Jamie L Cruise

Melodies of Life: A Final Fantasy IX Retrospect and Analysis Jamie L Cruise

A look back on Final Fantasy's ninth mainline title, celebrating 20 years of the game gracing our consoles. One part retrospect, one part analysis, prepare for nostalgia, rabbit holes, and hopefully an altered (if not improved) understanding of Final Fantasy IX.

Contents:

A Voice From the Past, Joining Yours and Mine...

Foreword

Introduction

The Party

Plot Summary

What it Means to be Alive

Authenticity & The Artificial

Either You Do, Or You Don't

The Iifa Tree & The Angels of Death

Identity & Autonomy

Raison D'être

Vivi: Golem Among Golems

The Genomes With Soul: Zidane, Kuja and Mikoto

Garnet x2 (or x3 or x4!)

A Knight's Duty

Lost & Forgotten

Music & Narrative

Echoes, Reflections and Foreshadowing

Not Alone

Melodies of Life

Something to Protect

The Storybook Motif & Nostalgia

Legend, Lore and Callbacks

Life's a Play, The World a Stage

Who's the Bad Guy?

Hierarchy & Rebellion

Decadent Jesters

The Will to Live vs. The Will to Power

Et Tu, Kuja?

Life Cycles & Internal and External Conflict

Gaia & Terra

Eternal Life/Strife

Existentialism: The Reality of Mortality

Love, Fealty & Self-Determination

Relationships

Why These Characters Work (And Work Together)

Romance

Personal Influence

Respect

Camaraderie

And So it Goes, On and On...

Afterword

A Few Things You May Know...

Acknowledgments