it's been some time but why not cuz sudden major tuna mood?
- after Tidus's return, Brother gracefully backs off Yuna. that's right, for the first time in his life he does something gracefully. or rather… he thinks he's being graceful. at first he majorly overcorrects and basically keeps a 15 ft distance to Yuna at all times, while nodding eagerly at everything Tidus says and constantly bringing up his status as a legendary guardian, treating him with reverence almost while Rikku's over there like ”heeeeeyyy I'm no less legendary where's my respect”
- from there, things proceed awkwardly. Tidus has no context for this changed behavior and Yuna only vaguely realizes what's going and is too focused on Tidus/used to Brother being weird that things stay like that for a while and it's painful for everyone to watch. finally Tidus grows tired of Brother's obviously fake fanboy persona and makes a misguided bonding attempt by bringing up their first meeting on the Al Bhed ship, trying to go for a ”that's the stuff of legends, right? I'm just a regular guy that ya'll plucked from the sea and really I'm kinda embarrassing most of the time lol” angle. unfortunately this turns into them swapping stories about Brother's embarrassing antics instead, which they all obviously have and it's all in the spirit of good fun until Brother breaks out crying
- like. LOUDLY. and DRAMATICALLY. resident crybaby ™ got nothin' on this one. a truly FMV-worthy display
- so they all deal with their issues like adults in a long and thoughtful and mature conversation jk they never talk about it again and no embarrassing stories about Brother are related for the next 10 years
(note: I know there's that small scene in FFX-2 where Brother kinda already bows out and gracefully so but with that much focus given in the story on his very very bad and inappropriate crush on his f'ing cousin??? gawd Brother has an ARC in that game AN ARC he still has to deal with the mythical dreamboat boyfriend actually coming back to life and sealing the deal.)
(note 2. I like other aspects of Brother’s character so out of respect for those I had to deal with this one lol)
- after the mandatory ”hela du saad oui's” Paine is perfectly content in observing Tidus with mild and idle curiosity, passively learning more about the guy in conversation, and privately and fondly appreciating Yuna's happiness. Tidus… sorta gets that she needs space, sorta tries to respect that, but more than once ends up challenging her closed-off-ness and sticking his nose into some very sensitive topics, some of which Yuna and Rikku have not dared approach. inadvertently, of course! he tries
- Paine herself is, of course, making some efforts at opening up a little more… but, at least one time, he goes too far, and she loses her cool and flat-out yells at him. Yuna and Rikku never find out what the conversation was about. Tidus thinks about it for a few days, feeling awful, but eventually his mind just blocks out the whole entire thing and they all deal with their issues like adults in a long and thoughtful and mature conversation jk they never talk about it again and no questions are asked about Paine's past for the next 10 minutes
- rly, eventually, Paine and Tidus become pals and they even have some inside jokes (resented by Yuna and Rikku)
- Yuna, secretly, and feeling a little silly, never gives up on her fantasy of going to see Tidus's Zanarkand. she hates the idea of only having seen it in a sphere shown to her by Seymour of all people, and sometimes before falling asleep she tries to imagine the rose-colored sunrise described to her by Tidus in such detail. it sort of becomes her happy place, one she is unwilling to share even with Tidus, because she is a funny little introvert like that sometimes and Tidus has actually witnessed the sight and she must use her imagination. so it's kind of a different place and it is hers and only hers.
- Wakka never calls Tidus “Chappu” accidentally. never ever. Lulu does one time. ONE. seeing the two idiots laughing about some blitz-related incident where they both almost died but also had the time of their lives, she tries to scold them and somehow winds up using both 'Chappu' and 'your brother' in the same sentence, both in reference to Tidus. then they all deal with their issues like adults in a long and thoughtful and mature conversation plot twist what if they actually do????
