Let's Remove Vaan for a Minute.

Davey Gaga

Davey Gaga

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Would the story have any kind of significant impact at all? As far as I can see:

+ Penelo would kill the sewer rats and would be the only one to look after Kytes.

That's about the extent of the change in the story, were Vaan to be removed. The creators tried too hard, in my eyes, to make him fit into the story. The entire thought about Reks and avenging his death only lasted until Basch told his story and served no purpose whatsoever - I highly doubt that Vaan was the only person to lose someone to the war. The next most significant part of the story affected by Vaan is when he sees Venat, shown as Reks/Rasler to Vaan and Ashe, respectively. Firstly, why should Vaan have been able to see Reks at all? Balthier could have seen his mother instead, Basch could've seen someone from Nabudis or Fran could've seen one of her sisters. Secondly, what difference did this make to the story? Nothing at all - as I said before, anything that involved Vaan, specifically, was just their way of including an otherwise useless character. There was no suggestion that he had an interest in any of the females in the cast and, to me, that made him both gay and less-than-useless. The plot was actually hindered by him, if you ask me.

Your thoughts on Vaan, please.
 
I was expecting something to materialise from him seeing his brother through Venat, but nothing ever did

I seriously doubt the game would be any different if he wasn't in it, not sure how the bit with Reks at the beginning would have worked but saying that I guess that could have been introducing Vossler & Bashe and Reks was just a random guy

There just seemed to be no point in him at all. He wanted to be a sky pirate and thats about it >_> Anyone of the others could have bean the main guy (well, excluding Penelo) I didn't like Vaan all that much >_<
 
Personally i think Vaan was annoying as hell and TOTALLY didn't deserve to be the main guy. I think either Balthier or Basch would have been much better in that position. Basch probably more so than Balthier since he has that fallen hero thing going for him.
 
Meh, Vaan was kinda the dude that eventually met everyone so they used him as the main char.

Anyone could be the main char, really. I like Balthier, so he gets my vote.

Besides, Vaan was the pure blonde of the group, he HAD to be the main char.
 
Even though Vaan was 100 times more likeable than say.. Tidus was in 10, they did absolutely NOTHING with his character, which bothered me a lot. As I've often said.. he was along for the ride, and nothing more.

I still say Fran ought to have been the lead character.. or Ashe.. but that's just me. :D
 
Vaan reminded me of Leo Dicapro for some reason. He just looked like a little pug, his nose is turned up and looks pug like rofl.

But seriosuly, I never warmed to Vaan at all. He just annoyed me, IMO not lead character material in my books.

Baltiher made more of a lead character for me.
 
~SapphireStar~ said:
Baltiher made more of a lead character for me.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with that, Balthier was the only one that really had any kind of interesting back story. They could have made so much out Balthiers past and Dr Cid. It was wholly dissapinting really, and the plot didn't take off til right near the end anyways but Balthier was the only one that seemed interesting from the start. Vaan was justa waste of time >_<
 
Yea I think they took the wrong route its almost as if they made all the other characters and then thought 'so where does vaan fit in?' and they got it totally wrong. Balthier as lead would have had a more complete and intricate story, they could have done so much more with it
 
With Vaan, they just didn't do anything with him. Almost halfway through the game he fades into the background.

Usually, the main character of a Final Fantasy has something that makes them stand out from the rest of the cast.

Spoilers below!

FFIV- Cecil was from a race that lived on the moon and
he was Golbez's brother
FFV- Bartz father was one of the four legendary heros that originally defeated Ex Death
FFVI- Terra was half esper (summon)
FFVII- Cloud was infused with Jenova cells.
FFVIII- Squall has his link to Laguna and
He is the one that actually gave Edea the idea for starting SeeD
FFIX- Zidane was created to be an angel of death and destroy everyone.
FFX- Tidus was actually a dream.

With Vaan, there was nothing. Maybe had they done something interesting with him like have us (and him and the characters) find out that he was the last of some race... yeah I know it's cliche but it's at least more interesting that some whiney kid that tags along when he should have been left in Rabanastre. Either that or do something with him.

