SPOILERS What Happens To Zidane Afterwards?

Miko

Staff member
Global Moderator
Social Media Team
Veteran
Joined
May 17, 2019
Messages
1,791
Location
Bulba Garden
Gil
3,148
Coloured Thread
Chocobo Egg
Shiva Snowflake
Hello :wacky: Spoilers warning for an end-game topic~

I was thinking about random things while going through some old files of mine and happened to think about this topic again. I've often wondered about Zidane's story outcome postgame, especially considering his position as a commoner/thief. As most fans who beat the game are familiar with, the game ends with Zidane's surprise reveal at the end after being presumably dead for an uncertain amount of time (long enough for Garnet's hair to grow back to her pre-cut length). But all the characters part their own ways back to their own lives and objectives. That is except for Zidane, who is... just kind of back?

So, what happens to Zidane? He's technically parted ways with Tantalus after disbanding at the beginning of the game, and being rejected to come back mid-game. He doesn't really have a 'home', though I suppose Lindblum would be his technical previous residence. Garnet is his romantic interest, but he doesn't really have any significant qualifications (or presumably any desire) to become the next Prince Consort. Would it be morally wrong to resume the life of a thief considering all that has happened over the course of events in the game? (Not that it was morally right before the game either :lew: )

So, yeah, what do you think would happen to Zidane after the game?
 
I've always just assumed that he and Garnet did end up together. He had doubts that he and Garnet could ever come together because of their different backgrounds, and their love story is in a sense reflected in the story of the play during which they met (and later reunited): I Want To Be Your Canary.

But whether Zidane would become an official consort to Garnet, or just her open secret in the court while publicly she remains 'single' is an interesting thing to consider. Garnet didn't really want the royal trappings either, but she has remained there because Alexandria needs a leader to bring it through the destructive horrors it has recently endured.

I very much doubt that Tantalus would let Zidane wander about aimlessly and sad after everything he has done. After all, they clearly felt the need to help him out enough to arrange his surprise appearance during the second performance of I Want To Be Your Canary. If I recall correctly, and I might need to check, the main reason Tantalus didn't have him back later was because they were looking out for his interests, bearing in mind his obvious feelings for Garnet. And there was just too much going on in the world to seriously think about bringing him back into the fold when he was clearly becoming an important player in global events (even before his heritage was discovered).

So maybe officially Zidane joined Tantalus again, but secretly (and known to Garnet's close circle), he was the lover of Garnet.

Or maybe they simply married. Zidane's declaration at the end of the second performance of Canary, and Garnet's reaction to it (even throwing away some of her royal jewels as she rushed through noble and commoner alike to hug him) was quite a blatant display which all of Alexandria would have either seen or heard about. If you think about it, that performance of the play was never concluded. Zidane's appearance was a sort of surprise birthday present (if it was on her birthday again), and Zidane and Garnet's reunion became the conclusion of this particular performance instead of the actual finale as penned by Lord Avon. As lovely as that moment was, there must surely have been some people in the audience grumbling about how this performance of their favourite play was interrupted and never finished.

A moment like that would not be easily forgotten. So maybe Zidane and Garnet had to become official at that point, but likely Garnet would like to spend a lot of her time not being queen and being free instead, travelling the world with Zidane (who himself likely would not want to be trapped in the castle doing royal things). Perhaps Beatrix and Steiner could step up to help with these duties.
 
It's really a sad tale, well "Tail" really. He lost it in an unfortunate smelting accident. Garnet was just not that into him after that. Despite assurances that they would just remain really good friends, they drifted apart. Zidane opened his own Oglop farm, but was subsequently eaten by them.
 
I've always liked to entertain the idea of both the scenarios of Garnet leaving Alexandria behind or Zidane joining in on Castle life - but truthfully both of those scenarios seems like the bad end of the deal for the respective character.

I can't really see Garnet, whose character is maturing into the Queen role throughout the game, just abandoning that behind. I can't recall a time where she even considered not ascending the throne, at least not in a direct way, as her character was more transitioning into a leadership position that she otherwise had no experience in.

Likewise, as stated above, I think that Zidane also would likely not want to be trapped in the castle. Throughout the game you get the idea that castle life isn't for him, even commenting on the royal food within the castle. And while I know that his own character development is becoming less selfish and more for saving people, I think that being cooped up behind the castle walls would be like caging a bird canary. He's had free reign, for the most part, all of his life. He (presumably) can't just board a ship for Treno whenever he pleases if he assumed some role within the castle.


