Flower (symbolism)

Flowers, flower petals and cherry blossoms are recurring symbols used throughout the Final Fantasy series.

Especially the cherry blossom holds much symbolism within Japan. According to the Buddhist tradition, the brief beauty of the blossoms symbolizes the transient nature of life. Cherry blossoms are also tied with samurai culture, representing the fleeting nature of the samurai's life, symbolic of drops of blood and to the dignity of falling with grace.

The transience of the blossoms, the beauty and quick death, has often been associated with mortality; the death theme is represented in the Final Fantasy series with the use of animated cherry blossoms in strong attacks. After only a week of blossoming the peak is over and the cherry blossoms fall to the ground; this imagery is shown throughout the series as falling flower petals, although the flowers themselves are not always cherry blossoms.

Final Fantasy II
A wild rose is the symbol of the Wild Rose Rebellion, which Firion, Maria and Guy become a part of relatively early in the game. Princess Hilda explains that the wild rose symbolizes a future in which beauty and strength can flourish undisturbed.

Final Fantasy VI
A bouquet of flowers is a significant prop in the Opera that Celes Chere partakes in in the Opera House, which she is meant to dramatically part with, symbolic of Maria parting with her love for Draco. It is also this act which reveals Locke's growing feelings for Celes. Cyan Garamonde crafts his own bouquets of flowers in the World of Ruin to send to Lola, instead of her deceased boyfriend. He is visibly embarrassed when the party arrive, and attempts to hide them from view.

Final Fantasy VII
Flowers are associated mainly with Aerith Gainsborough. She is first seen selling flowers on the streets of Midgar, and it is later revealed the only places in Midgar where flowers bloom are in the Sector 5 Church and Aerith's house.

As the world, and especially the areas around Midgar, are depicted as polluted, the flowers symbolize nature and the Lifestream.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Flowers still bloom in the church and a spring of Lifestream is revealed to be under the flowerbed. In Advent Children Complete, after the end credits, the cliff where Zack Fair died is shown covered in flowers. Denzel asks Cloud if the cliff is where someone died, but Cloud corrects him and says "it's where a hero began his journey", and the Buster Sword has been restored and placed in the church among the flowers. In the very last shot two yellow flowers are shown placed on Cloud's desk in front of photographs of him with his friends.

How the flowers in Final Fantasy VII universe represent Lifestream is especially obvious in Advent Children, where whenever Cloud has an encounter with Aerith he is shown standing on a field of flowers with her.

The depicted flowers appear to be.

Final Fantasy VIII
Flower petals are seen in the game's opening and ending, with Rinoa standing on the flower field waiting for Squall to turn up. She catches a single petal from the air, turning it into a feather. In the game's ending Rinoa and Squall enter the flower field from the Time Compressed world, with flower petals again swirling in the air. Rinoa looks down at Squall and the camera turns away to show the sky, where all the flower petals are shown transforming into white feathers, before the scene changes to Seifer fishing at Balamb.

How the flower petals turn into feathers is likely to symbolize Squall's return, as whether he was still alive when Rinoa found him was left ambiguous until the very end of the game. Feathers are used throughout the game to symbolize angels and also resurrection with white feathers used in the game's reviving animations during battles. Also of interest is that even if the pink flower petals on the field after Rinoa has saved Squall turn into white feathers, the very last scene of the game before the credits shows Laguna on Raine's grave, pink flower petals again swirling in the air.

Although the flower petals are not cherry blossoms, the imagery of falling pink petals is likely not a coincidence. Falling cherry blossoms symbolize either love or mortality, both themes which fit the scenes the falling flower petals are seen.

Julia Heartilly is also shown associated with flowers, especially roses. Her hotel room is full of flower vases and in the scene where she plays the piano in the lounge there is a vase full of red roses in the background. The theme that plays during Julia and Laguna's conversation in her hotel room is called "Roses and Wine". Red roses are often used to symbolize passion.

The other woman in Laguna's life, Raine, is also associated with flowers, although with a different kind than Julia. Raine was known of growing white flowers in Winhill, and the player is able to see her ghost in the Winhill pub upon touching the white flowers in the room.

In actual gameplay, flowers are seen in Selphie's Limit Break The End, where the opponent is sent to a flower field with white petals flying in the air. The words The End appear and the enemy dies instantly.

Final Fantasy IX
Freya Crescent has an attack called Cherry Blossom, which deals magic damage to all opponents. During the attack animation, pink flower petals swirl in the air. Zidane Tribal has a skill called Sacrifice, in which he gives up all of his HP and MP and distributes it to any living party members. Red rose petals scatter from him as he sacrifices his life to help his party members.

