Final Fantasy IX allusions



Final Fantasy IX was intended, in many ways, to be a salute to the history of the series, and as such, it is filled with allusions and references to previous games. One of the most apparent is the similarity of the character Vivi to the Black Mage from the original Final Fantasy. Unfortunately, despite the high quality of the translation overall, care was not taken to ensure that all of the various names and references matched up to those used in the previous English-language releases. Because of this, many of the references with which the game abounds are completely missed by the non-Japanese audience. Some examples are included below. This is a list of these allusions organized by game.

Final Fantasy

 * Garland shares a name with a character from the original game. In fact, he is said to have "tried to conquer the world once, but failed," hinting that the two might be the same character.
 * Mount Gulug was meant to be Gurgu Volcano, as seen in the original Final Fantasy, having a similar layout and dungeon music. The name is written in Japanese as グルグ, or "Gurugu". Princess Cornelia, a character in the "I Want to be Your Canary" play, is also named after a location in the original title.
 * The Pumice item in Final Fantasy IX, which is used to summon Ark, the massive, transforming airship, is known as "Fuyuuishi" (ふゆう石, or "floating stone"). In the original NES version of Final Fantasy, this item was translated as "FLOATER," and was used to lift the ancient airship from the desert. This bond is strengthened by the fact that Ark takes the form of a kind of airship.
 * The four elemental fiends which appear in Memoria are named Maliris, Tiamat, Kraken, and Lich, recalling their counterparts in the Final Fantasy. (In the anglicized version of Final Fantasy, the fiend of fire was called "Kary," although the name "Marilith" was restored in the Final Fantasy Origins version.)
 * At the beginning of the game, during her escape, Princess Garnet's robes bear a strong likeness to the original White Mage.
 * Crystals are a recurring motif beginning with the original Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy II

 * During the 1st interlude in South Gate, the shop near the cable car is named Altair, which shares its name with the town the Wild Rose resistance fled to at the start of Final Fantasy II.
 * The giant boss creature, Hilgigars, was actually meant to be Hill Gigas. Gigas is a common name in the series for oversized humanoids, most frequently seen in Final Fantasy  and Final Fantasy VII, and seen again in Final Fantasy XII.
 * In Gizamaluke's Grotto, the bells required to open the doors hearken back to the Goddess's Bell from Final Fantasy II which is used to open Kashuan Keep.
 * Chocobos were first introduced in Final Fantasy II.
 * Pandaemonium was also the name of Garland's Castle
 * During the player's encounter with Ramuh they are required to recite a story to him to earn his trust. This story actually describes an incident in Final Fantasy II involving an ice cave and a boulder which prompts one of the characters named Josef to sacrifice himself to save the others.

Final Fantasy III

 * After the world of Terra as been destroyed, at the beginning of disc four and onwards, the player can return to Black Mage Village and examine the gramophone at the Black Mage Village inn. If the player possesses the Doga's Artifact and Une's Mirror, the background music will change to a melody taken from the Final Fantasy III soundtrack; Dorga and Une's Theme. This melody continues on until the player leaves the Black Mage Village.
 * Moogles were first seen in Final Fantasy III.
 * Summoners had a horn like Eiko

Final Fantasy IV

 * The dwarves of Conde Petie use the same greeting as the dwarves of Final Fantasy IV (ラリホ, or "rariho"). However, the original saying "Lali-ho" was changed to "Rally-ho" in Final Fantasy IX. It can be explained, since "l" in Japanese is "r" in English. These mistranslations are common throughout the series.
 * Eidolons also appear in the Nintendo DS remake of Final Fantasy IV
 * Cid's last name is "Fabool", which is a homophone for the kingdom of Fabul from Final Fantasy IV.
 * Upon arriving in Lindblum for the first time, if you search the area that Steiner was just in during the ATE as he leaves the Inn, you will find a sign towards the Northwest part of this area called Polom's Action Figures; this is mistranslation of Porom, one of the twin mages of Final Fantasy IV.

Final Fantasy V

 * The "Eternal Harvest" theme played at during cut scene in Cleyra bears a resemblance in melody to the song "Harvest" from Final Fantasy V, the difference being the actual pitch of the melody.
 * Much of the melody heard in Kuja's Theme is heard in the Final Fantasy V song "Slumber of Ancient Earth".
 * Upon Cornelia's death scene in the "I Want to be Your Canary" sequence, the player's death theme from Final Fantasy V is heard combined into the play's music.

Final Fantasy VI

 * The Eidolon, Madeen, is mis-Romanized as well. It was meant to invoke the name of Final Fantasy VI's Maduin (which, in the original Japanese versions of both games, was written as マディーン (Madiin)). Incidentally, the slightly-nonsensical name of its attack, "Terra Homing," was also intended to be "Terraforming."
 * In Lindblum, the characters may encounter an old man named Locke, possibly a reference to Locke Cole.
 * The way Kuja throws Garland out of Pandemonium's Platform is reminiscent of the way Kefka throws Emperor Gestahl out of the Floating Continent.
 * Many character traits are shared between Beatrix and Celes Chere, one of the main protagonists of Final Fantasy VI. They were both incredibly powerful, loyal knights working for the enemy (Brahne and Gestahl, respectively), who question their actions after fighting in battles. They both come to their senses and begin to fight for the forces of good.

Final Fantasy VII

 * Rufus' Welcoming Ceremony - During an Active Time Event in the Evil Forest, the player can see the band aboard the Tantalus' theater ship, the Prima Vista, playing the "Rufus' Welcoming Ceremony" song from Final Fantasy VII.
 * At the end of the game, when Tantalus once again performs the play I Want to be Your Canary, a line with the words "No cloud, no squall shall hinder us", is mentioned, referring to the protagonists of the previous two games in the main series.
 * If the player examines a large, familiar looking sword in the Lindblum Weapons Shop, Zidane will say "I once knew a spiky headed guy who had a sword like this...," a reference to Cloud Strife, the protagonist of Final Fantasy VII who carried a large sword named the 'Buster Sword'.
 * After Alexandria has been destroyed, a flower girl can be seen talking to one of the Knights of Pluto (named Pluto Knight VII) and when you address her, she replies "he's cute, but not exactly Mr. Personality". The knight remarks that he's lucky to have found such a beautiful girl here. (a reference to Aerith and Cloud of Final Fantasy VII).

Final Fantasy VIII

 * At the end of the game, when Tantalus once again performs the play I Want to be Your Canary, a line with the words "No cloud, no squall shall hinder us", is mentioned, referring to the protagonists of the previous two games in the main series.

Other Games

 * Final Fantasy IX also has a reference to another Square game, Parasite Eve, with the two owners of the synthesis shop in Lindblum, Torres and Wayne. Also, in Parasite Eve Torres dies, but in Final Fantasy IX, Torres is merely badly injured after Alexandria attacks.
 * The game's title, as seen on the title screen with the metal globe containing a crystal, is reminiscent of the title for the Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals OVA.