Final Fantasy VIII Tid Bits

By Asyria

Here, you will find a whole lot of details, observations, facts, and guesses for the game. Most of them too small or short to have just by themselves. So, I have compiled them into what you see here. And by the way…this document will more than likely contain a various array of spoilers.

The Centra Ruins Tid Bits:

Tutorial-Centra civilation: 4000 years ago. These people migrated and founded Esthar and Dollet. Centra was destroyed 80 years ago by the Lunar Cry.

As you enter the Ruins and see the archway, there is a sign. Incase some of you couldn't read it, it says "My Blue Heaven." What this means…I have no idea.

After climbing the stairs from the archway, you'll see a statue in the middle of a circular platform. After you've defeated Odin, and gotten a certain Timber Maniacs issue (which one it is, I'm not sure), go to Selphie's 'Laguna' page. Here it says that the statue in the Centra ruins is a statue of a sorceress and knight. After finding this, I went back and looked. Well…it doesn't NOT look like a sorceress and knight statue.

The screen with the alter with the blue activated gem, holds two more statues on either side. They are statues of humans or human like in form. You can only see from the shoulders of the statues down. But on one of them, you can see the arms of the statue, crossed at the chest. One hand appears to be holding a scepter, at the top of the scepter is an upsidedown triangle. These two statues very much resemble those of Ancient Egypt, which is probably where Square got the idea for most of the decoration in this place.

Deep Sea Research Center & Deep Sea Deposit Tid Bits:

Research Center Tutorial Description:
A man-made mobile island for marine life research. Disappeared mysterously after much wandering. Since the facility members are still alive, it is assumed to be consealed intentionally.
3015- Found a strong enery force.
4141- Call this place Deep Sea Deposit
4242- Seal off Deep Sea Deposit.

The tutorial does not mention which nation started the Research Center, nor exactly when. Since it mentions that the 'facility members are still alive', it seems unlikely that it was the Centra that started this expodition. My guess is that Esthar was the nation that built the Research Center, being the only ones techniologically capable.

Deposit Tutorial Description:
Marine Research Island's last excavation site.
Believed to be an ocean floor ruin.
4127- Travel by underwater Tower.

As you could probably tell, the Deposit bares a strong resemblance to that of Ancient Roman and Greek cultures. Lots of pillars, vines, etc. There are a few screens in the Deposit in particular that are note worthy.

Inside the Deposit, the third screen you enter, there is another statue. This one is a lot closer and you can see it more clearly. To me, it looked like a woman with wings, holding a staff. Another sorceress? Perhaps…

The fifth screen down, you come to a yet another staircase. What makes this one different is the rectangular platforms on the way down. The first one you come to has a lot of illedgable writing on it, but it is broken in half. The second one you come to is only a paragraph, but in one piece. Normally, in the pattern of ancient civilations, writing is on a wall or a pillar. But on the floor?

Lunatic Pandora Tid Bits:

Tutorial - Crystal Pillar: causes Lunar Cry. Believed to orginated from the moon.

Tutorial - Lunatic Pandora: An enclosure for the Crystal Pillar made by Esthar. 3 miles tall and 1.5 miles wide. High-tech facility. Floats by causing a reaction with the Pillar.

I'm not sure how many of you caught that, but I didn't know that the Lunatic Pandora was just an enclousure around the Crystal Pillar until I read it in the Tutorial. And incase some of you don't piece it together, the Crystal Pillar without it's enclosure was what Laguna saw outside of Trabia. And on that note…

Laguna Tid Bits:

Just a few interesting things I picked up while playing. You may or may not have seen these yourselves, but I'm going to put them here anyways.

During your first encounter with Laguna, in the Galbadia Hotel's lounge, you might have talked to some of the other soldiers there. There is one soldier that is a bit mean to you.

(Note: These quotes were taken from Lightsoul's FF8 script)

Before Julia comes in and starts playing…

Major "Listen up, soldiers. I'm Julia's private bodyguard. Better not make a pass at her."

During Julia's preformance…

Major "Hey soldier...You got a little too close to Julia...I'll get you for that..."

After Julia invites you up to her room…

Major "Pretty bold for just a grunt...Julia this...Julia that...Yeah, I'll fix you...Send you off to war a million miles away..."

Many have already speculated that this 'Major' is actually a younger General Caraway. Though, in all honestly, I don't see that as fact. In our world, you don't get to be a General just by being somebody's bodyguard. Though, I don't think that a major would be a bodyguard for a singer in our world anyway, unless he royally screwed something up. And…

Raine "I read in a magazine that her true love went off to war and never came back." "General Caraway comforted her while she was feeling down. That's how they got to know each other."

It was only about a year's time in between your first enounter with Laguna and the scene in Winhill. Note that Raine calls him 'General' Caraway. I don't care how good your are, nobody goes from major to general in a year's time. So the speculation that the major in the bar is Caraway is in my opinion, false. Though, I would like to know how a man at Caraway's approximate age could be a general. Unless the man was already in his late thirties or early fourties when he married Julia, I don't see how. But this is all logical thinking. I've only presented the evidence, it's up to you to decide.

During the Trabia scene with Laguna, some of you may have noticed Laguna's style of using the gunblade for the movie. It seems that the movie was made anyway, because the style is exactly the same as Seifer's. Just a coinincidence? I think not.

Other stuff:

The crater on the Trabia continent and it's origins have been questioned.

In my 'Lunatic Pandora Tid Bits', I stated that it was the Crystal Pillar that Laguna saw outside of Trabia. Perhaps some of it was underground, and Esthar had to dig or blast it out. Such a big pillar would leave quite a big hole if that were the case. The question is, could Esthar have removed the pillar, built the Lunatic Pandora around it, and moved it to Esthar by the time Laguna gets there? We really don’t know how long it took Laguna to get to Esthar, so it’s all up for speculation. Though I suppose if Adel or Odine wanted it bad enough, it's possible.

Just a little something for your viewing pleasure (or not).

Tutorial - Horizon Bridge: Long bridge that connects the east to the west.

That's what that long bridge is called. Exciting stuff, isn't it?

Well, that's it for now. As I replay the game and pick up more info, I'll be glad to share with you. I hope this has helped.

-Asyria

IcyBrian's Fanfic Resource -- Final Fantasy 8
IcyBrian's Fanfic Resource


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