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I think you hit on some interesting parts here. I think Squall and Seifer could have been friends in a different life. They very much balance each other out, and it is funny how friends and enemies are similar to the thin line between love and hate. Squall shows this when Seifer is believed to have been killed. He recognizes that as much as Seifer sees him as a rival, he kind of liked the guy, and even enjoyed the rivalry they shared to a certain extent. Seifer seems to feel the same. He discussed the mission with Squall and clapped for Squall's graduation. This shows that he respects the talent and understand Squall at a basic level, even if he was mocking Squall to a certain extend by clapping. Quistis has a similar feeling when the relationships between Squall and Seifer are compared. She decided to take Ellones place, and tried to be the kids big sis. She reprimanded Seifer constantly, while showering affection on Squall. Obviously this would rub Seifer the wrong way. But with Seifer being the delinquent and Quistis taking the older sister role, I also see an alternative reality where Seifer and Quistis could have been romantically involved the way Seifer and Squall could have been great friends. Going further into Seifers relationship or lack of relationship with the cast is also interesting. Squall grounds himself in reality while appearing apathetic, while Seifer embraces fantasy while visible showing what he is feeling. Seifer sees the treatment Squall gets and hates it, but fails to recognize that he received a lot of the same treatment. It is apparent that Squall's treatment rubs Seifer the wrong way, and he feels most of the treatment Squall gets is unearned, and he hates that Squall seems to not care he is receiving it. It is also likely that Seifer dislikes that Rinoa, Ellone, Cid, and Matron treat Squall in high regard. Unfortunately Seifer didn't know the truth. Ellone is basically Squall's sister, Rinoa actually had affection for him, and Matron/Cid treated Squall differently to the other children since he told them of the future. A lot of this blooms into an almost one sided rivalry. Seifer wanted to be recognized, and he holds a minor inferiority complex. Seifer's feelings for Squall don't turn to complete hatred until Squall is chosen for Rinoas mission, and Squall goes against the Matron that Seifer wanted to recognized by. He decides he has become irredeemable when Rinoa sides with Squall, and Squall sides against Matron. Once it comes to fruition that Matron was being controlled, and Squall was on the right side, Seifer's mental deteriorated as he recognizes he has lost both Rinoa and the Mother/Family he held dear. Seifer could have been redeemed many times during the conflicts of the game had people chose to reach out to him the way they reached out to, and tried to understand Squall. In conclusion, I believe Seifer going down the wrong road is largely caused by the ones he wanted to acknowledge him, instead reprimanded him. While Squall received acknowledgment while appearing to not care. Seifer likely wore his feelings on his sleeve in hopes of being recognized, as the ones he cared for always desired to understand Squall and see him show more emotion. I imagine as an orphan it would be devastating to put yourself out there and be ignored and or reprimanded, while the same people want your rival to act more like you... It is all very tragic, but poetic considering the themes shown in the game.
I appreciate her a lot more now than I did back in the day. She deserved better than the game gave her, really. She gets smacked down hard at the beginning, professionally and personally, and she's never really given a chance to get back up again even though she's such an unfailingly good hearted character. Squall starts off as callous and closed off, and ends up happy. She starts off open and compassionate (if overbearing about it) and ends up lonely. We're made to understand that Squall is that way because of his abandonment issues but what of hers? They were literally in the same orphanage. Her adoption failed which just adds another layer of rejection. I can see all her overachievement being a substitute for the affection she never had as a child but being the prodigy then a teacher so young only seems to have isolated her from her peers even more, and then even that's taken away from her. She was too young for the job and expecting her to get Seifer in line when more experienced instructors had already failed seems unreasonable, like they set her up to fail. You can't deny she lacks leadership qualities, but then so does Squall when everyone's yelling at him to lead (which is something he recognises himself, to be fair). He's allowed to grow clumsily into the role, but Quistis is never allowed another chance despite all of her early achievements.
Actually she was just faking it when she said that her attraction to Squall was her misunderstood big-sister disposition towards him. After she said those words she was actually whispering to herself "Big sister? Who am I fooling?". Truth is she has just given up every hope she had of getting Squall's attention when Rinoa entered the picture and so said that big-sister bluff just to clear the path for Rinoa into Squall's heart...
Quistis clearly shows signs that she has romantic feelings for Squall, rather than just sisterly affection. And Rinoa, (despite me really liking her character) just felt like she was shoved in as the "love sick doo doo head" for Squall. If Square had decided to make the remastered version with the fan theory that Rinoa is Ultemicia then it would have been a much more grounded reason to ship her with Squall, but as the game's story remains in tact, it makes no sense since Quistis had also shown her being worried for Squall's well being and emotions, much like Rinoa in the final game
Quistis was a sleeper good character in alot of ways. She's in alot of ways a character that as a fan one wonders what happened to her if bewe ever get a FF8-2 or legitimate sequel. Squall and Rinoa obviously hooked up and he was the balamb commander. Irvine and Selphie likely became a thing. Zell was probably just chasing hot dogs and working out. Quistis tho is a question mark. Does she get her instructor license back and resume to teaching? Or does she become Squall's side chick and try to scheme and get him? Go back and hang out at the orphanage and help Edea and Cid restart it? Go to Fisherman Horizon and chill with Seifer and the goons?
