SeeD



SeeD (シード) is the name of a mercenary force founded by Cid and Edea Kramer in Final Fantasy VIII. SeeD was started shortly after Edea received the dying Ultimecia's powers and met Squall Leonhart from the future who told her about the SeeD. To the outside world, SeeD is a mercenary force for hire, conducting missions around the world as battle support and undercover operatives. Their services are requested by governments and civilians; their tasks range from providing military support to protecting civilians. Its true purpose, however, is to ensure Squall Leonhart among other students will be trained to become strong enough to take on Ultimecia in the future, according to the encounter Edea had.

Balamb Garden, the first Garden, is responsible for training SeeDs. Only Balamb Garden trains SeeD cadets, but members from the other Gardens can transfer to Balamb for the field exam, because all SeeD are stationed at Balamb. The SeeD specialize in high-level para-magic by the use of Guardian Forces. They are in high demand by groups requiring a small force of undercover specialists, and commissions made through such dispatches are an important part of the Garden's income.

Information
SeeD (1) Balamb Garden's mercenary force. Students 15 and older can participate in the written and field exams. They must pass both exams to become SeeD. SeeD members are paid by the Garden according to their rank. In the Garden, their status is no different from that of the other students.

SeeD (2) SeeD conducts missions around the world. Most missions involve battle support and undercover work. SeeD is in high demand by groups requiring a small force of undercover specialists. Commissions made through such dispatches are an important part of Balamb Garden's income.

SeeD (3) SeeD battle operations are noted for their skillful use of para-magic. Balamb Garden researches the use of GF in conjunction with para-magic. For this, Balamb Garden SeeD members master the most powerful forms of para-magic.

To Become a SeeD
SeeD candidates must be between 15 years to 19 years old. At 20, they can no longer apply. They have to pass a written exam, a field exam, and they have to be accepted by the Headmaster.

Field Exam
This exam can involve many things as it is usually in the form of a live mission assigned to the Garden. While there are active SeeD members at hand during the exams to ensure the mission success, SeeD candidates are expected to conduct themselves positively and strive to complete their group assigned missions to pass the exam.

The exam is graded via observations made during the mission. Each candidate is judged upon:
 * Conduct: How the candidate behaves within the mission and within their team. In the game, the score is determined by how fast the player can escape the Dollet Communications Tower.
 * Judgment: The decisions the cadet makes and the effect of them upon the mission. In the game, the score is determined by how much time is left at the end of the Fire Cavern mission when Squall defeats Ifrit. The less time left, the higher the score.
 * Attack: How aggressive and skillful the candidate is during the mission. In the game, the score is determined by how many enemies are killed during the field exam.
 * Spirit: How brave and/or determined the candidate is during the mission. In the game the score is determined by how often the player flees from battle.
 * Attitude: Judges the candidate's moral and professional behavior during the mission. In the game, various individual actions determine this score, such as how many people they speak to.

The grading also includes any additional actions and/or events that the examiners deem noteworthy.

The highest SeeD rank obtained depends on the difficulty of the mission where the exam was held, but usually the highest rank obtained is Rank 8, although some exceptions have been made.

Sometimes (usually due to difficulty of the mission) a prerequisite is required before a student can participate in the exam. Either the obtainment of a Guardian Force, or the completion a low-level mission, is the required prerequisite. In such circumstances, the student must be accompanied by a SeeD member for support and safety reasons.

Garden Instructors are SeeD members who have been promoted to (or assigned) teaching positions at Garden. It is not known if any non-SeeD instructors exist at Garden, although it seems unlikely that there would be. Since Instructors are SeeD as well, they are capable of accompanying their students on the prerequisite missions, such as Quistis Trepe supporting Squall at the Fire Cavern.

Uniform and Mannerisms
Although casual attire is usually worn specifically due to the covert nature of SeeD missions, SeeD does have a formal uniform that is issued to its members upon graduation. Worn during ceremony or due to the SeeD's own choice, the uniform is renowned enough that the SeeD is identified nearly everywhere in the world.

Both uniforms are reminiscent of Japanese school uniforms. The male uniform, modeled after the Japanese Gakuran, has a standing collar buttoning down from top-to-bottom. The collar is part of a black tunic with gold trim and maroon cuffs. Pants are straight leg and tucked into black knee-high boots. A black Sam Browne belt is worn with the tunic and a blue and silver designed shield is worn over the shoulders. The shield tapers to a double point at the back. The female uniform, modeled after the Japanese seeraafuku, consists of a black blouse with dark blue shoulders that echo the design of the sailor-style collar. Attached to the collar are two gold-trimmed "wings" that hang over the chest; a maroon tie is also worn with a metal clasp possessing the SeeD logo. The ensemble is completed with a straight skirt cutting off just above the knees. Although the original design appears to include black knee-high socks and black shoes, in the game, female SeeDs wear black knee-high boots instead for their full SeeD uniform, with the shoes and socks reserved for the SeeD trainee uniform.

