Trading Places *SPOILERS*

Yeah, lame thread title, I couldn’t think of anything better. Remember, there are SPOILERS in this post and thread that will spoil your enjoyment of the game if you haven’t completed it and continue reading on… With that dealt with.

I remember vaguely, during my one and only play-through of Final Fantasy IX, that Zidane and Kuja are brothers (kind of) in the way they were created, but where Kuja was made to die at a specific point, seemingly to be replaced by Zidane, Zidane was to live for an unspecified period of time (forever, even.)

Now, I can’t remember the full details behind the story, but the knowledge that he was going to die was what sent Kuja over the edge, and that combined with becoming Trance Kuja, bought about the destruction of Terra and the very close destruction of the entire universe.

My question is this: If Zidane had been the Genome who was to die, to be replaced by Kuja, the eternal Genome and better model, so to speak, would Zidane have done exactly the same thing Kuja tried to do? Would the circumstance of knowing that you were created only to die and be replaced send you down the road of madness that Kuja took, to the point of not letting anyone live because you were to die? Or is it Kuja entirely that bought about the near destruction of the universe?

(Note:- My memory, as I’ve said, as fuzzy of the exact events, but that’s my best recollection of it. If you want to correct me, feel free.)

If your saying if they switched places? I’d say that Zidane would probobly turn out the same way. The reason he acted how he did is because he fell to Gia (sp?) and he was brought up like a normal person. I think he even said in the game if he were in Kuja’s shoes he’d do the same thing.

Must I repeat how much I pitied Kuja at this point of the game? Probably not.
If I remember correctly, Zidane said to Amarant that he now knew that he and Kuja were the same, but also totally different.
They have the same roots, but developed in two opposite directions. I don�t know if Zidane would really have done the same in Kuja�s place, but chances are. It depends.
Poor Kuja… 🙁

I think this comes down to a bit of a nature vs. nurture discussion. 🙂 Ultimately, you know Zidane was a very warmhearted and caring person, but why was that? Was it becuase of the friends he made with his Tantalus brothers? Was it becuase of the way he was raised — to watch out for his friends and to give his loyalty to those he cared for? He grew up with a band of friends who may have been rough around the edges but who always looked out for one another.

Kuja had no such comforts growing up. He got sent out on his own when he was only 12, and he KNEW that Zidane was better than he was. He KNEW that this little four-year-old kid was going to take his place. So that jealousy and resentment led him to abandon Zidane. And the ironic thing is, because Kuja chose to leave Zid to grow up on Gaia, Zidane grew up to be the young man who ultimately defeated him.

There are things Zidane does give me the impression that he’d never become a real "angel of death." One is his reaction to Garland in Pandemonium. Zidane was never really tempted with the thought of power. "I wouldn’t want that kind of power," is what he told Garlend. Zid was cocky and defiant, but he was never really arrogantly after power. He was never someone who wanted to be a leader just for the sake of weilding his upper-hand over everyone. I’m sure part of that is innately in him, it’s not just because of his upbringing. But I’ve never known anyone who hasn’t enjoyed a taste of power.

Sure, Zidane has a dark and powerful spirit in him, just like Garland said. He has a temper, and he’s stubborn. He’ll want to beat the crap out of anyone who gets in his way. In that way, he and Kuja aren’t so different. The thing is, Kuja had no one to live for. He had nothing to care for. So why should he care if everyone else dies with him? Zidane, on the other hand… he had everything to live for. He had friends. He had family. He had wonderful memories to return to. When Kuja was beat by these "morons," he realized that people fighting to live, and their reasons for fighting, were more powerful than he ever understood before.

If Kuja understood that, I’m sure Zidane would have understood that, too.

*blinks* Ack… okay, sorry. That was a ramble. 🙂 I tend to overanalyze these things. If you read this all… I love you! XD

hmmmmmm

not sure about this one….bit confusing