I will say that I do like the idea of Garnet putting her down her crown in favor of her life with Zidane outside the castle walls the most though, only because we see her actively trying to blend in and understand the common folk that is so different from her life as she knew it when she was a princess. It would also be a bit fitting as when she's running to greet Zidane at the end of the game and she loses her pendant it's like she has a moment of deciding between choosing Alexandria or Zidane, or at least which comes first in priority.
A moment like that would not be easily forgotten. So maybe Zidane and Garnet had to become official at that point, but likely Garnet would like to spend a lot of her time not being queen and being free instead, travelling the world with Zidane (who himself likely would not want to be trapped in the castle doing royal things). Perhaps Beatrix and Steiner could step up to help with these duties.

:lew: I suppose this is a highly favored result for most people too, I guess I didn't consider Beatrix & Steiner running things in her absence, though I'm sure that's already a full time job for them considering she is still only in her late teens/early twenties by the end of the game. Talk about a lot of responsibility for a job that you may or may not have been efficiently trained for yet.

Zidane opened his own Oglop farm, but was subsequently eaten by them.
This is my favorite fan theory to date.
 
I've always liked to entertain the idea of both the scenarios of Garnet leaving Alexandria behind or Zidane joining in on Castle life - but truthfully both of those scenarios seems like the bad end of the deal for the respective character.

This depresses me, because you are right.
I'd always just assumed a 'happy ever after' for Zidane and Garnet because they do seem to love each other, and their reunion at the end of the game is so pure and heartfelt, and is witnessed (and encouraged) by all of their friends, and the nobles and commonfolk of Alexandria.

But I guess like the aquarium fish at the end of Finding Nemo, once the credits had finished rolling I suppose Zidane and Garnet would have to ask a very painful question: Now what?

Garnet's duties as a queen should by rights make it impossible for Zidane to be a free spirit. He would, essentially, become her canary after all.

And I guess that problem makes sense. From the very beginning we are meant to identify Garnet with Cornelia in Lord Avon's play, and Zidane is more like Lord Avon's Marcus. Zidane (and the character Marcus) worry about their differences in class and any potential improbability of a lasting relationship on that front alone. They know they love each other, but would society allow it? Would their duties and other passions in life allow their love the room it needs to breathe? Zidane spends a good amount of time brooding about this in the bar.

My only hope is that they could come to some arrangement. Love each other and be together, but to let Zidane the canary fly when he wants to. Perhaps they could go on regular royal tours across the whole globe?

I can't really see Garnet, whose character is maturing into the Queen role throughout the game, just abandoning that behind. I can't recall a time where she even considered not ascending the throne, at least not in a direct way, as her character was more transitioning into a leadership position that she otherwise had no experience in.

I'd have to double check about her outright declining the throne or wishing to decline it in any serious way, but the closest moments to something like that would be her adopting the 'Dagger' persona (which was just a disguise rather than a full, new identity, but she gives the impression that she was enjoying playing the role a little too much), and the other time would be when she cut her hair. That was a big step and marked a shift in her sense of self and position in Alexandrian society. She wished to be more like Zidane and his friends than her former courtly self. That's how I interpret that part, anyway.

However, come the end of the game, her hair has grown back anyway. But, another thing to notice, she is also depressed. She thinks Zidane is dead. She's slipped right back into the unhappy life she had before (albeit without her concerns about Queen Brahne). She's unhappy for very different reasons, but she's still unhappy.

So I guess it is hard for us to guess quite how her life would pan out after her reunion with Zidane. He's basically a walking spanner with a tail, just about to toss himself into the works. Once again.

As it began, so it ends.
 
For me the best ending I can think of is:

-Garnet stays in Alexandria to restore order and peace

-Zidane becomes with the band Tantalus. Under Cid's instructions, they help rebuild the city and the damage caused by Kuja throughout the world.

-After restoring peace, Garnet establishes the first democracy in Alexandria and leaves the monarchy and the city.

-Zidane and Garnet go to live in a quiet place (Dali, the village of black magicians...) and they live in peace. From time to time they travel to see their friends in Burmecia, Alexandria...or to Treno to play cards.
 
Dionysos, I love how you're comparing the play to their relationship :lew: It's definitely very similar, however I think at the end of the play it's Cornelia that is willing to throw her life behind to be with Marcus. Perhaps this is how FF9-2 will pan out 🤔
I'd have to double check about her outright declining the throne or wishing to decline it in any serious way, but the closest moments to something like that would be her adopting the 'Dagger' persona (which was just a disguise rather than a full, new identity, but she gives the impression that she was enjoying playing the role a little too much), and the other time would be when she cut her hair. That was a big step and marked a shift in her sense of self and position in Alexandrian society. She wished to be more like Zidane and his friends than her former courtly self. That's how I interpret that part, anyway.
Interesting take on her rather siding with her new persona, which I suppose she really does grow into over the course of the game. I felt like this was her own way of 'finding herself' more than her desire to blend with everyone else. Cutting her hair seems closer to her identifying with her true self rather than her prior persona in my opinion though. It's actually quite common, both on screen and in real life, for women to cut their hair after a significant (and most of the time traumatizing) event has happened. I don't have any official source but there's so many articles around it just a quick google search alone. She cuts her hair after she finally gets her voice back from having gone mute from the shock of everything that has happened, which I think is more fitting since the attack on Alexandria was really her first time acting as Queen in a time of crisis.

