Quote Originally Posted by mobiletype
Irvine's purpose in the game was to move the plot along. Martine provided the party with a sharpshooter, someone who had the skills necessary to assasinate the sorceress. Other than that he's just an average character.

For me Irvine had more personality than Rinoa. In short Irvine was a womanizing, gun-wielding, phonyish ladies man with a pretty decent limit break
Well, other than the fact that he was someone they had grown up with...

Seriously, you (and by you I mean anyone) can reduce any of the characters to "just to move the plot along" but it's kind of missing the point: he was placed their by the writers with intent, and you shouldn't dismiss that/