Yeah you're right, she does lack a more definite conclusion than the others. I think I always pictured her returning to instructing because we see her talking to Headmaster Cid in the home-movie ending, and Balamb Garden is where she naturally 'fits' to my mind. But yeah, she's the only one that doesn't end up with a significant other too!
I always felt sorry for Quistis. She is such a great girl and nobody seems to really value her or love her, other than her fan club. Everyone treats her as a nuisance. At the end of the story she is the only seed without a romantic partner.
I think the problem was that in FF8, it didn't really tackle character arcs that well. Squall and Rinoa really take center fold and Edea being the matron to the main cast's parental figure for a short time is the bond between them all. Quistis starts off as your teacher and instructor, but following the botched mission she loses her position and respect in Balamb Garden, she has to mask her affections with Squall and loses it when Rinoa takes the stage... She never really has a resolution to her troubles beyond sharing in desire of protecting Balamb Garden.
Maybe that's the point. Taking on a sort of 'background leader' in that she was an instructor, and despite what happens through the game, people will still naturally look to her for advice. With that in mind, maybe the group as a whole is her 'romantic partner'. I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere about gangbangs. I'm just saying, characters evolve. Squall, evolves to learn to be happy. Maybe Quistis evolves into not NEEDING a partner.
@@sergiophenix Yup. I get what you mean. I just meant, maybe she is now happy, having realised she doesn't NEED anyone. Though, at the ages of these characters, i think it would be nice if she got together with someone.
Yes, Quistis was a sleeper character for me as well. I wasn’t clear on on how deep Quistis’ insecurities ran when I was younger. One thing I noticed playing again recently was how in the middle of the Assassination mission when Squall makes her leader of the gateway team, she breaks away from her post at the gateway to apologize to Rinoa. This results in Zell, Selphie, and Quistis all getting locked in Caraway’s Mansion as the parade is beginning. It wasn’t spoken of again, and neither Zell nor Selphie take her to task on it, which kinda felt like a missed opportunity. However, I saw this as an additional example of how she wasn’t fit to be in a leadership position. I suppose there were more examples of this that happened during her tenure as an instructor, but Quistis as a character could have benefited from more explicit examples of her failure to prioritize missions instead of her emotions in the moment.
Ever since I saw this video, you’ve inspired me to write more about this game and it’s been helping a lot with my mental health, and I wanna thank you for that! Anyways, Quistis was always one of my favorite characters. She was always stoic and afraid of what others think of her, rather than herself. She was always discouraged from being herself, trying to be someone changing on what others think of her, which only made her more distant. Perhaps this is why her portrait is facing the opposite way. When Squall tells her to talk to a wall, she becomes more stoic and strict. After she bursts at Rinoa, she suddenly doesn’t care about what others think and she tries to be more supportive and caring to Rinoa. Near the end of Disc 1, she’s mad at Rinoa, but by the end of Disc 2, she’s the first to reach out to her and she rests her head on her lap when she collapses. It’s during these moments where Quistis ends up being herself. She was always conflicted about her feelings for Squall. Despite what she suggests at the orphanage, she did have romantic feelings for him. However, seeing Squall all alone, she now realizes who she wants to be. She finally realizes she wants to be the group’s new sis. Her actions towards everyone were always like that, she just never realized it. Like Ellone, who’s absence she was trying to replace, she tells Squall to go for Rinoa, using her wisdom to guide him like a mother. Despite having the opportunity to have a romantic relationship in the same vain as Laguna and Raine, she now discovers that’s not what she wants, she wants her friends to be happy and not afraid. In the end, she got what she wanted, to realize who she was, and for Squall to listen, not necessarily say anything. To which, Squall did listen, talking her advice of not worrying about the future and giving it to Rinoa. Definitely one of my Favorite Arcs and Characters in the series, even with the limited screen time of Quistis.
Nice! Interesting how both Quistis and Selphie exhibit magical proficiency in their limit breaks, I'd never considered that before... but I guess Edea absorbing Ultimecia's powers in the end-game/past makes a lot more sense if she knows the orphan girls are susceptible to them.
@@AlleywayJack Selphie however is assumed to have junctioned with a Guardian Force she cannot remember or recall; likely alluding to how she has random magical spells and skills that seem alien. She could very well be junctioned to one this entire time in the party which explains her ability to cast magic even without any other junctions through her slots ability. Quistis though? It's never explained how she is able to channel blue magic through the use of items. Every other character utilizes some aspect of physical grit or item. Zell and martial arts, Irvine and special ammo, Squall and his gunblade arts, and Rinoa using special training with Angelo for her skills. (Angel wing when she assumes her role as a sorceress)
Quistis and Ultimecia were my awakening, when i was a boy and i subconsciously understood that im into older women Kuja was my awakening too and i understood that im into both 😅
One of my "Big 4" favorite FF chars (Vincent, Fran, Quistis, Irvine...tho I'd say Vincent is safe at #1 and the other 3 are tied afterwards), thank you for creating this. The usual excellent analysis. I think it was her strong teacher mentality (even if a pseudo-facade), mixed w/ moments of playfulness, and her true insecurity that made me like her. Also, a video about how our views of characters change as we age/change ourselves would be great, if you haven't made something like that already. I used to love Squall, but now not so much. I used to think Tidus was corny, but now he's one of my favorite FF MC's. My opinion on Shadow has gone back and forth like 4 times. etc etc.