So in a way I feel like that it really reaffirms her desire to take on her new responsibilities as her true self in a way!



I think Garnet keeping the throne would be beneficial to more than just Alexandria as well, as it could really help guarantee peace world wide for the next foreseeable years for sure. So I suppose it's as you say? As it began, so it ends. :sad:

For me the best ending I can think of is:

-Garnet stays in Alexandria to restore order and peace

-Zidane becomes with the band Tantalus. Under Cid's instructions, they help rebuild the city and the damage caused by Kuja throughout the world.

-After restoring peace, Garnet establishes the first democracy in Alexandria and leaves the monarchy and the city.

-Zidane and Garnet go to live in a quiet place (Dali, the village of black magicians...) and they live in peace. From time to time they travel to see their friends in Burmecia, Alexandria...or to Treno to play cards.

That's actually a nicer theory :lew: I like it! I think it's kinda fitting to be honest, and truthfully the true royal bloodline ended with Queen Brahne anyway, maybe this would be more fitting in the end!
 
The love story of Zidane and Garnet is poorly done, especially with how the game pretends like it is a big focus when it really isn’t, just look at the commercials for IX.
 
I've seen Disney's Aladdin and both its sequels. Just replace Aladdin's name with Zidane and that's how I assume everything works out.
 
I've seen Disney's Aladdin and both its sequels. Just replace Aladdin's name with Zidane and that's how I assume everything works out.

I haven't seen the sequels myself, but I saw some of the animated series. I know the parrot Iago gets reformed. Kuja in his trance form looks a bit like him, so I guess this could mean that Kuja survived and will be redeemed!

But the thought of Zidane and Garnet flying around the world on a magic carpet just screams of a fanart that has to be created by somebody some day.

In any case, I think it is hard to imagine this couple not being together on an emotional level (if they were to follow their hearts). But the practical and social barriers (Zidane's anxieties that he expressed during the game) seem to remain in place, as many of us are seeing it, and it seems like the game didn't resolve that aspect in full.
 
I haven't seen the sequels myself, but I saw some of the animated series. I know the parrot Iago gets reformed. Kuja in his trance form looks a bit like him, so I guess this could mean that Kuja survived and will be redeemed!

But the thought of Zidane and Garnet flying around the world on a magic carpet just screams of a fanart that has to be created by somebody some day.

In any case, I think it is hard to imagine this couple not being together on an emotional level (if they were to follow their hearts). But the practical and social barriers (Zidane's anxieties that he expressed during the game) seem to remain in place, as many of us are seeing it, and it seems like the game didn't resolve that aspect in full.
What I'm getting from this is that Kuja should be voiced by Gilbert Gottfried.

In all seriousness, I was pretty much content to assume that Zidane was just sort of allowed to continue his everyday business and Garnet would join him if he ever went on another globe-trotting adventure. These sort of fantasy relationships as far as I'm aware usually resolve in the relationship manifesting in a "my husband is away from home most of the day, but he's always there when I need him" sort of dynamic.

Though I think it's the second sequel that touches upon Aladdin perhaps not being cut out for palace life the same way as Jasmine is due to his poor upbringing, so I think a similar sort of thing could work for FFIX, as well.
 
What I'm getting from this is that Kuja should be voiced by Gilbert Gottfried.

In all seriousness, I was pretty much content to assume that Zidane was just sort of allowed to continue his everyday business and Garnet would join him if he ever went on another globe-trotting adventure. These sort of fantasy relationships as far as I'm aware usually resolve in the relationship manifesting in a "my husband is away from home most of the day, but he's always there when I need him" sort of dynamic.

Though I think it's the second sequel that touches upon Aladdin perhaps not being cut out for palace life the same way as Jasmine is due to his poor upbringing, so I think a similar sort of thing could work for FFIX, as well.
We all do know that Gottfried actually died back in April, yes..?

------
anyways I have yet to finish the game myself and with spoilers I usually forget them by the time I play the game again. So all of these theories seem like good ideas so far.
 
Back
Top