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The truth about Final Fantasy 8

Blogs > jameswatts
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jameswatts
Profile Blog Joined October 2012
South Africa127 Posts
Last Edited: 2023-05-03 14:36:43
May 03 2023 14:27 GMT
#1
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE ENDING OF FINAL FANTASY 8

Lads, I'm quickly producing this writing, due to something I discovered a year ago, about Final Fantasy 8.

It's a huge realization who Ultimecia actually was in Final Fantasy 8.
The theory has been put forth before by some others online, yet hasn't become recognized within Official Lore, and... given the the unbelievable amount of evidence attesting thereto, it's almost impossible that it's been missed.

First on a personal note I must remark about 20 years ago when I completed the game how terribly dysphoric the Ending Cinematic was. And yet, while watching it through the lense of my young eye and seeing the flashing sequence of 'Time Compression' hammering my senses, I really felt that something profound was trying to thrust itself into focus. That something unbelievably powerful and damning was urging me to be realized. What that sequence really was, and that it should've dawned upon the person, utterly imbues the story with signification a million times over.

I dismissed those few seconds of thought however, thinking it merely my young mind trying to fill in the gaps of that terrible vacuum of 'pointlessness'.. Yet.. I remember the words being literally "I was there".. or "she was there."

and she WAS! Ultimecia IS Rinoa!

It would make perfect sense. Recall, how Irvine Kinneas, and the news critics were saying that when you junction a Guardian Force - a GF - that the user will lose a portion of their memories, since that's the part of the mind it occupies?

That's why Ultimecia cannot truly recall who she was or her original purpose, yet somehow knows what she must do in order to restore History and recover her lost love - Squall..
and, she is junctioned to that powerful being, Griever, who as you'll discover soon, is in fact Squall.

Remember in Disk 3 during the orphanage garden scene when the couple's standing before the field? there was plenty of critical dialogue here - Squall makes that promise : "Even if you turn out to be the world's worst enemy, I'll always be your Knight."

Also, those proprietary words that comprise the intro movie were said there, at that time, which further reinforce some type of 'bond' between them that'll remain absolute.

"I'll be waiting"
"For what?"
"If you come here you'll find me, I promise"
etc


A promise to be bound to her despite the evil she becomes - Ultimecia.
Then (and this is critical) Rinoa tells Squall about this awful dream she has, of her running through all the streets.. through Balamb, Dollet, Galbadia, Winhill.. etc..
She was searching all over the world trying to find him. Recall the scene in the overcast clouds and darkness during the End Movie, when she's running over the grass and field? She was looking for him because he was consumed, and swallowed into Time after the victory of their first battle.
So the battle, the victory had already happened, and in typical laws of linear causality, the fact that Ultimecia exists meant that in the future The Seed Party had already won the battle, in turn giving birth to the Time Travelling Entity that is Rinoa as Ultimecia.

Only in a state of malleable Time compression could She undo Time and the Future, yet not really past events.. (maybe according to the words of Ellone)

So it began when Ultimecia appeared on the brink of death and conferred her dying powers upon the Matron Edea.

Recall Matron or Sorceress Edea telling Squall in Disk 3 that in the Orphanage Garden she encountered a Sorceress on the brink of Death? That refers to the Ending Scene where upon she inherited the powers of Ultimecia. (It is interesting to note the willingness she seeks to die and peaceably disappear thereof.)

It's not clear if Squall's interloping presence was seen during THAT initial memory, if so Edea certainly knew to keep quiet of that Encounter lest she disrupt the unfolding of event and time.
Yet the point of the matter being that Squall was swallowed during the final battle and first defeat of Ultimecia. He was consumed by some diabolical mechanism of impressive sorcery where within he was lost to time - and so as a result Rinoa couldn't find him after the first battle.

We're entering a realm of pure speculation and guesswork yet obviously he was stuck on that floating rock, (the very rock that the battle against Griever ensued) being stranded there yet alive.
It is safe to say that only some massive form of Time Compression could allow History, Future and the Present to be altered, in order to restore events so that Rinoa can get Squall back.
Obviously we must look at things that attest to Rinoa being in that timeline that portends her not having Squall in her life, and becoming Ultimecia, whose power by all accounts she must've inherited at some point and kept after their victory.
Remark, that she's donned those Angelic Wings in the Form of her Limit Break - a similarity to the real-life Ultimecia. Another obvious hint of similar character is that Ultimecia and Rinoa look the same, having the same slender body type.

