While the Farplane may be the primary hub of the afterlife in FFX, it's not necessarily a glamorous one, regardless of the scenery. Yes, the pyreflies travel there after a deceased is sent; however, I never saw it as involving the consciousness of the deceased. Pyreflies are merely the matter that comprise a Spiran's being, and do not retain the minds of their former selves. A deceased can only retain his or her mind if they manage to remain as an unsent. This fits the Al Bhed theory of pyreflies reacting to the memory. As spiritual entities, they come into contact with the minds and memories of those who visit the Farplane and in turn coalesce to resemble the physical form of a dead loved one.

Still, I fail to see how death could be any less painful in Spira. The act of dying is no different than it is here. Even though family and friends of the deceased may visit one's form in the Farplane, communication is one-sided. It's a glorified version of looking at an old photo.

As for the comments of being unsent and remaining as a fiend - that's just disturbing. There are two possibilities for the mindset of the fiend: one retains his awareness upon death or doesn't. Either situation is unappealing. If one were to retain his old sense of self, then he'd be fully aware that he had become a monster, and would have to endure death repeatedly at the hands of traveling guardians. Then, there's the possibility of the loss of consciousness, which is the hypothesis in which I believe. The dead just become fiends and run rampant... soulless. Truly, the issue of death in FFX is grim.


As for the pertinent topic, I'd prefer to live in the world of FFVIII, particularly in Winhill because it's so gorgeous in peaceful, and I'd play Triple Triad all night long. Aside from that, I'd like to live in Gaia from FFIX... about 5 years after the events of the game, when everything would be settled. That is, by far, the most beautiful world in the series, so full of depth.