Rinoa's index finger.

You know what I'm talking about, Rinoa's physical signature. Ever since I first played Final Fantasy VIII I never really understood the meaning of this, although I found myself really affected by it. Every time I see someone do something similar I get a wave of nostalgia, and it really touches me. Was this just some random movement Square decided to give Rinoa as a distinguishing characteristic or is this some common thing I just don't know about? I spring the question because I just recently learned about all of these Japanese body language signatures that mean certain things that I never knew existed (E.G pointing to your eye means you're upset at someone). Anyway, this has always been close to me, ever since playing the game through, and I'm really curious to know if anyone has any info on it, or if it really is just something that Square made up for her. It's sort of curious all by itself, isn't it?

chaos: I think she was pointing upwards towards a shooting star or something like that. I pondered that too...

Rubedo: Either that, or she wanted to give Squall the middle finger while still being a good little girl.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rubedo

Rubedo: Either that, or she wanted to give Squall the middle finger while still being a good little girl.

---

xD

Anyways. Yeah, it was just that she was pointing up the the shooting star. And, you know, in the ending(SPOILER)when they were back on the garden, there was one, and she did the same thing. A throw-back to when they first met. They're both great scenes.

Whenever I see someone do that, I think of that too. There's something special about it.


:D

It's always been my dream for a beautiful girl to raise her index finger at me from across a busy party, walk to me and say "You're the best looking guy here."

I've practiced my dance moves just for the occasion.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Necronopticous

Every time I see someone do something similar I get a wave of nostalgia, and it really touches me.

---

Yeah!!!
I got a chance to raise my finger just like Rinoa when I won the Run (half marathon) last year. Then, I bought my PS2!!!
*sigh* That's the last chapter in my story. :cry:

For me, it means "It's for you". :spin: ("It" refers to the shooting star, of course.)
Sometimes, Hicham El Guerrouj'll do the same too. :confused:
He's the King of Mile.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Necronopticous

It's always been my dream for a beautiful girl to raise her index finger at me from across a busy party, walk to me and say "You're the best looking guy here."

---

WHOA!!!!! You can read my mind!!!!!! :hyper:

She was pointing at the shooting star. Yes it was a beautiful scene :)

It's very cute indeed. But I wouldn't say it's Rinoa's physical signature. She does a lot of things throughout the game that gives the player the idea that it's all she does in her spare time, so she can perfect it or something.

I'm talking about, like, when she bends over with her hands behind her back to talk. Or when she puts her hands on her hips and bobs angrily. Or when she claps her hands together and jumps in the air a little bit. Or when she pulls up her sleevy things. Or when how she sits with her arms around her knees.

*plonk*

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mo-Nercy

Or when how she sits with her arms around her knees.

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Gotta love it

Just wondering, I figured out the ending the second time I watched it but
I want to make sure I'm correct:

(SPOILER)During the credits when Irvine aims the camera at Rinoa and she
sort of looks over but not really, and she points to the sky, is that at the
same moment as the stuff that happens AFTER the credits? Where she
looks at Squall and points up. In any case I think the end was really well
done, you're not sure until after the credits whether Squall woke up or not.
I had my fingers crossed the whole time. And people wonder why I love
Final Fantasys.

.opt

Yes, you're correct (SPOILER)The stuff after the credits are a replay of what the camera runs out of battery on, Rinoa is in fact, doing her index finger thingie at Squall, and you learn that at the very very end, and then they kiss... So beautiful.

^^^ Yeah, that was at the same time. I lvoe that last part---the music gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it.


:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kikimm

^^^ Yeah, that was at the same time. I lvoe that last part---the music gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it.


:D

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God bless your soul.

It's funny... I never, ever thought of her gesture as 'pointing at the shooting star'. I thought it was just her 'one moment, please' or 'hi there!' gesture. Kind of like a more affectionate, more friendly version of Seifer's 'come get some' motion during battle.

Some people just have a thing that they do, a distinctive action or motion for a certain purpose. Some people tap their chin when they're trying to think of what to say; Rinoa holds up her index finger when she wants to grab someone's attention, privately.

That'd probably be true if she didn't look right at a shooting star, or at the
beginning right at the fireworks. :p

It is a good gesture though. But what's the deal with Ashe's gesture from
FFXII?

.opt

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Big D

It's funny... I never, ever thought of her gesture as 'pointing at the shooting star'. I thought it was just her 'one moment, please' or 'hi there!' gesture. Kind of like a more affectionate, more friendly version of Seifer's 'come get some' motion during battle.

Some people just have a thing that they do, a distinctive action or motion for a certain purpose. Some people tap their chin when they're trying to think of what to say; Rinoa holds up her index finger when she wants to grab someone's attention, privately.

---

Rowan Atkinson is a comic genius.