Yeah, my opinion of Tidus has also improved over time, funny how that happens! Your 'Big 4' all sit within my Top 10 too... but I do change my mind every so often depending on what I'm playing :)
Honestly I think she is the one that turns into Ultimacia. The wrong facing picture, the hair in the front just like Ultimacia. She has gray hair so I suspect might be when she's older and maybe Rinoa passes away at some point and gives her her powers but then something happens and Quistis just forgets who she is and becomes what you see there.
I think another interesting thing is that out of all characters, Quistis is the only one who can break 9999 damage limit per attack with Shockwave Pulser. Only two GFs can do that; Eden and Cactur (by one point)
My other half reminds me of Quistis in more ways than the aesthetics, it’s why I’ve found a deeper connection with the character. I always related to Noel in FF13-2/3. She is a character I’d love to see more of but unfortunately I don’t see it happening. Maybe though.
For some reason I started thinking about Laguna lately and how FF8 came at a weird place in my time. I kept comparing it to FF7 but it's a different experience. Quistis was one of my first game crushes 😂
Character wise... I'm more attracted to Quistis than anyone. I find her being harshly rejected by Squall in the beginning and not given enough story focus. Well, I guess that's what being just another teammate means in FF8.
Funnily enough, mostly because of her glasses, I continued to see her as a big sis/instructor right from the beginning. I never really warmed to Quistis back in the day. I'll pay more attention next time I play.
Just Finished Ff8 I already consider it my favorite game of all time. Even with it's flaws, I still love everything put in the game wholeheartedly, and I think Quistis is one of my favorite examples. Quistis or any of the rest of the cast don't really get more attention to the plot but their subtle arcs are the best in the series. She was viewed as a bossy character, something that may have contributed to her as a instructor, but we understand that she isn't suited for it. The reason she isn't a good instructor is because she is kind and always there for you. She tried to apologize to Rinoa for scolding her for, something that a instructor should do at that situation, and ends up almost costing the mission. She also saves Squall from the spider mech when it would be better to see if Squall could make it in time to grade him. Her feeling for Squall are clouded, she is unsure of whether she loves him as a friend, as a coworker, as a soulmate, and ultimately sacrifices her feeling for Squall to get him with Rinoa. If you bring her on the lunar base and meet her again, you can see dialogue that shows she still has feelings for him. But seeing Squall alone, sad because he just showed that he's willing to die for her, yet Rinoa is taken away must've reminded her of Ellone and that she wasn't meant to be Squall's love or anyone's instructor, but the big sister of her family. It's also reminiscing on Squall's rejection of her, that she had tried hard to connect with him to no avail. So she encourages him to chase her, as if she was telling herself to chase after Squall after she got her true family taken away or after Squall's rejection, causing him to disobey orders like her in the assassination mission for Rinoa. I believe the characters of Ff8 have a part of each other to develop themselves, and that's why I love this games and all it's character arcs, even Biggs and Wedge. Quistis's arc is relatable, her problem is understanding feelings for others and coming to terms with her feelings and herself, something that Selphie could need to know, which I why I like the ending FMV with her and Quistis, it wraps it up nicely. That being said, you're pretty underrated, keep up the good work
Quistis should have been the coolest character in the game. Young prodigy, realist, militant boss girl, can learn monster magic, leader of the card club, whip as a weapon, out to redeem herself through the game, all topped off with being smoking hot. The FMV of her on the ship in Dollet with the minigun was iconic for me. Sadly, even though I absolutely loved playing FFVIII, the game’s character development was lacklustre for anyone not named Squall (or Laguna).
I even did care for her. Her abilities & fighting style is cool. But i didn't like her personally or story ark. I used her in my party. Because i like to use everyone equally in RPGs
Some of the people commenting on a potential romance between Quistis and Seifer. I think it might've worked but only for a short term period. Seifer needs to rule and to be in the center of attention and Quistis on the other hand is a very rational and caring person. I think it would end up Quistis genuinely hating Seifer for being completely selfish, egocentric not giving attention to her feelings, and Seifer despising Quistis for trying to rule over him. I even imagine a magic duel between them two. I feel that she carries some sort of trauma - she mentioned that she went to garden around 10 years old because things weren't working out in her home. Who knows, maybe she got abused? Maybe she witnessed abuse for a long time? She is a genuinly caring person who deserves a loving accompany.
I didn’t see them together before, but ever since I read perfect fanfic for seifer and quistis pairing, I can only see them as a perfect couple. Seifer being self-centered and wanting to rule everyone is a result of his immaturity. If he had a feeling for someone to motivate him to be a better man, he can totally be a different person. Rinoa and Seifer were similar in a lot of ways, but someone like rinoa would only encourage Seifer to be immature and act selfish. Quistis, however, probably learns how to push his buttons and raise him to be a decent grownup man.
