Agent0042
12-14-2006, 01:43 AM
Okay. This was a thread I started a good while back, but like most threads, good or bad, it eventually got buried. It was good then (Thread 8640), though, and it's good now, so I'm starting it again.
Final Fantasy V --- Summons aren't quite that majorly connected to the plot in this game, but they still play an important role. Faris's "pet," Hydra, dies and is reincarnated as the summon Hydra. At the end of the game, you get access to the Phoenix Tower. If you make it all the way up this winding tower, you get a flashback scene in which Reina/Lenna learns that her mother, the Queen, is dying. There's only one thing that can save her --- medicine made from the tongue of a dragon. But in order to do this, Reina/Lenna must cut out the tongue from a live dragon. If you choose not to have her cut it, you get the Phoenix summon. But if you screw up because you were going too fast, you lose out on the summon unless you reload and climb the tower again.
Final Fantasy VI --- One of the biggest games as far as summon / plot connection. The Empire is draining espers of their life in order to create Magitek. Kefka, in particular, makes a collection of magicite. Terra is half-esper and struggles with who she is. At the end of the game, espers and magic disappear from the world.
Final Fantasy VII --- This one was something of an anomaly. This game focuses on the materia and such, so the summons themselves aren't central to the plot.
Final Fantasy VIII --- Utilizing GF and the junction abilities they provide is incredibly important to success in this game. Later on, you learn that the GF is taking up a space in your characters' brains, robbing them of their memories.
Final Fantasy IX --- Dagger/Garnet is a lost member of the summoner tribe of Madain Sari. When she meets the young Eiko, she discovers someone else who has summon power. Queen Brahne, under the influence of Kuja, seized Garnet's summon power and used it for destruction. Later, Kuja summoned Bahamut against Alexandria and Garnet and Eiko summoned the great holy eidolon Alexander (a massive robot in some of the other games) to stop it. Then, Garland put a stop to it all.
Final Fantasy X --- The Aeons are manfiestations of the Fayth. Yuna is a summoner, destined to perform the Final Summoning. But she discovers a horrid truth --- the Summoning is a big lie that only helps to perpetuate the cycle of Sin. The Final Aeon becomes the new Sin. Tidus, Yuna and co. kill Yunalesca and then defeat Sin / Braska's Final Aeon.
In this game, summons can also be used against you. Isaaru summons Grothia (Ifrit), Pterya (Valefor) and Spathi (Bahamut.) Seymour has Anima, at least until you take her for your own.
Final Fantasy X-2 --- The Fayth / summons have been dragged into the darkness by the turbulent memories of Shuyin.
Final Fantasy XII --- I've not finished the game yet, but each Esper (returning from FFVI) is a Mist Ability that can be activated for a single character from the License Board. Espers can be obtained storywise and have powerful ties to important characters from Ivalice's past history. There are also numerous optional summons to be gained. Summons in this game are called by different names because the traditional summon names are being used for airships. So Ifrit becomes Belias, etc.
Final Fantasy V --- Summons aren't quite that majorly connected to the plot in this game, but they still play an important role. Faris's "pet," Hydra, dies and is reincarnated as the summon Hydra. At the end of the game, you get access to the Phoenix Tower. If you make it all the way up this winding tower, you get a flashback scene in which Reina/Lenna learns that her mother, the Queen, is dying. There's only one thing that can save her --- medicine made from the tongue of a dragon. But in order to do this, Reina/Lenna must cut out the tongue from a live dragon. If you choose not to have her cut it, you get the Phoenix summon. But if you screw up because you were going too fast, you lose out on the summon unless you reload and climb the tower again.
Final Fantasy VI --- One of the biggest games as far as summon / plot connection. The Empire is draining espers of their life in order to create Magitek. Kefka, in particular, makes a collection of magicite. Terra is half-esper and struggles with who she is. At the end of the game, espers and magic disappear from the world.
Final Fantasy VII --- This one was something of an anomaly. This game focuses on the materia and such, so the summons themselves aren't central to the plot.
Final Fantasy VIII --- Utilizing GF and the junction abilities they provide is incredibly important to success in this game. Later on, you learn that the GF is taking up a space in your characters' brains, robbing them of their memories.
Final Fantasy IX --- Dagger/Garnet is a lost member of the summoner tribe of Madain Sari. When she meets the young Eiko, she discovers someone else who has summon power. Queen Brahne, under the influence of Kuja, seized Garnet's summon power and used it for destruction. Later, Kuja summoned Bahamut against Alexandria and Garnet and Eiko summoned the great holy eidolon Alexander (a massive robot in some of the other games) to stop it. Then, Garland put a stop to it all.
Final Fantasy X --- The Aeons are manfiestations of the Fayth. Yuna is a summoner, destined to perform the Final Summoning. But she discovers a horrid truth --- the Summoning is a big lie that only helps to perpetuate the cycle of Sin. The Final Aeon becomes the new Sin. Tidus, Yuna and co. kill Yunalesca and then defeat Sin / Braska's Final Aeon.
In this game, summons can also be used against you. Isaaru summons Grothia (Ifrit), Pterya (Valefor) and Spathi (Bahamut.) Seymour has Anima, at least until you take her for your own.
Final Fantasy X-2 --- The Fayth / summons have been dragged into the darkness by the turbulent memories of Shuyin.
Final Fantasy XII --- I've not finished the game yet, but each Esper (returning from FFVI) is a Mist Ability that can be activated for a single character from the License Board. Espers can be obtained storywise and have powerful ties to important characters from Ivalice's past history. There are also numerous optional summons to be gained. Summons in this game are called by different names because the traditional summon names are being used for airships. So Ifrit becomes Belias, etc.