The Laguna Flashbacks

[Forsaken Lover]

Why are these such misunderstood and hated parts of the game? Spoony voiced the ignorance of it all when he said they served no point and I've heard other people echo this sentiment.

However, as far as i could tell, each one of them had a fundamental purpose to it.

1. Raine and Julia show the theme of love persevering. Even though Laguna and Julia could never be, Julia's child and his, Laguna's child, did in fact meet, fall in love and live happily together.
2. Raine's introduction shows us Ellone who, as Spoony did rightly say, is the axis on which the entire plot turns.
3. Laguna's importance is to contrast with Squall. He was the hero before Squall was. Squall is only doing so many of those things because of Laguna and the choices Laguna made.
4. No, Seifer's Dream doesn't stand on its own because NO GOAL stands on its own without explanation. You'd have to be a smurfing awful storyteller to think something for something's sake is preferable to explanation and reason.

This is a waste of time. The Laguna flashbacks each serve a purpose storywise and I shall illustrate it now.

First Flashback: The scene with Julia shows two main character's parents. It shows the romantic and lover Laguna is.
Second Flashback: Shows how Laguna is torn away from his happy prospects.
Thrid Flashback: Shows how Laguna has come to love another woman and introduces a central plot figure.
Fourth Flashback: Shows the origin of Seifer's motivation.
Fifth Flashback: Shows how Esthar was freed from the tyranny of Adel.

The purpose of any and all flashbacks is to establish a past plot point that helps us better understand how things currently are in the narrative. Guess what all the Laguna flashbacks do?

Oh and why was Squall in the orphanage in the first place? You guessed it - showed in teh flashbacks.

Perhaps I'm just biased by the fact I feel Laguna was a way more satisfying protagonist than Squall but I really enjoyed the flashbacks. I probably wouldn't like FF8 as much without them. Laguna is such an interesting, enjoyable character.

[Iceglow]

Without the Laguna flashbacks the powers Ellone holds would have no meaning to the player therefore by actually experiencing the power in this way when Odine says Ultimecia is after Ellone because of her power you truly understand her reasons and what it could lead to if you combined the powers of a sorceress with Ellone's power.

[MJN SEIFER]

People hate them? New one on me - they where an important factor on the development of the storyline.

[Rad Bromance]

People hate them?

Yeah, news to me as well. I've never heard anyone complain about them.

They were some of the more interesting parts of the game to me. I also prefer Laguna, Ward and Kiros over the six regulars.

[hitman1984]

i take it by Spoony you mean the reviewer on youtube and nostalgia critics website, i would take his reviews with a pinch of salt because for the most part he really doesn't seem to understand anything about the games he reviews, rather jumps on the band wagon of past arguments that others have made before him.

when i first played FFVIII i'll be the first to admit i was a little ocnfused about the flashbacks and wondered what purposed they served but the thing is if you follow the story and actually bother to read everything and do just about everything, when you finish the game everything falls into place and makes sense, this is something Spoony doesn't do he just wants to rip the game apart because he knows deep down it will get him a few more extra hit counts on his video.

Each flashback does serve a purpose and only further develops the story more imo, that being said i could be overly biased since this game is my favourite in the entire series up to right now, but for me Spoony's reviews are boring, uninformed and he always manages to totally miss the point of what he is reviewing.

....i kinda went on there lol.

[Aerith's Knight]

I actually liked them.. At least the first and second time I played the game.

[Jessweeee♪]

I only hate them because they smurf up my junctions >:I

[black orb]

>>> Fighting the dragon was fun..

[MJN SEIFER]

I only hate them because they smurf up my junctions >:I

How? The First and Second time you just have to know which character is "playing" who (with Squall it's always Laguna) all the other times you actually have a choice of who it's going to be.

[Jessweeee♪]

I only hate them because they smurf up my junctions >:I

How? The First and Second time you just have to know which character is "playing" who (with Squall it's always Laguna) all the other times you actually have a choice of who it's going to be.

Yeah, but you wouldn't know the first playthrough and when you can choose everything is unjunctioned either before or after the dream

[Breine]

I thought they were wonderful. Laguna is a lovely character. Like, really. Plus, I liked the whole "two main characters" thing, with one being Squall and the other Laguna.

I only hate them because they smurf up my junctions >:I

This is the only reason to find them annoying imo.

[Depression Moon]

They were pretty nice breaks to the main story. Ditto on the junction part.

[Shiny]

I wasn't aware that they were as hated as you claim, Forsaken Lover. I for one, love the flashback sequences with Laguna, Julia, Kiros, Ward, and Raine. I especially love when he first meets Julia. His awkwardness is just so adorably funny. Of course my other favorite part is the dance sequence which is probably most people's favorite part.

The only thing I disliked about about the flashback sequences aside from them not being the primary part of the story (I felt that should have been because Squall's story blows imo) was the battle music when you'd get to play as Laguna, Kiros, and Ward. Wasn't feelin' it.

[Jiro]

I once dreaded entering the forest to head to Galbadia Garden because of the flashback there. The Lunatic Pandora flashback is my least favourite one, but other than that time I haven't really had a problem with them.

Wait I lie. I also once groaned when I remembered I had to do Winhill before I could get to the D-District Prison. That was mostly because after the prison comes the missile thing and I loved that section. Anyway, after that one time the D-District Prison really sucked and so Winhill was a peaceful delay of the inevitable.

Yeah makes no sense but I like Laguna's flashbacks. They're fun and break up Squall's story to keep both interesting.

[Mo-Nercy]

I liked spending Laguna's money to buy items for Squall and co. xD