Quistis is best girl. I could never stand Rinoa or Selphie. The blue mage is one of the most interesting classes to play as. Thanks for the recap. It's been ages since I played it and it's always nostalgic to revisit this game.
Loved it. But you forgot to mention Quistis was almost immediately overcome with regret after she (rightfully) chewed Rinoa out for her ridiculous plan to get Edea to just put on the Odone bangle, even to the point of abandoning her post to go and apologize to her, not something any military organization would look kindly on. In fact, she is guilty of the exact same offense Seifer committed when he abandoned his post in Dollet. The fact that she made it back in time (just) doesn't excuse the fact she left her post in the first place. Just that one act proves that she is not leadership material and that Balamb Garden was right in demoting her. I do like her as a character though, flawed characters are always more interesting than Mary Sue's. We were actually just having a discussion in an FB group as to why she left her adoptive family at age thirteen, we couldn't come up with a compelling reason, but it's clear she is carrying as much emotional baggage as Squall at the start of the game. Btw, Quistis is very similar to Makoto Niijima from Persona 5 imo. She is slightly older than her compatriots, bossy, condescending, but also kind and very much on the side of the good guys. And Quistis, like Makoto, is not above making the odd idiotic decision occasionally. As you said, she definitely fits into a well-established trope, but for all that, she is a fine character. She's great on the Island closest to Hell with Degenerator too when you want to do some late-game grinding :)
Alleyway Jack I don’t know why they did not show how beautiful Quistis is, for example, or why Seifer from a powerful character turns in kinda of pathetic. They would complete each other but steal the attention from Rinoa/Squall.
@@claudiapagliara2591 Yeah the game does focus prominently on the romance of Squall/Rinoa rather than being an 'ensemble' of stories like earlier games. It's still my favourite game, but there's definitely a part of me that would love to see the others explored or developed a little more.
Alleyway Jack I like Rinoa... but her romance with Squall sometimes is too much. She’s too PERFECT: no real conflicts... looks like she wants him at any cost... Sometimes Squall does not look like spontaneously interested in her, despite of the fact she’s hot, charming and friendly. Quistis has been described in the game as extremely beautiful but then this side has been ignored. She’s got a fanclub... she has a top model look but then they give her a horrible uniform and those freaky glasses...
They really need to make FF8-2 and make Quistis and Seifer the love match I think they are both perfect for each other because they are both bossy lol. Irvine has Selphie, Zell has the Librarian or hotdogs lol, Seifer and Quistis is the endgame!
I think they are really perfect for each other, Quistis thinks she loves Squall but nah, and Seifer... wait did Seifer and Rinoa a thing? I forgot I have to play it agaiun haha
i been watching a lot of these videos lately and i would like to give some constructive criticism. you need to add a little bit of pzazz to the whole thing. just a little bit of background music, a little bit of character in your voice. right now it sounds like a powerpoint presentation in college. now, clearly the videos are well received (judging by the like/dislike ratio) and im not saying you should do the whole "wannabe youtube entertainer" put-on personality thing. you can still be serious and "scholarly".. just make it a little less "sterile" (for lack of a better word). at the end of the day its still entertainment (and not an academic lecture on amino acid complexes). so to recap, keep everything exactly the way it is and just add around 10% more "flavor" to it. your contents awesome btw, keep em comin' !
@@AlleywayJack As a counterpoint, I actually deeply enjoy the style of your videos. It might come across as rather muted, I appreciate how much you simply let the content and analysis speak for itself. Your takes don't need dressing up with flash or flair, your videos simply are what they are. Love your FFVIII content, wish I saw this game discussed in this manner more often
@@AlleywayJack also, your videos are a great example of unintentional ASMR. I could fall asleep listening to your videos, and I mean that in the best way possible.
@@AlleywayJack Don't worry, you're fine. Some people go way over the top acting hyper and making forced jokes, and it's just annoying. Some of us have an attention span and like things this way.
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I think you hit on some interesting parts here. I think Squall and Seifer could have been friends in a different life. They very much balance each other out, and it is funny how friends and enemies are similar to the thin line between love and hate. Squall shows this when Seifer is believed to have been killed. He recognizes that as much as Seifer sees him as a rival, he kind of liked the guy, and even enjoyed the rivalry they shared to a certain extent. Seifer seems to feel the same. He discussed the mission with Squall and clapped for Squall's graduation. This shows that he respects the talent and understand Squall at a basic level, even if he was mocking Squall to a certain extend by clapping.
Quistis has a similar feeling when the relationships between Squall and Seifer are compared. She decided to take Ellones place, and tried to be the kids big sis. She reprimanded Seifer constantly, while showering affection on Squall. Obviously this would rub Seifer the wrong way. But with Seifer being the delinquent and Quistis taking the older sister role, I also see an alternative reality where Seifer and Quistis could have been romantically involved the way Seifer and Squall could have been great friends.
