SPOILERS FOR: Final Fantasy IV - VIII
What makes a Final Fantasy game worthy of being a part of the numerical series? Some people might say the graphics, which were top-of-the-line for whenever they were first created. Others might point out the engaging characters and the amazing storylines, or perhaps the beautiful music or the battle system. But I believe that there is an important aspect of the series that many people may overlook, something special that is part of the core of what Final Fantasy truly is.
I'm talking about the Prologue.
Yes, the Prologue is a part of the beautiful music that I mentioned above, but it's more than just another song on an excellent soundtrack. Typically, this piece plays at the beginning or ending of an FF game, and oftentimes carries with it the emotion of the scene it plays during. It could even drive the players to tears. Memorable and meaningful, it's almost like an anthem for the series. After all, the rendition in FFV is called Final Fantasy.
Having never played any of the NES Final Fantasies, I always thought that the Prologue began with FFIV. However, while watching my fiance play FF, I found that the tradition was there from the beginning. As your four heroes leave Corneria and begin their adventure, the Prologue is there with them. Simple and 8-bit, it still manages to do its job of starting the heroes off right.
In FFIV, the Prologue sprang to being more than just an adventure beginning melody. It was there as Cecil and Kain left Baron, much like the opening to FFI. However, even more memorable was the scene right before the final battle with Zeromus. Everyone on the earth was praying for their five heroes, and the former party members and other important people appeared two by two to give their power to them, each with a small speech to inspire the heroes. The last two to appear were Golbez and FuSoYa, and in Golbez's little speech, he called Cecil "brother". It was truly a powerful, poignant moment, made even moreso by the Prologue playing in the background.
FFV's Final Fantasy is a more sweet and gentle version of the Prologue. It played during the ending sequence of the game, when Kururu was at her grandfather's grave, mourning him, and Butz, Lenna, and Faris came and comforted her. Fitting for a sweet, tender moment.
FFVI, which is my favorite soundtrack for the series, didn't have its own separate Prologue, and instead started the tradition of integrating it into the ending theme. The huge ending theme was full of masterful orchestral-like remixes of previous songs in the game, each character being featured as a piece important to them played, and then eventually a Mode 7 view of the airship flying with birds. As the airship was about to reach Mobliz, where Terra's young orphaned charges were tending to the birth of Katarin's child, the Prologue began to play. This was an incredibly emotional Prologue full of hope and triumph for the world's renewal, and it built up as the scene moved to various places where rebirths and rebuildings were taking place, including Terra's own "rebirth" as a full human.
FFVII's Prologue, unfortunately, lacked the high emotional impact of the prior three games. It wasn't that this rendition was bad. Rather, it lacked a memorable scene to go along with it, or any scene at all. This version played while the credits were rolling, with a simple black screen behind them. If it played perhaps during the sequence with Red XIII and his children outside of the new Midgar, or during the FMV sequences after the Cloud/Sephiroth fight, it could have been meaningful as well.
The black sheep of the series, FFVIII, actually did what FFVII didn't--have the Prologue play during an important scene. This rendition played during the ending while the group was being videotaped. It was a scene of togetherness and friendship, enhanced by having this special song playing.
FFIX's storyline harkened back to the old days of Final Fantasy. Unfortunately, it also harkened back to FFVII, with the Prologue also playing during an ending without a scene to go along with it. There were bits of old FMV sequences in the background, but it wasn't a new, special scene befitting the Prologue. But at least there was something to see and remember along with the song this time.
Having an old PC and no PS2, I have been unable to play the two latest numbered games in the series (FFX and FFXI), but I have heard from friends that both of these games lack any sort of version of the Prologue. It is sad to hear that such an important and very meaningful part of the series has been removed. We can only hope that FFXII will put the Final Fantasy back into the series.
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