Are Shumis aliens? (spoilers)

Something occured to me whilst reading the shotgun thread. The difference in technology levels in FFVIII is quite astounding. On the one hand you hand trains and classic cars driving around small towns. On the other, spaceships that can fly in atmosphere, Esthar, Shumi village.

Aliens exist in VIII in the form of the Lunar Cry, and Pupu. Alien technology also exists in the form of Lunatic Pandora (I think).

But things such as Shumi Village, and Garden both use highly advanced technology. The Garden's flight methods certainly look alien. Who funded Garden? A shumi.

So where do they get the technology from? Why is travelling anywhere such a huge deal to a species who could so easily profit from their knowledge? Why do they isolate themselves in such an unnatural looking village in the middle of nowhere? Where has their species even come from? Nothing even vaguely resembles them or there abilities anywhere else.

So what do you all think? Could Shumi's have come with Lunatic perhaps? Are they totally separate? Are they from the same world as humans?

Hmmm. . . interesting question. I honestly had never considered it before, and although the alien theory is a little bit of a stretch, FF8 does seem to have a lot of technology which comes from past civizations whos methods of building have been forgotten.

For example, the GARDENs used to be "shelters" of some kind, hence their ability to transform using "ancient machinary." However, although Cid and Edea had the Shumi help fund the plans to build renovate these shelters into GARDENs, Cid seemingly had no idea how the machinery transformed the GARDEN. He seemed genuinely shocked when it transformed and took off. In fact, he mentions the machinery which might help them escape as if it were a rumor. Strange, considering he was the one who founded the place. Even stranger is the knowlege of the Fisherman's Horizon people, who know exactly how to fix the GARDEN and even mentioned that they helped build it in the first place, and yet the offer no further explanation. It's almost humerous, like, "Oh, would you look at that. That giant flying structure that just crashed into our town looks like something our ancestors built a long time ago. Whaddya know." :p What were these structures sheltering people from? The lunar cry? How come the flying technology which propels these vehicles wasn't applied to other modes of transportation? Was if because FH is isolationist and the technology never spread?

Also, the Lunatic Pandora was an excavation site. The Estharians (was it them? i'm not sure. . .) found it buried and dug it up, like Tut's Tomb or something. So its difficult to say if it was orginally from space, or an artifact from an ancient civilzation. It's also attached to the Lunar Cry. . . interesting.

Finally, there's Centra Ruins. Apparently, Centra was quite an advanced civilzation before it was destroyed by the Lunar Cry. Did the people of Centra create the Lunatic Pandora not realizing the Cry that would result and destroy their city? Did they then "abandon ship" so to speak in the "shelters" which have now become GARDENs? Then, the Lunatic Pandora was left to be buried until it was uncovered by archeologists studying the Centra Ruins? If so, where did the orginal inhabitants go? Shumi Village?

So maybe it is aliens, or maybe the technology is like that of the legendary Atlantis - an advanced civilzation which was destroyed and then forgotten. Although, Atlantians are also often connected to aliens as well. Well, that was rambling, but hopefully it sparks ideas in others. I'm interesed to hear what you guys have to say.

Actually FH is explained if you do a mini side quest. FH branched from Esthar because a dispute (which I forget the details of). That of course doesn't explain where Esthar got it's technology.
I'm sticking with alien for now, I just can't see a reason, or a means for Lunatic to have been built on the planet, unless a sorceress made it.

Hey come to think of it, what if Hyne was alien. It would make sense, and be a lot like FFVII (SPOILER) the Cetra .

Good point about Cid's lack of knowledge. I'm sure a replay through the game would explain that somewhere in the script, I have a vague recollection. It does raise a few interesting questions though...

Good point, I had forgotten about the master fisherman's story. But I just remembered something else - when you first arrive at FH, lots of people there talk about the Shumi and seem to know all about them; one guy asks what Squall thinks NORG is going to evolve into (of course Squall doesn't have a clue what he's talking about), the grease monkey aknowledges his close relationship with the artisan Shumi (which comes back in a side quest later), etc. Perhaps Esthar/FH had a closer relationship with the Shumi (or aliens) which led to there knowledge of technology.

Also, I think the Hyne/alien theory makes more sense; extra-terrestial beings of power appearing from the sky would seem god-like to those inhabiting the planet unaware that aliens exist. Even the sorceress power could be some manifestation of energy controlled by forces unknown to the inhabitants of the FF8 world. I mean if they can learn and control "para-magic," who is to say a more advanced species couldn't harness enough energy to possess a "sorceress power?"

Interesting point about the Shumi knowledge in FH.

Yeah that was my idea about Hyne. It actually ties in with FFVII again with (SPOILER) Alien power being used by humans from Jenova .

WOW!:surprised

You guys are getting deep! very interesting theory though, PheonixAsh. i always wanted to know why the Gardens were able to fly. i need to play through the game again.

Well hers's a short breif on wat I think.
Balamb Garden could fly cause it was remodeld to fly. And that Galbadia Gerden flew cause of the sorceress. Cause Cid didn't know hardly much at all about it, so who informed Galbadia about it? I just think it was the sorceress magic. Cause if all 3 could move, why didnt Trabadia I think thats how its spelt, move when there missles were coming torwards them? Yes I do know they wasnt warned, but with that technology u know they got to have some sort of scanners that would have seen the missles cooming, and yes again I know the missle are supposivle stealth missle (I think) but you can change the missle that are shot off. So they would have picked them up and moved, but didnt cause they couldnt. So once again, Balamb only moved cause it was remodeld too, Galbadia moved cause of the sorceress. If you pay attention to waht Cid says, he didnt say the gardens were used as shelters and were then remodeld into able to transport, he used the words "this garden"
And the Shumi didnt use technology to help remodel, he simply gave money to supprt the Garden.

Galbadia Garden if I remember has a very similar if not exact disc thingy that Balamb has. Why would a sorceress have put it there?
Squall and co. had to tell Balamb Garden about the missiles, had to go down into the basement, and only did so in the hope of finding something.
I don't think you change the missiles that head for Trabia anyway, if I remember correctly you don't even get to the missile base before they are fired.

Norg was sitting in a specifically designed pod in a forbidden level of Garden, I think he did a bit more than give them money.

Oh and thanks by the way TogiB

dang good point....
:( stupid me wasnt thinking

But the Shumis aliens ideal I do go against, is Quina in IX and the rest of the Qu's aliens, mind just now went blank but those beast dude's in X are they aliens? No there just another race. The Shumis aren't aliens there just another race.

^^^ To that X I think the guys name is Kimahri not sure, but him and the rest of that race, sorry hehe my mind is still blank and i didnt pay much attention to X when I played it cause personally I didnt like it. Getting off the subject there......so....I just think there another race.

True, but it's not just that they are a different species. They are also ridiculously advanced, have very strange customs and architecture, and make a huge deal about travelling and isolation.
Aliens are also pretty common in VIII.

Do you remember the propagators?
If we take time traveling as a factor I would suggest that the female ones are the only sorceresses in FFVIII.And the male´s are they knights.