Heroes

by Wisdom 

I thought I'd try my hand at this "constructive" editorial mess again; although they don't afford me the same perverse joys that rebuttals do, these sorts of editorials leave me with a sense of accomplishment that I've felt the nagging desire for recently. If one could not infer from the title, the subject of this editorial will be heroes, and their unfortunate decline in the realm of RPGs. (Or did they ever really exist?)

I think it all started with Cloud. He was the first main character to an RPG who didn't give a damn. At the time it was revolutionary; the idea of an anti-hero enticed me. He was a mercenary, in the same vein as Shadow--I mean, we'd all seen these character before, but a game where the plot was centered around him? That was something new. Since it was a Final Fantasy, however, Cloud ended up coming around, and fought to save the world, but what really struck me is that there was no "hero" in Final Fantasy VII. Cloud was the leader because he was the strongest. He wasn't particularly moral or even rational at times; dude knew how to fight, and knew how to fight damn well. This trend continued into the swarm of RPGs coming over the horizon: Final Fantasy VIII, Xenogears, and Chrono Cross all had a sort of anti-hero. Fei is probably the most complex of the three anti-heroes, since Squall is obvious, and Serge was painted as the scourge of the earth. Fei, on the other hand, was a man who couldn't control his psyche properly. (I won't get into this because it could go on for pages.) He was a loose cannon, and yet everyone still turned to him. He had a special role, of course, and towards the end he came into his own, but the entire time he just didn't fit the "hero" stereotype. (I really loved Fei, by the way--probably my favorite RPG character ever.) I want everyone to understand, I'm not denouncing any of these games. The characters were all masterfully done; my point is, simply, that they were not true heroes. The Cecils and the Cyans of the new era of gaming were rapidly disappearing.

When you see games like Legend of Dragoon, with a very stereotypical, if well-minded, hero, it broods the question that strikes to the heart of the matter: what defines heroism? Most people will stop the definition at someone who does good, or rises to face a challenge that others cannot, or will not, meet. I think it goes beyond that. Part of my growing dissatisfaction with newer RPGs is that they try and focus so much on inner conflict--the resolution of passions or dark memories--that they ignore the real crux of the matter: in a heroic struggle, very few people possess the capability of making the right choice. Look at Final Fantasy IV, as an example: Cecil is ostracized from Mysidia, separated from his friends, and stained with dishonor. Faced with all of this, he still rallies himself, and talks to the Elder, requesting information about paladin hood. He climbs Mt. Everest and becomes a paladin, against all odds, but it's not for his love for Rosa, or even for concern for his friends: Cecil forces himself to overcome his past. He could have very easily avoided the matter entirely, and caught the next ship back to the mainland--but he doesn't. He wants to atone for the wrong he's done. This is what truly classifies Cecil as a hero, and also what separates him from the new wave of games: he is not afraid to confront his own sins. All of the main characters mentioned above--Cloud, Squall, Fei, and even Serge, to a degree--all shy away from their initial tests. This makes them more human, perhaps, but not heroic at all. I would argue that Cecil is more heroic and more human than any of them, because he has the courage to face his fears, but at the same time is constantly wracked by his own conscience.

Another hero--or heroine, more rather--is Terra, from Final Fantasy VI. In the same vein, she joins the Resistance and fights against the Empire, even while deathly afraid of being caught again. The people that surround her are heroes as well. Edgar, for all of his flirtations, is a noble and caring king, and strives to protect his people. Cyan is perhaps on a level with Cecil, and if anyone has to ask why, they obviously have never played Final Fantasy VI. After losing his family, his friends, and his king to Kefka and the Empire, he remains a gentle and well-intentioned soul. When he returns to Doma, to put his family to rest, he never once shies away from the pain, but does all he can to reconcile his past. All of these characters were strong, moral beacons to their companions; that's why the rest of the party followed them.

Truth be told, the only game that I feel captured the same heroic spirit of the classics is Skies of Arcadia. Vyse is a hero in every sense of the word, and the epic majesty of the situation he's caught in only serves to help him shine. He saves kingdom after kingdom from destruction, and never gives up hope. (They took out his base TWICE, man. Getting back up after that requires some serious gall.) I was proud to play Vyse, which is not something I can often say about video game characters. His journey took him places that no sane man would ever want to go--the Dark Rift, the Silver Moon, and Deep Sky--but throughout it all, he conquered his fears. I suppose the point I'm trying to make is that Vyse never held back. He had a good heart, and made an excellent leader.

What all of these heroics boil down to is simple: it's just more fun to play a true hero. The idea that the main character is really someone unique gives the game a feeling of majesty, if not outright awe. Heroes change the world, and when they're properly conveyed, you recognize that. Dart, from Legend of Dragoon, never made me feel truly inspired--it's not hard to be that kind of hero. He cares about his friends and does what he can to save them, and then he runs off to save the world, but it's never truly difficult for him. It was never truly difficult for Cloud, or Squall, or Fei--there was never a moment in the game where--completely alone--they were forced to come to grips with everything they held dear. But Cecil, and Cyan, and Vyse, these characters all had points in their stories where their worlds shattered around them. Cecil was branded a murderer; Cyan lost his family; Vyse suffered too many misfortunes to name. (His maroon on Crescent Isle comes to mind.) But I wouldn't say Xenogears or Final Fantasy VII were worse games than Final Fantasy VI. (Quite the contrary, in fact.) Skies of Arcadia is on par with both games, in my eyes, so I can't help but wonder: are heroes necessary to the plot of a truly epic RPG?

I still think so, although I wouldn't mind seeing this point addressed. I think the additional of a strong, moral grounding force reminds me why I started playing video games in the first place: to be immersed in an adventure with incredible people. The newer RPGs have proved that we can have incredible games without clear-cut heroes, but Skies of Arcadia, and even Final Fantasy IX, revealed that games with heroic characters can shine just as brightly. Few things are as touching as a hero's victory.