Going further into Seifers relationship or lack of relationship with the cast is also interesting. Squall grounds himself in reality while appearing apathetic, while Seifer embraces fantasy while visible showing what he is feeling. Seifer sees the treatment Squall gets and hates it, but fails to recognize that he received a lot of the same treatment. It is apparent that Squall's treatment rubs Seifer the wrong way, and he feels most of the treatment Squall gets is unearned, and he hates that Squall seems to not care he is receiving it. It is also likely that Seifer dislikes that Rinoa, Ellone, Cid, and Matron treat Squall in high regard. Unfortunately Seifer didn't know the truth. Ellone is basically Squall's sister, Rinoa actually had affection for him, and Matron/Cid treated Squall differently to the other children since he told them of the future. A lot of this blooms into an almost one sided rivalry. Seifer wanted to be recognized, and he holds a minor inferiority complex.
Seifer's feelings for Squall don't turn to complete hatred until Squall is chosen for Rinoas mission, and Squall goes against the Matron that Seifer wanted to recognized by. He decides he has become irredeemable when Rinoa sides with Squall, and Squall sides against Matron. Once it comes to fruition that Matron was being controlled, and Squall was on the right side, Seifer's mental deteriorated as he recognizes he has lost both Rinoa and the Mother/Family he held dear. Seifer could have been redeemed many times during the conflicts of the game had people chose to reach out to him the way they reached out to, and tried to understand Squall.
In conclusion, I believe Seifer going down the wrong road is largely caused by the ones he wanted to acknowledge him, instead reprimanded him. While Squall received acknowledgment while appearing to not care. Seifer likely wore his feelings on his sleeve in hopes of being recognized, as the ones he cared for always desired to understand Squall and see him show more emotion. I imagine as an orphan it would be devastating to put yourself out there and be ignored and or reprimanded, while the same people want your rival to act more like you... It is all very tragic, but poetic considering the themes shown in the game.
I appreciate her a lot more now than I did back in the day. She deserved better than the game gave her, really. She gets smacked down hard at the beginning, professionally and personally, and she's never really given a chance to get back up again even though she's such an unfailingly good hearted character.
Squall starts off as callous and closed off, and ends up happy. She starts off open and compassionate (if overbearing about it) and ends up lonely. We're made to understand that Squall is that way because of his abandonment issues but what of hers? They were literally in the same orphanage. Her adoption failed which just adds another layer of rejection.
I can see all her overachievement being a substitute for the affection she never had as a child but being the prodigy then a teacher so young only seems to have isolated her from her peers even more, and then even that's taken away from her. She was too young for the job and expecting her to get Seifer in line when more experienced instructors had already failed seems unreasonable, like they set her up to fail. You can't deny she lacks leadership qualities, but then so does Squall when everyone's yelling at him to lead (which is something he recognises himself, to be fair). He's allowed to grow clumsily into the role, but Quistis is never allowed another chance despite all of her early achievements.
Quistis is underrated
Quistis will always be my favorite.
Mine too. Main or secondary characters. I absolutely love Quistis
Actually she was just faking it when she said that her attraction to Squall was her misunderstood big-sister disposition towards him. After she said those words she was actually whispering to herself "Big sister? Who am I fooling?". Truth is she has just given up every hope she had of getting Squall's attention when Rinoa entered the picture and so said that big-sister bluff just to clear the path for Rinoa into Squall's heart...
It's so sad, she sacrificed her own feelings for the well-being of her friends... 😔
Does she actually say Big sister? Who am I fooling?
@@iwillfollow24 quite certain she said something along that line
@@iwillfollow24 yes she does
For some strange reason whenever i see Quistis the song "hot for teacher " starts playing in my head.
That’s supposed to happen don’t worry about it
Hey AJ, I'm 5 years late to these videos but your character analysis videos are great! I'm really enjoying watching them
I'd pick her over Rinoa, but that's just me...
You're not alone!
Quistis clearly shows signs that she has romantic feelings for Squall, rather than just sisterly affection.
And Rinoa, (despite me really liking her character) just felt like she was shoved in as the "love sick doo doo head" for Squall.
If Square had decided to make the remastered version with the fan theory that Rinoa is Ultemicia then it would have been a much more grounded reason to ship her with Squall, but as the game's story remains in tact, it makes no sense since Quistis had also shown her being worried for Squall's well being and emotions, much like Rinoa in the final game
@@memesfact1552This is why 8 needs a remake
Same
Quistis was a sleeper good character in alot of ways. She's in alot of ways a character that as a fan one wonders what happened to her if bewe ever get a FF8-2 or legitimate sequel. Squall and Rinoa obviously hooked up and he was the balamb commander. Irvine and Selphie likely became a thing. Zell was probably just chasing hot dogs and working out. Quistis tho is a question mark. Does she get her instructor license back and resume to teaching? Or does she become Squall's side chick and try to scheme and get him? Go back and hang out at the orphanage and help Edea and Cid restart it? Go to Fisherman Horizon and chill with Seifer and the goons?
Yeah you're right, she does lack a more definite conclusion than the others. I think I always pictured her returning to instructing because we see her talking to Headmaster Cid in the home-movie ending, and Balamb Garden is where she naturally 'fits' to my mind. But yeah, she's the only one that doesn't end up with a significant other too!
The "Girl with the Pigtail" was interested in Zell. It actually does leave Quistis as the odd one out in that regard. hahah.
Somehow I see her channeling her affection to a repentant Seifer instead after the events of FF8.
In fan fiction Quistis is often shipped with Seifer.