Queen Brahne's motif appears to be the red rose, with the symbol recurring in the design of Alexandria Castle, such as in the carpet in the room where the party takes Garnet after having saved her from Zorn and Thorn. Queen Brahne's airship is also called the Red Rose.

Final Fantasy X
Cherry blossoms are seen in Yojimbo's summon animation. The camera shows the night sky upon which flower petals swirl. Yuna is shown next to a tree in full bloom and Yojimbo emerges from behind it, the petals from the tree falling all around him and Yuna. The flower petals appear again if Yojimbo performs Zanmato and instantly kills the opponent.

Unlike in most depictions of the cherry tree, the blossoms in Yojimbo's animation are blue rather than pink, and the flower petals swirling in the air are white. How Yojimbo emerges from behind a blossoming tree is likely allusion to the legend of how samurai soldiers used to meditate under cherry trees.

Yuna's dress is adorned with flowers. The word "yuna" is the Japanese name of the Sea Hibiscus, the flower on her obi and her skirt.

Final Fantasy X-2
Yuna's special dressphere is Floral Fallal, also designed after the sea hibiscus.

Final Fantasy XII
Galbana Lilies symbolize Vaan's relationship with his late brother Reks. Galbana Lilies are rare flowers that bloom on the desert, and are said to have been Reks's favorites. Vaan finds a Galbana Lily after he vanquished his first mark, but it gets trampled on by the imperials' chocobo. Later in a flashback/dream sequence Vaan is shown in a hospital tending to Reks, who sits in the middle of the room completely unresponsive. Vaan places the Galbana Lilies on Reks's lap, but Reks fades away leaving only the flowers behind.

Final Fantasy XIII
Pink roses are associated with Lightning, her Eidolith taking the form of a pink rose. As opposed to red roses that signify passion, pink roses symbolize grace, and the game developers have said Lightning is associated with roses to signify her high class.

Pink flower petals are also part of Odin's summon animations, and Lightning's finishing blow in Gestalt Mode, Zantetsuken. As falling cherry blossoms are associated with mortality, the pink rose petals take the form of same kind of imagery, as Zantetsuken has a chance of inflicting instant death.

Final Fantasy XIII-2
Gilgamesh's Divider has cherry blossoms when slashing at his target.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
When Lightning performs physical attacks using the Gagnrad, Odin's dual blade, flower petals similar to those seen in Final Fantasy XIII during execution of Zantetsuken appear.

Final Fantasy Tactics
Cherry Blossom is Cloud's ultimate Limit command, even stronger than Omnislash. Its attack animation involves the swirl of pink cherry blossoms. Also, in Chapter IV, it is possible to buy a flower for one gil from Aerith. This is essential for the many sidequests.

In the epilogue, Delita Heiral brings flowers to Ovelia Atkascha for her birthday.

Final Fantasy Type-0
In the last seconds of the title intro cherry blossoms retain their color among a black and white backdrop. During the days of the early Showa era, cherry blossoms were given the myth of being the souls of the Imperial Japanese who passed on during their service in the war.

After the Clash on Big Bridge the cadets visit the Akademeia cemetery and vow to honor the dead even if they can't remember them. As they decide to look on to the future, pink petals resembling cherry blossoms are swept up into the sky by the wind.

When Kazusa Futahito uses a machine to view the late Kurasame Susaya's memories Akademeia is surrounded by blossoming cherry trees.

In the end of the HD version credits, the animation used for flashing soul crystal fly past the screen, but colored pink, giving them the look of falling cherry blossoms.

Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
A Trade Accessory called Midgar Flower appears based on the flowers seen in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. It is obtainable only by completing the Prologus Expert Accomplishment in Dissidia 012 Prologus Final Fantasy.

Galbana Lilies make an appearance as Trade Accessories and are used in the creation of Vaan's level 100 exclusive weapon.

Lightning is again associated with roses: there are swirling pink flower petals appearing during her Razor Gale, Crushing Blow, and Flourish of Steel HP attacks, her EX Burst, Zantetsuken, as well as when she attacks Garland in the game's opening FMV.

Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade
Pink flower petals appears on Lightning's Zantetsuken card.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call
Two flower fields appear during Field Music Sequences.

The flower field from Final Fantasy VIII appears during the FMS for "Ending Theme", with the flower petals appearing during the beginning of the sequence.

The second is Aerith's flower field from the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, appear as the FMS for several of the series themes:
 * Cloud Smiles
 * A Flower Blooming in the Slums

Once the party recruits Auron, most of his physical attacks involve him leaving a trail of cherry blossoms behind.