Cadet
All students in the Garden who are training to be SeeD and have yet to graduate are considered SeeD Cadets.

Rank 1 - 30
SeeD field operatives have a numeral ranking system from 1 to 30 (1 being the lowest rank and 30 being the highest). They can increase their ranking by successfully completing written tests that cover a variety of subjects they may encounter. These tests are multiple choice and must be answered 100% correctly to successfully rise a SeeD rank. Note that these tests can only be taken up to Squall's current level (i.e if Squall is level 7, the player will only be able to take the tests up to #7.) Ranking is decreased by misconduct in the field or if the operative is seen lagging behind.

Test Answers
1. Y N Y Y Y N N Y N N

2. Y N Y Y Y N Y Y N N

3. N N Y N Y Y Y N Y N

4. N Y Y Y N N Y Y N N

5. N N N Y Y N N Y Y Y

6. Y N Y Y N N Y Y N Y

7. Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N

8. N Y N N Y Y N N Y N

9. N Y N N N N N N Y Y

10. Y N N N N N N N Y N

11. Y Y N Y Y N Y N N Y

12. N Y N N Y N Y N Y N

13. Y N N N Y N N N N N

14. Y Y Y Y N Y Y N Y N

15. Y Y N N N N N Y N Y

16. Y N N Y N Y N N Y N

17. Y N N N Y N N Y N N

18. Y N N N Y N N N N N

19. Y N N Y N N N N N Y

20. Y Y N Y N Y Y Y N N

21. Y Y Y Y N N Y Y Y N

22. N N N Y N N N Y Y N

23. Y N N N N Y Y Y Y Y

24. Y Y N N Y Y N N N Y

25. Y N Y Y Y N N Y N N

26. Y Y N Y N Y N Y N N

27. N Y N N N N Y N Y N

28. Y N N Y Y Y N Y N N

29. N N N Y Y N N N Y N

30. N Y N N N N Y N N N

Rank A
Above the 1 - 30 ranks lies the A-class SeeD (or Class A Elite SeeD). This is the highest ranking for a SeeD field operative. It can be reached via special consideration or through the written tests.


 * Commander: A recently created military rank awarded to Squall Leonhart allowing him full command over the Garden and all SeeD members. This rank is deemed to be the official leader of SeeD.

Rank and Pay
A SeeD's income is dictated by his/her rank.

Rank 1: 500G

Rank 2: 1,000G

Rank 3: 1,500G

Rank 4: 2,000G

Rank 5: 3,000G

Rank 6: 4,000G

Rank 7: 5,000G

Rank 8: 6,000G

Rank 9: 7,000G

Rank 10: 8,000G

Rank 11: 9,000G

Rank 12: 10,000G

Rank 13: 11,000G

Rank 14: 12,000G

Rank 15: 12,500G

Rank 16: 13,000G Rank 17: 13,500G

Rank 18: 14,000G

Rank 19: 14,500G

Rank 20: 15,000G

Rank 21: 15,500G

Rank 22: 16,000G

Rank 23: 16,500G

Rank 24: 17,000G

Rank 25: 17,500G

Rank 26: 18,000G

Rank 27: 18,500G

Rank 28: 19,000G

Rank 29: 19,500G

Rank 30: 20,000G

Rank A: 30,000G

Balamb Garden


Balamb Garden is located east of the town of Balamb. Students (usually orphans) attend this Garden in hopes of becoming SeeDs. It is one of the three Gardens in the world, and it is where SeeDs are trained and stationed.

Trabia Garden
While not responsible for training SeeDs, Trabia and Balamb Garden carry out an exchange program to train SeeDs, by allowing would-be SeeDs from Trabia to take the SeeD Written Test there.

Galbadia Garden
Does not train SeeDs. However, contact is maintained between the two Headmasters of Galbadia and Balamb Gardens whenever there is a joint operation between the two.

Musical Themes
Played during the various battle meetings between the SeeD, the musical extract "SeeD" is considered to be the theme of the elite mercenary group.

Dissidia Final Fantasy
The SeeD Uniform appears in Dissidia Final Fantasy as an optional outfit for Squall Leonhart. Little to no changes were made to the uniform's design for the game, and Squall can be seen wielding either the Revolver or the Lionheart while wearing the formal military uniform.

Merchandise

 * An official Zippo Lighter with the SeeD logo was released in 1999. With only 400 pieces ever manufactured, the lighter is considered extremely rare. A collector's item, the lighter comes in a metal container with blue padding and includes a certificate of authenticity.

Trivia

 * In Balamb Garden, SeeD members have their own, private dorms.
 * The transcontinental railroad express from Balamb to Timber houses a private cabin for SeeD members only.
 * There is an off-shoot mercenary group called White SeeD who are charged with the protection of Ellone in Squall's timeline. The White SeeD are shown to have continued on into Ultimecia's timeline where bodies of White SeeD soldiers are shown littering the ground before Ultimecia's Castle.
 * During Zell Dincht's intro FMV, the SeeD symbol seen behind him has been flipped.

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