Aspect Analysis - Final Fantasy IX: Vivi and The Black Waltz #3

Final Fantasy IX is my favorite Final Fantasy game and ranks up there with my favorite games of all time. In the early parts of the game is one of my favorite moments in a video game, The Black Waltz #3 appears.

It's something the game had done a little bit to build to. The first being when Zidane first fought the Black Waltz #1, but didn't want to tell Vivi about it due to their bizarre resemblance to one another. This is actually the first part of the build-up that makes the scene hit you hard in the gut, it shows there is some kind of connection between the absolutely loveable Vivi and this rather vicious seeming enemy they are fighting.

It's not too much longer before you reach the next step, the reveal that these 'Black Mages' are being mass produced, and that you can't really deny Vivi is in some way connected. But, despite his fears, Vivi insists on moving forward and learning about what's going on with the Black Mages. The game is doing something very simple with Vivi up until this point, and that's painting him as a sort of naive child who isn't really sure of how the world works, but his curiosity about himself is very prevalent. So we as the audience have some sympathy for him and are a bit proud of him for fighting forward despite his own fears.

Again, only a short while later, you come across a series of Black Mages who are animated and operating the airship you snuck aboard. This is where things get a bit odd, because none of them seem to have any kind of emotion, and are simply automated. Vivi, of course, gets disheartened by this as he can speak to none of them, despite knowing the most definitely have some kind of connection.

See, Vivi wants to know if these other Black Mages have emotions like him and if there is anyone else out there who he can connect with who understand his own personal issues. What makes the coming of Black Waltz #3 such a heart-wrenching moment is Vivi actually gets an answer to that question, but how he got it is not how he would have wanted it.

When the Black Mages realize Vivi is in danger, it's like something clicks in their brains. Rather than continuing on with their automated tasks, they come to Vivi's defense. It is clear at this point the Black Mages, in some capacity, have some sort of emotion. But as a result of how that came about, The Black Waltz unleashes his magic.

Now, this isn't part of the narrative proper, but the musical score that plays during this scene does so much to amplify what is going on. Rather then something more intense to reflect the destruction the Black Waltz 3 brings to the table, it's a sad and restrained number to reflect the emotions of Vivi.

And as sad as it is to see all these newly awakened Black Mages get slaughtered, the focus on Vivi's reaction is why the moment hits, as he is the character in all this we care about. Were the focus put on the nameless Black Mages that died the focus would be less on how sad the moment is, and more on how much of a threat The Black Waltz is, this is because we don't have the same emotional connection to The Black Mages as we do with Vivi.

It's a great moment to get you behind Vivi as a character. You get to experience the tragedy as he does, and you get to advance through the game as he overcomes it and fights through his own fear and doubts.