- tidus takes up Wakka's old job as captain/coach for the Aurochs. I mean, WHY WOULDN'T HE. like on day one on Besaid he was already coaching them with all that ”victory!” pep talk; not to mention how he encourages them to practice the Jecht shot on S.S. Winno; the position's open (Beclem who?); he's young and talented with youthful new ideas so therefore a dream employee (GET IT? CUZ DREAM and yeah); blitz is pretty much his only area of expertise in Spira (as of yet); and he totally doesn't mind playing for a less-than-sovereign team; and he wants to do everything the opposite of what Jecht did so; asfgasfdjhgsah no one ever talks about Tidus's relationship with and general amazing attitude towards the Aurochs. plus he's like the only person on the planet (the world? the Spira?) Wakka would HAPPILY pass the mantle to, the nepotistic lil' shit
- it's not an easy road to the top tho; the Aurochs still pretty much suck oft to the frustration of their new boss; but he's ever-patient with them and this is actually the one aspect of his life where he shows patience lol
- somewhere along the road; they do take the Cup (again... depending on what you consider to be canon in FFX). that's when he steps down as captain/coach (mentally exhausted) to pursue new adventures. Wakka doesn't approve; he's like ‘quitting at the top, ya? way to copy me, man' BUT the team keeps him as occasional reserve and he never misses an Aurochs game and in fact kinda steps on the toes of the new coach at times (who's a total rando, but a nice and capable rando)
- he and Yuna study Al Bhed together. Rikku tries to help, but isn't really cut out for teaching (Rin does a better job, and so does Paine, even. Gippal tries to slip in indecencies, and at the beginning of their acquaintance does manage to trick Tidus into using them as openers) fool me once, and all that
- let's get this out of the way: Tidus DOES NOT DISAPPEAR AGAIN; prematurely at least (hello biased Tuna trash here *zuko wave*)…. or does he??? I mean, given the extremely questionable state of his existence, I could see it happening, even just kind of randomly one day (and heartbreakingly so); I mean it's even implied in the so-called Perfect Ending (the one in Zanarkand). BUT THIS IS MY HEADCANON IT'LL GO THE WAY I WANT IT OR I'LL END IT HERE. so yeah. for the first few months of his renewed existence, Tidus and Yuna both kinda fret about it actually, like not that they’re in an acute state of worry at all times but they just kinda do and they both have nightmares about it happening (which they don’t share with the other...... cuz they don’t want them worrying and aasgfdg those dorks learnt nothing)
- and while I'm at it, TIDUS & YUNA STAY TOGETHER. yeah... I dunno about you guys but I didn't spend thousands upon thousands of hours falling in love with and producing content of my OTP to have Tidus end up with Rando and Yuna with… Andom, I guess. so yeah, same biased logic applies here
- plus I seriously think they just… would. Yuna's got like no character flaws (yes she does) and she wound up falling for his, so… AND AFTER EVERYTHING THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH TOGETHER??? AND NOT-TOGETHER??? pls they're like the healthiest couple ever to grace our hearts & souls just let them live
- I could see Yuna getting (warily at first) involved with politics at some point. after the whole corrupt maester-led government/religious indoctrination mess, AND then the New Yevon vs. Youth League fiasco, idk, I think Spirans would just kinda naturally gravitate towards her, the High Summoner and all-around heroic figure, for wisdom and guidance. I could see her gradually growing into the role of Spira's very own Padmé Amidala with soft yet firm values and an iron will. and without the dying + homicidal maniac boyfriend (ily, Anakin) and I think her title would just be High Summoner. (kinda like how any elected president of Finland will forever keep the 'president' title – but there's only one current 'President of the Republic of Finland'. wow didnt expect to make this completely relevant comparison) but yeah it's not like she'd be a ruler or anything… just an important political figure and consultant adssgdghj I haven't completely figured out the Spiran state system post-X-2
- at some point, Tidus and Yuna go visit their parents in the Farplane… and as they both try very hard not to think about a certain blue-haired menace, they end up getting quite the jump scare and completely embarrass themselves (or they would’ve if anyone saw) then they in perfect synchrony pull themselves together and defiantly look their former nemesis in the eye and say absolutely nothing
this is a subject I briefly kinda hinted at in my tuna post & found myself wanting to properly tackle. I've occasionally seen criticism of Yuna's character dismissing her as "the perfect woman" with no manifest flaws or the sorta faux "acing that job interview" type of flaws such as working too hard, being too selfless, being too kind etc. that are basically strengths masquerading as weaknesses and only really add to her inhuman excellence. and literally there's this one NPC chillin at the Moonflow that gives this highly refined character analysis: "Yuna embodies perfection". well, let's break this thing down, shall we?