I thoughtwhen she saw him and stuck her finger in the air and walked over to him, she meant for it to be used in the most common way "Hold on a second"

She FINALY found the type of guy she was looking for at the party she would want him to wait there untill she got over there.

If that was the case, I doubt she'd have (SPOILER)done it at the ending when they're on the balcony. I think it's just a cute little lovey-dovey signature between them

i too think it was a 'just a moment' thing. though, at the end she's pointing at a shooting star...isn't she? it's sad, i beat the game on sunday and i already forgot lmao

Why would she be asking for a moment? Unless I'm mistunderstanding what you two mean by that... because she walks directly over to him. I think she's asking for 'one' dance, and then at the end, (SPOILER)'one' kiss. She only uses it twice in the game, doesnt she? It's not a constant thing she uses for Squall. She uses it when they first meet, and then at the end as sort of a joke... reminding him of the first time they meant and the dance they shared... and how their feelings for eachother have changed over that time.

ah, that makes sense to i guess

Bah, people keep overlooking the fact that she points to fireworks at the
beginning. She's not just calling him over or doing a signature move, there's
actually something to point to. Just like at the end. But it has a sort of
connotaion if you will, it is a symbol of Rinoa's that just says "Hello."
Literally though she's pointing at interesting things in the sky.

.opt

that could b, but didn't they start going off AFTER squall 'suddenly' got really good at dancing?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shiva's Effect

squall 'suddenly' got really good at dancing

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Excuse the language, but what a f***ing brilliant scene this was.

true it was, but he was doing bad, then suddenly BLAM he's got it down

OH MY GOD!

I was so sure there were already fireworks but alas my friend gave me
back the first 2 discs today and I just watched the FMV! I retract my
statements about fireworks but there WAS a shooting star that both of
them were looking at before Squall looked over at Rinoa.

.opt

Now that you know! ;)

Hey, please refer to this quote.
Eiko:"Don't you know why I'm here? It's to meet you, Zidane, my beautiful shooting star."

Don't you know the meaning of the shooting star? How Romantic!!!!!!
I guess that's what Rinoa wanted to say ... :hahaha:

Eiko's crush on Zidane was so cute.

I think she did it because she had won something, I have seen Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso (both F1-drivers) doing it also :p .

No, I think it was indeed to point at the shooting star, may be something like, did you see it to. And it was indeed one of the most memorable scenes of FF VIII. I even dare to say one of the most memorable scenes of the entire FF-series. Not the top one, but one of the most.

Ok at the SeeD graduation ball she asks Squall for 1 dance thats all so raising her finger so is a count of one its like an unvoiced question

but how do u no that's what she's asking for?

What else would she be asking for?

i'll b with u in a moment?

But she walks directly over to him. She doesnt hesitate or linger, she walks straight to him... asking for a moment would imply that she would take some time before she got over there, so he shouldnt leave... but she goes straight to him.

ah, good point.

But she's pointing at a shooting star.

.opt

the shooting star went by before she pointed up

But they were both looking at it. When she looked over, Squall was also
looking over. They both realized they had seen the same thing and she
pointed (literally) that out. It's like being in love and wondering if the
person you love who is 50 miles away is looking up at the same stars as
you. Shooting stars are significant especially in relationships because they
can grant wishes in a sense, or in relationships it's good luck if you see a
shooting star when you're with the other person. There are a bunch of
meanings to the finger but the literal meaning is that she is pointing at a
shooting star, whether or not she's trying to get his attention is just a
question of symbolism and personal opinion, but the fact that she's
pointing at a shooting star can't be overlooked.

.opt

I think she was picking her nose and she found something.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TasteyPies

I think she was picking her nose and she found something.

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xD I'm for this theory!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Optium

It's like being in love and wondering if the
person you love who is 50 miles away is looking up at the same stars as
you.

---

Somebody on this thread BESIDE ME is a fan of FIFEL!!!!

That's from Fifel? :\

I think it's happened to most people who have really cared about someone
else. :)

.opt

yeah that'd make sense, like, 'you saw what i just saw' type deal, though not a question, i'll go for that

Af course, no question, did you see her lips move or anything. She just pointed up or said hi and Squall was just suprised, and she asked a question later.

Ive seen people do that thing with there finger before and it means wait. I think she meant that to the person she was talking to before she saw Squall because she was leaving them to go and talk to him.

I always thought she was pointing at the star, and she used it again in the ending as sort of a nostalgic thing for Squall since couples do sappy crap like that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Super Delete

I always thought she was pointing at the star, and she used it again in the ending as sort of a nostalgic thing for Squall since couples do sappy crap like that.