I always thought quistis and Xu had a romantic thing going on
Ur honestly underrated, this man deserves more subs. Great content.
Thanks, I appreciate it man :)
I always felt sorry for Quistis. She is such a great girl and nobody seems to really value her or love her, other than her fan club. Everyone treats her as a nuisance. At the end of the story she is the only seed without a romantic partner.
I think the problem was that in FF8, it didn't really tackle character arcs that well. Squall and Rinoa really take center fold and Edea being the matron to the main cast's parental figure for a short time is the bond between them all. Quistis starts off as your teacher and instructor, but following the botched mission she loses her position and respect in Balamb Garden, she has to mask her affections with Squall and loses it when Rinoa takes the stage... She never really has a resolution to her troubles beyond sharing in desire of protecting Balamb Garden.
Maybe that's the point. Taking on a sort of 'background leader' in that she was an instructor, and despite what happens through the game, people will still naturally look to her for advice. With that in mind, maybe the group as a whole is her 'romantic partner'. I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere about gangbangs. I'm just saying, characters evolve. Squall, evolves to learn to be happy. Maybe Quistis evolves into not NEEDING a partner.
@@johndoe9627 I think you are right, BUT I still feel it is unfair and sad for the character. I like her and wanted to see a happy ending for her.
@@sergiophenix Yup. I get what you mean. I just meant, maybe she is now happy, having realised she doesn't NEED anyone. Though, at the ages of these characters, i think it would be nice if she got together with someone.
I also imagine her and Seifer get together. He liked the main girl. She liked the main guy. It’s all there. Enemies to lovers.
Yes, Quistis was a sleeper character for me as well. I wasn’t clear on on how deep Quistis’ insecurities ran when I was younger.
One thing I noticed playing again recently was how in the middle of the Assassination mission when Squall makes her leader of the gateway team, she breaks away from her post at the gateway to apologize to Rinoa. This results in Zell, Selphie, and Quistis all getting locked in Caraway’s Mansion as the parade is beginning. It wasn’t spoken of again, and neither Zell nor Selphie take her to task on it, which kinda felt like a missed opportunity. However, I saw this as an additional example of how she wasn’t fit to be in a leadership position. I suppose there were more examples of this that happened during her tenure as an instructor, but Quistis as a character could have benefited from more explicit examples of her failure to prioritize missions instead of her emotions in the moment.
Ever since I saw this video, you’ve inspired me to write more about this game and it’s been helping a lot with my mental health, and I wanna thank you for that!
Anyways, Quistis was always one of my favorite characters. She was always stoic and afraid of what others think of her, rather than herself. She was always discouraged from being herself, trying to be someone changing on what others think of her, which only made her more distant. Perhaps this is why her portrait is facing the opposite way. When Squall tells her to talk to a wall, she becomes more stoic and strict. After she bursts at Rinoa, she suddenly doesn’t care about what others think and she tries to be more supportive and caring to Rinoa. Near the end of Disc 1, she’s mad at Rinoa, but by the end of Disc 2, she’s the first to reach out to her and she rests her head on her lap when she collapses. It’s during these moments where Quistis ends up being herself.
She was always conflicted about her feelings for Squall. Despite what she suggests at the orphanage, she did have romantic feelings for him. However, seeing Squall all alone, she now realizes who she wants to be. She finally realizes she wants to be the group’s new sis. Her actions towards everyone were always like that, she just never realized it. Like Ellone, who’s absence she was trying to replace, she tells Squall to go for Rinoa, using her wisdom to guide him like a mother. Despite having the opportunity to have a romantic relationship in the same vain as Laguna and Raine, she now discovers that’s not what she wants, she wants her friends to be happy and not afraid. In the end, she got what she wanted, to realize who she was, and for Squall to listen, not necessarily say anything. To which, Squall did listen, talking her advice of not worrying about the future and giving it to Rinoa.
Definitely one of my Favorite Arcs and Characters in the series, even with the limited screen time of Quistis.
Man I always love the mood and choice of words. Your reviews feel quite mysterious. Keep up the good work!!!!!
Thanks man, glad you enjoy it!
Quistis, Edea and Ultimecia are my favorite characters in ff8
Could Quistis be a sleeper sorceress? In a world of Para-magic, Blue Magic is an OP ability if you think about it.
Nice! Interesting how both Quistis and Selphie exhibit magical proficiency in their limit breaks, I'd never considered that before... but I guess Edea absorbing Ultimecia's powers in the end-game/past makes a lot more sense if she knows the orphan girls are susceptible to them.
@@AlleywayJack
Selphie however is assumed to have junctioned with a Guardian Force she cannot remember or recall; likely alluding to how she has random magical spells and skills that seem alien. She could very well be junctioned to one this entire time in the party which explains her ability to cast magic even without any other junctions through her slots ability.
Quistis though? It's never explained how she is able to channel blue magic through the use of items. Every other character utilizes some aspect of physical grit or item. Zell and martial arts, Irvine and special ammo, Squall and his gunblade arts, and Rinoa using special training with Angelo for her skills. (Angel wing when she assumes her role as a sorceress)
Quistis and Ultimecia were my awakening, when i was a boy and i subconsciously understood that im into older women
Kuja was my awakening too and i understood that im into both 😅
Quistis is only a yr older than Squall and the rest of the Orphanage Gang
Nah you get a hall pass for Kuja
I deadass thought he was a girl
Trepies forever. ❤
I just want to say... Quistis is beautiful and I wish I looked like her!!!!
