Rinoa

[Skyblade]

Saying that Rinoa becomes Ultimecia in no way explains the final villain. In order to accept the theory, a huge number of assumptions must be made, none of which are giving any support by the game. First, you would have to explain how Rinoa lives to exist in Ultimecia's time, "many generations in the future", despite Square-Enix specifically saying sorceresses don't have extended lifespans. Second, you have to give a reason why Rinoa would abandon her peace-loving principles and decide to destroy the world. And that second assumption is actually a whole series of assumptions, as I'll demonstrate here.

I'll use the most common argument, that Squall's death coupled with the prejudice against sorceresses drove her bonkers. In that case, explain the following:

Why does Rinoa not simply die right after Squall does? Even assuming the powers of a sorceress could sustain her life, she knows that it would be simple to give them up and be at peace.

Why does Rinoa not start attacking the world until many generations in the future? Squall certainly didn't live that long. Why hadn't she gone crazy much sooner?

Why would Rinoa, a well respected savior of the world, be persecuted and mistreated, especially when she is close friends with the most powerful nation on the planet and is married to the guy who runs Balamb Garden, a free floating city?

Why would Rinoa forget her past life with Squall in her insanity, prompting her to attack him when he faces Ultimecia at the endgame?

Why would Rinoa forget who she was and attack herself at the endgame? After all, if she simply wanted to do away with herself, she could have passed on her powers and perish.

Why would Rinoa forget her previous journey, her battle against Time Compression, only to decide to initiate it herself?

Why would Rinoa choose to name herself after an enemy who she fought so hard against?

Why would Rinoa remember the name Ultimecia, when she apparently forgot everything connected to the name, such as the fact they were enemies, or that they had fought across time itself?

Why would Rinoa replace the white wings on her outfit with black ones? It may seem a silly or minor point, but since it was one of the major points that started the whole R=U idiocy in the first place, you should explain it. After all, even had she gone completely insane and decided to destroy the world, why would she reverse her outfit's color scheme (red/black instead of blue/white)? It's not as though she would say "ooh, I'm evil, let's go pick out an outfit that matches that".

Any R=U theory is an incredibly long and fragile list of coincidences, none of which has any support in the game. And since each list in the chain builds off the other, the more assumptions you have to make (and there are far more than this), the weaker the argument gets.


And now I'll give your theory similar treatment.

There is a compelling argument in support of one aspect of the R=U theory

No, there isn't.

that involves the explanation of Ultimecia's ostensible vehemence against the world and all in it. Unlike the time sequence presented as canon in the actual story progression of the game, Rinoa, once confined in holding to stem the influence of witches in the world, remains there for an extended period of time.

And your evidence for this alternate timeline is where?

Her aging process thus slowed or even completely halted

Again, where is your evidence that this would happen?

her rescue is thwarted by her closest friends

Uh, huh, and why would her friends try to stop her rescue?

and she spends many, many years cursing her abandonment, cursing her captive state.

So, she locked in some form of stasis that not only slows aging, but slows the bodies metabolism down enough that she no longer needs to be fed, yet still has crystal clear thoughts of hatred for her incarceration.

Slowly, she is corrupted by her feelings of desperation; her virtue is weakened and the magic within her begins to degrade her, eventually cementing a new psychology of ire so profound that she is no longer Rinoa but rather Ultimecia.

Where is your evidence that the magic itself corrupts? And why would she choose the name Ultimecia, when that name and the battle against Ultimecia was the direct cause of all her pain?

Some time in the future, an event occurs that sets her free from her prison (an event that can be argued to be hinted upon in the game)

Um, let's see. A small detail in an alternate timeline than that which the game occurs can not be argued to be hinted upon. Since the game doesn't mention alternative timelines at all, it can't hint about an event that occured in a different one.

and she begins to plot her revenge.

Why would she plot revenge instead of choosing to enjoy her new freedom?

However, she does not merely wish to punish the world now as she exists in it,

Why not?

but to punish the world forever, especially the past where she believes she was betrayed by her confidantes and brutalized by those who hate magic and witches.

Your evidence of this betrayal and brutalization is..?

She hatches the plan of time compression

Even though Time Compression was the cause of all her pain.

and sets events in motion that come to dominate the plot of Final Fantasy 8. So corrupted is she by her hatred that she sees nothing worth saving anymore, nothing worth an ounce of compassion, even if she was capable of such a thing.

And your evidence of this hatred comes from? And why does she choose revenge on the world instead of just on those who betrayed her?

Her 'possession' of Rinoa is a recognition of her former self, even if only on a subconscious level, a self that she now despises and loathes when set in contrast to the powerful being she has become. Nothing is sacred anymore. The world will pay for the death of her liberty; they will pay for their betrayal.

Again, evidence? Also, if she hates her old self so much, why would she choose to possess her and sense all those hated old feelings and emotions so much?

But this time, because of her intervention in the past, things change. Squall and company do rescue Rinoa,

Whereas before they were responsible for stopping the rescue, despite still being "her friends".

before she is lost to time. But things are too late. Time compression has already begun and Ultimecia is invulnerable to the effects of past or future. Understanding her identity with Rinoa is key to the brilliance of the game: It presents an ultimate story of vindication, an ultimate story of love when Squall is reunited with Rinoa and he disavows any prejudice against her regarding her status as a witch. He declares he will stand by her regardless. This time, she is not betrayed. This time, injustice and fear break against the rock of true love.

Yes, it's a lovely fanfic, but unfortunately has absolutely nothing supporting it.

There are many things that I did not mention as far as practical possibility of the R=U theory goes. The above argument however addresses one of the central critiques in the theory. The R=U theory is that much stronger because it supplies a very clear and crisp motivation for Ultimecia's actions, as opposed to her just being a plot device.

Saying that she is Selphie hundreds of years in the future who got upset and decided to destroy the world because there are no more trains also explains the character. That doesn't make it any more plausible or less ridiculous.

Conclusion: R=U is likely or at least somewhat possible. Far from "highly unlikely." This should be changed since it perverts the game's beauty of subtle expression.

No, it isn't.