Sorceress power

The Sorceress Power (known as the "Witch Embodiment" in the original Japanese) is the special power that separates a Sorceress from a normal human being in Final Fantasy VIII.

Origin of the Power
Granted to Sorceresses at the beginning of time by the Great Hyne, the Sorceress Power is a mysterious gift that enables a person to use magic naturally, without Junctioning to a Guardian Force. Not everybody can become a Sorceress, and some are more adept at using the Power than others. This is why the Sorceress Adel, when she realized she was nearing the end of her life, kidnapped hundreds of girls from all over the world in an attempt to find the one who could be her perfect successor.

A total of fifteen different Sorceresses are seen throughout Final Fantasy VIII, but only four of them have any background: Edea Kramer, Rinoa Heartilly, Adel of Esthar, and Ultimecia of the future. Edea received the Power from another Sorceress at the age of five, and then received Ultimecia's powers as well several years later. Adel received the Power from another Sorceress of her era, and bequeathed it to Rinoa upon her death in the Lunatic Pandora. The source of Ultimecia's Power is unknown, but she is forced to grant it to Edea when she is killed by Squall at her castle. The other eleven Sorceresses appear at the Commencement Room at the time of Time Compression, but very little information is known about them.

Manifesting the Power
Although the Sorceress Power all comes from the Great Hyne, it seems to take different forms within different people. Every Sorceress in Final Fantasy VIII demonstrates a different "theme" with their Power, a theme which seems to be inherent in the very Power itself.

The full extent of the abilities of a Sorceress is unknown. Throughout the game, we see Sorceresses utilize telekinesis, teleportation, telepathy, mind control, mental possession, and control over the elements; breathe life into inanimate objects; project kinetic barriers that stop bullets with ease; phase through solid objects; and even cause instant death with one touch. Most of these powers are demonstrated by Ultimecia, however, who, as previously mentioned, seems to have control over time and space. Rinoa, for example, does not seem able to phase through a solid wall (otherwise, she probably could have done it to escape the Sorceress Memorial).

It is important to note, however, that Sorceress Powers are cumulative. The fact that Ultimecia can give her powers to Edea, when Edea has already become a Sorceress, proves this. If a Sorceress receives the Power from two separate Sorceresses, she will be more powerful than a Sorceress who has only received Power from one, and will also be capable of utilizing the themes of multiple Powers. Edea is not only capable of casting ice magic, she is also capable of phasing through walls (which, as stated previously, Rinoa does not seem able to do) because Edea received Ultimecia's powers upon her death. It is unknown, however, as to whether the Power is divisible again once it has been combined.

Mechanics of the Power
The most important point about the Sorceress Power is that at the time of its holder's death, it must go to someone else. The Sorceress Power seems to be an immortal, inexorable kind of non-sentient being; almost like a primal, unchangeable Guardian Force. It attaches to a person and remains with them unshakeably until their death, at which point it MUST be given to another person. In fact, in the original Japanese version, Edea's precise words are, "A [Sorceress] cannot die while still holding onto the [Sorceress] Power."

What is not understood is what would happen were a Sorceress to die without passing on her powers. Apparently distance matters, to the Sorceress Power, and the recipient must be physically close to the Sorceress at the time of his or her death (Sorceresses are not always female). Adel and Ultimecia are forced to give their powers to Rinoa and Edea, respectively, even though these are by no means people they want to have their Power, simply because they are the closest Sorceress candidates at the time of their deaths. This becomes a particularly integral point when considering the eleven Sorceresses pulled into Time Compression. Upon their deaths, their Power could have only done one of two things: it could have gone to Rinoa, who was right there as they were killed, or it could have fallen back through Time Compression towards their time of origin and, once Time Compression was dispelled, "fallen" back into their time period and gone to a new candidate. There is no way to tell precisely which outcome occurred.

Corruption of the Power
One last unusual aspect of the Sorceress Power is the way it seems to distort a person's physical appearance, making them less human on the outside and perhaps having other sinister effects on the inside. After Edea receives Ultimecia's Power, the veins on her face begin to stand out in sharp relief. Adel is a misshapen gigas who barely looks human anymore. Ultimecia possesses wings and hair that defies the laws of physics (although I suppose that isn't exactly a sign of abnormality in a video game). The Sorceresses fought in Time Compression have blue skin, coats that seem to have merged with their bodies, or, in the case of the last Sorceress, absolutely no lingering resemblance to any natural creature. It is especially important to note that it is only the Power of an evil Sorceress that seems to have this effect on a person; Edea looked perfectly normal until she received Ultimecia's powers. However, this can only mean one thing--that the Sorceress Power can actually be influenced by the personality of the Sorceress who possesses it.

This brings up delicate questions regarding Rinoa's future. Even with Power received from a good Sorceress, it must be difficult to stay you with the combined remnants of the personality of so many past Sorceresses pulsating inside of you. With a Power received from an evil Sorceress, the fight against corruption must be nearly impossible. Since Rinoa received her Power from Adel, is she destined to turn to the dark side, as hypothesized by the Rinoa/Ultimecia Theory?

No. The corruptive influence of the Sorceress Power can be offset by the presence of a person, usually male, who stands by the Sorceress and becomes her Knight. Apparently a Knight helps a Sorceress to cling to her personality and code of ethics, despite the personalities of the Power that is within her. Since Rinoa has a Knight in Squall, she is unlikely to ever become an evil Sorceress.