One of my "Big 4" favorite FF chars (Vincent, Fran, Quistis, Irvine...tho I'd say Vincent is safe at #1 and the other 3 are tied afterwards), thank you for creating this. The usual excellent analysis. I think it was her strong teacher mentality (even if a pseudo-facade), mixed w/ moments of playfulness, and her true insecurity that made me like her.
Also, a video about how our views of characters change as we age/change ourselves would be great, if you haven't made something like that already. I used to love Squall, but now not so much. I used to think Tidus was corny, but now he's one of my favorite FF MC's. My opinion on Shadow has gone back and forth like 4 times. etc etc.
Yeah, my opinion of Tidus has also improved over time, funny how that happens! Your 'Big 4' all sit within my Top 10 too... but I do change my mind every so often depending on what I'm playing :)
Honestly I think she is the one that turns into Ultimacia. The wrong facing picture, the hair in the front just like Ultimacia.
She has gray hair so I suspect might be when she's older and maybe Rinoa passes away at some point and gives her her powers but then something happens and Quistis just forgets who she is and becomes what you see there.
I think another interesting thing is that out of all characters, Quistis is the only one who can break 9999 damage limit per attack with Shockwave Pulser. Only two GFs can do that; Eden and Cactur (by one point)
My other half reminds me of Quistis in more ways than the aesthetics, it’s why I’ve found a deeper connection with the character. I always related to Noel in FF13-2/3. She is a character I’d love to see more of but unfortunately I don’t see it happening. Maybe though.
I have to say she's one of the prettiest FF characters next to Tifa
For some reason I started thinking about Laguna lately and how FF8 came at a weird place in my time. I kept comparing it to FF7 but it's a different experience. Quistis was one of my first game crushes 😂
Character wise... I'm more attracted to Quistis than anyone. I find her being harshly rejected by Squall in the beginning and not given enough story focus. Well, I guess that's what being just another teammate means in FF8.
I keep Quistis in my party as much as possible she’s my favourite party member
Funnily enough, mostly because of her glasses, I continued to see her as a big sis/instructor right from the beginning. I never really warmed to Quistis back in the day. I'll pay more attention next time I play.
Just Finished Ff8 I already consider it my favorite game of all time. Even with it's flaws, I still love everything put in the game wholeheartedly, and I think Quistis is one of my favorite examples. Quistis or any of the rest of the cast don't really get more attention to the plot but their subtle arcs are the best in the series. She was viewed as a bossy character, something that may have contributed to her as a instructor, but we understand that she isn't suited for it. The reason she isn't a good instructor is because she is kind and always there for you. She tried to apologize to Rinoa for scolding her for, something that a instructor should do at that situation, and ends up almost costing the mission. She also saves Squall from the spider mech when it would be better to see if Squall could make it in time to grade him. Her feeling for Squall are clouded, she is unsure of whether she loves him as a friend, as a coworker, as a soulmate, and ultimately sacrifices her feeling for Squall to get him with Rinoa. If you bring her on the lunar base and meet her again, you can see dialogue that shows she still has feelings for him. But seeing Squall alone, sad because he just showed that he's willing to die for her, yet Rinoa is taken away must've reminded her of Ellone and that she wasn't meant to be Squall's love or anyone's instructor, but the big sister of her family. It's also reminiscing on Squall's rejection of her, that she had tried hard to connect with him to no avail. So she encourages him to chase her, as if she was telling herself to chase after Squall after she got her true family taken away or after Squall's rejection, causing him to disobey orders like her in the assassination mission for Rinoa. I believe the characters of Ff8 have a part of each other to develop themselves, and that's why I love this games and all it's character arcs, even Biggs and Wedge. Quistis's arc is relatable, her problem is understanding feelings for others and coming to terms with her feelings and herself, something that Selphie could need to know, which I why I like the ending FMV with her and Quistis, it wraps it up nicely.
That being said, you're pretty underrated, keep up the good work
Quistis is the only portrait shown facing to the right
Quistis should have been the coolest character in the game. Young prodigy, realist, militant boss girl, can learn monster magic, leader of the card club, whip as a weapon, out to redeem herself through the game, all topped off with being smoking hot. The FMV of her on the ship in Dollet with the minigun was iconic for me.
Sadly, even though I absolutely loved playing FFVIII, the game’s character development was lacklustre for anyone not named Squall (or Laguna).
I even did care for her. Her abilities & fighting style is cool. But i didn't like her personally or story ark. I used her in my party. Because i like to use everyone equally in RPGs
Love your videos man. Im subscribing for sure.
Some of the people commenting on a potential romance between Quistis and Seifer. I think it might've worked but only for a short term period. Seifer needs to rule and to be in the center of attention and Quistis on the other hand is a very rational and caring person. I think it would end up Quistis genuinely hating Seifer for being completely selfish, egocentric not giving attention to her feelings, and Seifer despising Quistis for trying to rule over him. I even imagine a magic duel between them two. I feel that she carries some sort of trauma - she mentioned that she went to garden around 10 years old because things weren't working out in her home. Who knows, maybe she got abused? Maybe she witnessed abuse for a long time? She is a genuinly caring person who deserves a loving accompany.
