VII before X?

[Dreddz]

:o
I made a thread about all them being connected......

[liamo]

there will always be references to other final fantasy games in final fantasy games but they themselves are unique worlds and not prequels or sequels with the exception of final fantasy 10-2 (thanks Squeenix i really hate you now) don't look to far into it. they can be funny to see the connections but don't take it to far.

[Masamune·1600]

The theory that all Final Fantasies are directly connected is, at least presently, impossible. As to a connection between FFVII and FFX/X-2, it is inescapably false that the games take place on the same world. Gaia and Spira are different planets. However, Kazushige Nojima, who wrote scenarios for the games in question, suggested in an interview that "in (his) mind" the games were connected. Ostensibly, the descendents of Shinra eventually travelled through space to Gaia, having been unable to harness the potential power of the Farplane. Hence, we got Shinra (the company) and Mako reactors and such. Daisuke Watanabe and Motumo Toriyama (the Scenario Planner and Director for FFX-2, respecitvely) also seemed to agree with the idea in the interview, although neither really had anything to do with FFVII.

This has basically led to a debate whereby some people fervently argue for direct storyline connection between VII and X/X-2, while others (myself included) oppose the idea. From my point of view, the Farplane energy scene in FFX-2...

Shinra: Aha...

Yuna: What are you looking at?

Shinra: Farplane data. The more I study it, the more fascinating it gets. There's limitless energy swirling around in there.

Yuna: Limitless energy?

Shinra: The life force that flows through our planet...I think. With a little work, we could probably extract the energy in a useable form.

Brother: Sweet!

Shinra: Of course, that'd take generations.

Brother: That's no fun!

Buddy: Well, still, it is something worth shooting for.

Yuna: Think how much Spira would change if we ever got it to work! Maybe one day we could build a city full of light, one that never sleeps!

Shinra: No doubt about it.

Yuna: Just imagine! But I'll never get to see it...will I...

(Shinra shakes his head no)

Brother: Shinra! Don't make Yuna sad!

Shinra: Right. My bad.

...is merely referential. Few people, after all, suggest that the story of Josef being utilized in FFIX (for example) proves direct correlation to FFII. Were it left as mere reference, I would have greatly enjoyed the scene. Unfortunately, Nojima himself (who is, admittedly, an authority in the topic) suggests that this indicates connection.

That being said, there are a number of factors that would seem to deny connectivity. First, Nojima was not the sole agent involved in the development of the story of FFVII. Hironobu Sakaguchi, Tetsuya Nomura, and Yoshinori Kitase were also instrumental in leading FFVII to its ultimate plot. Nomura and Kitase, incidentally, are both very active in the Compilation, and neither has offered any real support of Nojima's personal reading. It will require their approval (or at least acceptance)i of the idea for it to be included in the Compilation. If there is nothing canonical (basically, in the games) to truly indicate the connection, then it does not exist.

Further, given the differences and inconsistencies between Gaia and Spira, it would take a massive amount of effort to even begin to close the plotholes and inconsistencies such a link would create. The Compilation is about FFVII, not FFX/X-2, and it seems unlikely that the subject could be given full treatment within the Compilation. Even if that were done, some inconsistencies are so radical that I don't think they can be explained away effectively.

And, finally, Shinra's descendents travelling to Gaia and intermingling with the Cetra, or something on that order, simply strikes me as bad storytelling. But then again, that's simply my take on the debate. Until the Compilation itself is available for examination, the question has no true answer.