Ok no, Hope Defense League formed [Spoilers up to chapter 7]

[Madame Adequate]

You guys are seriously a bunch of... of... DOO-DOO HEADS! Anyone who dislikes Hope is liek, idk, totally not paying any attention and must think that anyone who doesn't roll with just about the worst hand I've ever seen a fourteen year old dealt is a whiny pussy. He's not.

He's fourteen.
He was on vacation when suddenly he becomes targeted for exterminate along with his mom.
His mom died and the guy who let her go doesn't, from Hope's perspective, appear to care or even remember.
He becomes a l'cie, which is yeah pretty suck have fun being a mutant zombie freak, or trapped as a crystal forevs. Certainly can't go home again.
Except Vanille, who may be psychopathic, he's regarded as pretty much a burden, constantly being left behind.
He's being chased by the army as he makes his way across dangerous, monster-infested regions of the world.
A few HOURS after all this happens he already starts manning up trying to become more useful and being able to control his situation.
And he doesn't even whine. He hardly says anything and when he does it's usually trying to toughen up. If anyone says wanting to confront the man who let your mother die and doesn't seem to care is whining please give me your parents address and we will see

I have rarely seen such a woobie and I want to give him a big hug and tell him everything is going to be okay

[Rye]

I usually hate the "sad" character in the bunch. When I was playing Star Ocean: TLH, when Edge (SPOILER)BLEW UP A PLANET and was bummed about it, which is kind of reasonable, I was like, go back to Livejournal, Chester Bennington!

But it's like, jeez. This poor little Eskimo (he totally looks like an Eskimo kid with dat hair) hasn't even been vocally whiny. When Lightning was a major bitch to him and he saved her life after Odin, he was just like "Do I really slow you down?" and once she was like "lol nvm kid come on..." he was like "~~~<3!"

Eyes on Realistic Responses to Traumatic Events!

[Psychotic]

CRAWLING IN MY SKIN

THESE WOUNDS THEY WILL NOT HEAL

Just pop Snow in the face already, kiddo.

[Rye]

Oh my god Paul!!!

Is this to become the next Aeris vs Tifa?

[Psychotic]

I'm open to liking the guy as long as he grows a pair. He may be realistic but hey, I don't like a lot of real people. Snow on the other hand is pretty unrealistic, but I'll be damned if he isn't a great character.

[Raven Nox]

Hope is actually my favorite character in the game. He's reactions are understandable and really, he doesn't really whine unless provoked. Most of the time he's by himself looking depressed. xD I really want to give him a hug as well. <3 Sure, he needs to toughen up, but he is still just a kid after all, and he's actually dealing with all the crap that happened to him pretty well. Much better than other RPG characters who are older than him have.

And he's pretty useful in battle too, if that helps.

But anyway, <3 Hope and fully endorse this Defense League.

[Rye]

I'm open to liking the guy as long as he grows a pair. He may be realistic but hey, I don't like a lot of real people. Snow on the other hand is pretty unrealistic, but I'll be damned if he isn't a great character.

He's gotten tougher so far at the point I'm in, but we're only getting to Chapter 5 now, I think.

[NeoCracker]

I don't really see Hope as being tough for a kid at all.

As a matter of fact, I think he is one of the weakest characters in the game, (Not stat wise, and not story wise mind you). Up to chapter 5, he has been unable to cope with his mothers loss. She knows she is the one who picked up the arms to fight, he was there to see it. Snow, the man he blames, was hesitant to allow her to join, but the mother is the one who convinced him. She had resolved herself to go, and Hope saw that.

His acting out against snow isn't a sign of strength, but a sign of his own weakness and inability to cope. He even seems to realise this himself, as seen in chapter 5 when Lightning finds out his goals.

That being said, thats why he himself is a good character, even if I don't personally like him as much as the others.

[Madame Adequate]

Eh idk I just don't see it. Within under a day he's already gaining loads of confidence and has earned freaking Light's respect and affection, and she's colder than... something cold.

[Sephiroth]

and she's colder than... something cold.

Just wait and enjoy.

[NeoCracker]

Eh idk I just don't see it. Within under a day he's already gaining loads of confidence and has earned freaking Light's respect and affection, and she's colder than... something cold.

I don't quite see it as respect from my end, at least not after Chapter 5. Before perhaps, when he was seen only as putting everything he had into getting stronger and being of help.

That sounds admirable, until she finds out he's doing it for the soul purpose of killing a man that's not actually responsible for his mothers death. This is not the action of a strong individual.

The reason she doesn't say anything after is described best by Vanile during the Narration, 'How does one Judge someone who is so much like themselves?' or something along those lines.

[Madame Adequate]

As far as he could see, Snow let go of his mother to try and save himself. If I had seen what Hope saw, I'd be pretty darned ready to destroy Snow. Moreover, Snow recruited his mom. Sure, that's on her back. Find me a person who can come to terms with the fact that their mother is responsible for her own death within a few hours of her death and okay, I'll concede. But the mere fact that after all that happened to him he's done anything except become catatonic or suicidal makes him stronger than most of us would be

I think a lot of this depends on whether you like Snow or not and I think he's pretty boring and average so maybe I don't care idk

[NeoCracker]

As far as he could see, Snow let go of his mother to try and save himself. If I had seen what Hope saw, I'd be pretty darned ready to destroy Snow. Moreover, Snow recruited his mom. Sure, that's on her back. Find me a person who can come to terms with the fact that their mother is responsible for her own death within a few hours of her death and okay, I'll concede. But the mere fact that after all that happened to him he's done anything except become catatonic or suicidal makes him stronger than most of us would be

I think a lot of this depends on whether you like Snow or not and I think he's pretty boring and average so maybe I don't care idk

It's actually been more then a few hours, and he shows no signs of changing his mind any time soon.

Also, he witnessed both his mother and Snow falling. So it's not like it seemed as if Snow let her go to save her life, and in fact held on for as long as he could. Even at a distance that wouldn't have looked intentional on Snows part.

To further illustrate the point I got to thinking there are more to Hope's actions.

Recall during the mothers recruitment to fight, there was one gun left. The person Snow offered it to first was Hope, who couldn't bring himself to do and backed away, allowing someone else to take up arms. Where his mother offered herself willingly to fight, Snow himself cowered away.

Imagine how that must feel? I'd imagine he's rather disgusted with himself over that. And given he already has shown his denial of reality, I'd fully imagine his blaming Snow to be that as well as his way of hiding his own failings to himself. I probably worded that last sentence horribly.

Edit: Two final things.

1) I do believe they will have Hope become strong however, and accept reality at some point. Overcome his weakness's and all that. Though part of me secretly hopes this character flaw of him doesn't so much as be overcome, but overcome him and he becomes a villain, but thats just a little sick part of me wishing for that. ;p

2) I don't really think it has anything to do with liking Snow or not. I love Snow, though in all honesty I find Hope has far more depth as a character.

[Madame Adequate]

I actually agree with you on that. He's trying to deal with his own guilt and such. And obviously the game's going to involve him coming to terms with that. Remember Wakka was a zealous follower of Yevon, and that took awhile to all change

I'm pretty sure it's been a very short while since all this began in earnest though.

[NeoCracker]

I think it's been about 2 days, I'd have to dwell on it more.

And I don't think Wakka is a very good comparison. He had to come to terms with what he has believed in his entire life, and what has been ingrained in him, to be a sham.

Hope on the other hand is in a state in which he is actively trying to deny a reality that just barely happened. (Well, there is also the fact he is a more believable and overall better character then Wakka in every way, shape and form, but I digress. )