"You don't need a reason to help people."
Article by: Polo
Created by: Square
First appearance: 2000
Bio
Zidane Tribal is a consummate thief and the hero of Final Fantasy IX. Since infancy, he was raised by the Tantalus Theater Troupe, a traveling group of thieves who perform for audiences while surreptitiously swiping their goods. Zidane's repertoire is detailed further in battles: he can steal up to four items from the same target, detect what goods they have on them, and up his chances of acquiring rarities. When fighting, dual daggers and thief swords are his weapons of choice. He also has a distraction aptly named "What's That!?" that makes enemies turn around in confusion, allowing for back attacks.
Outside of battles and thievery missions, Zidane is as relaxed and easygoing as any confident individual. Being brought up in a cohesive family unit has its long-reaching advantages: aside from his streetwise skills, his heart has been forged by a sense of belonging, meaning new allies that feel out of place or unsure of themselves get support from their "big brother." Although normally flirtatious when it comes to women, Zidane grows to respect runaway Princess Garnet, whose athletic skills, self-appointed nickname after Zidane's trusty blade (Dagger), and basic obligation to the throne prove she's not just another skirt to chase. One of Zidane's in-battle skills, Protect Girls, can be seen as a reflection of his chivalry in the form of parrying blows meant for female party members. Taken as a whole, Zidane fits perfectly into his social network.
Or does he?
As the story of Final Fantasy IX unfolds, clues about Zidane's own origin come to the fore. Why does he see a blue light in his dreams? Why does it symbolize home? And how is this man named Kuja, the end boss of the game, related to our monkey-tailed hero? Zidane may be carefree, but his congenital desire to know where he came from — and the answers — may be the greatest challenge he faces yet.
Selected game appearances
PlayStation
- Final Fantasy IX (2000)
References
