I admit that when I was young, I missed the gamer's meeting where it was called out that Final Fantasy games are awesome as hell. Due to this, Final Fantasy VIII was the first game of the series that I played. It was great and easily one of my favorites, but the personal connection I made with one of the characters of Final Fantasy X was something that was both unexpected and welcomed at the same time.



I am talking about Tidus. Not the Whiney Tidus from the beginning of the game. Not the Tidus that could barely get off his own home island until invited to be Yuna’s Guardian on her Summoning Pilgrimage. And DEFINITELY NOT THIS Tidus:



The Tidus I am talking about is from the end of the game. I’m talking about the accomplished Tidus that trounces all the monsters in his way, and comes to realize his place in the world, and in the story that is Final Fantasy X. For me, the defining moment is where he realizes that the only way to save his Love Yuna and the world, is to sacrifice himself, and he accepts it. When he is hugging Yuna as he fades away, I cried my baby eyes out in the same way I did when Simone died of heart failure on NYPD Blue. DON’T JUDGE ME!! =p



Here is the reason why this emotional connection was created:

Tidus and I made the same revelation at the same time. The story set me up for it well, and I fell right into it. I’m playing this game, thinking Tidus is an awkward loser (see video above), and then all of a sudden the story unfolds and Tidus simultaneously becomes resolved to his fate, welcomes it and charges head on to save the world. I realize what Tidus must do AS he does, and I instantly relate myself to him, put myself into his shoes. I become him, or rather, he becomes me, and therefore, he becomes REAL to me.

No worries, I’m not so obsessed that I would become Tidus THIS much:



I give the character a lot of credit here but I kinda feel like Tidus is real, in my mind anyways. It’s hard to explain. As Tidus spoke, I realized “I would make the same decision he just made.” If I could save the world, and more importantly, save my True Love by sacrificing myself, I would do it. Like Tidus I would try everything I could to get out of it, but once all avenues were exhausted, I would let it go and accept my fate.

That last paragraph is the crux of my connection, not necessarily because I truly believe that is how I would react. But, it is how I HOPE I would act if faced with that problem. Tidus, at that moment, IS the person I want to be. You always want to believe in yourself, that you would make the right call when faced with something horrible. Seeing Tidus do it, right in front of my eyes (I know….not real….whatever), gave me a sort of moral marker in my brain that I hope will guide me when I am faced with serious problems in the future. Will I remember to become Tidus? I believe that I will.

Dagerr
Proudly wearing my WWTD wristband