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Or she could have meant wait, and she used it again in the ending as sort of a nostalgic thing for Squall since couples do sappy crap like that. :greenie:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TasteyPies

Or she could have meant wait, and she used it again in the ending as sort of a nostalgic thing for Squall since couples do sappy crap like that. :greenie:

---

Seeing as she looks at a shooting star every single time she points up at
the sky it stands to reason that maybe she's pointing at a shooting star.

.opt

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Optium

Seeing as she looks at a shooting star every single time she points up at
the sky it stands to reason that maybe she's pointing at a shooting star.

.opt

---

I'll stand to YOUR reason bucko

The 'shooting star' theory doesn't really make any sense to me. She is looking up at the star, then sees Squall and holds her hand up. She does not seem to point it at anything.

I like the "one dance" theory, but I really think that it's just a little symbol for her . . . something memorable from that scene that (SPOILER) could be repeated in teh ending scene

She looks at the star. Squall looks at the star. THE CAMERA focuses on
the star. Rinoa looks at Squall. Squall looks away from the sky and at
Rinoa. Rinoa thinks "he saw that too." She points to the sky indicating that
she saw the same star as him.

(SPOILER)She looks at the star. Squall is out of camera view but probably looks at it
as well. THE CAMERA focuses on the star. Rinoa looks at Squall. Squall
looks at Rinoa. Rinoa points to the sky indicating that (a) there was
a shooting star and (b) she remembers the first time they met. Squall
walks over and kisses her.

If the camera didn't focus on the star and if there was only a star one of
the times then I'd accept the "one minute" or other theories, but they're
both looking at a shooting star and the developers found it important
enough to actually have the camera focused on it.

.opt

You're a horrible idiot if you think this has to do with anything but the shooting star.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Optium

She looks at the star. Squall looks at the star. THE CAMERA focuses on
the star. Rinoa looks at Squall. Squall looks away from the sky and at
Rinoa. Rinoa thinks "he saw that too." She points to the sky indicating that
she saw the same star as him.

---

Yes. When you wish upon a star and all that. I don't think she was telling Squall he was 'number 1'.

chaos: Yes, I always thought it was the star.

Rubedo: In any case, it wasn't that large a matter.

And here I was assuming that she wasn't actually pointing up but rather making the gesture for 'one', in other words asking for one dance. I've seen people use that gesture in other places for that reason, so I never thought to look into things a bit more and note that she might be pointing at the star.

I'm a horrible idiot, but we all knew that. :)

The horrible idiot is Rinoa for thinking that gesture would make any sense to Squall or anyone else.

Wait, I've got it! (woo)

She is pointing to her eyes, in referance to the lyrics of the song "Eyes on Me". ("I kind of liked it your way/How you shyly placed your eyes on me"). She is telling Squall in her own way that she is looking at him. And when (SPOILER)she does it again at the end , she is reminding him that " . . I had mine on you".

that could be, it could be anything. You what a discussion we re making about one finger

You know, I always wondered about this too but thought it was such a ridiculous thing to be wondering about that I didn't bother asking :p

Never thought of the shooting star, but now that it's been pointed out, it makes sense. I still think most people actually continue to *look* at what they're pointing at, but it's definitely the most plausible explanation.

Better than my theory that it meant "Single?" which made sense for the first fingering but not at the end (he does the same gesture back, and by that time neither of them are particularly classed as single)

As for Seifer's "come get some" gesture, I've seen that a few times since in Jet Lee films and the like, so I think that *is* some sort of common far-east battle gesture thing.

Me and my mates were fouteen year old boys when we played ff8 so we naturally came to the disgusting conclusion that...

Whatever it happens happens & Rinoa liked to say something a little bit stupid 4 some people, but it's charming!!!!! I'm 14, almost 15 (in oktober 30 !!!!) but I like the scene & all, everything, So I can't just say ''It su**s'', maybe cuz I'm a gothic girl & all that things touch my heart (cuz I don't have them T-T). Perhaps I'm just smoking (That I really don't) but it's so cute!!! Rinoa's index finger is so cool!!!

I was pretty sure that she was like "One moment please"...
i mean, she never looks up on the star before OR while pointing her finger.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Xzirox

I was pretty sure that she was like "One moment please"...
i mean, she never looks up on the star before OR while pointing her finger.

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Yes, she does. Both times.

.opt

And here we go, some screenshots taken by me to prove my point. If you
haven't played the entire game to the ending, you shouldn't be reading
this thread, but if you are,
don't look at this post.

