Final Fantasy is known for its heroes and heroines. They are extremely pretty and have sword skills that go beyond their teenage years. And a majority of these heroes are angsty. I mean, you’re lucky if they smile once during the game. Unless you are Tidus or Vaan but they go on my list of most annoying FF characters. But there is one hero that I’ve always loved because he is confident and cheerful.
Who is He?
Zidane Tribal is the main hero in Final Fantasy IX and he was also in Dissidia. He begins the game as a thief and actor before saving the world. He wields daggers instead of the trademark sword used by his predecessors. Zidane monkeys around instead of brooding about everything. He’s a clone who finds his own way in the world. Unlike Kuja, he handles it a bit better.
Fun Fact
Kuja is the one that put Zidane in Gaia — which led to him leading a relatively normal life. He essentially did a Zidane a favor instead of disposing of him.
Why So Crushworthy?
The biggest reason was mentioned above. Zidane is an upbeat, humorous hero who smiles in the face of danger. When I first played the game, he was a breath of fresh air after Cloud and Squall’s angst fest. I also have a soft spot for dashing thief characters. I still have a soft spot for Locke Cole. Zidane has enough charisma to be adorable. He’s a cute ladies man until he meets Dagger. Then he turns into a sweet, bumbling Romeo.
Zidane has some rough times in the game but it never gets him down for too long. Even during the dark times in the game, Zidane encourages everyone to carry on. He is the optimistic hero. Don’t get me wrong, I like Cloud and I have featured Squall on this series before. I’m also a huge Vincent Valentine fan. It’s just that Zidane proved that not all heroes have to be dark and mysterious. Final Fantasy IX may not be the Final Fantasy game that everyone raves about, but it’s my favorite and Zidane is my favorite hero.
