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Final Fantasy IV Research & Development / Re: Making sense of the story
« on: June 03, 2015, 12:42:01 PM »So I've been thinking about some of the nuances of the story lately... As I am working on a sequel, some of this is actually kind of important to what I'm doing, but also it's just fun to geek out and ask the questions nobody's asking because it involves reading into the story more than a normal person ever would.
So...
What's the deal with Golbez's backstory?
This thought was kind of inspired by what Pinkpuff and Grimoire were just discussing on the Unprecedented Crisis thread.
So, OK, I know Square established later that his mind was initially affected by Zemus when his parents died, but... Where did he go? How is it that he was able to work on becoming a super powerful sorcerer and a general of all of earth's evil over a period of seventeen years or so without anybody noticing? And he started out as just a kid. So did he just sit in a cave somewhere working on his dark magic and just stewing in his evil broth for a decade or so?
Of special note it seems that KluYa lived close to the village of Mist and it may have been those residents that actually had him killed (all that is mentioned is that a rival clan of magic users that disagreed with KluYa's teachings on using magic peacefully, but instead wanted to use magic to conquer killed him). In that respect it would make sense that Golbez would strike swiftly at those that killed his father.
It's fan speculated that Zemus sent the Four Fiends to watch over and guide the young Theodor into the dark sorcerer he eventually becomes since they do say that "Master Zemus" revived them (not unlike Chaos, now that I think about it) hinting that Zemus is held in great esteem by them. Their original title may also be a hint to their celestial origins "Four Heavenly Kings". From there time worked its way on Theodor that the constant pressuring voices from Zemus he renamed himself Golbez (mistranslation, blah, blah we all know the rest).
It is likely he took up residence in the Tower of Babil, which was likely of Lunarian creation before humans had a written history (or had evolved significantly enough) and used that as an anchoring point to keep the moon stabilized in orbit. The Lunarians had a dangerous weapon on the moon with them called the Giant of Babil that... for some reason could be called with interplanetary elevator down to the Tower of Babil (may have been originally purposed for the mass movement of the Lunarians down to the Blue Planet) that Zemus wished to use to wipe out the humans but FuSoYa stopped him and sealed him in a deep sleep.
I do feel though that the effects of Zemus' growing power was causing previously peaceful monsters to become restless and lash out, many not necessarily under the direct control of Golbez.
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What's the significance of Eblan?
Out of all the societies sieged by Golbez's forces, they seem least likely to offer any real resistance in the early stages of his plot - they have no crystal, and are very isolated from the rest of civilization - yet they're the only one that is already completely obliterated when you first get there, and presumably for some time before the beginning of the game. I guess they were maybe viewed as a threat because of their proximity to Bab-il? But that doesn't add up, because when they were forced out of their stronghold, they went into hiding closer to the tower's entrance! Furthermore, threat my foot! They don't stand a chance against Rubicante, and the king and queen are abducted and turned into Lugae's science experiments.
I think you hit the nail on the head. If Golbez is to start conquering the world his first step should be his next door neighbor. Regardless of the threat they may pose, it likely seemed like a good testing ground to see if his forces were ready for domination (likely if something should go amiss with the Baron takeover plan) It is also owing to their isolation why they were completely destroyed, there would be no outside interference. I do not think Golbez or Rubicante anticipated that they would be able to maintain as much of a presence as they ended up doing, when a cave that burrowed into Babil itself was built.
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And how about Lugae?
He's one of only two doctors ever seen in the game... How did he learn his trade? He's another one who it doesn't seem likely he could build all of that stuff up without anybody noticing. And where did he come from? He's not (originally) a monster, he's a human. So what kingdom do we presume he hails from? Maybe Troia, and that's how he learned to be a doctor?
He seems familiar with Cecil and Kain, which leads me to think he may have been working out of Baron for some time. I believe the "Dr" epithet is probably just another name for a doctor of science, because he's clearly a scientist of some sort and not a medical doctor. It is also interesting that Dr. Lugae in the DS remake mentions that he was made "Golbez's chief strategist". In The After Years as well Golbez laments that Lugae had so much potential and how his fate would have turned out had he taken another path. This in itself leads to another question, we know that Golbez has humans working alongside his monsters, whether it be knights with flame magic, dark knights, girls wielding both swords and magic, so clearly he is attracting more than just your typical evil monsters to his side, but also humans of various professions.
I hold that Lugae was probably some sort of scientist working out of Baron who was enticed by Golbez to join him on his quest and that he was Golbez's chief strategist it goes to show how much trust was placed in him.
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How about KluYa?
If I have this story straight, he came to earth to help this savage little planet evolve and develop technology so that it could eventually be a place inhabitable by both earthlings and lunarians. And he's Cecil and Golbez's dad. So... Either Lunarians live REALLY LONG lives, or earthly civilization is only a few decades old.
Oh he's old. Really old. The Lunar Whale is just a legend by the time of FFIV, but it was the vehicle that KluYa used to get here. FuSoYa is similarly old as he was the one to seal Zemus in a long removed time. KluYa did not only develop technology, but also the basic arts of magic (seeming to retcon the God of Magic, Minwu out of the game's lore. It is a little difficult to say, but the original game itself did mention that KluYa taught men magic) to the people of the Blue Planet. According to the Scenario Book, the civilization of FFIV is around 800 years old because the world itself is "fairly new".
It may also be that according to the Scenario Book magic had two phases. The first was initiated by the Sage Minwu and the second was where magic learning began "anew". Since the old methods no longer worked that took place anywhere from 100-150 years ago and may be the time that KluYa started to teach magic in Myisida. It seems the best way to reconcile the two almost contradictory set ups of who taught who magic.
Another thing I really like about the Scenario Book is that it says that Cid is the pure brain behind the airship, using Baronian Legend (possibly books left behind by KluYa from an earlier time?) he deciphered ancient manuscripts and took the original flotation theory and made it into an aviation theory.
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Anyway, what are your thoughts?
Any other poorly a explained plot points you can think of? I'm sure there are lots...
Hmm... Rydia is far from the "Last Summoner" as the Summoners in the Feymarch itself would attest. Plus there's an old man in the Village of Mist who says "we" in regards to Summoners when referring to where the Summons come from.
Why did Leviathan attack the boat on the way to Baron and kill everyone on board (that wasn't a main character?) that is never adequately explained or brought up again.
That's all that comes to mind at the moment. Great topic idea though!
I had realized I forgot to see what weapon Kokkol had for me after giving him the Adamant and he still says "come back later!" unless there's a part after the ?first trip? through the Lunar Subterrane there isn't really a later to refer to. Or is this what you meant by his sidequest being unfinished?