We all know that the Final Fantasy series tends to involve a lot of mythology in the story line. I was quite suprised to find that FFVIII has at least two strong ties to Ancient American mythology.

The most widely known would be our favorite thunder bird, Quetzy. Quetzy appears in Aztec mythology as a "feathered snake." He reigned as a sky god. Ironically, it was his twin brother Xolotl who was the god of lightening.

The second tie is very subtle. The "Balam" were the Mayan deities who protect people in their daily lives. The Balam ("jaguar") also protect the community against external threats. Interesting, no? Isn't that the purpose of Balamb garden, to protect people in their daily lives, and to protect the community against external threats?

What other mythological references have you found?