and before I start, let it be known that I personally genuinely adore flawed characters, doesn't matter what type of flaws; it's something that to me, recommends a character and gets me invested in their story & struggles so yeah basically the bigger the human disaster and the more varied their range of f**kup the greater my fondness of them – and at the same time I'm a big fan of virtuous, noble-minded, goody-good sorta heroes so it's not really an anti-hero/anti-villain thing either. LOVE the latter lot as well but it's not like they own flaws if you know what I mean
someone'll ask me why i like x and i'm like off the top of my head they're just so dumb and completely obnoxious and mediocre at everything i love it
so what I'm saying is me talking yuna & flaws is actually a great compliment to her & an expression of my abundant love & adoration
so let's address her
1. workaholic tendencies/excessive selflessness/excessive kindness. so are these real defects or sneaky supplemental strengths or the sly ploys of employee hopefuls? well I might as well fully embrace that metaphor and assert that throughout the pilgrimage, Yuna is actually doing a sort of prolonged large-scale job interview. I mean, she already got the job – business card says 'fully-fledged summoner' – yay – but what she's really shooting for is 'Spira's ray of light', an all-around national hero figure and constant 24/7 source of inspiration, comfort & consolation (not to mention hands-on aid) symbol of hope & salvation etc etc. AND eventual concrete salvation lol. basically, yes, she is aiming for an inhuman standard. there's a lot of internal & external pressure on her, she's constantly hyper-aware of her very demanding role as a summoner and to some extent putting on a performance – not really putting on an act (because damn right this girl is all kinds of compassionate and altruistic and noble and loving) but suppressing her individual rather more free-spirited & fun nature (that we see flashes of in FFX and an entire character arc built around in FFX-2)
perhaps you've met someone like this – some of them get quite good at keeping up the facade of perfection and self-sufficiency. Yuna at least is smart enough to show some transparency every now and then (like when she urges Shelinda not to put herself down, noting she's a beginner too). if she didn't, I don't think we'd like her as much. BUT even when she does, you can tell she's still quite conscious and cautious of her word choices and appearance and behavior and I actually think Hedy Burress's slow and pensive delivery is perfect here and beautifully underlines this aspect of her character.
2. excessive self-reliance/overconfidence/internal arrogance. her own words, "oh no, I was... overconfident." (btw, I really love it when characters show self-awareness of their faults, subverts a lot of ‘cool’ character tropes) so basically, tho Yuna would have us believe otherwise – I think the whole summoner thing has gotten to her head a tad. not externally – she looks, sounds, feels, smells and tastes all kinds of humble and modest, especially next to the likes of Dona – but is it all just a part of her 'daughter of Braska and future savior and relentless champion of goodness and hope' veneer? consider her actions, and you'll see she often overestimates her own abilities. yuna: "stand back! I'll summon!" seymour: "gurl pls" she outright refuses to share absolutely world-shatteringly important and critical information about Seymour with her guardians; instead lies to their faces, and comes up with a thoughtless plan to confront him herself (and then do what? ‘stop’ him? she fails to send him several times even in the presence of her guardians and when she goes to face him at Macalania Temple he ain't even dead yet lol) and basically starts a domino chain of events that eventually puts them all in extreme danger. now, one might wonder, a) does she truly think so little of her guardians – people mostly older and more experienced than her; whose literal full-time job it is to keep her safe from any and all danger – and their ability to handle unexpected twists and turns (AURON??? LULU??? come ON Yunie) that she would not trust them with this info and thought they'd only get in the way and genuinely thinks her oh-so-thorough-A+++ plans superior to anything they might have to contribute? unlikely. even Auron makes this observation. b) was she only graciously trying to protect said literal professional protectors? that's her own (initial) interpretation of the events, I'm sure. c) is there maybe an element of arrogance/pursuit of heroism/overestimation of own capability involved? glory-seeking might be a bit of a stretch, but seeing as in Spira in general there's this collective image of summoners as heroes and saviors and near superhuman beings... is she starting to, maybe just a little, believe the hype? I'm sorry but it makes me laugh everytime when I think of Yuna telling herself that 'sure i'll just go have a little chat with alleged murderer and maybe marry him if I have to, what could go wrong?? sure I have access to these six trusted friends and capable guardians all ready to jump off a cliff if I asked but this is really no biggie' it’s like that part in Frozen where Kristoff roasts Anna like “that’s your plan? talking to your sister??” except it’s much worse
(also my headcanon is that if that nosy temple attendant hadn't unearthed Jyscal’s sphere, Tidus would've, lol dude knows no shame or boundaries.)
