Discussion:
Given the major revelation we get about Tidus's relationship with Sin, what are your thoughts? How do you think it works as a story element?
I like the whole plot point. I also like that it's revealed early on and isn't some epic reveal moments before the end. It adds more weight to it this way; deep down Tidus knows Auron's right, but you can see that by the end of this chapter he's still telling him he doesn't fully believe him.
Tidus and Jecht have an interesting father/son relationship. There's a lot of pain there, Jecht obviously wasn't a very good father when he was still in Zanarkand 'raising' Tidus. He taunted Tidus and made fun of him, he drank a lot, he was very egotistical; the only time you see Jecht show a different side was around his wife. He seemed much more calm and relaxed. But around his son he wasn't (at least what we really see). It isn't until Jecht goes to Spira that he changes, drastically.
The event changes him for the better. I won't go into details until I reach later chapters, but you catch glimpses of it already just in the way Yuna and Auron talk about him.
Tidus hates Jecht; He hates Jecht for the way he treated him as a child, and he hates him for disappearing/dying. But it's not all hate. I think Tidus wanted Jecht to praise him too. Tidus became a famous blitzball player in his own right back in Zanarkand; he did 'follow in Jecht's footsteps' but he strove to make himself different from his father.
Sin being Jecht is a favorite story reveal of mine.
Dear god we're bringing it up again: What did you think about the laughing scene? You a hater or defender?
I love the scene. I still never fully understand why people rant about it so much.
When I see that scene happening after the Sin is Jecht reveal, I feel like Tidus is trying not to cry. He's starting to realize he's stuck in Spira forever. He's not going back home to Zanarkand. His old man is this monster that goes around killing people and destroying cities in Spira until summoners stop him. At that point I would think anyone would want to just rage and cry and just not know what to do. So there's Yuna, telling him what she does; smiles when she's feeling sad. Her quiet strength is what helps Tidus get through this.
The part where he's forcing out this stupid, painful laugh is one of my favorite scenes in the game. So much emotion to be had. Once he starts he doesn't stop until it devolves into a small, genuine laughter. It's a scene about releasing the pain and pent-up emotions.
Of course it doesn't all go away so easily but, I think it definitely helped him at the time.
Question from ChipNoir that I wanted to add: What do you think about the lack of a water-based Aeon in a game surrounded by water? Why no Leviathan, Bismarck etc?
I honestly didn't think about this before. Could've been
because the game is so heavily based around water. I think the idea that Sin is sort of the water based Aeon is a good solution, if you feel the need for there to be one. Sin is Jecht after all, makes sense that he'd be a water Aeon.
(thinking of, I wonder if Sin has always looked the same in the past?)
It's also possible that a water Aeon does exist, or at least did, but their temple and Fayth has been destroyed from a Sin attack. I mean there's some optional Aeons in the game already, Aeons that've been forgotten by the larger population, so clearly not every Fayth needs to be reached in order to do the Final Summoning.
Were you able to beat the Chocobo Eater or did you have to walk the Old Road of Shame?
I knocked him off the other side of the cliff
That might've been the first or second time I've done that. I remember my first couple playthroughs years ago he knocked me into the ravine.
Knowing what we know about Yevon, do you think Operation Mi'ihen was worth doing still or was is it a mistake? Not in terms of confirmation bias, do you think the plan itself was foolish or still admirable?
It was worth doing. I think it was admirable. Regardless about the Maesters giving it their sanction and their hopes for what would happen when it failed, the people doing it were admirable. For the reasons Yuna said. Even if they fail, they're doing it to try and rid the world of Sin. Knowing that they might all die, they still went ahead to do it. That to me is admirable. Their intentions were brave. In a world wracked with pain constantly caused by Sin, I would've tried the same.
What do you think about the use of Ixion instead of the traditional Ramuh for our lightning themed summon this time around?
I love Ixion more than Ramuh probably, so I'm fine with it.
Not only does Ixion have an amazing design, but it fits in with X's Aeons having 'beastly' designs to counter their original human forms.
I love X's mix of new and old Aeons, Valefor is probably my favorite 'new summon' design <3. As a whole I think X's group of summons might be my favorite. IX is a close follow-up though.
So I forgot to scout in Luca. But I got Ropp from Rin's travel agency and he's been helping out in defense so yay. XD I've played uh, 6/7 games so far. One of them was an exhibition match; I thought you didn't gain experience, so I clicked it to see and then... you can't backspace out of the option. Wtf. 
Really enjoying it this time around. I don't play at every save sphere like Ite and his fiancee, but that reminds me, my cousin does the same thing when she has a playthrough. In fact it's her copy of the game that I'm borrowing for my PS2 XD