Squall's Dead. SPOILERS

[Yeargdribble]

I'm not sure about this, but it is interesting conjecture and at least the author admits himself that it may not be the original intent of the authors, but I think many of his pieces do fit well, just like the Rinoa=Ultimecia theory.

I have always been bothered by the icicle thing. I could easily write it off as "oh someone just cured him," but what screws this up for me personally is his own incredulousness about lacking a wound. Squall makes note of the fact that it doesn't make sense, so even if some crazy JRPG world, the character himself is saying, this shouldn't be. It's odd that this is never explained. Someone easily could've at least mentioned why he wasn't dead in passing later, but this never happens.


Oh... and damn you people. It seems like every day I'm straying more and more outside EoEO.

[MJN SEIFER]

I personally found FFVIIIs story telling to be one of the best - the whole thing really spoke to me, but each to their own.

[cloud21zidane16]

A very interesting and fun theory. Even if their completely wrong I always enjoy looking at the game from someone elses point of view.

[Cyric]

Wow, somebody's enjoying their philosophy and religious sciences classes. Well done interpretation though.

[line_genrou]

That's a long ass dream Squall was having while dying and falling from that room,whatever he was at when Edea stabbed him.

Interesting how he/she just ignored the ending.
How about the party then? So Rinoa was talking to Squall's ghost? And why is Selphie and Irvine filming them? Maybe they just wanted to make fun of Rinoa kissing the invisible.

Meh.I prefer R=U theory.

[Eaglegun]

As cool as this theory sounds (it could make a good game of it's own) I'm going to stick with the negative argument. There is nothing aside from speculation to assert this claim, and if it were true one would expect the ending to reveal it.

Regarding Rinoa being only interested in Seifer:
She states on the forest owl's train that she attended the ball to plead with Cid for a contract. Furthermore Seifer wouldn't have been at the dance as he was being disciplined. When she says that Seifer introduced her to Cid, it was likely before the game took place in order for her to have attended the party. At the dance she catches a glimpse of Cid before leaving Squall. My point her is that she wasn't looking for Seifer at the party, and that she ditched Squall only because she had an agenda to accomplish with Cid.

The fact that she doesn't show much affection toward Squall in disc one when compared with the other discs, is more likely related to having just met him. The fact that Rinoa shows no more affection to Seifer after disc one can be attributed to Seifer becoming their enemy.

[nik0tine]

Squall's Dead - a theory of what really happens in Final Fantasy VIII

This, at least, is a much more reasonable 'theory' than R=U. I've always felt like the lack of an explanation for squalls wound at the end of disk 1 was about the lamest plot hole I've ever encountered. This also explains some bizarre stuff, like why Squall and co. wind up fighting the physical manifestation of his freaking necklace at the end of the game.

So, what think you all?

[Loony BoB]

I think either:

1. The wound was non-fatal and someone repaired it.
2. The magic used on Squall was imagery.
3. The magic used on Squall had a magical property that allowed it to not actually damage tissue, but strike through it in a magical sense, not injuring skin but causing Squall to black out.

Also, considering the amount of times the guy has been toasted, spiked etc. in battles, a lack of wound is hardly a surprise.

I also disagree about this being better than R=U, although it is certainly a hell of a lot fresher an idea.

As for weird things happening - it's a Final Fantasy game. Not Oblivion. I mean, come on - in other FF games, it's a hell of a lot weirder than FFVIII ever gets remotely close to. While I like how games can generate theories such as these, I don't believe them. It's a bit like fanfiction to me.

[CimminyCricket]

I've seen this brought up once or twice before, but I've never been able to decide which theory I like more R=U or Squall's dead. Personally, every time that I've played the game I've never tried to look past what I'm given. I don't want to try and see something that's not there and critique it. They've given me a story and it's up to me to choose to enjoy it. I always viewed Squall's wound at the end of disk one the same way I've viewed fighting every boss: they have HP and Squall has to have HP too. He's not dead, it was just a good shot. Or hell, maybe he did die but they used a Phoenix down on him so they could get information out of him.

[Rantz]

We already had a topic on this theory. I don't mind a new one about it as that one is pretty old, just thought I'd drop it here if you're interested in more opinions.

And yeah, I never saw the ice magic scene as something physical, but rather a dramatical FMV version of her limit break, being purely magical in nature.

[MJN SEIFER]

No offence to the OP, but if that articles the one I think it is, I can't read it, because it's obviously written by an FFVIII hater.

I will respond to this by saying, I always thought it was obvious that Edea cured Squall because she still needed to get the information she needed. It's one of those things that doesn't need explaining.

[Mirage]

The article explains why "needing squall for interrogation" is a poor explanation to his wound being gone.

The article is not hating on the game. I suggest you actually read it before commenting.

Personally, I am not convinced, but it doesn't seem as far fetched as R=U theories generally are. I might have to "sleep on it", or perhaps play the game again.

[Pumpkin]

I can't play the game the same way anymore O.O

Also, they OBVIOUSLY introduced the Moombas because the Moombas are AWESOME

and they make me go awwwww when they hop around saying Laguna

[Skyblade]

Apparently Squall’s healthy and good-to-go. It is never again referenced directly in the entire game, nor is it ever explained what happened to his wound or how he survived.

Usually, that means that they feel something was self encapsulated and needed no further work. Just like it is never referenced how Tidus and company got to Bikanel from the bottom of Lake Macalania. It's just a scene change. An excuse for you to lose and get captured.

Guys, Square does not tend to be subtle about this sort of thing. Remember Aeris? Remember Galuf? How about Tellah? Heck, even minor characters have a tendency to have played up deaths. Do General Leo or President Shinra ring any bells?

When people die, the player knows. That's the whole point. Death in a story exists to serve the story or provide emotional impact. That's why you don't hide it. Take a look at Chrono Trigger. When Crono dies, you know it. There is no subtlety about it, or anything at all to make you think anything else happens. He dies, and has to be brought back.

If Squall had died, there would be some reference to it somewhere in the game. Period.

[MJN SEIFER]

The article is not hating on the game. I suggest you actually read it before commenting.

Then it's hating on the Squall/Rinoa paring. I remember it did something like that when I read it the last time.

I had a quick glance at it on your sugestion, but I couldn't do it. If the article wasn't so hostile, I'd be able to read it, even if I don't agree to the theory (which I don't) - there's too many things in the game to proove that Squall's alive. At least with FE's theories there's some evidence that they might be true, even if you know they're not.

The article states that Rinoa never shows Squall any affection, when clearly she does.