3. insecurity/craving positive feedback. ok, I'm cheating, these aren't flaws, and we all experience them. but I do think they are oft-overlooked aspects of her character and I also want to bring them up to emphasize that they can and very often do co-exist with overconfidence/extreme self-reliance (pushing us to prove ourselves etc.) 30 seconds into her first ever interaction with Tidus, she has an extremely strong positive response to his throwaway markedly non-expert compliment on her first aeon, and she immediately proceeds to ask this, again, completely clueless outsider whether he thinks she can become High Summoner (lmao that part just kills me he just nods like he just learned the word earlier that day and she's like -deep breath- 'this means so much to me') idk, that scene just always gave me the vibe that she kinda really needed to hear those words and I won't go as far as to say she craves attention/adoration cuz again, clearly she has very altruistic motives behind her chosen profession but that bit is not the only time she shows a sense of insecurity/desire for validation/acknowledgement. her first words after her first sending, to the first person she sees? "hope I did okay"(altho she's not making it all about her given that she is crying too and thus actually breaking her summoner 'pillar of strength' code)
her insecurity also leads to her mimicking others at times, like in the Eternal Calm prologue you get the sense that she feels that the “same as always” Yuna isn’t good enough (Rikku does sorta take the wrong tone there) and this results in her imitating her cousin with all that “oh poopie” silliness and at times kinda trying too hard to act more edgy/assertive (at least that’s my interpretation of her X-2 characterization ALTHO it also leads to very positive and much-needed character development)
4. limited empathy/wanting things her way/and yes, sometimes making it all about her, there i said it. so yeah, if we take empathetic to mean nice and friendly, then yes, Yuna is obviously empathetic. but if we go with the actual definition as in "empathy = the ability to put yourself in another person's position / understand their feelings/experiences" I think she wayyyy struggles. heck, I think Lulu is the more empathetic of the two. let me explain. take any time Yuna & Tidus talk about Jecht. they more or less immediately come to the conclusion that they are in fact referring to the same person (at least she certainly does), yet Yuna never quite appreciates Tidus's perception of/history with Jecht, his own father. she is quick to protest his bashing with her own memory of a "kind and gentle man" (which is no less true/valid) and doesn't really seem to know how to handle the subject in conversation when his experiences so wildly clash with her own. even when she accurately perceives that he's hurting in Luca, she doesn't even try to inquire what's wrong or ask if there's anything she can do, but instead immediately relates his (unspecified and in actuality very specific and severe sort of) pain to her own experiences as a summoner and starts pushing onto him her own somewhat unhealthy if surprisingly fun coping techniques (thank you Yuna, for single-handedly bringing about the Greatest Scene ™ in FF history which I unironically adore). when she pep talks Shelinda (a great display of her kindness and thoughtfulness, as well as inability to understand other people's differing experiences and their nuances), again, she never asks her to elaborate on her situation but instead draws parallels to her own situation as a fledgling summoner. ('people are counting on me. oh and i'm sure they're counting on you too') neither does she ever ask Tidus what he wants to do in Spira, she asks him to be her guardian. even after her wish is granted (to be fair, it's what he found himself wanting as well) she checks with him whether he'll follow her all the way to Zanarkand, and when Tidus gives a very melancholy reply pointing out his own somewhat depressing reasons for the journey ('yea gotta see if my hometown's still there, it's probably not tho'), she makes this happy little noise. like... that's her takeaway. she clearly has a vision of how she wants things to play out and expects people to accommodate, whether she wants them there or not. ('I want him nearby' vs. 'I have to do this crazy stupid thing and I have to do it alone') contrast this with Lulu, who quite unlike Yuna, doesn't immediately become enamored with Tidus and his Zanarkand and his relation to a person she cherishes; but nevertheless starts helping him out immediately by educating him on Spiran customs/history (if that's not empathy/placing self in another person's position, idk what is)