Actually, I think removing Vaan completely and making Penelo the main character would have been more interesting. Though some scenes may have come off a bit slashy. XD (Think Penelo instead of Vaan catching Ashe in her arms.)
 
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FFIV- Cecil was from a race that lived on the moon and
he was Golbez's brother
FFV- Bartz father was one of the four legendary heros that originally defeated Ex Death
FFVI- Terra was half esper (summon)
FFVII- Cloud was infused with Jenova cells.
FFVIII- Squall has his link to Laguna and
He is the one that actually gave Edea the idea for starting SeeD
FFIX- Zidane was created to be an angel of death and destroy everyone.
FFX- Tidus was actually a dream.
Click to expand...
FFXII is different from the other FFs so far, it set in a much more realistic world, therefore it makes sense to have a much more normal main character, vaan didnt have the charisma or intrigue that balthier or basch had, but he is a more honest and simplistic character. i think vaan has much more right than any of the other characters to save rabanastre, he has lived there his whole life, its when his friends are and where reks dies, he is saving his home, whereas ashe just wants revenge.
at the beginning vaan is a bit wimpy, but he does mature slightly throughout the game.

Would the story have any kind of significant impact at all? As far as I can see:

+ Penelo would kill the sewer rats and would be the only one to look after Kytes.
Click to expand...
i think you are wrong there, without vaan, balthier and fran wouldnt have been going through the sewers, and they didnt want to rescue ashe anyway. also without vaan, they never would have gone to bhujerba.
the plot of the game is driven by all characters equally, which is why vaan doesnt really seem like the main character, but by suggesting that vaan is superfluous, is imo incorrect
 
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Placebo said:
i think you are wrong there, without vaan, balthier and fran wouldnt have been going through the sewers, and they didnt want to rescue ashe anyway. also without vaan, they never would have gone to bhujerba.
the plot of the game is driven by all characters equally, which is why vaan doesnt really seem like the main character, but by suggesting that vaan is superfluous, is imo incorrect
Click to expand...
You misunderstand - by removing Vaan, I wasn't suggesting that we could just leave the game exactly as it stands. Why not make Penelo the one to run through the Garamsythe Waterway and into the cellars? Balthier and Fran would be just as likely to follow Penelo as they would be to follow Vaan.

As for going to Bhujerba, that had nothing to do with Vaan, it was Balthier, Basch and Ashe's idea to cause a stir by visiting the Marquis.

Finally, you claim that the plot is driven equally by each character. To that, all I can say is that Vaan's vehicle must have stalled.
 
Placebo said:
FFXII is different from the other FFs so far, it set in a much more realistic world, therefore it makes sense to have a much more normal main character,
Click to expand...

Ah but it takes place in a fantasy world. Realism shouldn't exactly be the first priority. ;)
 
Riku said:
You misunderstand - by removing Vaan, I wasn't suggesting that we could just leave the game exactly as it stands. Why not make Penelo the one to run through the Garamsythe Waterway and into the cellars? Balthier and Fran would be just as likely to follow Penelo as they would be to follow Vaan.

As for going to Bhujerba, that had nothing to do with Vaan, it was Balthier, Basch and Ashe's idea to cause a stir by visiting the Marquis.

Finally, you claim that the plot is driven equally by each character. To that, all I can say is that Vaan's vehicle must have stalled.
Click to expand...


No, Vaan needs to be in the game - going to Bhujerba has everything to do with him. Balthier and Fran only join for the long haul once they find nethicite in Lhusu Mines. Before that they are only there out of obligation to help rescue Penelo, who wouldn’t have gotten herself kidnapped in the first place if it hadn’t been for Vaan.

If any character could be cut it’s Penelo. Her only plot role is to get herself kidnapped, if memory serves? They didn’t need a playable character for that. At least Vaan has vengeance as a motive – all she has is being too scared to be alone.

But I agree, Vaan didn’t need to be the main character, and i rather he wasn't. We could just have easily have started with Balthier and ran into Vaan in the Palace. Reks segment could still have been set up as a precursor to the whole game and Vaan’s relationship explained by a flashback.
 
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