Thank you! 💕💕💕 I have noticed the shift away from rigid definitions of gender identity, and I really hope it continues at the rate it's been progressing. There's already been a significant change in attitude since I was in high school (late 90s/early 2000s), and it makes me so happy to see that people are able to embrace their true identities earlier and earlier in life. :)
When I first played FF8, Rinoa offered me a way to vicariously experience being assertive and strong. Coming fresh off of mostly SNES games (and no previous FF), I'd never seen a video game heroine that wasn't afraid to speak her mind, and wasn't afraid to argue with the hero, and I was IN LOVE!
And yes, there will be more Quinoa on the horizon from me. I'm loving these two ladies together, and I'm glad to see that you and others are enjoying it too! :D
Regarding fanon characterization of the FF8 cast, you really hit the nail on the head! I'll admit to having been guilty of some of these (namely, unhinged Selphie and Zell+Food), but you raise excellent points about the other characteristics these characters possess. Both Selphie and Zell are incredibly loyal and competent, and totally capable of displaying a range of emotions, when they're allowed to.
I actually love writing Irvine for the exact reason you stated. I believe his flirtation is a big overcompensation for insecurity and loneliness. I think if a woman ever really responded to his advances, he'd just freeze. XD But I do love exploring what makes his character tick, as well as what drives his attachment to Selphie (if it was just hormones, he would've given up on her a long time ago!)
I personally find Laguna relatable because, given his history with Timber Maniacs, the game implies that he is quite articulate in writing, but struggles with verbal communication. I know that feeling very well! But yeah, he might be goofy, but he's far from an idiot. A bit impulsive, maybe, but he's got a big heart (maybe too big!).
Oh, Squall. I have a terrible time writing Squall, because it's hard for me to get a good grip on who he is. Like you said, his change is actually quite subtle, and it's hard to say exactly how he'll act once the adrenaline wears off. Forced to choose between extremes, it's easier for me to believe in reticent Squall than in a totally open, in-touch-with-his-feelings Squall. And I can't imagine him being overprotective; if he's learned anything from Rinoa, it's that the harder you try to hold on, the harder the other person's going to try to prove you wrong.
Ahh, yes, early 00s Rinoa-bashing. I hated that, and spent far too many words "defending" her character (or, more accurately, my enjoyment of her character) on message boards. This, I think, has scared me off of reading much Rinoa-centric fanfic from authors I don't really know, so I haven't really seen the other extreme fandom has gone to. But it's hard for me to wrap my head around saintly Rinoa--I mean, she pushed Irvine down a flight of stairs (after scratching and punching him) and punched Squall in the gut because he said he missed her! She's a spitfire and I love her that way.
And yes, she really had a lot of growth and coming to terms with her new identity that was pretty much glossed over in canon, due to it happening so late, so it's very nice to know there are people out there who are willing to delve into what her evolution might look like.
Seifer is a strange case for me, in that I'm not really a fan of him in the game, but I just love his story arc. There's so much at play there: potential, pressure, ego, ambition, insecurity, and mind control, just to scratch the surface. I would have loved to have seen scenes between him and Edea/Ultimecia, just to see where her control ended and his ambition began. And I love that despite all of his questionable traitis, he's still capable of affection, and seems to genuinely care about Raijin and Fujin. I've only tried writing him a few times, but it's a lot of fun trying to unpack all his personality baggage.
Yikes, this got a bit longer than I anticipated! Thanks again for your support, and for your rundown on fanon characterizations. I guess I had more opinions on that than I thought; it feels good to talk FF8 this way, kind of a throwback to the message boards of "old". :D
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timeasmymeasure
Re: This was relaxing to read
Date: 2021-05-21 08:46 pm (UTC)When I first played FF8, Rinoa offered me a way to vicariously experience being assertive and strong. Coming fresh off of mostly SNES games (and no previous FF), I'd never seen a video game heroine that wasn't afraid to speak her mind, and wasn't afraid to argue with the hero, and I was IN LOVE!
And yes, there will be more Quinoa on the horizon from me. I'm loving these two ladies together, and I'm glad to see that you and others are enjoying it too! :D
Regarding fanon characterization of the FF8 cast, you really hit the nail on the head! I'll admit to having been guilty of some of these (namely, unhinged Selphie and Zell+Food), but you raise excellent points about the other characteristics these characters possess. Both Selphie and Zell are incredibly loyal and competent, and totally capable of displaying a range of emotions, when they're allowed to.
I actually love writing Irvine for the exact reason you stated. I believe his flirtation is a big overcompensation for insecurity and loneliness. I think if a woman ever really responded to his advances, he'd just freeze. XD But I do love exploring what makes his character tick, as well as what drives his attachment to Selphie (if it was just hormones, he would've given up on her a long time ago!)
I personally find Laguna relatable because, given his history with Timber Maniacs, the game implies that he is quite articulate in writing, but struggles with verbal communication. I know that feeling very well! But yeah, he might be goofy, but he's far from an idiot. A bit impulsive, maybe, but he's got a big heart (maybe too big!).
Oh, Squall. I have a terrible time writing Squall, because it's hard for me to get a good grip on who he is. Like you said, his change is actually quite subtle, and it's hard to say exactly how he'll act once the adrenaline wears off. Forced to choose between extremes, it's easier for me to believe in reticent Squall than in a totally open, in-touch-with-his-feelings Squall. And I can't imagine him being overprotective; if he's learned anything from Rinoa, it's that the harder you try to hold on, the harder the other person's going to try to prove you wrong.
Ahh, yes, early 00s Rinoa-bashing. I hated that, and spent far too many words "defending" her character (or, more accurately, my enjoyment of her character) on message boards. This, I think, has scared me off of reading much Rinoa-centric fanfic from authors I don't really know, so I haven't really seen the other extreme fandom has gone to. But it's hard for me to wrap my head around saintly Rinoa--I mean, she pushed Irvine down a flight of stairs (after scratching and punching him) and punched Squall in the gut because he said he missed her! She's a spitfire and I love her that way.
And yes, she really had a lot of growth and coming to terms with her new identity that was pretty much glossed over in canon, due to it happening so late, so it's very nice to know there are people out there who are willing to delve into what her evolution might look like.
Seifer is a strange case for me, in that I'm not really a fan of him in the game, but I just love his story arc. There's so much at play there: potential, pressure, ego, ambition, insecurity, and mind control, just to scratch the surface. I would have loved to have seen scenes between him and Edea/Ultimecia, just to see where her control ended and his ambition began. And I love that despite all of his questionable traitis, he's still capable of affection, and seems to genuinely care about Raijin and Fujin. I've only tried writing him a few times, but it's a lot of fun trying to unpack all his personality baggage.
Yikes, this got a bit longer than I anticipated! Thanks again for your support, and for your rundown on fanon characterizations. I guess I had more opinions on that than I thought; it feels good to talk FF8 this way, kind of a throwback to the message boards of "old". :D