I didn’t see them together before, but ever since I read perfect fanfic for seifer and quistis pairing, I can only see them as a perfect couple.
Seifer being self-centered and wanting to rule everyone is a result of his immaturity. If he had a feeling for someone to motivate him to be a better man, he can totally be a different person.
Rinoa and Seifer were similar in a lot of ways, but someone like rinoa would only encourage Seifer to be immature and act selfish. Quistis, however, probably learns how to push his buttons and raise him to be a decent grownup man.
Quistis is best girl. I could never stand Rinoa or Selphie.
The blue mage is one of the most interesting classes to play as.
Thanks for the recap. It's been ages since I played it and it's always nostalgic to revisit this game.
She always gave me Helena Douglas vibes so I had no other choice but to stan
This is brilliant!
Thanks :)
Who else is here on Instructor Trepe’s birthday? (October 4th)
Loved it. But you forgot to mention Quistis was almost immediately overcome with regret after she (rightfully) chewed Rinoa out for her ridiculous plan to get Edea to just put on the Odone bangle, even to the point of abandoning her post to go and apologize to her, not something any military organization would look kindly on. In fact, she is guilty of the exact same offense Seifer committed when he abandoned his post in Dollet. The fact that she made it back in time (just) doesn't excuse the fact she left her post in the first place. Just that one act proves that she is not leadership material and that Balamb Garden was right in demoting her. I do like her as a character though, flawed characters are always more interesting than Mary Sue's. We were actually just having a discussion in an FB group as to why she left her adoptive family at age thirteen, we couldn't come up with a compelling reason, but it's clear she is carrying as much emotional baggage as Squall at the start of the game.
Btw, Quistis is very similar to Makoto Niijima from Persona 5 imo. She is slightly older than her compatriots, bossy, condescending, but also kind and very much on the side of the good guys. And Quistis, like Makoto, is not above making the odd idiotic decision occasionally. As you said, she definitely fits into a well-established trope, but for all that, she is a fine character. She's great on the Island closest to Hell with Degenerator too when you want to do some late-game grinding :)
Man I really wish they’re where a thing. 😢
I like Quistis: would have been nice a romance between her and Seifer.
I can definitely see those two working out for some reason. I think they counter-balance quite well; and opposites attract.
Alleyway Jack I don’t know why they did not show how beautiful Quistis is, for example, or why Seifer from a powerful character turns in kinda of pathetic. They would complete each other but steal the attention from Rinoa/Squall.
@@claudiapagliara2591 Yeah the game does focus prominently on the romance of Squall/Rinoa rather than being an 'ensemble' of stories like earlier games. It's still my favourite game, but there's definitely a part of me that would love to see the others explored or developed a little more.
Alleyway Jack I like Rinoa... but her romance with Squall sometimes is too much. She’s too PERFECT: no real conflicts... looks like she wants him at any cost... Sometimes Squall does not look like spontaneously interested in her, despite of the fact she’s hot, charming and friendly. Quistis has been described in the game as extremely beautiful but then this side has been ignored. She’s got a fanclub... she has a top model look but then they give her a horrible uniform and those freaky glasses...
Gone talking to a wall.
They really need to make FF8-2 and make Quistis and Seifer the love match I think they are both perfect for each other because they are both bossy lol. Irvine has Selphie, Zell has the Librarian or hotdogs lol, Seifer and Quistis is the endgame!
I think they are really perfect for each other, Quistis thinks she loves Squall but nah, and Seifer... wait did Seifer and Rinoa a thing? I forgot I have to play it agaiun haha
i been watching a lot of these videos lately and i would like to give some constructive criticism. you need to add a little bit of pzazz to the whole thing. just a little bit of background music, a little bit of character in your voice. right now it sounds like a powerpoint presentation in college. now, clearly the videos are well received (judging by the like/dislike ratio) and im not saying you should do the whole "wannabe youtube entertainer" put-on personality thing. you can still be serious and "scholarly".. just make it a little less "sterile" (for lack of a better word). at the end of the day its still entertainment (and not an academic lecture on amino acid complexes). so to recap, keep everything exactly the way it is and just add around 10% more "flavor" to it. your contents awesome btw, keep em comin' !
Thanks for the feedback, appreciate it and it's something I'm aware I need to work on somehow 👍
@@AlleywayJack As a counterpoint, I actually deeply enjoy the style of your videos. It might come across as rather muted, I appreciate how much you simply let the content and analysis speak for itself. Your takes don't need dressing up with flash or flair, your videos simply are what they are. Love your FFVIII content, wish I saw this game discussed in this manner more often
@@AlleywayJack also, your videos are a great example of unintentional ASMR. I could fall asleep listening to your videos, and I mean that in the best way possible.
@@AlleywayJack Don't worry, you're fine. Some people go way over the top acting hyper and making forced jokes, and it's just annoying. Some of us have an attention span and like things this way.
Best girl
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