5. naivete/hesitation to question established truths I think I addressed this one in my MBTI post and my eyes are getting tired. she also eventually manages to completely flip this one around and make it into one of her strengths without losing a sense of idealism and optimism, what a heroine
so anyway
-exits minefield-
-immediately returns- basically feel free to disagree and/or point out any factual errors/aspects of her character that I missed, whether positive or negative. basically this is my personal interpretation of the character and as I said, pretty much my love letter to her
OR you could add to these (join the Yuna roast we have cookies bwahahaa)
- previously on keeping up with the besaidians: Gippal plays pranks on Tidus . so anyway. Gippal's respect for Tidus and general opinion on the guy improves tenfold when he finds out he's at least somewhat handy with machina (having grown up in the machina city of Zanarkand). kinda like not every one of us is a computer technician but say we were suddenly whisked into a foreign world with basic technology only recently legalized and a general majority of population afraid to use it – we'd have something to contribute. (also this is canonically plausible – see the machina boss battle on the Al Bhed ship in Luca, where Tidus saves the day by pointing out that they can utilize the crane) like I don't see Gippal offering him a job with the Machine Faction anytime soon, more like Tidus travels with Yuna and sometimes they visit Djose and he'll notice something the workers missed (like in some ‘new’ type of machina freshly salvaged from the bottom of the ocean) or maybe even casually fixes something that's everyday in Zanarkand. (Tidus also knows like anyone who's dealt with a computer ever that sometimes they just need a good keyboard-smash. also see proof in canon.)
- Gippal's opinion on Tidus improves hundredfold when he, through small details and tidbits Rikku/Cid/....Brother I guess just kinda casually mention, finds out about his history with them and other Al Bhed starting with his very first day in Spira and how he always defended them and treated them like everyone else (of course there's the fact that he was not brought up a Yevonite and thus never brainwashed to hate them but idk if Gippal cares about nuance all that much. but this is one thing that technically earns Lulu the greater credit! altho they shoulda just told wakka about yuna from the very beginning argh)
- also remind me to draw Gippal & Tidus unlikely brotp/teamup art
- let's talk kids. first I gotta acknowledge @leviathkandy ‘s absolutely amazing headcanon that they might adopt, bc for some reason that never crossed my mind and it's so perfect actually!!! I could very well see some kids orphaned by Sin just kinda starting to hang around them in Besaid (like that cockblocking kid at the campfire that a certain legendary lady obviously sent Yuna's way EXCEPT BETTER. that’s right BETTER. BETTER KIDS.) or maybe they even pick one up on their various travels buuuut point is I could see it happening kinda in a half-accidental/organic fashion? and then developing into a Cloud/Tifa in AC sort of situation without the leaving and terminal illness and angst (sry Cloud you hang in there-bud)
- also here 's some highly hypothetical biological Tuna offspring I drew up
- (in any case all their 25 kids grow up to be amazing and nothing bad ever happens in their lives ever. they always in every situation heed their flawless parents' spot-on advice and respect and adore them 124,7% 24/7. tidus and yuna never age yet grow wiser every-year-and-also-nothing-bad-ever-happens-to-them-either. the end-except-not-bc-they-never-die
- OKAY fine. they do get older. and this silly doodle aside...I kinda see them both retaining their youthful spirits but perhaps in slightly different ways. Tidus of course keeps active well, well beyond middle age and even tho that certainly keeps him vigorous in body & soul, he kinda has a hard time dealing with the inevitable effects of aging and from time to time ends up hurting himself due to constant gross overestimation of his physical condition & capability (I feel like I'm again heavily influenced by if not straight-up copying @leviathkand's post here BUT IT'S TOO REAL THO). whenever this happens, somehow, inexplicably, defying all laws of physics and likelihood Lulu of all people is always there (while Yuna is always far off somewhere, also bafflingly and against all odds). and so the task of providing first aid (= healing incantations... and sometimes just a bandaid/good scolding) falls on her begrudging shoulders. the pattern repeats so often is sorta becomes a running gag between the Besaid gang (except when he gets seriously injured, which happens a couple of times, then no one jokes around except Tidus) also, imagine middle-aged/elderly Lulu. just imagine. if u dare lol.
