Genesis:Unintentionally Unsympathetic

[The Twilight Mexican]

Good points. I certainly felt no sympathy for Kuja at the end of IX. It wasn't until Dissidia 012 that I found any reason to.

Small observation regarding the "illusionary crime" line, by the way. Translation error. Cloud said "I can't believe you're doing this ... to atone to Sephiroth ...." -- which, yes, does still indicate that he felt Hojo had wronged him. Hojo's next line makes a lot more sense with this, though.

 

[ForceStealer]

Didn't know about that translation gaffe

 

[Roger]

Zidane DOES actually earnestly try to defeat Kuja throughout the game and yeah, he does spare his life at the end but that's as far as it goes. Kuja wasn't left to just roam freely. The Planet on the other hand was incredibly lucky that Deepground swooped in to save the day after Zack just left Genesis to his own devices in Banora.

And I don't buy that it was ALL for Angeal's sake either. Zack was a lot angrier with Hojo then Genesis during the second attack on Shinra. Even when Angeal is alive Zack is trying to convince him that SOLDIERs aren't monsters and all that jazz. Killing Genesis is the last resort for Zack. With Cloud killing Sephiroth was the main objective from the getgo.

And yeah Zack's a much nicer person then Disc 1 Cloud but they still made the game about saving Genesis primarily. They could've given us some kind of reason to see things from Zack's POV is all.

 

[Kermitu Kleric Katie]

While I don't think Genesis or Sephiroth is sympathetic, I think Genesis is moar sympathetic than Sephiroth because his motivation for doing what he did(he was dying and he wanted to live) is moar human and less selfish than Sephiroth's(he wanted to become a God).

 

[ForceStealer]

It's true. Both are selfish, but Genesis' motivation is more relatable. But his methods cost him any sympathy, as well as his (also Kuja-esque) conclusion that "If I'm not going to succeed I'll take the world with me," crosses into immature petulance.

On that note, I've said before, I was glad CC didn't fall into the trap DC did with threatening the world. The scale was STILL too big, the Genesis army was too widespread and conspicuous, but still, at no point was THE FATE OF THE WORLD in the balance.

 

[Kermitu Kleric Katie]

I don't even know why anyone would think you were supposed to sympathize with Genesis, Sephiroth, or (especially) Kuja because they are VILLAINS, and you generally aren't supposed to sympathize with the villain, since that could make you root for the wrong side. It's the hero you're supposed to sympathize with, it's how they make sure you're rooting for the right guy. Sure there are stories that try to make you sympathize with the villain. but those are the exception, not the rule.

 

[ForceStealer]

There are tragic villains, who almost have a good reason for what they're doing. Like if the villain was really given an unfair shake and is doing the only thing he or she can.
However, Final Fantasy is not really where you find such villains.

 

[Kermitu Kleric Katie]

One trait I've noticed is very common among FF villains is that most of them are self-absorbed/arrogant/egotistical/selfish/narcissistic etc. There are so many examples, such as Garland, Emperor Mateus, Exdeath, GILGAMESH, Kefka, Sephiroth, Kuja, Jecht, Seymour, etc.