So what's really goin on w/ Fran & Balthier

[Bolivar]

Spoilers?



really. throughout the game it seems like there's an unsaid romantic tension between them, and as the game goes further on it looks like they care about eachother more than they're letting on. Twice they have the cliche "I'M NOT LEAVING WITHOUT YOU!!!" moment, and the picture at the ending credits suggests they could now be a couple.

So what's the deal. Can an adult man and woman travel together and never get busy? Do you believe in interracial relationships?

I think it's possible that the player is never let on that Fran is carrying Balthier's child, and maybe even further possible that this hume/veira (vume? heira?) is St. Ajora.... alright, that's probably a stretch, but discuss.

[Enjolras]

Haha I think it's more of an interspecies relationship, but as there don't seem to be any male viera, I don't know how they'd do it any other way...

I don't think there's so much romantic tension as a romantic connection between them the whole story. They seem to have an understanding which could come from a partnership. On the other hand, they never seem to argue, which could possibly be a point against that idea (depending on how cynical you are about relationships).

[Dynast-Kid]

Spoilers?



really. throughout the game it seems like there's an unsaid romantic tension between them, and as the game goes further on it looks like they care about eachother more than they're letting on. Twice they have the cliche "I'M NOT LEAVING WITHOUT YOU!!!" moment, and the picture at the ending credits suggests they could now be a couple.

I think the developers intentionally left it open to player discretion as to whether or not Fran and Balthier were a romantic couple. Personally, i'm still in the grey area as to whether they were a couple or not.

So what's the deal. Can an adult man and woman travel together and never get busy? Do you believe in interracial relationships?

A woman and man don't have to get busy when traveling together. I mean, what if the guy was gay!?xD But for serious, I think Fran and Balthy did knock boots. I mean, what else is there to do on such a small airship with two attractive pilots!xD I'm such a nut...

As for the interracial relationship thing, I think they're perfectly acceptable. Mostly because of my mixed race heritage, and the fact that i've been in a complicated emotional relationship with someone of another race.

I think it's possible that the player is never let on that Fran is carrying Balthier's child, and maybe even further possible that this hume/veira (vume? heira?) is St. Ajora.... alright, that's probably a stretch, but discuss.

omfgz fran izz preggorz lolz!!!!1!!!11!11!@@!11

How could their child be St. Ajora? Didn't he/she live like, 500 hundreds year after FFXII? But if you take into account the longevity of the Viera...I guess it's possible.

[PeneloRatsbane]

Veira and Humes can marry and have kids so its okay for them to be together,
There are times when u wonder if there is something more going on, i think its implied.
But whether or not they are romantically involved or not i think it would be wrong for someone to come between them, they are an awesome duo and work best as a pair.
I think that revenant wings pretty much confirms that Fran has feelings for Balthier, and i'm sure he resipricates, he is v. protective of her and does flirt with her,

[LunarWeaver]

The developers just wanted Uematsu's song to make at least a little sense.

[chrystalline]

While I still believe there is no real romance in FFXII. I do think though the pairings are implied. If you've done the Viera dating quest, the NPC has hinted that he'll never thought it'd be ok to date a viera until he saw the sky pirate and his viera partner. It also hints of Vaan and Penelo. Ashe and Basch is implied at the ending with Penelo saying Ashe misses Basch.

In RW, you see more of these pairings.

[Bolivar]

While I still believe there is no real romance in FFXII. I do think though the pairings are implied. If you've done the Viera dating quest, the NPC has hinted that he'll never thought it'd be ok to date a viera until he saw the sky pirate and his viera partner. It also hints of Vaan and Penelo. Ashe and Basch is implied at the ending with Penelo saying Ashe misses Basch.

In RW, you see more of these pairings.

I really wanna play that game, it'll be interesting to see how the the interactions play out.

And I didn't realize the absence of a love story in XII. interesting, and another FF departure lol. I guess Fran/Balthier is the closest thing, other than Ashe's thoughts about her dead husband (creepy)

[Dr. Acula]

There's a tiny little Ashe/Balthier/Fran love triangle in there somewhere.

[chrystalline]

There's a tiny little Ashe/Balthier/Fran love triangle in there somewhere.

I guess people do put a lot of stock at the pre-ending FMV of Ashe shouting for Balthier. You take that out and people wouldn't even think of this. I personally just hate this idea. See, one year after, when Balthier gets the Strahl back and Ashe her ring, she hardly had any reaction when she got it.

IF she had major feelings for him, do you think she would have showed more emotion when she got her ring back? I'm sure everyone in the party thought they died. That is proof that her "love" is alive. She didn't even look shocked. Compare this to when she first saw Rasler's "ghost".