It is depicted in the intro scene, that Rinoa while considering those proprietary words, imbues a petal and turns it into a feather, which then floats into the heavens. It reaches Squall in the Ending Movie.

Pay special attention to what happens when he clasps it:
He is then in turn junctioned to her as a Guardian Force.

If anyone doubts the importance of this, take note of the Game Over screen -
there's a broken gunblade with a feather that's descended in the middle of it.

Now finally when he IS junctioned to her, he is standing behind her trying to call her name and she turns around, disfigured by undulating waves. He obviously can't speak or see her since he's an invisible entity junctioned to her.
And henceforth this becomes that terrible, dysphoric scene of alleged Time Compression depicted in the End Movie. Yet what we're REALLY seeing is him occupying her mind, as an invoked Guardian Force, sharing her memories.

At this point we can assume that the long terrible reign of Ultimecia ensues midst this obscurity, which might have lasted for generations or even an Aeon.

It is interesting to note that the embrace of Squall and Rinoa depicted in the Intro movie seems to be in that Devoted Place, the back garden or field of the Orphanage.

Finally, do remark the most devastating powerful spell in the entire game which depicts that scene, and is only capably cast by Selphie called The End.

*
The essence of life flows within. The way is made clear when viewed from above
Garnet
Profile Blog Joined February 2006
Vietnam9049 Posts
Last Edited: 2023-05-04 11:57:28
May 04 2023 11:57 GMT
#2
I'm sorry to say this, but you just wasted a lot of time on something no one besides Square Enix can confirm.
micronesia
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States24782 Posts
May 06 2023 18:37 GMT
#3
I have an FF8 expert in the family who said, "I think he may be a bit off with some of the stuff about Squall being junctioned to Rinoa, but in general I believe he is correct."

So it is basically confirmed.

Personally, I never quite finished the game.
ModeratorThere are animal crackers for people and there are people crackers for animals.
[N3O]r3d33m3r
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
Germany673 Posts
May 07 2023 17:15 GMT
#4
Oh please not this again. No, Ultimecia is NOT Rinoa. Theories like this were prevalent on the internet in the 2000s and have long since been debunked.

I'm a self-proclaimed FF8 expert and even when you could make some nice arguments here and there, the theory isn't foolproof.

An even more interesting theory was the "Squall is dead" one. Notice how he wonders where his injury is from the first fight against the witch when he wakes up in the Dollet Prison. Since the game takes a turn and gets weirder and weirder some people strongly believe that everything that follows is a mad dream that Squall has.
Even this theory isn't true but it's a cool perspective nonthless.

If you ask me, people should stop overthinking things and definitely not try to turn their thoughts into canon that the devs intended to convey.
jameswatts
Profile Blog Joined October 2012
South Africa127 Posts
May 08 2023 06:37 GMT
#5
@[n30]r3d33m3r - redeemer

The evidence is undeniable..

Did you even read what I said?

To blindly theorize that Ultimecia more or less can summon things from the imagination making then real...

..Is bogus

Explain the end scene: Squall walking in that desert, then settling down defeated, realizing he's alone on the floating rock

And in what sense does the trade-off of a GF being junctioned to someone's mind occupying sentimental memories ever feature the plot?
Asides their orphanage reunion

It would be like Rita Skeeter I'm Harry Potter goblet of Fire movie.. featuring but doing nothing

You stylize your self as an expert yet you might've missed this one..

Of Squall being dead: notice the strain of emotional regret in Edea as focus is drawn to her -
Someone healed his wound miraculously

And the story doesn't get weirder.. Laguna, who's already in the plot, has yet to unfold.. as well as Ellone

And in case you didn't notice Laguna is unquestionably Squall's dad
The essence of life flows within. The way is made clear when viewed from above
jameswatts
Profile Blog Joined October 2012
South Africa127 Posts
May 08 2023 06:45 GMT
#6
Also as an afterthought.. the amount of dialogue coming from Ultimecia is tiny.
Yet.. the one rare time she speaks, in disk 4 as they confront her in the castle, she says something like:
"I'll send you to a dimension beyond time.. there I'll reign and you'll be my slaves for eternity"

Is that really just bad guy big talk? Or is there some significantion thereto..

