anything to help herself or her traveling companion! It had taken place several years after the game and wondered to myself, "Does this author not realize that Dagger 'grew up' since the beginning of the game?"

Consider. Garnet did start out as someone who didn't seem like she could take care of herself, let alone be strong willed enough to run a whole country. But throughout the game there were so many events that showed what an intelligent and independent woman she could be. Perhaps a bit naive, but still.

Another thing that annoyed me about this fan fiction was how Zidane was portrayed; as the 'on a whim', girl chasing pervert that he was in the beginning of the game. But the fact he came back to Garnet showed that he too had developed since the beginning of the game.

So discuss:

Character development throughout the game
Turning points in the game for characters

 

[Totoro]

Spoiler

Zidane is a tricky one, as by his very nature he is willing to help people, is kind and very proactive. Yet when you see him around girls, he is very 'jack the lad' and seems far too smooth. I always wondered if this was all for show (he was an actor after all) because the girls he went for might have wanted someone like this perhaps?

However when you meet Freya in Lindbulm, he's hitting on her in a bar, but forgets that he's actually already tried it on with her! so maybe this is how he is and how he has lived all his life until he meets the princess

When the Queen destroys Cleyra and Lundbulm, Garnet strengthen's her resolve despite the suffering she's feeling. And she still thinks that there is something wrong with her mother and there's good somewhere, even after she had Garnet stripped of all the eidolons. This is testament to her strength of character and leadership qualities, that she wants to push on and unmask the true villian of this piece.

Then after the Queen has been killed, she has to go back to Alexandrie and lead her people again, showing that the shirks no burden that is placed at her feet. The only time I think this can be questioned is when she loves her voice, but this proves that she is only human and has a breaking point like anyone else. And with the help of her friends she revcovers.

Thought I'd better put a spoiler tag round it just in case

 

[Shadra]

I think all the characters 'grow up' throughout the game.

..... I had a bunch written but what I realized is they develop through the game with each of their different 'Quotes.' I'm not sure how to explain that one.... :/

 

[Leedsboi86]

I thought Garnet did have some dramatic changes through the game, The first been when she decided to change her name to Dagger and to learn how to fit in.

She did start out abit helpless and damsel in distress but she soon came into her own, She was a vital healer for the party aswell as some nice damage with her Summons.

She started off wanting to help her mother but soon realized that it was more than just her mother that was causing all this.

Personalty wise she had dramatic changes too, She started very trusting and naive and soon realized the world wasn't as black and white as you had assumed.

This is only my personal opinion of course but I think that the person you spoke of must have had somthing against Garnet cause I highly doubt she would go back to been the Damsel, More so now she is Queen.

 

[Sohryuden666]

Garnet, in my honest opinion, got the most character development (besides Zidane). She started out as this sweet, but pampered princess who seemed to know very little about how the world really was like.

Then, a lot of things happened, and Garnet changed. She realized that not everything is handed to you on some silver platter, and that the world wasn't as honest as it looked. She grew to be a strong, independent woman. I'll admit, she was still slightly naive, but that can be easily overlooked.

The point is, Garnet could finally grasp what kind of situation she was in, and that she would have to take care of herself at some points, since no one will come to the rescue all the time. Besides, she had a kingdom to rule. She couldn't stay childish forever. The girl had to grow up eventually.

 

[HighwindPilot]

I definitely agree about the innacuracy of her character portrayal in that Fan Fiction. While she was no Freya, Garnet definitely proved herself a tough chick. Since the beginning of the game, was she not out, attempting to break free of her limitations? And this was developed on throughout the game. The further she broke from the shackles that once held her down, she grew stronger as a person. The whole hair cut scene itself was a kind of symbolism for the very development she'd gone through. She may have needed saving in points of the game, but never was she the type of chick to sit around and wait for it, I don't think.

And for character development as a whole - the game had plenty of it for every character. As it was mentioned in this thread, each character's tag line was explored throughout or at some point in the game. In doing so, the characters are fleshed out, the players perspectives and ideas are brought to attention, and in any case I can think of, it's led to some kind of development for the character.

Vivi's question of existence was expressed in his quote, and thus, we are taken throughout his quest to find the answers he so desparately seeks. Along the way, he learns not to get so discouraged from hardship, and to accept his existence for what it is. In this learning experience, he grows and becomes more self-assured.

Spoiler

What he did to the Black Mage was yet another symbolic scene.

Amarant, as frivolous as I found his whole plot to be, even went through notable development. It was poorly handled, imo, but it still existed. His whole tag line was regarding the unreliability of others. However, after the whole thing in Ipsen's Castle, he learns to accept the others and the very idea of "teamwork". He throws out his previous spill about the loner image.

etc...

Ultimately, each character had to come to terms with their own flaws, and overcome them in order to better themselves.

The only real characters who don't experience much change is Quina.

 

[Lord Avon]

The only real characters who don't experience much change is Quina.

Na-aaah. Try again.

While I agree with everything else you've said, Quina goes through quite a lot of development, it's just well-hidden. If you return to Quan's Dwelling on Disc 4, Vivi and Quina, particularly Quina, get a nice scene. It's basically about imagination, and how Quina's travels have given him scope and imagination, and throughout the scenes in Castle Pandaemonium and Memoria, we can see him/her taking an active interest in the naughty goings on of Garland and Kuja.

 

[HighwindPilot]

Na-aaah. Try again.

While I agree with everything else you've said, Quina goes through quite a lot of development, it's just well-hidden. If you return to Quan's Dwelling on Disc 4, Vivi and Quina, particularly Quina, get a nice scene. It's basically about imagination, and how Quina's travels have given him scope and imagination, and throughout the scenes in Castle Pandaemonium and Memoria, we can see him/her taking an active interest in the naughty goings on of Garland and Kuja.

LOL @ that being "a lot".

"Na-aaah. Try again." Quina's "development" was out the ass, and the character experienced no real personal change or growth. Does that mean Quina wasn't fleshed out or exposed? No, because character development and exposures are two different things. He got a bit more observant, maybe. But wasn't his journey initially based on broadening his horizons in the first place (granted, it was meant for culinary improvement)? That would mean we pretty much saw him doing what he set out to do from the start. Fulfillment of that doesn't necessarily mean its gone through some kind of actual development. Quina pretty much remained as is throughout the game.

If that's the best you've really got to make a case for its development, then my statement was pretty accurate, he didn't go through much at all.

 

[Lord Avon]

Have you seen the scene with Quan and Quale? I suggest you do, if you haven't, because the journey, as far as Quale was concerned, was to broaden Quina's culinary horizons. However, Quan claims that Quina has far surpassed even Quale, because of his travels and all the new things he's learned. Combined with the fact that the greedy little frogmuncher, who only wanted to visit Qu's Marsh and catch frogs, now wants to go to defeat Kuja, and even has his own acknowledgement of life and death, I conisor this a huge development for the character.