IF he had feelings for her, don't you think he would return the ring himself rather than leave it to Vaan? Instead, he leaves Vaan a note to meet him in Bervenia, does that mean Balthier really likes Vaan all along?

See, this love triangle just fails miserably .

[Big D]

Balthier and Fran are already one of my favourite FF couples. Their interactions and banter, their subtle affections but strong professionalism... just a really potent, often adorable, chemistry.
Those two were easily my favourite characters in the game, and their scenes together were often so warm without being overtly romantic. Like a lot of the interpersonal relationships in the game, it was played out subtly rather than overtly, so the little things and fleeting moments were that much more memorable - like the scene at the top of the Pharos at Ridoranna, when (SPOILER)Fran touches Balthier's cheek while imploring him to leave her there.

I think it's fairly clear that Ashe becomes fond of Balthier during the story, despite her initial exasperation with him, but it's unclear whether there's anything romantic in it. It's entirely possible, but she's been through a hell of a lot and wouldn't get all giddy with infatuation while fighting for the survival of her kingdom. Anyway, Balthier and Fran are just too obviously in love, so she'd never have a chance.[q=chrystalline]In RW, you see more of these pairings.[/q]So, the main characters of FFXII return in Revenant Wings? That's awesome, if so. It'd be great to get more insight into them, since FFXII's storytelling kept that at a certain distance.

...What's the 'Viera dating quest'?

[chrystalline]

The viera dating quest: Talk to the Wandering Viera in the Rabanastre Southgate. You can then set her up with the Lovestruck Man in the South Plaza.

I think it's fairly clear that Ashe becomes fond of Balthier during the story, despite her initial exasperation with him, but it's unclear whether there's anything romantic in it. It's entirely possible, but she's been through a hell of a lot and wouldn't get all giddy with infatuation while fighting for the survival of her kingdom. Anyway, Balthier and Fran are just too obviously in love, so she'd never have a chance.

Then why did he tried to flirt with Ashe in RW then? Ashe was having none of it that's why I'm convinced she doesn't have any feelings for Balthier. There's a lot of hints that Fran and Balthier are a couple but in love? Balthier is only in love with himself. (Sorry can't stand the guy.)

[PeneloRatsbane]

Balthier is a ladies man, he flirts with Penelo, Ashe and Fran. by putting that bit in it seems that him and ashe no longer really care about each other that much.
She's not bothered by his flirting and he just shrugs when she walks off as if to say "whatever", if they had anything between them its long gone.
Balthier flirts, thats just his way. But he is only genuinely affectionate to Fran. he bites Vaan's head of for questioning her, one of the kids says he got angry when the kid bumped into Fran, he says she's special. that bloke that gets a date with a veira got the idea from seeing them together, He looked (SPOILER)more upset by her hinting to him to leave her behind at pharos than he did when his own father died, and i read somewhere that in revenant wings you find out that he's keeps (SPOILER)giving her flowers and he takes (SPOILER)her on the strahl to look at the stars.
I think its clear that SHE loves him and that under all his issues and when he's grown up a bit he'll admit that he loves her.

[chrystalline]

Why is it ok for a man to flirt around when he's obviously in a relationship? He's just called a ladies man. But turn this the other way around and the woman does the flirting, she's called a slut. As a girl, I find it sad.

Anyway, I'm glad some people could romanticize Balthier but meh, to me he's just a self-absorbed prick who's in love with himself.

[Big D]

I never found Balthier to be 'flirty' in a romantic sense - I mean, it's not like tries to ingratiate himself with the women in order to win their affections; he certainly never tries to seduce anyone. He definitely lays on the charm, though, which seems to stem in part from his natural charisma and sophistication, and in part from the bluff showmanship he uses to create the 'dashing sky pirate' image he presented to the world to hide his past and his various agonies. He's definitely aware of his limitations, rather than thinking excessively highly of himself; I reckon it's obvious to him that his act doesn't really fool anyone who's come to know him.

Ashe, for her part, probably just cares about Balthier as a friend and companion, someone who helped her out - despite his own better judgment, apparently - when no-one else would or could. His apparent (SPOILER)sacrifice is what saved Rabanastre, after all; everyone who knew Fran and Balthier was affected by what they did.

Still, my earlier point remains: Balthier/Fran otp, imho.

[rubah]

Actually the ashe/fran/balthier thing is more than the second to last fmv. During the game when ashe and balthier have all their dialog discussing him being the leading man, there was definitely something there.

And if you want to relate it to star wars, you could always have vaan=luke balthier=han ashe=leia but that leaves poor fran out in the cold.