Also, during the battle the knocked out heroes get absorbed into time..
The essence of life flows within. The way is made clear when viewed from above
jameswatts
Profile Blog Joined October 2012
South Africa127 Posts
May 08 2023 13:12 GMT
#7
Forgive me - this isn't an effort to revive a dying thread

Yet I cannot emphatically tell you enough how convinced I am unto this notion here..

To be fair, there is a tiny bit of in-game lore which attests to the contrary

It's found when you SCAN Griever during the game.. it describes him as an entity found within Squall's mind. Yet be advised that at this point the End game movie hadn't occured yet.. which means the conclusion could've taken the form of a "big reveal"

But having said that, I urge you to think of how irrelevant and utterly useless the end game movie is - if it isn't to be interpreted as Memories of Squall being a Disembodied GF junctioned to Ultimecia.. or Rinoa

Don't think about it logically, think about it musically or creatively

He catches that feather she unleashed, then he suddenly appears behind her.. but she can't see him or her him

Then.. nothing more than an onslaught of memories unleash upon the scene

Why is time compression necessary?
Even from a production point it's merely reusable footage from previous cutscenes

How come she discovers him after him standing literally behind her then this miscellaneous rubbish ensues..

Time compression is over - Rinoa couldn't find Squall

Hence the dream she has portending to her 'Running Blindly and Frantically across the World..'

It means they Won the Battle but she couldn't find Squall

Only if Time is Compressed can the future be changed

in what sense can you reconcile the Game Over image..
A broken gunblade and a feather? Why is that timeless image applicable in a timeless way, no matter what point of the game you lose

It's cos the player messed up and failed to undo the future and Rinoa reaches a dead Squall or broken gunblade

Finally..!!
And I forgot mention this..
Why is sorceress Edea or Matron so unaccountably intent on creating SeeD?
For they become a mercenary force that's powerful enough to demolish her, and endure fighting throughout the centuries

@garnet
Oh I wasted time? that could've been better spent doing my 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle of a wheatfield..
Or admiring my photograph collection of 19th century telephone poles?
The essence of life flows within. The way is made clear when viewed from above
[N3O]r3d33m3r
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
Germany673 Posts
Last Edited: 2023-05-19 08:55:27
May 19 2023 08:55 GMT
#8
On May 08 2023 15:37 jameswatts wrote:
@[n30]r3d33m3r - redeemer

The evidence is undeniable..

Did you even read what I said?

I and many others read this theory hundreds of times during the 2000's. This isn't anything new and even the most diehard proponents of it gave up after the devs unanimously disproved the theory. It is simply wrong. I'm too tired to explain it in detail but time compression and time travelling is so complex and full of contradictions everybody can project their own spin on it and make it seem halfway coherent.
Feel free to believe in whatever theory you might find convincing but please, refrain from saying stuff like "The evidence is undeniable.." because it isn't.
On May 08 2023 15:37 jameswatts wrote:
You stylize your self as an expert yet you might've missed this one..
I am kind of an expert tbh. I'm a Final Fantasy crack. FFVIII is the first FF I've ever bought when it came out on PC. Played the hell out of it and I concerned myself a lot with its story and lore.
On May 08 2023 15:37 jameswatts wrote:
And the story doesn't get weirder.. Laguna, who's already in the plot, has yet to unfold.. as well as Ellone
The story does get much weirder than Disc 1. Edea actually being their matron in the orphanage while also being Cid's wife. Ellone who can relive the past with people she knows well. The whole space episode.
On May 08 2023 15:37 jameswatts wrote:
And in case you didn't notice Laguna is unquestionably Squall's dad
And Julia is Rinoa's mom. Roflmao dude we all know this for about two decades now. Why do you think this is noteworthy ??
You talk as if that is some big discovery only a few chosen ones will ever make.
Everybody who actually grasped the story can easily deduct that. It's even mentioned in the game at a later part. The only problem is that Laguna was gone while Raine was pregnant so he never saw his son Squall right after his birth.
On May 08 2023 15:45 jameswatts wrote:
Also as an afterthought.. the amount of dialogue coming from Ultimecia is tiny.
Yet.. the one rare time she speaks, in disk 4 as they confront her in the castle, she says something like:
"I'll send you to a dimension beyond time.. there I'll reign and you'll be my slaves for eternity"

Is that really just bad guy big talk? Or is there some significantion thereto..