The beginning of the first movie. Camera on the sky.
http://members.cox.net/notoptium/Finger/01.JPG

Shooting star goes by.
http://members.cox.net/notoptium/Finger/02.JPG

Squall looking up in the direction of the window.
http://members.cox.net/notoptium/Finger/03.JPG

Looks down and starts to look over to his left at Rinoa
http://members.cox.net/notoptium/Finger/04.JPG

Rinoa LOOKING AT THE SKY.
http://members.cox.net/notoptium/Finger/05.JPG

Rinoa looks over, sees Squall, and points toward the direction that she
was looking.
http://members.cox.net/notoptium/Finger/06.JPG


Now the ending movie.
Rinoa looking up at the sky from the balcony.
http://members.cox.net/notoptium/Finger/11.JPG

The night sky.
http://members.cox.net/notoptium/Finger/12.JPG

Star going by...
http://members.cox.net/notoptium/Finger/13.JPG
http://members.cox.net/notoptium/Finger/14.JPG

Rinoa looking up at the sky some more.
http://members.cox.net/notoptium/Finger/15.JPG

Rinoa turns to her right and points to the direciton that she was looking.
http://members.cox.net/notoptium/Finger/16.JPG

Squall looking up.
http://members.cox.net/notoptium/Finger/17.JPG

Squall looks at Rinoa.
http://members.cox.net/notoptium/Finger/18.JPG

.opt

I'm convinced... Sad... But convinced.

He is right. No doubt, but the discussion was confusing, very confusing

Alright, point proven :rolleyes2

You know. 10-15 years ago if I'd said in the future we'd be sat from our own homes talking to other people around the world, it might've seemed plausable.

If I'd said we'd all be sat here arguing about the meaning of someone's index finger in the 8th Final Fantasy though, I probably would've been locked in a padded cell :D

No she wanted to say ' get away or ***** u' but she got wrong in the finger!!!! :p I'm joking... Opt. is right!

To me this signature simply looks like a way to obtain someones attention and that would make alot of sense since she did get Squall's attention after all

But whoever is going to argue with me I've not finished the game yet so shhhhh I'm working on it

EDIT: Please don't double post. -SD

Good job opt, you should be a lawyer. :D

Thanks, I've been told I should be a politician too. Not sure I would
enjoy either in the least. I'll just stick with my plan to be a farmer. ;]

.opt

Its supposed to represent a special moment between Squall and Rinoa.
When she sees him at the dance shes pointing to the fireworks to symbolise a special moment shared between them. And at the end it's supposed to give the same idea about the shooting star.

It's a shooting star both times.

Rinoa's index finger ? How bloody obscure a detail of the entire game can you get ? Next you'll be posting threads , having massive debates about really trivial matters like " why does Kiros wear beads in his hair ? " , " does Irvine have a spotty tie ? " or " is Laguna's jacket at waist length ? ".

C'mon people let's discuss someof the more significant aspects of FF , please.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lord Sephiroth

Rinoa's index finger ? How bloody obscure a detail of the entire game can you get ? Next you'll be posting threads , having massive debates about really trivial matters like " why does Kiros wear beads in his hair ? " , " does Irvine have a spotty tie ? " or " is Laguna's jacket at waist length ? ".

C'mon people let's discuss someof the more significant aspects of FF , please.

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...What?

The reason for this forum is to discuss any and all things relating to Final
Fantasy VIII. If there WERE a post about why Kiros has beads in his hair,
that would be perfectly fine. The fact is that many people did not, until
this post, realize why she does the finger thing--as we can see by many
of the posts. I find debating extremely fun and I wish there were more
on this forum that I could hop into. Just because it's not a central
issue in the game doesn't mean that the post should never have been. I
had a long debate over the way time works in FFVIII with Bahamut and
I loved every minute of it. It's a completely trivial detail when it comes
to FFVIII, even more so when it comes to all of FF and even more so
when it comes to all of life. Yet somehow it was a lot of fun. I'm sure
you've discussed completely frivolous things with friends at the lunch
table and had a good time and a few laughs doing it, there's nothing
wrong with simple, everyday conversations about nothing, and there's
no difference when it comes to forums.

.opt

too true man, i've had coversations at my lunch table speaking just of the time thingy, odd

Sorry its off topic, but can someone post a pic of Squall and Rinoa's kiss? thank you lol

That would be difficult considering that we (SPOILER)never actually see them kiss. Squall just kind of goes for her and the camera pulls away to the exterior of the Garden. It's only assumed they kiss, but he could just as easily be wiping dirt off her nose or something.

The closest you're gonna get is this fanart by Winged Sorceress:

Hmm..

To me Rinoa´s gesture is natural on her, I mean, it´s her way to say "hello", but after she falls in love with Squall, this gesture is solely between them... because Rinoa did it when they first met. :love:

... and it´s just a d$%& coincidence that a shooting star goes by on both occasions. :tongue: It´s pretty romantic, though...

Most people have probably already seen this, but I had to bring it up.

that's a pretty big coincidence that a shooting star passes by each time, i mean...i've seen only what....four-six in my 15yr lifespane so far, i dont think they'd b so common that one'd pass by every what, few weeks, months, mayhaps years of which FFVIII takes place?

Ugh... I've always thought the signal means like "stay right there" or something....