- Yuna, growing into adulthood, after that teen rebel phase important character development sooorta mellows back into her X personality with added wisdom and outspokenness and attention to her own needs. what I mean with "mellowing" is going back to a more poised and... sophisticated presence, I guess? I feel like I'm wording this all wrong, but yeah. basically a combo of her X and X-2 personas, best of both worlds adsdsaf. however when she's pushing 80-90 she regresses (or evolves???) riiiight back to her spherehunter days and starts spouting stuff like "your plan sucks and so does your face" and "oh poopie" while still somehow being the most elegant and well-spoken woman in the whole wide Spira.
- aaand back to their young and hot selves. there's lots of theories going around about Tidus's identity and origins because of course there would be. literally a nobody out of frekking nowhere who’s somehow both former guardian and s.o. to their beloved High Summoner and a stellar blitzball player to boot? missing for a while? weirdly clueless about mundane everyday stuff yet comfortable with machina? (he’s a sheltered Bikanel-native Al Bhed obvi) some people of course remember him from the pilgrimage but like, did anyone actually pay attention to him back then lol. of course Tidus & Yuna can't just go public with the truth because the story is as bizarre as it is tragic and highly personal to them in many ways too, so they both kinda dance around the subject and make punny inside jokes under their breath that sometimes get quoted as actual answers and the speculation gets wilder.
- however once it comes out that he's actually Sir Jecht's son (idk why I feel either Cid or Brother would let it slip. or maybe Brother is just anonymously calling up tabloids out of jealousy lol) everybody just EXPLODES and forgets about everything else. the power couple's popularity instantly climbs to an all-time high, and it’s all anyone talks about for a good few months and then some. howeverrr Tidus is less than pleased. he may have made his peace with Jecht but is still not quite over the man’s former monstrous alter ego and all the suffering he brought upon Spira (if unwillingly). again, their real story is in large part simply too traumatic and too intimate to share
- they totally re-enacted the laughing scene. you know they did. (obviously on that very same balcony in luca) it was an embarrassing failure tho, as they almost immediately started laughing for real and nobody even batted an eye or noticed anything unusual given that not a day passes by that the two don't have at least one shared giggle fit (and at really random stuff too, like the wind when it's nice) also, they were about 50 when this took place. for the 15th time.
is when Yuna jumps off the tower in Bevelle. the reasoning behind this stunt, to me, appears twofold:
1. to escape the wedding and go to the fayth
2. to save Tidus & co (!!!!!!!)
Seymour threatened to shoot them, right? and Yuna sneaks to the edge of the platform and is like, “let them go, or else”. then she DOES GET THEM to lower their weapons and demands that her guardians leave immediately. only, THEY DON’T. and she doesn’t wait until they do, but JUMPS OFF.
why does she give up her leverage at this stage of the game?? like, she doesn’t give them a head-start or anything and then jump, which would’ve been just as much a surprise since everyone expected her to come back from the ledge once they had met her demands and, y’know, let her guardians GO. but she literally leaves them still surrounded by Seymour’s troops and machina guns, and it’s up to Rikku to save them with a random smoke bomb, which Yuna couldn’t have known about?? did the cousins exchange winks or morse signals at some point???
or did she just kinda decide to trust her guardians after all that they’ll probably handle it somehow??
someone wiser explain
(DISCLAIMER: I’m not trying to diss Yuna I love her an unhealthy amount just check my blog for proof... just.... the writing of this sequence never made sense to me and I feel bad since it’s one of the most iconic and breathtaking scenes in the game)
tklivory ask me to compare and contrast the Maker (Dragon Age) and Yevon (Final Fantasy X), which is a fantastic question. Two god-figures, two religions, two metaphors, two cultures. More different than alike, but with a similar founding principle: protecting the planet and the people while attempting to harness and control its world's greatest power. How do these two gods manifest, and how do their similarities and differences shape their respective worlds?
( Very long, lots of spoilers, including for DA: Trespasser. )
x-posted from My Dreamwidth Journal | Feel free to comment there
