When I first heard about the monthly musing topic for this month I racked my brain thinking about which game character had ever strongly effected me in either a positive or negative way that I could share my experiences with the rest of you, at first I thought I'd take the easy route and look for my most hated characters since on almost every game I play I end up shouting at the screen to some stupid girl who has surprisingly hurt her leg and is now useless and needs me to help her for the umpteenth time.

But then it finally came to me that the answer of who I had really related to was hiding in my favourite game, but this is because I relate to him on the side that most don't remember, his chivalrous side . . . .

Ok then, before I get into this I just want to say that even though some of the things he says in the game sound a bit too copy and pasted from a romantic novel I generally related to what he stood for and not the big girls blouse way that he put it.



In the first part of the game Squall is known as the "lone wolf" character, his broody mannerisms and "leave me alone" attitude that keeps him distant from the other characters did nothing but make final fantasy fan boys get throbbing erections at this would be Cloud guy. But no one can relate to that, if you act like that in real life then you should just stay in and play games because there is no reason to ever have to be like that. I remember him saying something along the lines of "If your alone you only have to look after yourself and can't let anyone else down" which is just what wimps say who can't get close to anyone! But I digress, for the Squall I relate to is the one that emerges in the second half of the game when Squall learns that Ellone is in Esthar and decides to go alone carrying her on his back through fishermans horizon.

From that point onwards Squall becomes an almost completely new character, he shows that he's scared and wants to help, that he's willing to go the distance for the woman he loves. I have never to this day seen another game character go that far for someone he loves, it's normally the usual swing in and rescue scene (although that does also happen) or something to that extent but in this instance of character it showed that characters could develop themselves into the hero's they need to be when called upon.

I believe that in todays world there is too much talk of what is politically correct and you can't act a certain way because it is sexist, racist, or both if your really offensive! I strongly believe that men should be men and protect the woman that matters the most to them, I still hold doors for people and offer a helping hand to what I see as a damsel in distress but on more cases that not instead of a gentle smile or thanks I'm awarded with a dirty look or a "I can do it myself" as though every bit of kindness given was a way to undermine the opposite sex! But in games like this where there are still hero's I can still relate to I feel like it is worth doing because doing what you think it right is more important than getting what you think you deserve.

"No matter what happens, even if you become the worlds enemy. I'll be your knight" Moments like this are hard to find in a game, I can't think of anyone else I relate to better other than Squall, he's the hero that distances himself just to enough to see clearly what is going on, but still acts with his heart when he needs to. Thanks for reading, I'll try and make my next post a bit more manlier.

P.S Another great quote from Squall that I just wanted to end with but couldn't find anywhere good to put it:

"Right and wrong are not what separate us and our enemies. It's our different
standpoints, our perspectives that separate us. Both sides blame one another.
There's no good or bad side. Just two sides holding different views"