Characters from the first Final Fantasy to the third could cover all the possible classes available in the game. With Final Fantasy IV instead, each character has his, or her, class. They have different abilities, statistic and so forth…it is up to the player to make the best out of their setup. In a certain way, characters are already given a role and it is not possible to change it (the only exception being Cecil, who switches from Dark Knight to Paladin).
This innovation brought players to call Rydia the first real summoner in the Final Fantasy saga. As I wrote in another shrine of mine, archetypes are widely common since each work draws something from its predecessor (and as the saying goes: never change a winning team). From the hero to the damsel in distress, from the cute girl to the charming villain…the list is long and Rydia has her own model.
The Rydia Model. A lone child who lost their parents due to a tragic event. An event that left emotional scars in a young mind making it weak, insecure or confused. Meeting other people will help to begin a process of recovery and self-discovery. A journey that will drive them to gain confidence and increase their power/fighting skills. With these words can be Rydia defined.
Rydia’s Spawns. The “Rydia model” must have been considered interesting by developers because it is possible to find “Rydia’s children” in all the following Final Fantasy12.
Final Fantasy VI, Terra: Rydia’s quasi mixed ethnicity (a human with magical powers) is taken one step further with Terra; half human and half Esper. Both Rydia and Terra saw their villages destroyed, something which has a great impact on them. Even though Rydia doesn’t get to the point of suffering from amnesia, she isn’t fully in control of her powers at the beginning of the game. While Mist is under attack she probably summons Titan unconsciously and she isn’t capable of controlling his attack.
When they first come in contact with other characters (Terra with Locke, Rydia with Cecil) they are frightened and insecure. It is only after becoming aware of their potential and discovering themselves, that they can overcome those obstacles. Rydia for example becomes a full-fledged summoner and black mage only after spending some time in the Feymarch.
- The list may not be inclusive of all the existing cases since I mentioned only characters from games I’ve played or of whom I know the storyline. [↩]
- Keep in mind that the “Rydia model” is flexible and cannot be narrowed to a simple matter of, say, age or class. In other words the heirs may not necessarily share all the characteristics Rydia has. For example children are rare because child characters are hardly actively involved in fights or battles. Or not being a summoner doesn’t mean there are no similarities with Rydia, although in most cases these characters are indeed summoners or mages (or their abilities are akin to the summoner/mage class in case the game itself doesn’t use the job system). [↩]