Also, during the battle the knocked out heroes get absorbed into time..
Ultimecia's dialogue is badly translated from Japanese to English. She uses 'god speech', a kind of speech pattern only rulers or kings might ever use. By speaking that way you elevate yourself above all mortal creatures. It's most often used by villains in movies and books.

If you looked up what she actually says in Japanese it makes much more sense.
jameswatts
Profile Blog Joined October 2012
South Africa127 Posts
May 28 2023 17:23 GMT
#9
Ok.. well said

I hear you

Yeah maybe it sounds like.. something profound, something only the chosen be worthy of

BTW This is a ridiculous thing that isn't part of my thing here put forth:
The white Seed of Edea were Time travellers.
There ship was broken.. remember it couldn't travel and they had no choice for war


By that it means there Time travelling mechanism
...
I'll say it again tho - there's too much damning symbolic strength

The Game over scene with the feather falling on Gunblade
The spell only Selphie can cast called The End..
Which is the most powerful attack in the whole game, for it literally attests to 'The End'

The fact that the disphoric disjunctive Time compression scene is comprised of old footage previously used

It's because:
You are not seeing Time compression

You are seeing what Squall experienced as a Disembodied GF junctioned to Rinoa Ultimecia, sharing memories

Aah most of my theorized notion must be read alongside my appended comments here.. I left some stuff out the main writing. sorry lads

It is easy to negate something that is difficult to prove.
Square Enix have proved me wrong?
Like who's the developer who officially said Ultimecia isn't Rinoa?
Some Public Relations official whose got nothing to do with story writing or the prolific backend, I bet

Oh and Laguna being squall's dad proves disk 1 had more plot to unfold..
Instead of dismissed as a post-death hallucination
The essence of life flows within. The way is made clear when viewed from above
Timebon3s
Profile Joined May 2018
Norway772 Posts
Last Edited: 2023-06-06 22:01:28
June 06 2023 22:00 GMT
#10
Ultimecia is Rinoa. There was never a doubt in my mind.
Great game and great story.
WombaT
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Northern Ireland27202 Posts
June 07 2023 22:29 GMT
#11
On June 07 2023 07:00 Timebon3s wrote:
Ultimecia is Rinoa. There was never a doubt in my mind.
Great game and great story.

No she isn’t, the developers have come out outright and said she isn’t

I don’t even think it’s that interesting or plausible an angle. Like literally every second person Squall runs into they have some deeper connection to people he has also met?

No, Ultimecia is just some complete badass sorceress doing badass sorceress things. That’s fine, to me, better.
'You'll always be the cuddly marsupial of my heart, despite the inherent flaws of your ancestry' - Squat
jameswatts
Profile Blog Joined October 2012
South Africa127 Posts
June 14 2023 10:28 GMT
#12
hahah.. Wombat

Don't fall for online squabble.. like the only power an individual ever has is acting like an Evil Reductionist before an online audience.

It is significant.. it's damn important
Lore is very important.. since it's what constitutes the axiomatic assumptions of all people, whose business goes about unaware that Lore has shaped them into something

These stories, even the history of the Terran.. though it's not applicable to OUR world.. the impact of it and how its written, gets into our system.

You think that these stories made 2000 - 3000 years ago, Gilgamesh or egyptian legends.. or even accounts sourced from the secular religion has importance.. it's been replaced.
The essence of life flows within. The way is made clear when viewed from above
TropicalHaze
Profile Joined May 2014
Finland60 Posts
June 19 2023 16:07 GMT
#13
I, for one, believe in jameswatts' theory
The eyelashes like umbrellas when it rains from the heart
Alakaslam
Profile Blog Joined September 2011
United States17336 Posts
June 20 2023 06:55 GMT
#14
Hijole
If you think Elon Musk is a Nazi, it is because YOU radicalized him!
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